Sam Brabham and Antonio Astuti will join an already stacked 2024 Monochrome GT4 Australia Series grid after linking up with family team Love Racing.
The third-generation racers will join the team formed last year, with Astuti partnering father Rob Love and Brabham driving alongside son Bailey in a pair of Mercedes-AMG GT4s.
Astuti and Brabham add to an exciting list of drivers contesting the inaugural round of the Monochrome GT4 Australia Series at Phillip Island as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries bill on April 12-14.
The Love family team is new to motorsport competition and this season will mark the father and son’s first full season at a national-level racing.
Both Astuti and Brabham bring a wealth of experience to the team’s driver line-up, giving the new racers an expert hand in their quest for GT4 success.
Brabham, the grandson of F1 legend Sir Jack Brabham and son of Le Mans winner David, has competed in GT3 and GT4 racing in Australia for the past three years. Having enjoyed multiple class successes during this time, Brabham is aiming to continue this in 2024 in a GT4 model he enjoys vast experience in driving.
Not short on experience either, Astuti is a noted driver trainer and it is this association where his relationship with the Love family began. The 23-year-old is an exponent of open-wheel racing having contested S5000 and Formula 4, but will put this to good use in Monochrome GT4 Australia.
Love Racing will contest the full Monochrome GT4 Australia schedule starting at Phillip Island on April 12-14 as part of the Shannons SpeedSeries, which will feature live in Australia on Channel 7 and 7mate.
QUOTES
Sam Brabham
“It’s going to be a good year. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Brabham.
“I’ve spent a bit of time in GT4 cars, and we’ve had some good seat time with the Loves in testing.
“Our aim is to bring these guys up to speed as quickly as we can and start getting some good results.
“Bailey has great potential. He is still very new to car racing, but he has a lot of potential.
“We’re going to a few new circuits for the Loves, but they are approaching it the right way.
“I’m delighted with the chance to race again. I’ve worked with these guys for a while in track days, and at the beginning, there was no real plan for them to go racing. They are committed and it’s great to see.
“Last year, I only did three race meetings, so to have the full program locked in, it’s got me really excited for the year. This will be the first time that I’ve done a full season of racing in Australia, so to be doing a full championship is great. I can’t wait to get involved, and the GT4 category is going to be really good with a lot of good teams and cars.”
Antonio Astuti
“GT racing is what I’ve always wanted to be part of career wise. It’s pretty cool to be able to restart my racing journey in a GT car,” said Astuti.
“I think the competition for the Pros and AMs is looking very competitive. I’ve heard of some quick guys in the field in both classes, which will provide a really cool challenge.
“I’ve had a couple of chances to drive the car. The Mercedes is very enjoyable to drive and learn how to extract speed from. Compared to the wings and slicks that I’ve driven in the past, it’s certainly a lot different.
“I think the cars will provide great racing with low aero and lots of mechanical grip.
“It’s Rob’s first season in national motorsport. My goal is to help him progress as much as possible. It’s a competitive field, and he is very competitive too, so we are just using the first round as a base line and then improve from there.”