DECLAN Fraser is back competing for Triple Eight Race Engineering this year, but not in a Supercar.
The combination which won the 2022 Super2 title will reunite for a GT World Challenge Australia campaign, with Fraser spearheading a Pro-Am entry.
The 23-year-old will share a #888 Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Peter Hackett, in addition to his Brad Jones Racing Supercars co-driving commitments alongside Andre Heimgartner.
FRASER: ‘I want to rewrite what my history is’
“It’s cool to team up again with Triple Eight. I won the Super2 title with them; coming back into a professional class, I’m really excited to get underway,” said Fraser.
“I have never raced a GT3 car. The only time I have raced this style of car was a one-off race at Sandown in GT4, but we have a test day at Queensland Raceway beforehand, plus plenty of practice miles at Phillip Island leading into the event.
“Going to Phillip Island is going to give me the best grasp on how the cars react, trusting the aerodynamics, trusting the tyre. A Supercar has a fair bit of aero, but a GT3 car has even more, so I will need to learn as I go.
“Triple Eight has such a plethora of information and data with these cars, and Peter Hackett has raced them so many times. I’m really going to lean on his experience to understand how the cars work.
“We’ve assembled an amazing combination for this entry – drivers, team and car. Pete has done so much, and so has the team. I’m really confident that we are going to have a good result.”
Fraser is the latest notable addition to the GTWC Australia grid, following the likes of Chaz Mostert, Jaxon Evans, Will Brown and Brendon Leitch.
“Every day it surprises me – new big names being announced – a few GT experts and Supercars drivers,” he said.
“It’s going to showcase the skills everyone has, the variety in the brands of cars, and that’s exactly what GT racing is about.”
Hackett is no slouch either, having won the 2017 Australian Endurance Championship with Dominic Storey in an Eggleston Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3.
“I’m honoured to be part of Triple Eight again. I know how much they want to win and I’m keen to be part of its assault on the title,” said Hackett.
“GT racing has been growing in Australia for a long time. It has been through a number of phases, but it’s a spectacle that drivers and sponsors want to be a part of.
“With top-line Supercars drivers and internationals taking part, these are the type of drivers and teams that should be in this class.
“And with the BOP (Balance of Performance) that the class has, it gives everyone an equal chance to win.
“We know that Declan is fast. Anyone who drives a race car as well as he does can get the job done in GT cars.
“I’m looking forward to helping him out as he gets used to the class, but I’m under no illusions that he is the gold rated driver and I’m the bronze. My job is to bring the car home safe for him.”
Round 1 at Phillip Island will take place on April 12-14.
