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Motorsport
Motorsport
Andrew van Leeuwen

Renee Gracie to make GT racing return

The former Supercars starter will join Australian GT for the second round of the season in Perth at the end of this month.

The precise details of her programme, including car, team and sponsor, are yet to be confirmed.

The news follows an announcement last month that streaming service Stan, which is one of the broadcast partners for GT World Challenge Australia, has commissioned a documentary about Gracie and a planned return to the Bathurst 1000.

“I started planning a return to the sport in 2021, which is when I started getting serious, talking to people and discovering what was possible," said Gracie.

“The first indication was that there were challenges to find the support within the industry to make it work, so we took our time to plan and get the ideal programme together.

“I was very strategic with who I worked with and who I wanted to deal with on my comeback.

“Some opportunities that presented were right and some were wrong, but the stars have aligned to pull all this together.

“Everything has worked and fallen into place and I’m really happy with everyone I am working with and who has been part of this journey.

“It was proof to me that yes, this was the time to get back into racing.”

Gracie is best known for her two Bathurst 1000 starts alongside Simona de Silvestro as part of the Harvey Norman Supergirls programme in 2015 and 2016.

She also competed in Carrera Cup and Super2 before walking away from the sport to focus on a high-profile career in the adult entertainment industry.

According to Gracie, this latest foray into the sport is about rediscovering the enjoyment of racing cars.

“Personally, it’s about going racing and rediscovering that enjoyment and passion for the sport that had disappeared for me," she said.

“When I left, the actual racing was about one per cent of what I was doing, and the rest was not enjoyable.

“I want to get back to enjoying the sport again and get that thrill of being back behind the wheel.

“Ultimately, I want to be competitive and the programme we have developed is about getting up to speed and getting to the front.

“Beyond that, there is the opportunity to compete internationally if I can put myself in a strong position here.

“I have been doing some karting, and I got behind the wheel recently and was really pleased with how quickly things came back to me.

“I honestly don’t know how I will go but it’s like riding a bike – you don’t forget.”

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