Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 driver Peter Hackett continued the highly successful Australian GT Championship debut season of this car by racing to his first win of the season at Victoria's Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit on Sunday.

Hackett added another podium finish of 3rd in Sunday's opening race to preserve the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3's record of top three finishes in every Australian GT Championship race contested this season.

"We worked hard all weekend to overcome our tyre wear issues and some other aero challenges at this high speed circuit. The Erebus Racing Team did a superb job to ensure that we had a better set-up for race two and to have gained our maiden win in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 so soon is just fantastic," Hackett said. 

"I missed out on the overall round win by a handful of points again, but our performance is improving with every race. I pushed the car hard and took heaps of risks in my battle with Greg Crick and against the traffic and our race strategy worked very well," He added. 

After setting the fastest lap of practice after two Friday sessions and qualifying 3rd for Sunday's two one hour races, the Melbourne based driver and the only Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 in the Southern Hemisphere were in strong form on the spectacular seaside circuit.

Starting from third on the grid for the opening one hour race in overcast conditions, Hackett lost two places on the opening lap to fifth, beginning a race long charge towards a podium finish. After making his way back into the top three, Hackett pitted at the 37 minute point of the race out of second position. After spending his compulsory 75 seconds in the pits (due to him driving the one hour enduro race solo) he re-joined the race in second position and was setting a the pace of the race in pursuit of Aston Martin powered race leader Klark Quinn. 

Hackett reduced the deficit from 12.2 seconds to one second, but his front tyre traction had dropped dramatically during the chase, and Audi R8 GT3 driver Mark Eddy managed to get past with just three minutes to go. Light rain in the closing minutes of the race made getting to the end of the race more challenging with Hackett piloting his Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 to yet another podium finish in its debut season at third. Mark Eddy won the race with Klark Quinn second.

The second one hour race of the Phillip Island round started on a partly damp circuit and in cooler conditions following some light showers between races. Starting once again from 3rd on the grid, Hackett powered his Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 to a superb start, challenging for second position into the first turn, while defending the hard charging Greg Crick in his Dodge Viper. The two drivers engaged in a close battle for the opening nine laps, Hackett managing to pass both Crick and Audi R8 equipped race leader Eddy at Honda corner to take the lead on lap 10. After once again trading places with Crick, Hackett re-took the lead and held on to it through to his compulsory pit stop on lap 23 and the long 75 second wait before re-joining the race. 

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 driver was back in the lead for the 20 minute sprint to the finish. Hackett's hard work in the first half of the race and consistent pace after his stop ensured that he maintaned a 25 second gap over Audi rival Mark Eddy with Greg Crick third. Hackett greeted the chequered flag 17.3 seconds ahead of the field at the completion of the hour, scoring a historic first Australian GT Championship race victory in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.

Hackett will be back behind the wheel of his Erebus Racing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 at the majestic Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst for the sixth Round of the 2011 VodkaO Australian GT Championship from October 6 to 9.

Team Erebus Mercedes SLS GT3 uses Magneti Marelli HFD logging unit and DDU dash display as well as Chassissim lap simulation software with engineering support from Competition Systems.