Brandon Grenier

## SMA Racing Career

### Starts

A-Sanctioned: 38 (Aviva GT Series: 25, Petronas GT500 Series: 4, ISCRA Championship: 1, Race of Champions: 6, Other: 2)B-Sanctioned: 16 (Petronas Super GT Series: 13, Drydene Modified Tour: 2, Hankook Tire GT4 Challenge: 1)

### Wins

A-Sanctioned: 4 (Aviva GT Series: 3, Petronas GT500 Series: 1)B-Sanctioned: 1 (Petronas Super GT Series: 1)

### First Race

Overall: 2018 Automobiles Paillé 100 (Bridge City)A-Sanctioned: 2020 Fuji Super GP (Fuji)

### First Win

Overall: 2019 Sepang 300km (Sepang)A-Sanctioned: 2020 Fuji Super GP (Fuji)

Phillip Brandon Sondain Grenier (Born 27th June 1994), more commonly known as Brandon Grenier, is an active driver currently racing in the Aviva GT Series. He is the 2022 Aviva GT Series GT3 champion.

## Racing Career:

### Early Career:

It appeared initially that Brandon Grenier was destined for a career as a short oval racer. He grew up racing midget cars across the many dirt ovals in Québec, then aged just 14 switched to late models. Grenier's results were never flashy - indeed, whilst it is hard to confirm, it is believed he never won a single race on an oval. Trieste made his SMA debut in 2018, in the first ever Drydene Modified Tour race in Canada - the Automobiles Paillé 100 at Bridge City Speedway. Grenier qualified 28th, and finished 23rd. He would return to the track a year later, this time failing to finish, but by then his motorsport aims had changed.

### Career with Team Kunimitsu:

In late 2018, Grenier began testing a Team Kunimitsu Honda NSX at the Circuit Mont-Tremblant. Kunimitsu were about to lose the services of their lead driver, Reese Kameron, and, with many Canadian sponsors, held open tests in Canada to find a replacement. They promised the seat to the driver who could maintain the fastest pace over 20 laps. Grenier, despite his very limited racing record, managed to achieve this, beating drivers such as current ISCRA Championship driver Mathis Wells, and former Aviva GT driver De'Aaron Walker.

Grenier was paired with experienced driver Shinji Nakano for the 2019 season. Kunimitsu had risen to true contenders in 2018; Grenier and Nakano continued this trend, taking 2 podiums in the first 4 races. Whilst the team stagnated a little in the middle of the year, they came second at Shanghai, then won in Sepang. A pair of podiums to end the season brough Grenier and Nakano third in series points.

In 2020, GT500 moved to a short-lived sprint format, with one driver per car. Kunimitsu elected to retain Grenier over Nakano. This turned out to be the right choice: Grenier won the opener; a chaotic race in Fuji that saw multiple drivers injured. Two more top 5s at Suzuka and Laguna Seca and another podium at the Nurburgring left him on top of the standings after 4 races. Unfortunately, the interruption of 'the pandemic' ended the season there. The SMA never crowned a GT500 champion, meaning Grenier was never credited with the championship despite ending the season leading points.

### Switch to GT3:

Grenier was signed by SMP Racing to drive a Ferrari 488 for the 2021 Seiko GT3 Series (now Aviva GT Series) season. He qualified 4th on debut, and ran 3rd early, but collided with Levi Wilmington and did not finish. Grenier finished second at Silverstone, but this would be his last podium of the season. He struggled for consistency, finishing inside the top 8 just once over the next 5 rounds. He would co-drive with F1CE star Nonagon Scott at the first Spa 2 Hours, but they finished only 12th. Grenier ended the year 8th in the standings, over 100 points off the champion.

Grenier changed teams over the off-season, joining Team ABBA for 2022. Grenier appeared much stronger in the Mercedes, and, importantly, more consistent. He took his first win since 2020 at Oulton Park, and afterwards added two more: firstly, at Bathurst, then, his first crown jewel win, in the (shortened) second running of the Spa 2 Hours. Grenier began to struggle for pace in the late season but had done enough by then to hold the points lead after Donington. Once again, the season would not be completed, due to conflicts between BRDC and SMA surrounding the ending of BTCC sanctioning. This time, however, Grenier was officially crowned champion.

## Personal Life:

Grenier is unmarried, and has been a part of numerous relationships, but almost all have remained outside of the public eye.

Grenier is the youngest of 4 siblings; he has 2 brothers and a sister. Both brothers are notable sports stars, and are also notable for using the maternal Sondain surname, rather than Grenier.