With the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour not being run last year due to COVID-19 circumstances, the 2022 race has been highly anticipated. This year we will see the 12 Hour run a little later in the year (13-15 May) compared to previous years running in February. With the race being run later in the year and towards Australian winter we should expect to see cooler temperatures at the track too compared to previous years.
This year’s event appears to only be a one-off as the organisers have confirmed that the 2023 race well be back in its traditional 3-5 February slot.
As we count down the weeks for the race to get under way, here is what we know so far.
New start time
Never before did the 12-hour race start this early. The 5:15 start time will allow for more night time driving whilst also allowing the race to finish in twilight conditions that afternoon – due to less daylight compared to the traditional race day. Sunrise in Bathurst on 15 May is at 6:46 Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), and we can expect sunset to be at 17:10 in the afternoon, five minutes before the chequered flag.
V8 Touring Cars are welcomed into the invitational class
Ex-Supercars with a V8 Touring Car logbook will now be eligible to race in the same class with cars such as MARC Cars Australia and one-make categories like Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo, Audi R8 Cup and the Ferrari Challenge. V8 Touring Cars currently race under the Super 3 title alongside Super 2.
MPC will race at least six 2022 spec R8 GT3 LMSs
Audi Sport Customer Racing team boss Troy Russell has stated that the team also known as Melbourne Performance Centre (MPC) is getting ready to head to the mountain with at least six R8s for the Bathurst 12 Hour. MPC will arrive fresh from an impressive performance at Philip Island’s Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS earlier this year with a 1-2-3 win.
Current driver entry list
Triple Eight Race Engineering’s driver line-up consists of 2021 Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen, Red Bull Ampol Racing rookie Broc Feeney and Prince Jefri Ibrahim.
The BASF style-painted Lamborghini Huracán GT3 of Wall Racing will be piloted by Adrian Dietz, Tony D’Alberto, Grant Denyer and David Wall. Between the four drivers, they bring a combined 25 starts to the Bathurst 12 Hour.
GT privateer Mark Rosser has announced his all-star driver line-up too. For his debut at the once-around-the-clock he will be teaming up with Repco Bathurst 1000 winner Nick Percat and Joey Mawson in a 2022 specification Audi R8 LMS. The Audi will be prepared by Team BRM, who are also making their Bathurst 12 Hour debut as a team.
Stay tuned for more team and driver announcement in the coming weeks as we prepare for the return of the Bathurst 12 Hour.
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