Marco Mapelli prepares for Huracán's final farewell at Bathurst as he aims to close the chapter in the right way

Six years after his previous appearance in the Bathurst 12 Hour, 38-year-old Marco Mapelli returns to Mount Panorama as the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 prepares for its final farewell. In the #93 Wall Racing Huracán, he teams up with Adrian Deitz, Grant Denyer and Tony D’Alberto in the Bronze line-up, aiming for a third consecutive class victory. Mapelli told GT REPORT in an exclusive interview that his return to Bathurst carries special meaning.

The return

Marco Mapelli, with his experience and achievements, is a highly sought‑after name in the GT world. Wall Racing wants to make use of that expertise while further expanding its collaboration with Lamborghini. Thanks to that strengthened partnership, Mapelli has been appointed as the team’s experienced lead driver for Bathurst. Together with him, Wall Racing is chasing a third consecutive class win, following victories in 2024 and 2025 in the Silver class.

“The team wants to make more use of Lamborghini’s support compared to last year, especially because this will be the last race for the Huracán,” Mapelli explains to GT REPORT. “In addition, Wall Racing is considering acquiring the new Temerario GT3. Lamborghini is happy to support the team for this edition of the Bathurst 12 Hour. From both sides, it’s a good decision to strengthen the collaboration.”

The upcoming event will be the final major race for the Lamborghini Huracán. For Mapelli, that adds an extra layer of meaning to his return; he is determined to close this chapter in the right way.

“The Huracán has been very successful worldwide in recent years, including at Bathurst. In 2020, when we raced there with FFF, we were very competitive. I hope that, despite competing in the Bronze class, we can fight for the win in our class and then see where we end up in the overall standings.”

Unique role distribution

Mapelli will compete as a Platinum driver in the Bronze class, creating a unique dynamic within the team. He is the natural leader, but his role goes beyond just driving. Mapelli sees it as his responsibility to support his teammates and provide guidance where needed.

“When you step into a situation like that, you mainly have to be on the supportive side,” he explains. “You play a big role within the team, and sometimes you have to carry the whole team on your shoulders.”

For Mapelli, teammate Tony D’Alberto is a familiar face.

“I’ve known Tony since my time in Australian Formula 3, about twenty years ago. We tested the V8 Supercars together back then. It’s great to share a car with him again after all these years.”

Despite being the most experienced driver, Mapelli emphasizes that he also learns from his teammates.

“You always learn something from them. They do most of the car setup based on their driving style, so I have to adapt to that. Their experience at Bathurst grows every year, and I’m looking forward to understanding even more about their approach, their strategy, and why they make certain choices.”

High expectations

With Mapelli’s return to the experienced and successful Wall Racing team, expectations are high. The team aims for a strong result and hopes to continue the momentum of recent years. Mapelli shares that ambition but stresses that the fight in the Bronze class will be anything but easy.

“We’re going to fight for the win in our class, but that’s not easy. There are many strong drivers among the competition.”

Mapelli is also clear about the performance of the Lamborghini Huracán.

“We always have a slight disadvantage in top speed, and that doesn’t help at Bathurst because overtaking is difficult there. You often have to wait until you can get into the slipstream. But the car is usually very good on tyre management and strong in the corners. Because of that, we have an overall package we can fight with.”

Future plans

The 38‑year‑old Lamborghini factory driver is far from done after Bathurst.

“My programme for this year is already set, and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be a demanding season and an important year for the brand, because we are moving to a completely new project. We are all working toward the same goal: improving our new car, delivering it to our customers next year, and raising the bar even higher.”

However, he cannot reveal anything about that new project yet.

“I can’t say anything about that, unfortunately,” he admits. “We have to wait until Lamborghini announces it officially, that will be hopefully sometime in the coming weeks.”