The Australian GT season-opening Clipsal 500 event on the streets of Adelaide might still be three weeks away, but a large percentage of the 34-car field that’s entered for the first event of the year are at Mount Panorama this weekend for the annual Bathurst 12-Hour.
There are no less than 35 Australian GT regulars entered in the field, with those 35 drivers sharing driving duties in 17 of the cars that will be on the grid in Adelaide.. half the field!
Expected to lead the charge on the mountain were former champions Maranello Motorsport, with 2014 Townsville recruit Tony D’Alberto joining 2014 12-Hour winner Mike Salo and Ben ‘The Stig’ Collins, however heavy contact with a slower car coming down to Forrest’s Elbow in opening practice has eliminated the reigning title holders, leaving them negotiating for a replacement ride ahead of qualifying.
Despite their demise, 2013 race winners Erebus Motorsport have both their race winning Erebus Motorsport SLS AMG GT3s on the grid with a raft of young driving talent behind the wheel which includes reigning Australian GT champion Richard Muscat, and multiple series race winner Jack Le Brocq.
2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst, NSW (6-8 February)
Saturday, 7 February
7:45am – Practice #5 (60-minutes)
12:55pm – Qualifying #1 (60-minutes)
2:05pm – Qualifying #2 (20-minutes)
Sunday, 8 February
5:50am – Bathurst 12-Hour – Race (12-hours)
Australian GT teams entered in the 2015 Bathurst 12-Hour
- Fitzgerald Racing (Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Peter Fitzgerald/Michael Almond/Matt Halliday
5. Skwirk/Beechwood (Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Rod Salmon/Nathan Antunes/Oliver Gavin
6. Safe-T-Stop (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) – Class B
Richard Gartner/Michael Hector/Garth Duffy/Aaron Zerefos
7. GWR Australia (Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3/Pirelli) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Dean Grant/Ash Samadi/Max Twigg
8. Flying B Racing (Bentley Continental GT3) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Peter Edwards/John Bowe/David Brabham
9. Hallmarc Motorsport (Audi R8 GT3 ultra) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Marc Cini/Mark Eddy/Christopher Mies
21. Motorsport Services (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) – Class B
Sam Fillmore/Danny Stutterd/Ross Lilley
27. Trass Family M’sport (Ferrari 458 Italia GT3) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Jono Lester/John McIntyre/Graeme Smyth
29. Trofeo Motorsport (Ferrari 458 Italia GT3) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Jim Manolios/Ivan Capelli/Ryan Millier
32. JBS Swift (Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 GT3) – Class A (GT3 Pro-Am)
Roger Lago/David Russell/Steve Owen
36. Erebus Motorsport (Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3) – Class A (GT3 Pro-Am)
Jack LeBrocq/Richard Muscat/Dean Canto
38. Wall Racing (Porsche GT3 Cup S) – Class B
Paul Tressider/Daniel Bilski/Matt Kingsley
47. Supabarn Racing (Porsche 997 Cup S) – Class B
James Koundouris/Theo Koundouris/Marcus Marshall/Sam Power
48. Interlloy/M-Motorsport (Lamborghini Gallardo FL2 GT3) – Class A (GT3 Pro-Am)
Justin McMillan/Steve Richards/Craig Baird
50. Team LHI (Porsche GT3 Cup Car) – Class B
Nick Cresswell/Terry Knight/John Goodacre/Jeff Bobik
51. AMAC Motorsport (Porsche GT3-R) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Andrew Macpherson/Brad Shiels/Matthew Campbell
54. Donut King (Lotus Exige Cup R) – Class C
Tony Alford/Mark O’Connor/Peter Leemhuis
59. VIP Holdings (McLaren MP4-12C GT3) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Tony Quinn/Klark Quinn/Kevin Estre
63. Erebus Motorsport (Mercedes Benz SLS AMG GT3) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Nathan Morcom/Austin Cindric/Simon Hodge
73. TM Motorsport (Ginetta G50 GT4) – Class C
Tony Martin/Michael Hovey/Grant Bromley/Robert Hackwood
74. JAMEC-PEM Racing (Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Allesandro Latif/Warren Luff/Greg Crick
75. JAMEC-PEM Racing (Audi R8 LMS GT3 ultra) – Class A (GT3 Am)
Steve McLaughlan/James Winslow/Dean Koutsoumidis
88. Maranello Motorsport (Ferrari 458 Italia GT3) – Class A (GT3 Pro-Am)
Mika Salo/Tony D’Alberto/Ben Collins
91. MARC Cars Australia (MARC Focus GTC) – Class I
Keith Kassulke/Jake Camalleri/Ivo Breukers
