AUSTRALIAN-BASED teams have stepped up their efforts to reclaim the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour for the host country, after Audi’s international invasion saw them finish first and second in the race this year.
Three key Australian-owned GT3 teams have been testing at Mount Panorama during the ‘Drive Bathurst’ weekend on November 10-14, showing their commitment to get an Aussie team back on top of podium against a rapidly expanding international contingent that looks set to enter the race next February 24-26.
The three teams in question have shown stunning pace and have also signed several ‘name’ drivers to assist their bid to win the race.
Ferrari outfit Maranello Motorsport have tested their brand-new Ferrari F458 Italia with star driver Allan Simonsen, the first serious run on Australian soil for the brand-new car from the famous Italian brand.
Maranello will enter the race with Simonsen to be joined by Bathurst legend John Bowe, international Sportscar ace, German driver Dominik Farnbacher and car-owner Peter Edwards in a combination that – at least on paper – must assume early favouritism.
With Simonsen behind the wheel the car smashed the Mount Panorama lap record, lapping in an astonishing 2:04.9560 – nearly two full seconds underneath Craig Lowndes’ V8 Supercar benchmark.
Team owner Mark Coffey said the testing program had been successful and had achieved the objective of showing what the stunning 458 Italia GT3 car was capable of.
“There are a lot of stopwatches out on the mountain this weekend so with all eyes on the Aussie entries already, it’s going to be a good thing we’re being noticed straight up,” Coffey said.
“We’ve done 40-odd laps each day and the 458 with Allan (Simonsen) on board impressed from the first laps, posting some great times and treating the tyres well. It’s a good sign.
“The car has been fantastic straight out of the box. It’s very exciting and the Maranello team are looking forward to more development. The racing can’t come soon enough!”
Meanwhile, long time Ferrari rivals Lamborghini have been well represented with Queensland driver Roger Lago and V8 Supercar driving team-mate David Russell shaking down their brand new Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 GT3.
Lago recently sealed his second Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge championship and now turns his attention to trying to better his fifth outright – and first in class B – he scored in the race this year, driving a Porsche.
Victorian Consolidated Chemical Co. Racing also tested their similar Lamborghini, team owner / driver Ted Huglin flying co-driver Cam McConville up to test the car earlier in the week.
McConville, a multiple Bathurst 1000 podium finisher and V8 supercar race winner, said driving the Lamborghini was one of the great experiences of his driving career.
“It’s by far the best car I’ve ever driven around Bathurst,” McConville enthused.
“It’s got so much aero, so much grip it’s just so rewarding to drive. I think I’ve probably had my best day in a race car for years (Friday), I enjoyed it so much. The Lambo feels more like an open wheeler to drive than a Touring Car. I was surprised about how stable it was, how good it was under brakes, across the top.
“I can’t wait to get back and drive it in the 12 Hour!”
The team also confirmed that the experienced Luke Searle and Dutch Lamborghini ace Peter Kox would join their team for the race next February.
Kox is a former class-winner at the LeMans 24 hour race and is a works driver for Reiter Engineering, the firm behind Lamborghini’s successful GT products worldwide and the car that he will drive at Bathurst next season.
He has also won multiple races in British, Dutch and German Touring Cars, Formula 3 and Formula 3000 amongst other successes in his career. He is currently racing a Lamborghini Mercialago in the GT1 World Championship.
Just over 100 days remain before the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour Event begins with a host of international entrants expected to join a significantly stronger Australian contingent in the battle for Australia’s international GT Event.
Event organisers will make further announcements in the following week concerning the TV package and official charity of the 2012 Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour.