#32 BMW leads #888 Mercedes through first hour

TEAM WRT’s quest for a second Repco Bathurst 12 Hour victory is underway, with Sheldon van der Linde consolidating his lead through the first hour.

The pole-sitting #32 WRT BMW held the advantage over the #888 National Storage Mercedes-AMG of Mikaël Grenier at the end of the first hour of action at Mount Panorama.

The first hour ran uninterrupted, but the #56 Ginetta was forced into the garage after a suspected fire with Owen Hizzey at the wheel.

At the head of the field, the top six remained as they were when the race went green after two laps behind the Safety Car.

Maro Engel (#130 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG) was third ahead of Laurens Vanthoor (#912 Manthey EMA Porsche), Luca Stolz (#75 SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG) and Ricardo Feller (#2 KFC Team MPC Audi).

Maxime Martin (#46 WRT BMW) moved ahead of Kelvin van der Linde (#22 Wash It Team MPC), who owned the fastest lap of the race — a 2:03.3176s — through the first hour.

Jaxon Evans (#13 Phantom Global Porsche) was the biggest mover, with the New Zealander jumping from 17th to 13th in the opening laps.

Harry King (#911 The Bend Manthey EMA Porsche) and Jamie Whincup (#88 Triple Eight Mercedes-AMG) led in Pro-Am, in ninth and 10th overall respectively.

At the time of publication, teams began bringing cars in for their first stops, with Sheldon van der Linde, Grenier and Feller stopping at the end of the 31st lap.

Engel, Stolz, Martin, Whincup and Evans were brought in on the following lap.