Bentley to return in Combined Sportscar, Sedan grid
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The iconic Bentley Continental GT3 will return to Mount Panorama in 2027
The iconic GT3 car will form a key part of an expanded Enthusiast Motor Insurance Bathurst Sportscars and Sedans field set to return to Australia’s International Enduro in 2027.
The Bathurst 12 Hour support category will race as the Enthusiast Motor Insurance Bathurst Sportscars and Sedans after the Aussie-based company secured the title partnership of the key support category, one that has delivered big fields and great racing each year since 2016.
The category will be one of two support categories at the 2027 event.
As part of the recent addition of ‘classic’ GT3 machinery to the grid, the category has confirmed the participation of the Generation 1 Bentley Continental GT3 owned by the Miedecke Family in 2027.
It heralds the Bathurst return of the iconic British machine - one of the most popular GT3 cars ever to tackle Australia’s International Enduro - following the brands incredible triumph in the 2020 Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour with the later-generation version of the Continental.
The Gen 1 version of the car was a podium finisher on the Mountain and helped build towards the brands ultimate success in 2020.
Enthusiast Motor Insurance Bathurst Sportscars and Sedans fields a capacity 55 cars across spaceframe Sports Sedans, full-chassis tin-tops, Improved Production, former Supercars and out-of-homologation GT machinery. It is managed by Steven and Bronwyn Lacey of Ripplestrip Motorsport on behalf of NSW Sports Sedans.
The category has form for producing outright speed and fan favourite cars.
Last year Michael Rowell ran a thunderous modified IRC GT that touched 298kmh on Conrod Straight, and Brad Shiels, currently leading the National Sports Sedan Series in the Joe Said screaming rotary powered Fiat 124 Coupe was a spectator magnet. Both are keen to return in 2027.
For competitors, Expressions of Interest are now open, so if you’d like to challenge the Mountain over the Bathurst 12 Hour weekend in the Enthusiast Motor Insurance Bathurst Sportscars and Sedans, email here for more information and an entry form.
Enthusiast Motor Insurance CEO Stacy Vickers:
"Sportscars and Sedans is all about spectacular machines. IRC cars, spaceframe Sports Sedans, Touring Cars much of it engineered in small workshops by people who do it after hours and then take it to Mount Panorama to race against GT machinery. So many amazing Australian engineering stories come from this category. “
"Sports Sedans have been my favourite category for a long time, for the engineering as much as the noise. It will be the most spectacular thing on track outside of the main race, and it is exactly the culture we want to be associated with. I’m very proud that Duggan Family Hotels handed the baton to us after five successful years as category sponsor."
Shane Rudzis, Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director:
"The Enthusiast Motor Insurance Bathurst Sportscars and Sedans category has become an important part of the Bathurst 12 Hour weekend because it delivers exactly what fans love about Mount Panorama.
"The addition of the Bentley GT3 is a fantastic story for the event. Bentley has a special place in Bathurst 12 Hour history after its outright victory in 2020, and to have the brand back on the Mountain gives fans another iconic car and marque to get excited about.
“The category continues to evolve every year, and the prospect of seeing a Bentley tackling Mount Panorama once again only adds to the spectacle that makes this support grid such a highlight of the weekend."
Ripplestrip Motorsport directors Steven & Bronwyn Lacey:
“We are delighted to be going back to Bathurst, this being our 16th consecutive year managing a Category at the Mountain.
“2026 was our first event combining Sports Cars with our Combined Sedans and the event was a roaring success, with new lap records being set for the Category. This followed the lowering of the fastest lap time permitted to 2min 5 secs, which attracted some awesome machinery. We are working on a few more surprises for 2027, including the addition of an extra race for the competitors and fans.
“Excitingly, a new addition to the grid for 2027 will be the 2015 Bentley GT3 Gen 1, owned by the Miedecke family. The last time a Bentley raced on the Mountain it won outright in 2020. We’re sure that’ll be George Miedecke’s plan when he pulls on his helmet.”
Lead Image: Full Noise Photography
