Mostert confirmed as BMW locks in works squad

BMW Motorsport has confirmed the six drivers that will lead their campaign for victory in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour next year. 

BMW Team Schnitzer and Walkenhorst Motorsport will each compete with one car in the opening race of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

BMW Team Schnitzer claimed victory at the FIA GT World Cup in mid-November – and intends to build on this strong performance at Bathurst. Brazilian Augusto Farfus will be at the wheel of the #42 BMW M6 GT3 in the Intercontinental GT Challenge. His team-mates will be Martin Tomczyk (GER) and local hero Chaz Mostert (AUS).

Last year, with Mostert behind the wheel, BMW Team Schnitzer secured the Allan Simonsen Pole Award via the Pirelli Top-10 shootout.

“Bathurst is one of the best circuits in the world,” said Farfus. “Last year, we had a good weekend there overall but were unable to top it off with a good result. However, we still learned a lot in 2018. So, I think we are well set for the race in February. We have certainly set ourselves some ambitious targets.”

The greatest triumph thus far in the history of Walkenhorst Motorsport came with victory at the Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race in 2018.

The team, headed by principal Henry Walkenhorst, is now taking on the new Intercontinental GT challenge.

Norwegian Christian Krognes will be one of the drivers, accompanied by the BMW works drivers Nick Catsburg - from the Netherlands - and Denmark's Mikkel Jensen. Jensen made the step up from the BMW Motorsport Junior Programme in 2018.

Catsburg added: “Bathurst has long been on my to-do list – and now I will be competing there for the very first time. I am really looking forward to it. I am familiar with the circuit from the simulator and I have watched all the races from recent years. Christian Krognes and Mikkel Jensen are great drivers and Walkenhorst Motorsport has just had a sensational year. Now we are preparing intensively for this great event.”

BMW has qualified on the front row for the past two Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour events however are yet to finish on the podium.