Since the introduction of GT3 entries more than a decade ago, the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour has grown into one of the globe’s prestigious events welcoming a vast array of internationally respected teams, manufacturers and drivers, with 2024 no exception.
Not only does this edition kick off the 2024 Intercontinental GT Challenge, but it also begins the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS endurance season. Making up a two round endurance campaign alongside a three-hour event at Sydney Motorsport Park in October, the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour provides teams competing in Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS to race again some of the world’s best.
Teams including Triple Eight Race Engineering, Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia (Melbourne Performance Centre), Tigani Motorsport, M Motorsport and EMA Motorsport (through an association with Manthey Racing) are expected to compete at both Bathurst in addition to the sprint season.
Add in Wall Racing in the Adrian Deitz-owned Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo and the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour for the Australian contingent is as strong as ever
Since 2016, the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour has been a staple of global GT promoter SRO’s Intercontinental GT Challenge allowing leading manufacturers to contest some of the world’s premier events.
Bathurst is joined on the calendar by the Nurburgring, Spa-Francorchamps and Indianapolis for this season. In the manufacturer stakes, Mercedes-AMG is the defending champion as BMW and Porsche will be the competition for this season starting at Mount Panorama.
On the driver front, Jules Gounon won last year’s title and returns to the Mountain aiming for a fourth consecutive victory, a run starting at the 2020 event for Bentley. The past two editions Gounon has been a part of the winning SunEnergy1 Racing line-up featuring Aussie ex-pat Kenny Habul and factory ace Luca Stolz.
IGTC manufacturers will no longer nominate its entries, instead all will be eligible to score points in both sections and only the top two placed representing a particular brand will be counted and the top 10 drivers.
To distinguish between the IGTC entrants white Fanatec windscreen banners will be placed on the nine Mercedes-AMG, three Porsches and two BMWs competing, while the remainder of the field will be black.
Prince Jefri Ibrahim will make the step up to contest the IGTC Independent Cup and will be the only one of three entrants to race at Bathurst as the class requires a round to be dropped.
If all this isn’t enough, Bathurst kicks off the Fanatec GT World Challenge Powered by AWS campaign covering 52 races at 30 events across four championships in America, Asia, Australia and Europe.
The event kicks off today with the traditional Track to Town on February 15 at 10:30am AEDT ahead of track action beginning the next day as the schedule below displays and make sure to catch the action on GTWorld's YouTube Channel or on the videos section of this website.
Schedule
Thursday 15 February
10:30 – 13:00: Track to Town parade
Friday 16 February
08:15 – 08:55: Practice 1
09:50 – 10:30: Practice 2 (Bronze drivers only)
13:30 – 14:10: Practice 3
16:10 – 16:50: Practice 4 (Bronze drivers only)
Saturday 17 February
08:05 – 09:05: Practice 5
10:00 – 11:00: Practice 6
12:40 – 13:10: Qualifying Part 1 (Live)
13:30 – 14:00: Qualifying Part 2 (Live)
16:05 – 16:20: Top 10 Shootout Part 1 (Live)
16:30 – 16:45: Top 10 Shootout Part 2 (Live)
Sunday 18 February
05:45 – 17:45: Race (Live)