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GT: 2013 Bathurst 12H Date Set
Bathurst 12 Hour scheduled for Feb 8-10, 2013...
The 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour will be held Feb. 8-10 on the famed Mount Panorama. (Photo: John Dagys)
The Bathurst 12 Hour race will return to an earlier February date and further expand eligibility criteria following confirmation of several key details regarding the 2013 Event.
The weekend of February 8-10 will be the home of Australia’s international endurance race that will again feature top-level GT vehicles from here and abroad going head-to-head on the iconic Mount Panorama circuit.
The 2012 race featured 10 international entrants and three different brands – Audi, Mercedes Benz and Ferrari – represented on the podium after 12 Hours of drama; the final two covered live on SPEED TV Australia for the first time.
Approximately 20,000 people attended the three-day Event that has become a staple ‘season opener’ of the Australian Motorsport scene.
Event promoter Yeehah Events, in conjunction with the Bathurst Regional Council, has already confirmed several key competition and management components of the 2013 race.
International promoters Creventic will return after their influence saw the addition of several teams from the global GT racing community participate this year.
Creventic will again offer a combined entry / freight package that makes the trip down under significantly more affordable than ever before for international entrants. 12 Hour promoter Yeehah Events will also actively promote the race to competitors at major international GT3 races on the calendar, including the Spa 24 hour to be held later this year.
An additional Invitational Class will be added to the vehicle eligibility structure, allowing vehicles up to 7000cc capacity to enter the race should they be outside of the GT or Production Car regulatory framework.
Examples of these vehicles include the Mal Rose VZ Holden Commodore and the Daytona Coupe campaigned in Production Sports Car racing by Jamie Augustine, amongst others.
All Production class cars entered in the field will run on slick tires for the first time, offering an anticipated performance boost to production car entrants.
The move to slick tires is primarily designed to lower the substantial cornering speed differential between the GT and Production vehicles, providing a more controlled approach to negotiating traffic throughout the course of the race.
Meanwhile, tire regulations will be opened up with three brands now permitted to supply tires to the GT entrants, specifically; Michelin, Hankook and Pirelli.
The Event will make some alterations to driver eligibility and, specifically, the status of ‘seeded’ drivers with an announcement to be made in due course on the direction to be taken.
Whilst there is a raft of alterations already in place, Event Director James O’Brien said the 2013 race was more about evolution, rather than revolution.
“It is about continually evolving and adapting the product to suit the marketplace and continue to broaden its appeal both domestically and internationally,” he explained.
“There is clearly a demand for larger-capacity ‘invitational’ vehicles to become involved and we will be making that happen for 2013. Likewise, competitors have voiced a desire for an opening up of the tire regulations and that will also be in effect for next year.
“Other vehicle eligibility will remain broadly the same with general evolution to suit the growth of the Event.
“We are very pleased to again be working with Creventic to broaden our international horizons after a very successful debut to the partnership this year. We doubled our international participation and this remains a key growth area for the race.
“Likewise, the earlier date should better suit the domestic competitors who will now have time between the 12 Hour and the commencement of any national championships or series they may be committed to.
“We are really looking forward to the development of the race and continuing to steadily build its profile and competitor base.”
Sponsor Armor All has elected to not renew their naming-rights sponsorship of the Event, following the completion of their three-year contract.
Event Organizers thank Armor All for their support of the Bathurst 12 Hour and have already begun the process of sourcing a new naming-rights partner for 2013 onwards.
The weekend of February 8-10 will be the home of Australia’s international endurance race that will again feature top-level GT vehicles from here and abroad going head-to-head on the iconic Mount Panorama circuit.
The 2012 race featured 10 international entrants and three different brands – Audi, Mercedes Benz and Ferrari – represented on the podium after 12 Hours of drama; the final two covered live on SPEED TV Australia for the first time.
Approximately 20,000 people attended the three-day Event that has become a staple ‘season opener’ of the Australian Motorsport scene.
Event promoter Yeehah Events, in conjunction with the Bathurst Regional Council, has already confirmed several key competition and management components of the 2013 race.
International promoters Creventic will return after their influence saw the addition of several teams from the global GT racing community participate this year.
Creventic will again offer a combined entry / freight package that makes the trip down under significantly more affordable than ever before for international entrants. 12 Hour promoter Yeehah Events will also actively promote the race to competitors at major international GT3 races on the calendar, including the Spa 24 hour to be held later this year.
An additional Invitational Class will be added to the vehicle eligibility structure, allowing vehicles up to 7000cc capacity to enter the race should they be outside of the GT or Production Car regulatory framework.
Examples of these vehicles include the Mal Rose VZ Holden Commodore and the Daytona Coupe campaigned in Production Sports Car racing by Jamie Augustine, amongst others.
All Production class cars entered in the field will run on slick tires for the first time, offering an anticipated performance boost to production car entrants.
The move to slick tires is primarily designed to lower the substantial cornering speed differential between the GT and Production vehicles, providing a more controlled approach to negotiating traffic throughout the course of the race.
Meanwhile, tire regulations will be opened up with three brands now permitted to supply tires to the GT entrants, specifically; Michelin, Hankook and Pirelli.
The Event will make some alterations to driver eligibility and, specifically, the status of ‘seeded’ drivers with an announcement to be made in due course on the direction to be taken.
Whilst there is a raft of alterations already in place, Event Director James O’Brien said the 2013 race was more about evolution, rather than revolution.
“It is about continually evolving and adapting the product to suit the marketplace and continue to broaden its appeal both domestically and internationally,” he explained.
“There is clearly a demand for larger-capacity ‘invitational’ vehicles to become involved and we will be making that happen for 2013. Likewise, competitors have voiced a desire for an opening up of the tire regulations and that will also be in effect for next year.
“Other vehicle eligibility will remain broadly the same with general evolution to suit the growth of the Event.
“We are very pleased to again be working with Creventic to broaden our international horizons after a very successful debut to the partnership this year. We doubled our international participation and this remains a key growth area for the race.
“Likewise, the earlier date should better suit the domestic competitors who will now have time between the 12 Hour and the commencement of any national championships or series they may be committed to.
“We are really looking forward to the development of the race and continuing to steadily build its profile and competitor base.”
Sponsor Armor All has elected to not renew their naming-rights sponsorship of the Event, following the completion of their three-year contract.
Event Organizers thank Armor All for their support of the Bathurst 12 Hour and have already begun the process of sourcing a new naming-rights partner for 2013 onwards.
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