Come up Racing GT’s first look on the Bathurst 12 Hour netted a debut class win and virtually an total victory, because of the tempo of Supercars ace Chaz Mostert.
In solely the Western Australian-based crew’s second aggressive outing at Mount Panorama, the #26 Professional and #36 Professional-Am Ferrari 296 GT3s lined up fifth and sixteenth on the grid, respectively.
After beginning at 5:45am native time (the 12 Hour is the one worldwide endurance race to get underway earlier than dawn), the racing shortly heated up, with the main GT3 contenders pushing their equipment laborious within the cool morning temperatures.
Whereas it was Mostert who opened the driving account of the #26, co-driver Will Brown quickly took over and was fortunate to keep away from harm after a daring around-the-outside passing try by the #77 Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Maximilian Götz, who made contact with the Ferrari and ended up buried within the sand on the ultimate nook.
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The primary main incident of the day got here simply earlier than the two-hour mark, when the #25 McLaren Artura GT4 of Ryan Sorensen crashed out at McPhillamy Park on method to Skyline, inadvertently hitting the #44 Audi R8 LMS of Marcel Zalloua, taking the previous out of the race and inflicting harm to the latter, leading to prolonged repairs.
A second main incident occurred two hours and 20 minutes into the race, when Stephen Grove within the #4 Mercedes-AMG GT3 moved vast at Skyline to permit the sooner Kenny Habul-driven #75 Mercedes by on the within.
The 2 automobiles made contact, sending the #4 into the wall violently, clearing the peak of the concrete barrier however not vaulting over. Grove was taken to hospital to be assessed.
Midway by the race, all automobiles within the high 10 had been on the lead lap, with the #26 of Mostert, Brown and Daniel Serra showing to be Come up’s solely hope for a robust consequence, whereas the #36 of Jaxon Evans, Alessio Rovera, Brad Schumacher and Elliot Schutte battled with the #91 Porsche 911 GT3 for Professional-Am class honours.
The ultimate security automobile of the race got here with slightly below 5 hours to go, after the #888 Mercedes hit the wall on the exit of The Chase.
This arrange an exhilarating end, with greater than half a dozen automobiles nonetheless on the lead lap, together with the #26 Ferrari.
A gradual pit cease meant that Brown acquired again behind the wheel trailing the #911 Porsche of Alessio Picariello, combating one another for the very best a part of an hour earlier than the latter went off the street on the ultimate nook, handing the place over.
In the identical stint, the #36 Ferrari vaulted to the Professional-Am class lead and inside the highest 10 total standings.
Serra piloted the #26 for the very best a part of an hour earlier than handing it over to Mostert for the ultimate 80-minute run house, although it shortly grew to become clear the Ferrari wouldn’t make it with no need one other cease, until a security automobile got here out.
Whereas that by no means eventuated, Mostert – with no selection apart from to go for broke – pushed the #26 to the restrict, and took the race lead from the #32 BMW M4 GT3 of Kelvin van der Line with 38 minutes remaining, with the latter not having to pit once more.
Sadly the hail mary run got here to an finish with 23 minutes to go when Mostert pitted for gas and contemporary tyres, which led to a restoration drive within the ultimate stint.
Out entrance the #32 BMW continued to dominate whereas the #46 sister automobile, piloted by Raffaele Marciello – and shared with Charles Weerts and nine-times MotoGP world champion Valentino Rossi – battled the #75 Mercedes of Jules Gounon for what would develop into the second step on the rostrum.
Simply earlier than the 20-minute mark, Marciello made his transfer, passing Gounon with two wheels within the grass down Conrod Straight, which led to the BMW taking second when the #77 pitted for gas simply six minutes from the end.
The race ended with the #32 BMW of the brothers van der Linde (Kelvin and Sheldon) and Augusto Farfus profitable, forward of the #46 BMW and the #75 Mercedes.
Mostert introduced the #26 Ferrari house in fourth, whereas Evans crossed the road eighth within the #36 entry, incomes it a Professional-Am class win.
The consequence got here after a robust debut 12 months for Come up Racing GT, which gained the 2024 GT World Problem Australia title with Mostert and Liam Talbot.
