Audi Sport reveals its drivers for the Bathurst 12 Hours

The Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo from Audi Sport Team Valvoline will inevitably be among the favorites from January 31 to February 2 for the opening of the Intercontinental GT Challenge at the Bathurst 12 Hours.

Neuburg will detach several of its official drivers for the event, on the three R8s operated by the Italian entity. On the No. 2, Dries Vanthoor, Christopher Haase and Frédéric Vervisch will be reunited when Kelvin van der Linde will be associated on the No. 222 with the always formidable Markus Winkelhock and Mattia Drudi, who will compete in his first 12 hours on the Mount Panorama Circuit.

New recruit Mirko Bortolotti, who debuted at the 24 Hours of Dubai with the Team WRT car, will make common cause with Christopher Mies and the very experienced Garth Tander, three-time winner of the Bathurst 1000 in Supercars, in the No. 22 . Bortolotti will also make his debut in Australia.

“Our tenth appearance at Bathurst has very special significance, comments Chris Reinke, boss of Audi Sport Customer Racing. In 2011, 2012 and 2018, we won there with three different teams. We are now aiming for our fourth success with Audi Sport Team Valvoline. »

Avant de céder son trône à Porsche et Earl Bamber Motorsport en 2019, au terme d’une course où les R8 LMS GT3 Evo n’avaient pas brillé (10e place pour la voiture du Matt Stone Racing en Pro-Am, la meilleure Pro terminant 14e), Audi Sport avait triomphé en 2018 avec Team WRT. L’écurie belge s’est focalisée cette année sur les 24 Heures de Daytona en catégorie GTD.

Team Hallmarc in Pro-Am and Tony Bates Racing in Silver Cup complete the brand's commitment to the rings.

And here's @audisport's other #IntGTC-nominated entry for @Bathurst12hour: Tony Bates Racing.

Shouldn't have any problem sticking to the road… pic.twitter.com/fLyyF5qK0N

— Intercontinental GT Challenge (@IntercontGTC) January 13, 2020