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[05XR8]

‘Let down badly’: Bathurst 12 Hour suffers last-minute withdrawal

111 Racing competed in GT World Challenge Australia in 2024. Image: Race Project Mercedes-AMG GT3 team 111 Racing announced on

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Iconic Gulf colours for Aston Martin at Bathurst

The #14 Volante Rosso Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in its Gulf Oil colours. Gulf Oil has confirmed it has taken

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[Spacegoat]

Iconic Gulf colours for Aston Martin at Bathurst

The #14 Volante Rosso Aston Martin Vantage GT3 in its Gulf Oil colours. Gulf Oil has confirmed it has taken

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Every time I think that Gulf colors are a little overdone and boring these days. They drag me right back in.

God that looks awesome.

 

[05XR8]

Alrighty then

Why Bathurst 12 Hour is without Mustang, Corvette

Mustang and Corvette doing battle at Daytona. Image: Supplied The American machines debuted in various GT3/GTD competitions globally last year

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Rudzis admits the pre-COVID days of manufacturers sending full factory teams out for the 12 Hour are largely over, with an increased focus now on local team engagement.

“You go back to the model of the old Bentley days, where Bentley underwrote the program and the manufacturer paid for it all, that doesn’t exist anymore,” he continued.


“It’s got to be a team runs the car and then there’s technical support from an OEM to support that team on the grid. The budgets aren’t there any more to go and do those factory programs.

“So now, both Ford and GM have got to keep engaging with teams.

“SRO is obviously in talks with those guys trying to get some cars on the ground here (for GT World Challenge Australia). For us, it’s one event only and we’re working together.

“For Ford and GM the appetite is there to come and do it, they want to conquer the Mountain, they want to take on the Euros, it’s how do they make it happen?”

Rudzis rates the chances of the two marques being on the grid at Bathurst in 2026 as “higher than 50 percent”, with more examples of the Mustang and Corvette GT3 cars to be built this year.

“It’s not my call in the end, it’s up to the brands to go make it happen,” he said. “But they want to be there. Let’s hope we can have it happen.”

The Mustang GT4 is also eligible for the Bathurst 12 Hour, although none of the locally owned cars being prepared for the Australian series have entered.

A Mustang GT3 appeared to be headed for Australia when one was offered for sale locally late last year, but the car – listed as chassis #15 – failed to materialise.