HI to all you v8 Supercars fans around the world!
With the 2018 race season about to start I thought I would review last year’s 1st race of the season.
The Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour was run from the 3rd to the 5th of February 2017.
It is a preseason race. For those of you that missed it and to get us geared up for the new season here is what happened.
The race at the Mount Panorama Circuit started at 5:45AM and it was broadcast on 7mate.
The 12 hour is a timed race. To state the obvious it’s a 12 hour race and not run based on a lap or distance count.
It is a huge endurance race and there were 51 cars on the starting grid.
The commentators were Richard Crail and John Hindhaugh.
The pit reporters were Chad Neylon and Shae Adam.
Will Davison didn’t get to race in the 12 hour because his co-driver Ben Barnicoat crashed in the McLaren car number 59. McLaren was the defending 2016 Bathurst 12-hour champions.
Toni Vilander, a seasoned GT3 driver started in pole position in Car 88 under Maranello Motorsports. He had co-drivers Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes. Alongside them was the Marc Cars Australia BMW Car 90 driven by Chaz Mostert.
On lap 1 the Maranello Motorsport Ferrari got the jump in the hands of the Factory Ferrari driver Toni Vilander. He led the opening laps of the race.
On lap 2 Chaz Mostert was trying to keep up with the prancing horse but just wasn’t able to.
By lap 3 the Ferrari was flying and no other car could catch it.
On lap 4 the race was going smoothly and still under green with no incidents.
Garth and Leanne Tander were racing in the 12 hour. As husband and wife it is an unusual scenario but good to see. However, it was probably good for their marriage that they weren’t on the same team.
By lap 6 everyone settled in to their race mode knowing they still had a long time to go.
Soon Chaz Mostert had the lead and Toni Vilander fell back in the pack. Chaz held the lead for the next hour.
On lap 8 the safety car slowed the field down to recover car 74, Jam Mec Pem Racing’s Audi driven by Frank Stippler. He had a bad meeting with the wall and came off second best.
On the restart at lap 15 Toni Vilander got a penalty for weaving after the safety car lights had gone out. So he had to go through the pits to serve a drive through penalty.
Also during the race on one of the restarts, Craig Baird in Car 22 turned Craig Lowndes in Car 88 around into the sand trap. Craig Baird earned himself a drive through penalty for that.
After Chaz Mostert’s stint in the lead he handed over to Max Twigg. Unfortunately, Max Twigg crashed their BMW Car 90. This resulted in a gearbox problem later on and they had to pull out of the race.
In the middle of the Russell Ingall was in the wall. Mark Skaife knew that meant they wouldn’t get another drive in the BMW for Steven Richards Motorsport (SRM).
After Toni Vilander got out of the Ferrari to handover to Jamie Whincup, he got a massive clap and congratulations by the team because he had just done an outstanding job.
Towards the end of the race Shane Van Gisbergen was chasing Jamie Whincup for the race lead until he hit another car. Shane Van Gisbergen connected with a Porsche sending it bouncing off the wall and onto the grass. Shane Van Gisbergen was given a penalty but it was in vain. Shane Van Gisbergen hit the wall coming out of The Dipper putting him, Craig Barid and Maro Engel out of the Bathurst 12 hour with just minutes to go before the race ended.
Jamie Whincup in his first GT3 race drove the Ferrari to the chequered flag taking the win.
By the time all was said and done, out of the 51 cars that were on the starting grid only 32 saw the finish of the race.
Oliver Jarvis, a factory racer for Bentley stated, “This is an incredible place and I don’t think I’ve been in a race as brutal as that”.
I think that really sums up the Bathurst 12 hour; Incredible and brutal!!! I can’t wait for it to run again.
Results for the 2017 Bathurst 12 hour.
1st Jamie Whincup, Craig Lowndes and Toni Vilander – Maranello Motorsport.
2nd Matt Campbell, Marc Lieb and David Calvert-Jones – Competition Porsche.
3rd Andy Soucek Maxime Soulet car 17 Bentley.
Can Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup win the Bathurst 12 hour again in 2018.?
http://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/
this is a great website it covers everything to do with Bathurst 12 hour.
Including practice, Qualifying, race, results, Live Timing.