A bit early to be putting up a thread for the Bathurst 12 hour, but we have great news today that will ensure greater popularity for the event..... Of course we missed out having the event this year due to Covid, but great news to have it back next year, and even better news the date has been changed from that set last month.
The original (March 18-20) date scheduled for the 12 hour sadly clashed with both the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA SportsCar Championship races at Sebring, which of course would have limited the scope for international involvement in the event.
Common sense has prevailed and a date with no clashes has been selected..... a date more in tune with its historical early February scheduling. I think the later original date in March was likely to have been chosen to give those international participants better chances of our border/ quarantine restrictions being more relaxed. This of course is now in the process of happening which is great news for all International Motor Sport within our shores (ie F1 and MotoG Grand Prix, and of course the 12 hour for a start.)
Next year’s Mount Panorama GT enduro will now take place on February 25-27, instead of March 18-20.
As I said not quite the usual early Feb., but its in February and it does not clash with anything major so all is good..
While Supercars promotes the event, it was SRO Motorsport Group’s Stephane Ratel who announced the March date, as a to be confirmed proposition, just over a month ago.
SRO runs the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) of which Bathurst is now the customary season-opener, and Ratel is pleased with the new date.
“The Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour has become a favourite event of the motorsport landscape both in Australia and around the world.
“Being held on Australia’s spiritual motorsport home, Mount Panorama, the race has become one of the most popular on the GT racing calendar and is held in such high esteem by some of the best teams and brands globally.
“Bathurst is the championship’s spiritual season opener, has an atmosphere like no other, and is rightly considered one of the world’s great endurance races,” he said.
“IGTC’s teams, drivers and manufacturers have undoubtedly played a role in amplifying this status, and I cannot wait to see their return to the mountain in 2022.
“Maintaining the event’s traditional early February date wasn’t an option but after consulting with teams, manufacturers and Supercars it also became apparent that an alternative weekend that month would be preferable to March when the Australian, European and American seasons begin ramping up.
“I think we’ve found a good balance between the two, which also allows us to keep an important element of what makes Bathurst special.”