GOING as fast as you can around Mount Panorama with no restrictions and without limitations – it is a prospect that has GT drivers from across Australia salivating.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While they will have to wait until December to do just that as part of a new initiative for Challenge Bathurst, those involved with GT racing are already excited to see just how quick they can lap the iconic circuit.
Though GT drivers have been part of Challenge Bathurst since its inception in 2016, running in SuperSprint sessions, the 2019 edition will be a little different.
It will feature four sessions – to be to be known as the ‘Pirelli AGT SuperSprint’ – exclusively for Australian GT Championship competitors. The last of those will be without Balance of Performance restrictions.
READ MORE: Mies smashes Mount Panorama track record
READ MORE: Challenge Bathurst a huge success
It could potentially lead to new lap record, Christopher Mies having clocked a 1:59.2910 during last year’s Challenge Bathurst when running unrestricted in his Audi R8 LMS Ultra.
Australian GT’s Ken Collier feels the battle for the fastest time will become a huge feature of the event.
“I think that could be something that builds over the years to be honest because Bathurst is such a unique track, it’s unmatched in the world really,” he said.
“To be able to set a hit lap time at Bathurst, like they do at Nurburgring – car manufactures go there and try and beat the other car manufacturers as best they can - I think that will be something that really builds.”
Hunting for a record aside, Collier feels all the GT teams and drivers will benefit from having sessions of their own rather than being mixed in with other classes during Challenge Bathurst as has been the case in the past.
He thinks it will attract even more competitors to the 6.213 kilometre circuit.
“It’s something we thought about at last year’s Challenge Bathurst. We were standing in Pit Lane and watching all the cars go out, there was a great mixture of cars in each group to go out, so the variants in speed on the track for instance is enormous in some cases,” he said.
“They found it difficult to get a full lap in where they could actually evaluate or test what they were trying to test ... it was difficult to get race speed laps.
“So we thought that to give the GT guys a bit more interest in the event itself we would negotiate with the Challenge Bathurst organisers three, but it ended up being four, sessions just for GT cars.
“Our whole objective was to get more GT cars there, and an added bonus to people that supported us during the year, so we thought we’d try and get some sessions for them and were very lucky to find we could.”
Collier also pointed out that the other SuperSprint competitors will benefit from the change as well.
Keep up to date with the latest sports news by clicking here
“Some of the people I spoke to who were driving non-GT cars but ran in sessions with GT cars, made that comment that they felt intimidated by the GT cars,” he said.
“So taking that into account was another reason why we thought it would not just be GT cars who would benefit from having these solo sessions. It’s a win, win.
“They were looking in their mirror all the time to make sure they were not getting in the way, they don’t enjoy it. This will lead to more enjoyment for everyone.”
