The Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour has made a change to its driver eligibility with a new categorisation system to be implemented for next year and beyond.
  
Once again a round of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships in 2022, every driver entered into the event from next year onwards will be allocated to either a Professional or Amateur category, with each vehicle entry only allowed one professional driver – regardless of the amount of drivers it has. 
 
The decision to introduce the new categorisation system was a combination of competitor feedback and event organisers’ desire to ensure the race continues as a strong feature on the Mount Panorama racing calendar. 
 
Each driver’s position will be determined by a committee made up of Motorsport Australia officials, Bathurst 6 Hour Stewards and Event Director Ken Collier, who is a member of the FIA's Driver Classification committee.
 
“The rationale behind the addition of the driver categorisation rule is to protect what the Bathurst 6 Hour currently is," Collier explained.
 
"The race is designed to be as accessible to as many drivers of all experience levels as possible and we didn't want to go down a road where factory teams filled with professional drivers begin to dominate the entry list, potentially restricting the chances of others achieving a great result.
 
"If you look through the last few years of the race there are very few combinations that stand out as potentially having two Pro (professional) drivers, so it's not something we see as a massive issue moving forward - it's just about ensuring that the race retains its accessibility as it is.
 
"We are 100 per cent focused on keeping this as a race based around AM (amateur) drivers while still allowing for teams to run the superstar, professional drivers that make it so exciting and add lots to the event."
 
With the 2022 Sporting and Technical regulations mostly unchanged, the popular event has already seen a number of entries lodged just days after being opened. 
 
Click here for more information and to enter the Bathurst 6 Hour.
 
The 2022 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour takes place at the famous Mount Panorama as part of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships on 15-17 April.