The first major national event on the 2023 Australian motorsport calendar has arrived with the highly anticipated Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour to take over Mount Panorama this weekend.
A star-studded entry list, a jam-packed schedule containing strong support categories and F1 demonstrations and an impressive line-up of off track entertainment are all contributors to what will be one of the biggest Bathurst 12 Hours in recent years.
Taking place over three days, the popular international endurance race will see 84 drivers from 15 countries spread across 18 teams and representing eight world-class brands.
Plenty of international stars make up the strong entry list with the likes of seven-time MotoGP World Champion, Valentino Rossi, Jules Gounon, Raffaele Marciello and Daniel Juncadella all headlining the international charge.
The domestic talent pool is just as solid with FIA Motorsport Games Gold Medallist Matt Campbell, defending Bathurst 12 Hour champion Kenny Habul, Aussie icons Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup and a collection of Repco Supercars Championship drivers all flying the Australian flag.
One driver who covers both international superstar and local driver checklists is current Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen, who is coming off an incredible 2022 season and will be looking to add more Bathurst silverware to his already ever-growing trophy cabinet.
Click here to see the entry list.
A busy schedule is locked in for the 2023 edition with official track action to begin from 8.20am AEDT on Friday morning.
Over the course of the weekend, competitors in the feature race will be on track a total of 10 times with six practice sessions to run over Friday and Saturday morning before three qualifying sessions in the afternoon decide the starting order.
On Sunday morning right before the sunrise, the big race begins as teams try to complete as many laps as they can.
Keeping spectators entertained in-between will be Formula Ford and Combined Sedans, both of whom have three races apiece, as well as the Formula 1 demonstrations.
Click here to view the full schedule.
As for the feature race itself, there are a handful of new changes to look out for – with the new coloured LED position system – an upgrade on the singular colour model previously used – and the brand-new tyre compound the most notable.
Although one will have a direct impact on the race, the other will certainly add to the spectacle.
Fans trackside and watching on TV will be able to track the cars all weekend as the new Lumirank LED Panels screens to rotate between a car’s start number, a three-letter identification of the driver behind the wheel, the car’s overall ranking in qualifying, the car’s overall position in the race and its class position.
In regard to the tyre, Pirelli, who has been the control tyre supplier since 2017, will be bringing a never-before-run-down-under compound for the race.
The P-Zero DHF compound is said to be quicker than the outgoing mode and may prove the difference in determining whether teams can break records with sub 120 second laps or reach a remarkable 2000km race distance milestone.
Click here for more information on the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Tickets for the event remain available here, while fans unable to make it can watch the race live and ad-break free on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports, with live, free-to-air coverage on the Seven Network and 7plus around Australia.
Coverage of the event includes Saturday’s qualifying session, followed by support race action and the Pirelli Top-10 shootout. The race will then begin at 5:30am AEDT on the Sunday with coverage continuing through to 6:00pm.
The Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour takes place at Mount Panorama on 3-5 February.