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ADELAIDE 500 PREVIEW INSIDE
HOLDEN’S LAST STAND
ON ADELAIDE’S STREETS
• HOLDEN’S SUPERCAR RACING CONCLUDES • CRAIG LOWNDES’ FIRST ADELAIDE 500 WIN
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NEW NAME FOR NEWCASTLE 500 THE RETURN to the Newcastle streets will not only open a new era of Supercars, but also for the event itself. The 2023 season opener will be known as the Thrifty Newcastle 500 after the company became the offical Hire Car partner of category for the next two years. Thrifty is the second naming rights partner of the Newcastle 500 after Coates Hire supported the three previous events held from 2017-19. Having been starved of Supercars since Scott McLaughlin went back-to-back three years ago, a huge crowd is expected to swarm on the Newcastle streets on March 10-12 2023.
DRIVERS EYE TO HIT TV SCREENS SUPERCARS WILL introduce the Drivers’s Eye helmet micro camera technology in the 2023 championship season. Supercars has teamed up with Racing Force International in a multi-year agreement to use the world’s first and only FIA homologated micro camera. The camera weighing just 1.43 grams was delivered for live broadcasting in January 2020 and has been a popular addition Formula 1 broadcasts this year. “The camera will be positioned at eye-level on the inside of the helmet (and) adds a new dimension to the viewing experience,” Supercars head of broadcast David Tunnicliffe.
TRANS AM STAR TO TAKE ON SUPER2 TASMANIAN TRANS Am star Lachlan Dalton will step up to the Dunlop Super 2 Series this weekend. The protege of two-time Supercars champion, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner and fellow Tasmanian Marcos Ambrose replaces Elly Morrow in the Brad Jones Racing Super 2 VF Commodore. Morrow has elected to focus in her S5000 Tasman Trophy duties in Adelaide, opening a door for the teen who finished fourth in the 2022 Trans Am Series. “When the opportunity arose recently to jump into the Super2 car for Adelaide, it was one I couldn’t pass up,” Dalton said.
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LOVE SHIRKS PORSCHE TREND FOR V8 RACING ONE OF Australia’s most promising racing prospects, Aaron Love, has made the move from Porsche’s into V8s after signing with Blanchard Racing Team for their 2023 Super2 program. Love will drive Tim Slade’s 2022 Mustang, while BRT enters 2023 with Todd Hazelwood in its sole Gen3 car, with an eye towards two cars in 2024; potentially paving the way into a Supercars drive for Love. Love fell just short of an Australian Carrera Cup title with Sonic Racing, despite taking 11 wins, but missed two rounds due to competing in two stages of the Mobil 1 Supercup, after also completing the French Carrera Cup season where he finished fifth, racing for Pierre Martinet by Almeras. The 20-year-old WA speedster spoke to Auto Action about why he chose to take a path towards a desired Supercars career, rather than opting for a future in Europe where he was perhaps “expected” to go. “I had a good hard think about why I went over to Europe, and whether it was because I wanted to go there, or because everyone in that part of motorsport in Australia sees it as the natural path to go down, and maybe that wasn’t what I really wanted,” Love explained. “So I thought that Supercars was where I wanted to be, and I had a relationship with Blanchards through Michael Ritter (Sonic team principal) so the option was always there. Mick has always been there for me and my brother like that, and introduced us to people that he thought would be good for us. “Sonic has had quite a few Supercar drivers go through their pathway.”
“There were options to return to the Supercup with Almeras and to the French Carrera Cup, and we were also considering North America in GT racing which has big funding with investors looking to get the right people behind their equipment.” In terms of his preferred racing styles, what Love prefers on the track is what ultimately made the decision for him. “It really came down to where I thought I’d enjoy racing the most. Like in Europe you’ve got cool options like the 24 hours of Nurburgring, but then there’s the more boring races, and I thought what would I like the most? Was I going to enjoy the standard GT race, or a standard Supercars race? And obviously it’s Supercars,” Love told AA. “And I think the way Australians are taught to drive here is just to be really smooth and let the car do its thing. But over there (Europe) in the new Cup cars, you really have to force the thing around. Supercars are obviously a bigger car and they have a lot more horsepower but they have that locked diff, so you know you’ve got to be patient, and I enjoy that it rewards technique rather than straight up hustle.” Being amongst the BRT crew next year and performing well in Super2 could also mean a co-driver berth at Bathurst and the returning Sandown 500, with Tim Blanchard himself having filled that co-driver role of late. “To get a start at Bathurst would be really cool and it’s definitely something we’re looking towards, and obviously there’s a few hurdles to get over. But doing those races is a big task, and I think rushing into it would be a bit inappropriate, but it’s definitely something I’m going to work towards.” TW Neal
SUPER3 STAR READY TO MAKE STEP UP IN TEAM 18 MACHINERY THERE MAY be a scramble among Super2 teams to make the grid next year, but one driver who does not have this concern is current Super3 Series leader Kai Allen. Allen jumps from the third to the second tier next year alongside Eggleston Motorsport, the team which has helped him surge to the top of the 2022 Super3 standings with one round to go. The teenager will race one of the Team18 Holden ZB Commodores currently driven by Supercars stars Mark Winterbottom and Scott Pye. Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt confirmed to AUTO ACTION that both cars will be handed over on December 13 and Allen said it is a great reassurance to have a drive locked in. “It will be really cool to be racing a Team18 car with Eggleston,” he said. “The teams are struggling, so it will be interesting to see what they can do. “But we are all locked in and ready to go. Eggleston brought them off Charlie three years ago, so there was never much concern and it is good to know I will have a car. “Looking forward to next year because it will be pretty cool being a new car to learn.” It means Allen will remain behind the wheel
of Triple Eight Race Engineering-built machinery having driven an ex Jamie Whincup Holden VE Commodore this year. The Mount Gambier teen has powered the chassis Whincup won nine races in 2010 to even more success, collecting six wins and a recordbreaking nine pole positions so far in 2022. Although Allen is focused on securing the Super3 title at the upcoming VALO Adelaide 500, he has already shifted some attention to 2023 having cut some laps in a variety of Gen2 cars. He has driven Pye’s Commodore, plus a Ford Mustang from both the Dick Johnson Racing and Blanchard Racing squads at Sydney Motorsport Park, Queensland Raceway and Winton respectively. Allen said he learnt a lot of things from the
experiences including a huge shift in driving styles between the two generations of Supercar. “I have driven the Erebus Supercar at a couple of ride days and have just driven Scott Pye’s and Tim Slade’s car last week. It was really cool to get some laps ahead of next year,” he said. “I learnt so much just because they are so different with all the aerodynamics and big wings. “It is a bit of different technique compared to the old VE where you drive it hard to go hard, where the new cars drive like a GT car.” Allen enters the VALO Adelaide 500 with a 66-point lead to defend from season-long rival Brad Vaughan and he said it will be a dream racing on a track close to his heart, let alone winning the Super3 title. “I have been watching it for all those years on the sidelines as a kid and that was cool, but I am now eager to get on track. It will be a dream come true,” he said. “Brad has been hot on my heels all year, so it will be an entertaining final round. “I am itching to get in the car and hopefully we can start and finish strong to get the title sealed up.” Thomas Miles
TEAM 18 NOT GIVING UP ON ELUSIVE WIN
AFTER AN impressive opening campaign with Team 18 in 2020, Scott Pye believed the squad’s maiden win was “only a matter of time”. Fast forward almost two years and the team has been unable to return to the podium since, but it has got close many times and is not giving up hope as it prepares for the season-ending VALO Adelaide 500. Plenty of confidence can be generated from the pace Pye and teammate Mark Winterbottom have shown on street circuits where both cars have regularly been in the top 10. Speaking to AUTO ACTION at the squad’s popular Open Day where its Mount Waverley base was opened to the public for the first time, Team 18 owner Charlie Schwerkolt said there is a big chance to do it in Adelaide after overcoming plenty of challenges in its seventh season in the sport. “We have not finished the season yet! It is that elusive win, but we are still trying as hard (as ever),” he said. There is nothing in it, but both cars and drivers are suited to the Adelaide race. “It (2022) has been solid. Not everything has gone our way, but there have been a lot of highs ... the new leadership with (team manager) Bruin (Beasley) and (crew chief) Dennis (Huijiser) coming on board. “You can forget all of our power steering issues – they are gone because we are doing it in-house now. “We have got on top of a lot of things and our reliability is
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good as a team, so we are just building into next year.” One of the highlights of the Open Day was the reveal of Pye’s new livery for the season finale, which brings Toyota back to the sport…sort of. Long time Team 18 backer Toyota Forklifts have stepped up to be the fifth and final major sponsor on car #20 in 2022. Pye will be one of four South Australians on the grid and he knows how special the event’s return will be and also believes the resurfaced track might make times faster than ever. “I would have loved to attended it more, but went to it once before I drove in Supercars, but as a kid I saw it advertised everywhere and dreamed of one day racing there. It is one of the coolest tracks,” he said to AUTO ACTION. “We obviously lost it for two years, so it feels like we are getting to do it for the first time again, which is really cool. Being a South Australian it means a lot. “I went there on Wednesday and it has changed a lot. It is going to be a lot faster and we will have to adapt very quickly to the new track. “We are optimistic and will try to finish on a high.” Winterbottom enters Adelaide in the middle of a delicate battle for ninth in the championship. If “Frosty” is to defend P9 in the standings, he must hold off both Andre Heimgartner and Tim Slade, who are both
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within 57 points of car #18. But for a driver like Winterbottom who has the 2015 Supercars Championship, 2013 Bathurst 1000 and 38 wins up his sleeve, he is not too fussed on how the standings shape after this weekend’s season finale. “I am not going there to finish ninth, I am going there to try and win the race,” he said. “You want to finish up as high as possible, but once you cannot win the championship, it is about trying to get podiums. “If we do that then it all looks after itself. Top 10 is a stat, but it is not what (want you want) you are trying to win.” Despite being the most experienced driver on the grid and being in winning positions on many occasions for Ford Performance Racing, things never went Winterbottom’s way on the streets of Adelaide. He is yet to win there and said his bad luck is an example of how hard the race is to finish, let alone win. “It is going to be a tough weekend and it is the only track other than Newcastle I have not won at,” he said. “I have been second there quite a few times, but have not won it. “I have led races there, but broke roll bars and one year I was leading by 15 seconds with eight laps to go and blew an engine. “You can roll through the stories – but it is not a bogey track, it is just a tough event.”
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ADELAIDE STREET FIGHT FOR TCM’S TORANA TUG-OF-WAR
THE DUDE MAKING A COMEBACK IN ADELAIDE PAUL MORRIS will return to racing on the streets of Adelaide which will also be the scene of his GT debut. The “Dude” will replace his son Nash Morris and drive alongside Mark Griffith in a Mercedes AMG GT4 in the GT World Challenge finale. It will be Morris’ first drive in a GT4 car and his first race since the 2021 Bathurst 6 Hour. Meanwhile, Triple Eight Race Engineering will replace the busy Broc Feeney with former Carrera Cup champion Nick Foster to partner Prince Jefri Ibrahim.
AUDI ACES TO RACE IN ADELAIDE
MELBOURNE PERFORMANCE Centre has called up Audi Sport factory drivers drivers Christopher Mies and Kelvin van der Linde to support its Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS title Adelaide assault. Yasser Shahin holds an 11-point lead in the championship and will rekindle his successful partnership with previous GT champion Mies. Garth Tander was going to race, but is tied up with TV commitments. South African van der Linde will race with Tony Bates as he aims to climb further up the Pro-Am standings.
BENTLEY INVADING ADELAIDE IN WORLD FIRST
IN A WORLD first, both generations of the Bentley Continental GT will be raced by the same team at once and it will take place at the VALO Adelaide 500. The two-car team is spearheaded by Mike Bailey, who returns to the GT World Challenge field with a newer specification Bentley Continental GT GT3 at his disposal. He will be racing with former rival Brett Hobson. To complete the set Carrera Cup contender Matthew Belford will drive the older specification Bentley.
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Hansford (6) goes into the decider with a points lead, while Michael Almond is back in the #95 Camaro. Image:ARG THE FINAL round of the 2022 Touring Car Masters heads to Victoria Park for the VALO Adelaide 500 with the title on the line in a strong 20-car field. With 200 points on the line, Ryan Hansford and John Bowe are fighting it out for the title, with Hansford leading Bowe by 78 points in his #6 Torana AX9. Bowe failed to take the podium at the Bathurst International whilst Hansford took out three P2s behind Steve Johnson who dominated with a clean sweep in the Hancock #33 Mustang. George Miedecke remains an outside chance, sitting 158 points in arrears of Hansford, whilst surprise Bathurst pole getter, Andrew Fisher, has a slight mathematical shot, sitting 181 points back. The street circuits have remained in control of the two leading Torana’s this season, with the five-litre Holdens having a cornering advantage over the bigger six-litre machines. Adelaide sees a few familiar returns for TCM field, such as the experienced South Australian Gerard McLeod in Holden VB Commodore. “When it was announced that we would be going back to Adelaide it was a no-brainer to dust off the commodore and compete in TCM again,” McLeod said. “This year being the last year of Holden in Supercars at Adelaide it seems to have even more significance to be on the grid.” Micheal Almond will reunite with Whiteline Racing
in the #95 Camaro after injuring his shoulder in the massive crash with Cam Tilley in Townsville, with Sandown winner Adam Bressington unable to make the event. Local driver Chris Meulengraaf is a welcome addition to the field, adding some diversity with a Porsche 911 IROC, whilst Victorian Dave Hender makes a return in his #53 XD Falcon after racing at Sandown. Another local in Jason Palmer will become the first racer to take to a TCM meet in a BMW, with an early 1980 E30, making its street circuit debut after running in the local Improved Production series. Fans might recall Jim Richards taking an E30 to victory in the 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship. With the E30 and IROC racing as invitational cars they won’t be competing for points, but they mark the categories efforts to grow and develop the diversity of the grid, as planned earlier in the year and going forward. The Touring Car Masters will take on the streets of Adelaide for the first time since February of 2020, where Bressington took the #95 Camaro to victory, with Hansford mopping up races 2 and 3 over Bressington, C.Tilley and Bowe. Thursday will feature practice and qualifying, whilst Friday will feature the flipped grid Trophy Race and Race 1, whilst Race 2 will come on the Saturday, with Race 3 coming on Sunday as the curtain raiser for the Supercars finale. TW Neal
DUNLOP SERIES SET FOR SUPER FINISH
Best gained some ground by using a potentially tricky wet Bathurst round to his advantage. If the driver who scored Image: MOTORSPORT IMAGES a stunning Supercars THE FIGHT for the Super 2 and 3 pole at The Bend SuperSprint crowns are set to go down to the can continue his momentum and wire in a thrilling final round on the overhaul Fraser, it would be some streets of Adelaide this weekend. achievement. A total of five drivers from four Best has been playing catchup different teams are still in contention ever since he lost the championship to take home Super 2 trophy. lead with a costly crash at the Perth Declan Fraser is leading the way, round. sitting in the box seat to give Triple Matt Payne and Cameron Hill are Eight Race Engineering back-toboth heading to the main game next back Dunlop Series championships year, but before they do they are still in its final year in the category. in contention to add a Super 2 title But it is far from a done deal with to their resume. Fraser only enjoying a 75-point lead Payne has been left to rue a clash from Tickford’s Zak Best. with Tyler Everingham at Townsville
and currently sits third 132 points back. Hill has been consistently solid without setting the world on fire and is 165 points back, while another wildcard is Everingham 171 behind after he skipped Bathurst to focus on The Great Race. The 2022 Super3 season has been dominated by two drivers, Kai Allen and Brad Vaughan and the two South Australians will face off for the ultimate prize. Allen has had the outright pace scoring six wins and a recordbreaking nine poles, but Vaughan has shadowed him every step of the way. Only 56 points split the pair and one slip up from either driver could prove disastrous. Away from the championship battles Super3 driver Jason Gomersall will put on a show with his Ford FG Falcon being restored to Scott McLaughlin’s 2012 Super2 championship livery.
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BROWN BACKING “FUTURE STAR” PIASTRI
AUSTRALIA’S NEXT Formula 1 star Oscar Piastri is ready to race for McLaren in 2023, with McLaren Racing Boss Zak Brown quick to praise the young quick following his post-season testing. The Aussie Formula 2 and 3 champion enjoyed a “good first day”, completing his maiden official laps at last week’s postseason test at Abu Dhabi, doing 123 tours of the Yas Marina Circuit in this year’s MCL36. It was a step up from the behind-closeddoors tests held with the 2021 machinery at Paul Ricard recently, with Piastri already impressing the McLaren hierarchy. McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown said he
expects Piastri to push his well established teammate, Lando Norris, in his up-coming debut season. “Lando is one of the fastest drivers on the grid, and I expect he and Oscar to be close,” Brown said. “I expect Oscar to have some opportunities to beat him and vice-versa. And that’s obviously what you want – two drivers right next to each other and reversing the order. “I don’t have any expectations or set out – this is what Piastri needs to do by this date – But Lando is as fast as anyone in Formula 1, and in race-winning equipment he’d be
winning races. I think probably everyone would agree with that. “So Oscar is going to have a team-mate that’s one of the fastest drivers in the world. But I fully expect Oscar, in time, to challenge Lando.” Despite the high hopes of the new recruit challenging the young Brit, Brown warned onlookers not to put too much pressure on the Aussie. With only three days of pre-season testing in 2023, and with the postseason testing having made up around 40% of his total testing time, Brown said it will be important for not just the team, but everyone to give
Piastri time to settle in. “What’s important is he’s not raced for a year,” Brown continued. “We don’t have a lot of testing and I wish there was more pre-season testing. Not just for Oscar, but just in general. “Because effectively he’s just going to get a day and a half … which is not a lot. But I think he’s going to be competitive and push Lando. We just need to give him time to grow into the team. “We’ve had him in our (old) car. He did an excellent job and I think he’s going to be a future star.” Thomas Miles
WRC RELEASE INNOVATIVE 2023 CALENDAR THE WORLD Rally Championship has announced a 13-round 2023 calendar which includes a three-country race. The WRC will all make a return to North and South America, whilst as already anticipated, New Zealand will miss out, with an expected return in 2024. The Rally that catches the eye in the penultimate Central Europe round, which will feature rally action across the borders of three countries, Austria, Czech Republic, and Germany on October 2629. The south-east German city of Passau will act as the base for the unique concept will traverse the three countries as an Asphalt event.
Mexico and Chile return to the calendar for the first time since the Pandemic began, and the year will open with its traditional Monte Carlo Rally on January 19-20, and again finish with Asphalt Rally Japan event on November 16-19. “We were absolutely determined to get the WRC calendar back to where it was pre-Covid, with a good spread of events inside and outside Europe,” expressed WRC Promoter Senior Director of Events, Simon Larkin. “There was very high demand for the limited number of slots on the calendar, but we’re pleased with the range and variety of events we have. “They will provide a great sporting
challenge for the competitors, as well as providing the highest-profile events in each country.” WRC Promoter and Managing Director, Jona Siebel, echoed Larkin’s sentiments. “We are incredibly happy to be returning to North and South America. We have maintained a dialogue with the Mexican and Chilean organisers throughout the Covid pandemic and we are confident this is now the right time for our return,” Siebel explained. “Additionally, with an exciting new concept added to the mix, the WRC is well-placed to reach more fans than ever before.” TW Neal
Monte-Carlo: 19 – 22 January Sweden: 9 – 12 February Mexico: 16 – 19 March Croatia: 20 – 23 April Portugal: 11 – 14 May Italy: 1 – 4 June Kenya: 22 – 25 June Estonia: 20 – 23 July Finland: 3 – 6 August Greece: 7 – 10 September Chile: 28 September – 1 October Central Europe (AUT, CZE, GER): 26 – 29 October Japan: 16 – 19 November
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AUSSIE RACING CARS
READY TO INVADE ADELAIDE THE STREETS of Adelaide will be invaded by a big field of Aussie Racing Cars as the category returns to the South Australian capital this weekend. The Battery World Aussie Racing Cars have not raced on the street circuit since 2017 when James Duckworth, Craig Woods and Kel Treseder shared the spoils. But a lot has changed since then, and although the 2022 championship is done and won, the stakes remain high as a big 30-car field lines up for the first round of the new Highland Trans Tasman Cup. Aussie Racing Cars’ Brad Hard said it will be special for the pint-sized category to continue its Adelaide history which started back in 2001. “It’s really exciting to be back on the streets of Adelaide with a huge field of cars,” said Ward. “Our category has been involved in the event for almost all of our 23 years since
we’ve been running as a major national category. “The competitors absolutely love the track and the atmosphere, It’s the best event for us to come to. The circuit really suits our cars and it promotes great racing. It doesn’t matter where you look in the field, there will be plenty of battles. “For all of these reasons, our class is a favourite of the fans as well. “We can’t wait to get back to Adelaide. There’ll be a great buzz around the venue and we are proud to play our part in the return of this great event.” With the #1 on the door of his CoolDrive Racing car, Josh Anderson is the man to beat and will be determined to end a successful year on a high. But Anderson will have plenty of challenges for company led by previous champion Joel Heinrich and rising rookie Cody Brewczynski, who were only
separated by a single point in the season finale at Sandown. Anderson’s teammate Reece Chapman will be another to watch alongside former frontrunner Kyle Ensbey, who makes a comeback following a part-time campaign in 2022. Previous pole sitter and title contender Peter Carr hopes to recapture some of his old form, while Scott Taylor will be balancing double-duties with Aussie Racing Cars and Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS commitments. There will also be two female drivers on the grid with Emma Clark being joined by young Formula Ford star Imogen Rayburn, who makes her debut. The Battery World Aussie Racing Cars will contest four races across the VALO Adelaide 500 weekend.
BATTERY WORLD AUSSIE RACING CARS ENTRY LIST #1 #3 #6 #7 #11 #15 #16 #17 #18 #21 #22 #23 #25 #28 #30 #38 #41 #42 #46 #47 #51 #58 #64 #69 #82 #87 #88
Joshua Anderson Dale Dunston Ian Chivas Andrew Lorgelly Leigh Bowler Adam Clark Joel Heinrich Denis Butler Cody Brewczynski Kyle Ensbey Scott O’Keefe Scott Dornan Reece Chapman Kent Quinn Peter Carr Jack Boyd Kody Garland Adam Sharp Pawel Faber Troy Jones Emma Clark Glenn Boyd Craig Woods Jamie Sharp/Layton Mckechnie Cody Mckay Imogen Radburn Michael Bartsch
PUSH TO PASS BOOSTED AHEAD OF ADELAIDE 500 DEBUT THE PUSH to Pass system has received a boost ahead of the second and final round of the S5000 Tasman Series in Adelaide this weekend. The Push to Pass system was introduced to the open-wheel category in the Tasman Series opener at the Gold Coast to promote closer racing and more overtaking. Drivers receive an increased amount of throttle percentage and horsepower when implementing the boost, but can only use it for a set number of deployments throughout each race, which adds an extra element of strategy and intrigue. For its S5000 Adelaide debut, the system will operate in the same way, but will instead now be deployed based on a maximum amount of time for each race. Drivers will now enjoy 90 seconds of Push to Pass deployment, which will remain activated until a driver turns it off manually or applies the brakes. Garry Rogers Motorsport S5000 technical partners representative Stefan Millard, said the changes will allow for better use of the system to set up a potential overtakes at different parts of the circuit.
“The revisions to the Push to Pass system for Adelaide will introduce more strategy into the racing and we think will make for a better product,” Millard said. “Much like how it is used in IndyCar racing, drivers can pick and choose how they utilise it rather than being stuck with a set number of deployments per race. “They can turn it off when they have pushed the button, so if they see the car in front using it, they can save their
time for later. “Similarly, it allows the system to be used on shorter straights to set up a pass for later in the lap. “At the Gold Coast we were aiming for approximately 0.4 to 0.5 seconds gain on the straight, and Adelaide will be similar. “We will continue to tune the system throughout the weekend.” Fans will be notified when the Push to Pass system has been activated by a flashing LED rain light located at the rear of each car. The S5000 cars are expected to lap the 3.219km Adelaide Parklands circuit in less than 77 seconds, which would better the current Supercars qualifying lap record of 1:19.2951s set by Shane van Gisbergen in 2017. Nathan Herne is the driver everyone is trying to catch this weekend after he bossed the opening Tasman round at the Gold Coast 500. But the likes of Joey Mawson and former Formula 1 star Giancarlo Fisichella will be on track looking to slow the rising star when the VALO Adelaide 500 shifts into gear on Thursday. Thomas Miles
MERCEDES TEAM READY FOR FIRST BATHURST 12 HOUR TILT MERCEDES AMG Customer Racing squad Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport, will take on the LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour for the first time next year. The team has confirmed it will race its #101 Mercedes AMG GT3 in Australia’s International Enduro with Ross Poulakis spearheading the assault. Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport made its racing debut at Mount Panorama in the recent Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS Endurance Championship finale at Bathurst. It was a major success and confidence booster with Poulakis and international Aussie Jordan Love starring to finish on the third step on the podium after being in contention for victory. But now the team is ready to go four times the distance around the famous 6.213km circuit, and Poulakis said it is the next step in his GT racing dream. “Before November, competing at Mount Panorama was a dream and to leave there with a trophy and having stood on the Bathurst podium was incredible,” he said. “Confirming our entry into the Bathurst 12 Hour is the next step for Harrolds Racing as we continue to dive headfirst into the world of GT Racing. “The 12 Hour is one of the most prestigious and competitive races on
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the planet, and to even talk about going there is exciting. “The three-hour race was a great opportunity to get the experience we needed to feel confident to take the next big step and enter the 12-Hour next year.” Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport also heads to this weekend’s VALO Adelaide 500, and is in contention for another podium finish in the GT3 Am class with Poulakis at the wheel. The squad also has representation in the GT4 championship where Sam Brabham and Chris Bathos sit second in the class. Since the family run Harrolds and Volante Rosso Motorsport has been led by five-time Formula 1 constructors championship winning engineer Chris Papadopoulos from midway through this year, things have flourished, and they hope more success arrives at Mount Panorama. Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport’s Josh Hunt is excited by the team’s promise ahead of next year’s Bathurst 12 Hour. “We’re excited to be working with Ross and the Harrolds crew to take
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the next step forward and tackle the Bathurst 12 Hour,” he said. “As a team we have lots of experience in long-distance racing and we know we will put our best foot forward with a very competitive team. “The pieces of the puzzle we have assembled have all come together well, and we’re very pleased with the team we have. “The race will be competitive from others we know are running, but we want to be in a position to win our class and we think we have the ingredients in place.” Thomas miles
FIRST BATHURST 12 HOUR ENTRY CONFIRMED
THE 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour has its first entry with a collaboration between EMA Motorsport, and the German Porsche team, Manthey. Manthey, the famous German-based Porsche team will join forces with EMA Motorsport under the ‘Manthey EMA’ banner in a Porsche 911.2 GT3R. After some successful events in Europe, the Australian-German collaboration will enter the race in a hard to miss, and iconic green and yellow ‘Grello’ livery for the February 3-4 event in 2023. Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director of Manthey Racing GmbH, is looking forward to kicking off the 2023 GT campaign at the world famous track. “The season opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge in Bathurst is a special highlight in the racing calendar, and we are looking forward to starting our motorsport year 2023 with this event together with EMA,” Raeder said. “With its hilly sections, the Mount Panorama Circuit is reminiscent of the Nordschleife and places very high demands on both the vehicle and the drivers. This is exactly where we’re experienced from our stints in the Green Hell. And we clearly want to compete for victory in Australia.” EMA Motorsport had its European debut at this year’s Spa 24-hour race, and recently contested the eighth round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series with the support of Manthey. The two teams are now expanding their joint team-work, and will jointly field a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Pro class at the spectacular Mount Panorama Circuit, with the driver line-up yet to be announced. Fans at Mount Panorama may find the 911 livery familiar, with it already having appeared at Bathurst in 2018, with team Manthey finishing in P6. For EMA Motorsport, it will be another debut ticked off the list, with this being its first appearance at the Bathurst 12 Hour, having already taken to the mountain circuit in the Carrera Cup earlier in the year. The race will also be one of the final appearances for the 991.2 iteration of the GT3 R in top-flight competition, ahead of the new 992 generation joining grids from later in 2023. The latest-generation Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) is not yet eligible to compete in the opening race of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, hence Manthey entering the 911.2. The details for the Pro class driver lineup will be released early in 2023. Tim W Neal
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PORSCHE CARRERA CUP RELEASE 2023 CALENDAR
PORSCHE CARS AUSTRALIA HAS RELEASED ITS EIGHT ROUND PORSCHE CARRERA CUP CALENDAR FOR 2023. AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER one-make championship will again be the primary support for the Supercars Championship, with a stellar selection of rounds for its 2023 tilt. Following 2022’s introduction of the Type 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, record fields took part as the championship battle between eventual winner Harri Jones and Aaron Love went down to the wire at the Gold Coast 500. The country’s premier Porsche category will continue to hold its Championship status from Motorsport Australia, as it continues to be a proven and well travelled pathway in both the Pro and Pro-Am classes for Australasian drivers to take big strides both locally and internationally. The season will take-off in style in 2023, with the opening round coming in Australia’s biggest Motorsport show, the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix on March 30 - April 2, with seven marquee rounds to follow.
After the Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley Raceway, the series will head to the streets of Townsville, before returning to The Bend. Following SA, the show then heads to Victoria’s Sandown on September 15-17 as support for the welcome return of the epic Supercars Sandown 500 prior to Bathurst. After tearing around the Skyline of The Mountain in support of The Great Race, the series then makes a return to the hectic streets of the Gold Coast for its penultimate round, before closing its season at the fan favourite Adelaide 500. Once again, every round of the Carrera Cup will be live on Kayo and Foxtel, with five rounds also featuring on national television across the Seven Network, namely Darwin, Townsville, Bathurst, Gold Coast and Adelaide. Barry Hay Motorsport Manager of Porsche Cars Australia, was excited to introduce the schedule for Australia’s classiest race series.
“We are delighted to announce our 2023 calendar which will see our drivers continue to race at the biggest motorsport events of the year in front of the biggest crowds, enjoying the best support and television package available,” Hay commented. “Every season we strive to deliver a premium class experience for all our customers, teams and partners, and I have no doubt that the 2023 season will arguably be one of the best in its long and illustrious history.” 2023 PORSCHE CARRERA CUP CALENDAR Rd1. F1 Australia GP, VIC 30 March - 02 April Rd2. Darwin NT 16-18 June Rd3. Townsville QLD 07-09 July Rd4. The Bend SA 18-20 August Rd5. Sandown VIC 15-17 September Rd6. Bathurst 1000 NSW 05-08 October Rd7. Gold Coast QLD 27-29 October Rd8. Adelaide SA 23-26 November
PITHER, PREMIAIR UPBEAT ABOUT FINAL RACE CHRIS PITHER and PremiAir Racing will part ways following this weekend’s VALO Adelaide 500, but they both hope to end the 2022 Supercars Championship season on a high. PremiAir Racing has had everything thrown at them in its eventful rookie season with many highs and lows ranging from driver changes, shootout appearances and heavy crashes. The team has taken all of the moments in its stride and enters the Adelaide finale with some hope after a promising weekend on the Gold Coast. Pither has been the only full-time driver to last the entirety of the team’s maiden season, but will not return in 2022 after his departure was announced following the Bathurst 1000. But he didn’t let that setback stop him from recording a season best result in the second race of the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500. Pither’s #22 Commodore managed to avoid all of the chaos around him to come home P9 and secure his first top 10 finish of 2022 and fourth in his career. The Kiwi will continue to carry the popular 1995 Wayne Gardner Coke tribute livery on the Adelaide street circuit this weekend, as he hopes to end what could be his final fulltime season on a high. “To have the Adelaide 500 back to finish out our 2022 season is great,” Pither said.
“I can’t wait to see what we can do in the #22 PremiAir Coca-Cola Racing Supercar this weekend. “We will once again be carrying the retro livery honoring the 1995 Coca-Cola car which has proved quite popular over the last few events, and hopefully we can carry it all the way to a good result for our final event. “I had a personal best PremiAir Racing result on the Gold Coast, so hopefully we can continue that momentum into this week’s racing and really give our fans something to cheer about to round out the season.” The sister Subway entry of James Golding has been delivering most of the headlines for PremiAir Racing. On the streets of Surfers Paradise Golding pushed a special Gold Coast themed Commodore into the Top 10 Shootout, much to the joy of his garage. But those celebrations quickly turned into commiserations when car #31 was bashed up in the infamous Beach Chicane incident on the Sunday. Due to the heavy damage, Golding heads to Adelaide armed with a new chassis 888a-053 - which has winning pedigree at Adelaide thanks to Jamie Whincup winning the Saturday race of the 2020 event. The young driver has plenty of experience racing on the streets of Adelaide, most notably during his full time Supercars debut
with Garry Rogers Motorsport in 2018. Although the first race did not go to plan being forced to retire after getting tangled up in a Turn 5 incident involving fellow full-time rookies Richie Stanaway and Todd Hazelwood. Golding did manage to finish the three Adelaide 500 races he has competed in since then, and hopes his previous experience can make a difference. “This will be my sixth time racing at the Adelaide 500, and it is a track at which I have had success previously,” he said. “I can’t wait to continue our current form, hopefully, and to keep progressing up the grid. “I am really looking forward to getting to Adelaide – it is one of the best tracks on the calendar and it’s fantastic to see it returning to Supercars after a couple of years away.” The team is also feeling plenty of excitement ahead of the Adelaide 500, and despite a busy period since the Gold Coast race - which not only included getting a new
chassis ready for Golding - it has also been busy with its preparations for Gen3. “It sure has been a massive year for PremiAir Racing, and we can’t wait to see what Jimmy and Chris can do on the infamous streets of Adelaide,” said PremiAir Racing Team Principal, Matt Cook. “The buzz around this event is already really ramping up as everyone, drivers, teams and fans alike, are so excited to see it back on the calendar after a few years away. “The team has been working hard to not only prepare for the 500, but also for next year, and we are looking forward to hopefully seeing that hard work rewarded with strong results in South Australia this weekend.” The VALO Adelaide 500 commences this Thursday.
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GMSV AND CHEVROLET RACING TO SHOW OFF ‘OFF-ROAD RACER’ IN ADELAIDE GM SPECIALTY Vehicles (GMSV) and Chevrolet Racing have teamed up to show off a surprise preview of a new offroad racer concept. A Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 concept vehicle was put through its paces before becoming the latest addition to the brand’s portfolio early next year. “The Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 will be a new model to the GMSV line-up for MY23 and will deliver next-level offroad capability direct from the factory - making it the perfect platform for this latest announcement from Chevrolet Racing,” said GM Australia and New Zealand Network and Motorsport Director of Planning, Tim Price.
“What started as a passion project 12-months ago across GM teams in Australia and New Zealand quickly transformed into the creation you see today.” The Chevrolet off-road racer concept car was built at the company’s Port Melbourne workshop by some GM employees, and was then taken to the next level with support from Chevrolet Racing. Initial testing and development of the Silverado ZR2 will take place early next year with the help of Supercars legend Craig Lowndes. GMSV Marketing and Communications General Manager Jodie Lennon, said
the upcoming launch of the first-ever Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 will add a new level of off-road capability and performance to the brand’s growing portfolio. “GMSV has enjoyed a sensational two years since its launch in November 2020 and we’re incredibly excited to be adding an entirely new model to the line-up,” Lennon said. “The Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 will feature an enhanced appearance, a new level of technology, eye-catching aesthetics, and increased driver and passenger comfort throughout the cabin, complete with renown
performance attributes. “It will be the new hero in the increasingly popular full-size pick-up segment, and we’re super proud to offer it as part of the GMSV range.” The Silverado ZR2 Off-Road Racer concept will be on display as part of the GMSV activation at the Adelaide 500 this weekend, alongside the Corvette Stingray and Chevrolet Silverado models, as well as the 3,500hp Chevrolet Racing Pro Slammer drag car that was unveiled at the Bathurst 1000 this year. Thomas Miles
NEW SURFACE ADDS ANOTHER DIMENSION TO ADELAIDE 500 FOR THE first time since Formula 1 arrived down under in 1985, there will be a new track surface on the Adelaide street circuit, which adds another dimension to the returning VALO Adelaide 500 this weekend. After the South Australian state government - led by Premier Peter Malinauskas - brought the Adelaide 500 back from the dead, the event will look a little different with a new title sponsor, new date, and now a new surface. During the frantic preparations for the event, more than 70% of the famous 3.22km street circuit was resurfaced for the first time since it was created ahead of the 1985 Australian Grand Prix. The new tarmac begins in the braking area of the Turn 9 hairpin and runs all the way through Victoria Park, up the bumpy Wakefield Street, and around the Esses to the entry of Turn 7. This leaves Bartels Road, Dequetteville Terrace, and the deadly Turn 8 as the only untouched and original surfaces.
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How the cars, stopwatch, and most importantly the tyres react to the new track surface, will be one of the biggest story-lines surrounding the season finale with tyre degradation a big unknown. PremiAir Racing’s James Golding expects the new track surface to shake things up. “The resurfacing will definitely play a pretty big role when it comes to strategy
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and will be something for everyone to consider and get their heads around,” he said. “Everyone knows the old surface pretty well, so it will certainly change things up.” In 2016 Winton Motor Raceway was completely resurfaced and lap records fell instantly, meaning the current Adelaide race lap record of 1:20.3792s set by Chaz
Mostert in 2019 could come under threat. Team 18’s Scott Pye has already inspected the newly laid out track and believes the resurfacing will have an impact on how much the notorious kerbs will impact the cars also. “The big thing about street circuits is how it is always about kerb compliance,” he told AUTO ACTION. “In Adelaide in particular you use quite a lot of kerb, but I went there on Wednesday and noticed it has changed quite a lot. “For us it is going to be a lot faster, the tyre wear we’re not really sure on, and strategy obviously plays a huge part. “We’ll go there with a calculated base setup based on based references, but we will need to adapt very quickly and tune the car up.” The first chance to see how quick the new track surface will be takes place on Thursday when the 2022 VALO Adelaide 500 roars into life with the first Supercars practice session at 16:25pm. Thomas Miles
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“I NEED TIME OFF TO GET THE HUNGER BACK!”
THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX MAY HAVE BEEN DANIEL RICCIARDO’S LAST FORMULA ONE RACE, AS THE AUSTRALIAN HAS NOW SIGNED TO REJOIN RED BULL – ALBEIT AS A TEST AND RESERVE DRIVER, FOR 2023. BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT, AA’S LUIS VASCONCELOS SAT DOWN WITH THE MAN FROM PERTH, TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHY HE STRUGGLED SO MUCH TO GET TO GRIPS WITH THIS YEAR’S MCLAREN MCL36, BUT ALSO TO REVISIT HIS DECISION TO LEAVE RED BULL AT THE END OF 2018. OPEN AND almost candid about his struggles, Ricciardo took us with him on this journey, explained what was lacking from this year’s car and how the team and himself could never overcome those issues. While admitting a year off is just what the doctor ordered, as he needs to get some time off to rediscover himself (and like he
said, “get that hunger back”), it’s clear the Australian still believes there’s more Grand Prix racing in his future, although he’s realistic enough to admit that’s something that is not entirely in his hands. Q - You’ve stated you could have stayed in Grand Prix racing next year but you felt
Ricciardo celebrates winning his first Grand Prix in Canada, 2014.
Images: MOTORSPORT IMAGES
Daniel ‘needed to move’ from Red Bull, but the Alpine (Renault) never quite measured up.
A - If you break it down, it’s probably a feeling. Because it’s through feeling that you ultimately get the levels of grip and understanding of what the car is going to do. I think the biggest thing that I haven’t had is a feeling of predictability. I sometimes felt like an input that I would do should get me to a certain point in the corner, but maybe it got to a different point and then it’s ‘oh, why is that?’ and then I have to do something else … It’s hard to
“ ” it would be better to take a step back, get the reserve driver role for one year and then decide what you want to do for the future. So, do you rely on just hope that there will be a racing seat for you in 2024 or do you have something realistic to aim for in the next 12 months? A - I don’t believe Abu Dhabi was the end for me in this sport, on the grid, but I also cannot tell you that I know that as a fact, because I don’t know what the future holds. But my attitude, my mindset is that this is just a little interval, and that, ideally, in 12 months I’m back.
explain but I was having to be a little bit reactive, instead of anticipating what’s going to happen next. Q - But does that mean that whatever the car is doing is alien; it’s unnatural to you? A - Yes but obviously this isn’t all the time and in every corner, but when I try to push the car to the limit, it sometimes doesn’t give me the feeling that I’m in control, at least completely in control.
But my attitude, my mindset is that this is just a little interval, and that, ideally, in 12 months I’m back...
Q - You talked about having that feeling already in 2021, when you first started driving for McLaren, but after a bit of an initial struggle you started to close on Lando, sometimes beat him – you won Monza, so it’s fair to say you held your own. So, when you first drove the MCL36, were you shocked that a car that was completely new, designed to new regulations and so on, was an even bigger challenge for you than the MCL35 that, let’s say, was designed around Lando’s feedback and needs? A - A little bit, yes (laughs). But I was also coming into the season with new regulations, and on one hand I was excited, because that would give me a fresh start, we could improve the car, but, on the other hand, I knew that wouldn’t guarantee it. I was going like, “I hope this is better but maybe it’s the same, maybe it gets worse.” So, as filled with a bit of optimism, I still had the reality on the other side, so I think that, ultimately this year, the car is difficult to drive but this year the struggles are still similar, so probably we’re looking at something that is more in the core, in the DNA of the McLaren design philosophy. You see, the team now has a pretty old wind tunnel – there’s probably a few tools that maybe bring it back to getting a similar result, from a feeling, but I think what’s really funny is that people forget, even I forget, is that my very, very first qualifying with McLaren, I actually outqualified Lando. So, in a way, when I had less information, I was better (laughs). But that’s more an observation. It’s not meaning anything about the team or even me, but maybe at some point we got a little bit confused or complicated. I don’t know, but in saying that, I think that if we knew, we would have fixed it in season. So, that was probably just a coincidence. Q - On previous occasions we’ve talked, you have admitted you were not too keen on the technical side of racing until recently. Do you feel that may have hindered you a bit in the search for what needed to be done to the MCL36 for you to drive it the way you want it? A - No, because in terms of filtering and understanding what the car is doing, I would say I’m pretty much in tune. But where I think I’m not good is if you were to say, “tell me what are you seeing inside the gearbox”, or “what does this part of the engine do”, I couldn’t tell you. So, the mechanics of how a car works,
Ricciardo’s time at Red Bull was undoubtedly his most successful in F1. Here he is leading Red Bull teammate Sebastion Vettel on his way to winning his first Grand Prix in Canada, 2014.
Q - Throughout the year you’ve been telling us the car doesn’t gives you what you want and, no matter what changes have been made, that fundamental issue hasn’t gone away. So, what do you need from a car that the MCL36 never gave you? Is it a feeling, a balance that works for you?
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