LEWIS HAMILTON “EIGHTH TITLE IS NOT THE LIMIT”
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‘24 SEASON OPENER: BACK TO BATHURST
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GM CRUSHES FORD IN BATHURST BATTLE
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ISSN 2204-9924 ISSUE 1872
MAX VERSTAPPEN SECURES TITLE NUMBER THREE
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MARTIN EXPLAINS CHAMPIONSHIPCHANGING CRASH
NORRIS FEELING “DISCOMFORT” FROM SPEEDY PIASTRI MCLAREN HAS admitted the outstanding form of Australia’s “unique talent” Oscar Piastri is creating some “discomfort” for Lando Norris. When Piastri replaced Daniel Ricciardo at the start of the season, the Melbourne youngster arrived at a McLaren team that was very much centered on Norris. The Bristol boy has been part of the famous British squad since his debut in 2019 and overwhelmingly outdrove Ricciardo across their two seasons together which surprised many. But 17 races into the first campaign featuring Norris and Piastri, it is the Aussie who is starting to create future world champion headlines. This reached a new high watermark at Qatar where Piastri was outstanding, converting pole to a stunning victory in the Saturday Sprint and backing that up with a close second to Max Verstappen.
Meanwhile Norris struggled to compete with his more junior teammate, finishing third in both races and being highly critical of himself after making errors in qualifying. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted Norris needs to turn the “discomfort” into a positive with Piastri proving to be a strong reference point. “Lando knows himself that Oscar is a unique talent - you don’t see these kinds of talents in Formula 1 every day,” Stella told AUTOSPORT. “He’s an absolute reference, even if he’s a rookie, and at times Lando knows that he will set the bar very high. “For me, Lando sees this as a bit of discomfort, but it’s the discomfort you need to become the best in a way. “It’s a curse and blessing to be a champion.” Stella said Norris can be an extremely harsh critic for himself but does not
believe it will hinder things and is hoping to achieve the right balance, which will be a “journey” for not just the established Brit, but also the rising Aussie. “I think even how harsh he (Lando) was on himself, especially following the qualifying on Friday, there will be an element of review and this will happen very honestly,” he said. “And he will calibrate over time to see, how tough do I really have to be with myself? What is the target here? To be faster in every single corner, in every single lap, in every single session, or just be the best, which doesn’t imply all the rest? “So I think there’s a bit of a journey for Lando, and it will be for Oscar, and for each of us in the team.” McLaren hopes to continue its stunning form at the United States Grand Prix this weekend.
JORGE MARTIN would be heading to Phillip Island with the MotoGP lead this weekend if it wasn’t for a shock crash whilst leading the Indonesian Grand Prix. Having won the Saturday Sprint at the Mandalika circuit and soared from sixth to first at the start of Sunday’s Grand Prix, Martin was poised to enjoy a 16-point lead. With the Pramac Ducati rider enjoying a 3s lead over Maverick Vinales, it was all going according to plan until suddenly it all fell apart on what proved to be an unlucky lap 13. Riding on a soft front tyre, Martin crashed all on his own at the fast right hander. It was the first DNF for the #88 since round three at Texas and one he won’t forget with title rival Francesco Bagnaia going on to win and reclaim an 18-point championship lead. When reflecting on the incident, Martin revealed he “lost the front” having ran wide into the marbles at the preceding turn 10. “It was perfect,” Martin said of his weekend until the costly crash. “I was trying to make the gap a bit bigger and then I saw 2.8s and I was really surprised. “I said ‘ok it is time to maybe keep calm’. “I was a bit wide in corner 10 and it seemed like it was a bit dirty, so when I went into corner 11 I lost the front doing the same as the lap before. But shit happens.” Having finished every race since the April trip to Texas, Martin admitted it was in the back of his mind a mistake was coming. “It’s been 14 races without a mistake. It’s just statistics,” he said. “It was coming sooner or later and finally it was here. “But for the races still remaining I feel confident to fight for victory.” All eyes will be on the Bagnaia versus Martin battle at Phillip Island this weekend. Thomas Miles
PRICE HITS THE FRONT IN RALLY DU MAROC TOBY PRICE has taken the lead in Morocco after a huge Stage 3, and has importantly gained a provisional points gap to his world championship rival in the FIM World Rally-Raid finale. The Aussie KTM Factory rider finished second on the stage to Honda Privateer Tosha Schareina, but shut down the one minute gap between himself and previous rally leader, Botswana Hero rider, Ross Branch. The field faced its second loop around Zagora for Stage 3 across some very rocky terrain as well as some dunes, covering 336 km of timed special. Price, the highest ranked W2CR rider
on the stage, now leads the rally by +4:46 from Branch, and importantly for the Aussies world title hopes, is back in the provisional lead of the championship after Husqvarna’s Luciano Benavides finished sixth in the stage. Benavides now sits fourth in the overall standings, slipping back from the tie break situation that gave him the advantage over Price after yesterday’s Stage 2. With Benavides leading the championship race by nine points, Price’s provisional lead as things stand would be 12 points – a gap that’s vital for him to keep – meaning the important time
spits are Price’s current 4 min 46sec rally lead, and Benavides’ +2min 49sec deficit to Pablo Quintanilla in third place. A tie in points would see Benavides take the title even if Price wins in Morocco, as he’s gained more second place finishes across the five FIM Rally-Raid events. The two-time Dakar and 2018 FIM World Rally Champion said that he was very happy with his days work in north Africa. “Not a bad day for me today, the 330 km went pretty quick, so the average speed was a lot faster,” Price said. “But for sure, it was really rocky out there. The bike felt really good the whole day and I was able to keep up a
good speed. I did make a couple of little navigation mistakes, but on the whole everything went well. “The bonus time helps, but of course to get that you have to be out front and opening the stage, which can prove really hard. All in all, I’m happy with how I’m riding, and I know I’m giving it everything, so whether I come first or second at the end, I’ll be happy that I did my best.” The now riders face the longest stage of the five stage rally, with the fourth stanza seeing 343km of timed special as the field heads north-east to Merzouga. Tim W Neal
PROVISIONAL RESULTS – 2023 RALLYE DU MAROC, STAGE 3 1. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 3:03:35 2. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 3:06:41 +3:06 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (CHL), Honda, 3:07:21 +3:46 4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL), Honda, 3:10:33 +6:58 5. Ross Branch (BWA), Hero, 3:11:33 +7:58 PROVISIONAL STANDINGS – 2023 RALLYE DU MAROC (AFTER 3 OF 5 STAGES) 1. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 10:26:00 2. Ross Branch (BWA), Hero, 10:29:48 +3:48 3. Pablo Quintanilla (CHL), Honda, 10:31:09 +5:09 4. Luciano Benavides (ARG), Husqvarna, 10:33:50 +7:50 5. Tosha Schareina (ESP), Honda, 10:33:54 +7:54
PADDON TOPS SVG TO SEVENTH NZ RALY TITLE HAYDEN PADDON has outlasted Shane van Gisbergen at the Bay of Plenty Rally, as well as winning the New Zealand Rally Championship for record seventh time from Skoda driver Raana Horan. The Kiwi and Hyundai star continues to write himself into the record books after he became the first nonEuropean to win the European Rally Championship, and after beating SVG at the one day Bay of Plenty Rally on the North Island he extends his historical grip on the NZ title. Paddon’s direct competitor for the championship was Horan, but an early stage mishap from the Skoda Fabia Rally2 saw him out of the running against the dominant Paddon, whilst Ben Hunt rounded out the podium in his Skoda two and a half minutes behind Van Gisbergen. Paddon and his co-driver John Kennard (sixth NZRC title) overcame Van Gisbergen and Glen Weston by 29.6s in the 12 stage rally, with Paddon winning every
stage except SS5, 9, 12, which were taken out by SVG in his Audi S1 AP4. “Obviously it’s awesome to get the job done and win the championship which is what we’ve come here to do,” said Paddon. “Massive credit to the team and the amount of work everyone’s put in this year, and all in all, we’re delighted
to top off a pretty successful season. While today didn’t go exactly to plan and, in some ways, it was a pretty tough day for us, we did what we had to do. We got the job done and we enjoyed it. “We were very close to that 100% stage win record here, so while it’s a shame not to achieve that, it is what it is. “Shane did an awesome job and you can’t take that away from him. But when things don’t quite feel right in the car, there is no point pushing too hard and taking unnecessary risks when things aren’t gelling. In my old age, I’m getting wiser and learning, you’ve got to take the chill pill some days.” With the win, Paddon moves two championships above Richard Mason who won his last title in 2014, whilst Kennard now sits equal in the co-driver stakes in a three way tie with Robert Haldane and Rob Ryan. Tim W Neal
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THE MOUNTAIN OF YOUTH BRODIE KOSTECKI WAS KING OF THE KIDS ON THE LAP THAT COUNTS. By Paul Gover NOTHING BEATS the Shootout at Bathurst. It’s the one-lap, all-or-nothing event that electrifies Mount Panorama each October. It’s also the time when nobody holds anything back. Shane van Gisbergen said he was driving “like a granny” for much of the Bathurst 1000 weekend in 2023, but not in the one-lap dash for the Top 10 starting positions on Saturday afternoon. And he could only manage sixth for the grid. “That was ok. We haven’t been too good in quali trim. The race car has been awesome,” he said, making a threatening prediction for the race. The history of the Top 10 Shootout, which began as Hardies Heroes in the days when brake maker Hardie Ferodo was the marquee sponsor, is filled with highs and lows. The historic high is the Lap of the Gods by Greg Murphy and the rockbottom flip-side is Dick Johnson’s wild wide into the trees in his Greens-Tuf Falcon. The expectation is always sky-high as the cracks assemble for the fray, and 2023 was no exception. Despite all the bleating about parity, there were six Mustangs against four Camaros for the Shootout. “A Mustang cannot win this race,” Ryan Walkinshaw told Auto Action
ahead of the race, but he wasn’t making any forecast for the Top 10. Barry Ryan was also tempted into a forecast, after losing Will Brown with a mistake in qualifying. Heading to the Top 10, with Brodie Kostecki as his main man, he was playing conservative. “I think it will be low five. Not a four,” he said, reporting the usual minor tweaks – shocks and springs – ahead of the run-off. And that’s the thing. The track conditions for the Top 10 laps are always different, because it’s run in the cool of the afternoon. And because conditions can change, lap-to-lap and driver-to-driver, especially with the enforced breaks between groups of cars to suit the advertising in the Channel 7 broadcast. Will Davison opened the action for 2023 but could only manage a 2 minutes 06.417 lap in the first of the two DJR Mustangs. It meant he would be tenth for the start. “I made a meal of the lap. We’ve been having a lot of braking issues into Turn 1. I dumped half a second before we even started. It was messy,” he said. Chaz Mostert, too, failed to convert but only clocked 2:05.8309 in a sketchy run. “To be honest … I really didn’t have the eyes open. I was a bit scared going across the top,” he said. Then the first of the youngsters, Matt Payne for Grove Racing, but his lap was another for the tail-enders.
“Had it pretty close to the walls up there, over the top,” he reported. Then van Gisbergen, who has been qualifying poorly – by his standards through most of 2023. He clocked a 2:05.1 to get into the shootout, and improved to a 2:04.997 – sixth in the end – as David Reynolds shaded his rookie team-mate at 2:05.151. As things began to hot up, Broc Feeney did a classic shootout lap and set the benchmark at 2:04.754. It was three-tenths better than his qualifying time. “I’ve dreamed of doing laps like this for my whole life. I’m pretty pumped, I laid it all out there,” he said. Like so many other Top 10 laps over the years, he was full of adrenalin. “I had so much fun. I felt like I did a really good lap. These cars are pretty wild around here.” Cam Waters and Anton De Pasquale completed the Ford side of the ledger, Waters managing a 2:04.772 that was quicker than his qualifying and good for the inside of the second row, after touching the wall at Forrests Elbow, but De Pasquale was only fifth at 2:04.914. “Can’t get down the straights fast enough,” said Waters, emphasising the parity difference between the red and blue contenders. No-one really expected James Golding to crack a lap for pole, as he had done more than enough to make the Shootout for Premiair Racing.
He was fourth, at 2:04.754 and now there were two contenders for the top slot – Kostecki driving the Erebus Camaro and Feeney sweating in the Triple Eight garage. Feeney was smiling when Kostecki made a mess at the start of the lap, missing his mark at Hell Corner. “The sun got in my eyes. Had to make up for it,” he said. And he did clocking 2:04.271 on a lap which would have been good for a 2:03 without the mistake. He was fourtenths quicker than anyone else over the top of the Mountain. “The car was awesome across the top I just threw it down the hill,” Kostecki said. It was one of the great Shootout laps and the effort was obvious to everyone who watched. “He is in a league of his own,” said commentator Mark Skaife. “That’s f… ing amazing mate,” said Barry Ryan. Kostecki’s engineer George Commins was tearful, so – as expected – was Betty Klimenko, but Kostecki was already focussed on Sunday as he faced the media. “I’ve got a job to do. Paul Morris has always told me “161”, he said. “I can’t really forecast what will happen. Anything can happen. I’m just focussed.” But Broc Feeney had the last word. “Brodie made us all look silly,” he said.
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NEW MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA CEO REVEALED BUSINESSMAN SUNIL Vohra has been named as the new Motorsport Australia CEO. After 11 years in charge, Eugene Arocca will retire from his post and Vohra will take over as early as next month in November. The new CEO has 15 years of experience in the finance, insurance and business worlds. Vohra has also described himself as someone with a “lifelong passion” for motorsport, being a Motorsport Australia licence holder and driver. He has recently competed at state level events in a Porsche 997.2 Cup car, including a meeting at Winton just last month. Vohra said he was honoured to take on the role. “I am very proud to be joining Motorsport Australia and look forward to working closely with the
Board, the wonderful staff and our many stakeholders to build on those relationships and meet the many people that help make this sport so great,” Vohra said. “This opportunity to be part of an organisation that plays such a vital role in the Australian sporting landscape is one that I am excited and honoured to take on. “I am eager to utilise my experience, insights and strategic ideas as part of the Motorsport Australia team, to lead an exciting new era in the organisation’s history.” Vohra said he has loved racing since he was young, highlighting the 1985 Bathurst 1000 as one of his earliest memories. “Motorsport is a lifelong passion of mine. I fondly remember my early motorsport experiences like
watching the TWR Jaguar win Bathurst in 1985, through to more recently standing on the grid at 5am at the iconic Mount Panorama for the start of the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this year,” he said. “The sport is full of passionate people. I’ve been fortunate to enjoy the camaraderie of the grassroots motorsport community as a competitor in state level racing. “I look forward to meeting more of the vast network of motorsport stakeholders in the months ahead. “We all share a love of the sport and a commitment to see it grow. It’s a treat to be part of it.” Motorsport Australia president Andrew Fraser said Vohra “stood out” in the recruitment process. “Sunil has an extensive history in commercial and risk management settings, with his expertise developed across both complex ASX enterprises
as well as not-for-profit organisations,” Fraser said. “We were looking for someone with strong leadership credentials, a proven record of achievement and execution and Sunil brings that alongside a passion for our sport. “His experience in leading digital transformation, and in insurance, risk and governance will also greatly benefit Motorsport Australia as an organisation, as well as the sport more broadly. His knowledge and networks within motorsport, insurance and risk will also be key to his, and our, success. “Throughout the recruitment process, Sunil stood out. Both the selection committee and the Board are confident that he will bring energy, fresh ideas and his significant industry networks to the table, benefitting all our stakeholders, and most certainly our competitors, clubs and officials.”
BETTES TO DEPART THE BEND DRAGWAY AS THE Bend Dragway prepares to open with a bang at this weekend’s Spring Nationals, the venue’s general manager Steve Bettes has announced he will depart the role. Having led the construction and completion of the new state-of-the-art drag strip in Tailem Bend, South Australia, Bettes has tendered his resignation effective from December 11. He will remain in charge during the ‘Grand Opening’ at this weekend’s inaugural National Drag Racing Championships Top Fuel round before departing later in the year. Bettes said it has been an honour making the Bend Dragway happen. “It has been a privilege to play a role in delivering this facility for all South Australian Drag Racing fans to enjoy and for the sport to grow in this state and around the nation,” he said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time working alongside Marketing & Sponsorship manager
Vladimir Ostashkevich and believe we have formed a team that racers could rely on to deliver them a facility they can enjoy for generations to come. “It has also been a thrill to teach The Bend CEO Alistair MacDonald all he needs to know about the sport of Drag Racing.
“He has presented a fresh perspective on the sport and the precinct is in fantastic hands. “I’ve loved my time working with the team here at The Bend and look forward to watching The Dragway develop in the coming years.” Shell V-Power Motorsport Park CEO Alistair MacDonald praised Bettes for his commitment to making the Dragway become a reality with his 30plus years in the sport critical. “Steve’s knowledge and experience has been invaluable to our business and his hard work and determination in delivering The Dragway is a credit to him,” he said. “Although Steve is leaving us in December he will be working with us as we search globally for his successor.” The Shell V-Power Motorsport Park has begun its search for the next Dragway Manager, with over 80 events planned for 2024. For more information and to apply click here.
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AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX CORP LOOKING TO NEW PIT FACILITY THE AUSTRALIAN Grand Prix Corporation is currently reviewing the need to upgrade the exisiting or construct a new F1 pit facility at Albert Park. New Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Travis Auld confirmed on 3AW Melbourne’s radio morning show hosted by Neil Mitchell “experts” were examining the current pit building which has been in place since the race first came to Melbourne in 1996. The main building which just houses the F1 teams is being looked at, whilst the seperate temporary garages the Supercars teams operate from was not mentioned. New CEO Auld said it is one of the main areas highlighted as the corporation finds ways of continuing to improve the booming event. “We have got to build on what is an incredible event and make it better,” he told Mitchell. “We are looking at that (the pit facility) now. It is an asset for the park throughout the year with local soccer and football clubs. “We are thinking about it with experts looking at upgrading it or whether it needs something bigger than that. “There is an expectation and a push to modernise the facilities all over the world with more people in the teams operating the garages.” Not only is the Albert Park pit building under the microscope, but also the facilities at Phillip Island which have remained similar for a long period of time, while the track has received some modifications this year. “At Phillip island I would like to see the
facilities for the fans riders and teams as good as they can possibly be,” he said. Auld also revealed plans of making Thursday and Friday bigger events in themselves. “When you have younger audience they are looking for entertainment and we are thinking about what can we do on a Thursday to get a bigger crowd,” he said. “Do we do something on a Thursday night? There are a lot of options. “Perhaps buy a ticket to the race then access a concert?” MotoGP returns down under for the
29th Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix to be held at the famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit this weekend. Last year 40,197 fans watched Alex Rins ride Suzuki to victory on Sunday, while a total of 91,158 attended the first MotoGP race down under in three years. Auld hopes to see a similar crowd to last year. “We kick off Friday and there is an expectation of around 90,000 over the three days which is not insignificant and provides a big boost for the area,” Auld said. “I have become a convert and the
championship is very close and for those that love the sport they will be in their droves.” Auld went onto say the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix has “untapped” potential. “I think the MotoGP is an untapped opportunity for Victoria and a very important event for the region,” he said. “It is just about making it as assessable as possible. “There is a great atmosphere at the circuit and we have a great base for some exciting stuff in not just F1 but the MotoGP.” Thomas Miles
NO TYRE BUNDLES AT BEACH CHICANE FOR GOLD COAST 500 THE TRADITIONAL tyre bundles will not be seen at one of the Gold Coast 500’s trademark chicanes, having been replaced by sensors. Tyre bundles have been a common sight at the Surfers Paradise street circuit throughout its existence since 1991, especially at the chicanes which dominate the shorter Supercars layout. They have long been a hot topic of debate and were brought back in the firing line last year when five cars were wiped out from a sickening crash caused by James Golding striking a tyre bundle at the Beach Chicane. All drivers were okay from the incident which blocked the track and brought out the red flag, but were quick to voice their concerns about bundles with Nick Percat stating its “disappointing we have a used tyre from a garbage bin and written off five cars” at the time. Whilst some drivers backed bundles last year too, Supercars is desperate to avoid a similar incident and have removed bundles from the Beach Chicane following consultation with
leading drivers and Motorsport Australia. In their place will be added sensors with one at turn two and four spread across turns seven to 10 on the Beach Chicane located in the middle of the back straight. In addition to the increased sensors, the kerb strike information itself has received an upgrade with drivers and teams to be notified instantly if track limits have been breached.
Under the previous system the information would initially go to just the teams who would relay it onto the drivers. There will be a solitary tyre bundle which will not depart its respective chicane however, with one still to be placed at turn one. Last year the tyre at the opening left hander was moved back around 500mm after consultation with the drivers at last
year’s event. After being received well, it will remain in the same position in 2023. The introduction of sensors is not the first time Supercars have tried to move on from bundles. Most infamously in 2011 tyre bundles were replaced by 800mm high floppy bollards, but they became so troublesome and disruptive they did not even last the entire weekend. The race was interrupted on multiple occasions as cars regularly kicked them out of place, while the sensors in place 13 years ago also proved highly inconsistent. The microscope will be on the new sensors to see if they will be up to the test as drivers will be pushing track limits to the nth degree across the penultimate weekend of the championship. Brodie Kostecki possesses a 131-point lead over Shane van Gisbergen, who clean swept last year’s Gold Coast 500. Round 11 of the 2023 Supercars season will be held on October 27-29.
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RYCO’S INNOVATION RECOGNISED IN PRESTIGIOUS AWARD OFFICIAL FILTRATION partners with Supercars, RYCO Filters, has again been recognised as one of the Australia’s most innovative companies in the latest instalment of the Australian Financial Review’s (AFR) prestigious BOSS Magazine awards. The awards announcement saw the company place second in the Manufacturing and Consumer Goods category with its RCC360 Catch Can – it’s the fifth consecutive year in which Ryco Filters has been featured in the AFR awards.
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RACING DEVELOPMENT IMPROVES ON-ROAD BRAKING. COMPOSITE DISC brake rotors were once the domain of race cars or high-performance street cars. However, with manufactures such as Bendix constantly developing new product ranges, these types of rotors are finding their way into ‘every day’ vehicles, delivering their owners several benefits. Composite rotors are often also referred to as semifloating or dual cast rotors and typically they feature a two-piece design differentiating them from a standard fully cast rotor. The two-piece design allows for a steel or aluminium hub to be used instead of cast iron, leading to a reduction in unsprung weight.
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This weight loss has many positives including increased fuel efficiency, improved acceleration, better suspension response and a reduction in the brake force needed to bring the vehicle to a safe standstill because of lower rotational mass. Vehicles with composite rotors are also set to gain durability benefits. Their design allows for added expansion and contraction of the outer ring through braking applications, especially in hot and demanding conditions. This along with better heat dissipation can help reduce the likelihood of rotor cracking and warping. While more cars – particularly European vehicles – are now entering new car showrooms fitted with composite rotors as standard, through its Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotors, Bendix offers upgrade options for cars that may not have originally arrived with composite rotors. And because the range meets strict OE specifications, this means they’re also an excellent replacement for those models that originally did come with composites. In reaching OE specifications, the Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece Disc Brake Rotors range meets strict design, construction and performance requirements and test protocols. The E+ Original
Equipment Fit calls for disc brake rotors to be tested for braking capabilities, speed sensitivity, cold performance, and may only deviate from the frictional characteristics of their original equipment counterparts by no more than 15 per cent. Available for selected European vehicles, the Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece disc brake rotor range features the very latest in braking technology and manufacturing processes, and use high carbon Metallurgy to increase brake performance while providing added strength and wear resistance. Depending on the car model, selected Euro+ Composite Sport 2-Piece disc brake rotors are available with slots and v-shaped dimples that more efficiently expels gases, dirt and water, for even greater braking performance. The Euro+ rotor ranges are best matched to Bendix’s Euro+ brake pad kits – together they offer quieter and smoother braking performance, lower dust and reducing braking distance over OE brake pad equivalents. For more information visit the website www.bendix. com.au
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