REVEALED: UPDATED 2024 SUPERCARS AERO SPECS
E XCLUSIVE ONE-ON-ONE
AUSTRALIA’S INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MOTORSPORT
MAX VERSTAPPEN
WHAT MAKES HIM TICK WHAT’S NEXT AFTER F1
I LIKE TO DOMINATE!
SUPERCARS JAN 25 to FEB 6 2024 • $10.95 INC GST
ISSN 2204-9924 ISSUE 1878
A CLASSIC WHIPPING AA’S PLANS TO REUTZEL MAKE IT BETTER WINS
OUR PORSCHE SUPERSTAR
CARLOS TAKES DAKAR 4
TCM CAMAROS CONFIRMED
ROSSI BACK AT BATHURST
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WEBBER FULL OF PRAISE FOR PIASTRI AUSTRALIA’S OSCAR Piastri entered Formula 1 surrounding plenty of hype and delivered, with a rookie season that was beyond “our wildest dreams” according to manager Mark Webber. Last year Piastri produced what many believe is the best first Formula 1 season since Lewis Hamilton’s stunning 2007 debut when he came within a point of clinching the title from Kimi Raikkonen. Driving arguably the fastest car of the year, Hamilton finished on the podium in the first nine races and won four Grands Prix. Fast forward 16 years and another rookie sensation stunned the Formula 1 paddock driving a McLaren. In 2023 it was Piastri and whilst he did not win a Grand Prix, he recorded a memorable Sprint win at Qatar and two Grand Prix podiums at Suzuka and Lusail on his way to ninth place in the championship. The Australian scored 97 points, which is the most by a rookie since Hamilton in 2007, overtaking Alex Albon’s 92 in 2019 when he raced for both Toro Rosso and Red Bull. To make the feat more impressive, the Brighton boy did it all having not registered a single racing lap for 448 days prior to his Bahrain debut since his 2021 FIA Formula 2 title due to being the Alpine reserve driver. Then the dispute between the French team and McLaren meant he lost valuable testing miles throughout 2022 that were originally part
of his Alpine program. Helping Piastri throughout the wild journey to Formula 1 and beyond was another Australian star in Webber, who is still astounded by what the rookie could achieve. “Overall of course, I’m very, very, very proud, very happy,” Webber told AUTOSPORT on Piastri’s 2023 form. “I don’t think in our wildest dreams we could have expected to start with a season like that. “It’s never good for a racing driver not to race, with 15 months out. “He did a bit of testing, but there’s no substitute for racing, so he was certainly behind the eight ball a lot for the first six months. “So that was a bit of a shock, just how much the gap hurt, but he took it in his stride. “The team obviously were struggling at the start as well and then the third race was the home race. “There was a lot to consider early doors psychologically for him, which he handled very, very well.” Despite collecting maiden points on home turf in Australia, the uncompetitiveness of McLaren’s MCL60 was clear for all to see. But by Austria a fourth place for Lando Norris proved the team had turned a corner and when Piastri received the upgrades he was also fighting to be on the podium in Silverstone before eventually getting a maiden top three
finish in the Spa Sprint and first Grand Prix trophy in Japan. By Qatar the Aussie was so accustomed to being a leading contender, he did not crack under the immense pressure of a charging Max Verstappen breathing down his neck. His composure resulted in the famous Sprint success and Webber recalls the youngster’s ability to show maturity beyond his years that not only impressed the 12-time Grand Prix winner, but also the entire McLaren garage. “It was fascinating to be on the radio listening,” Webber recalls of that special Saturday night during the Bathurst 1000 weekend. “He was like, ‘just let me know when Max clears George (Russell)’ and when that happened, just the way he got everything lined up ready if Max did arrive, the McLaren guys were like, ‘okay, wow, that was third, fourth year stuff, maybe?’ “That’s the stuff that we like about Oscar. There are still gaps, there have to be gaps obviously, but ultimately over the next two or three years, of course, we’re going to start just slowly closing those gaps down.“ The other ability that impressed Webber the most was how Piastri kept his McLaren out of trouble. Aside from Practice offs in Montreal and Zandvoort during practice, the only other incidents of note were minor, yet costly first lap brushes with Pierre Gasly
at Saudi Arabia and Carlos Sainz in Belgium. As a result Piastri accrued the 12th cheapest repair bill on the F1 grid last year with a total of $2.27 million, well less than half of the only other rookie who completed an entire season Logan Sargeant with $4.33 million. Webber said Piastri struck a good balance between racing hard and maintaining the car. “He didn’t go through much material, we sort of expected that, but it is not always easy,” he said “He said in February ‘I’ve got to be careful, I have to not be too soft in my first year’ and Oscar’s like that. “I said we’re not going to pay people based on their reputations. We are going to respect them because they are best guys in the world. “We have to race them, as hard and as fair as you like, but don’t be too much of a pushover, because that’s what people might expect. “That’s not what he’s about.” As a whole Webber believes the way McLaren, and especially team principal Andrea Stella, has embraced Piastri is a big reason why the Aussie turned heads so quickly. “McLaren have been just so, so good,” the former Minardi, Jaguar, Williams and Red Bull driver said. “He was so, so lucky to have Andrea in his first year because has just been so good for Oscar on the sporting side and I know that he loves Oscar.”
MARQUEZ’ FIRST GRESINI DUCATI REVEALED GRESINI HAS revealed the livery Marc Marquez will race throughout the 2024 MotoGP World Championship season. In one of the biggest silly season bombshells in recent memory Marquez deflected from Repsol Honda to Gresini Ducati. It means for the first time since the Spaniard’s rookie season in 2013, the #93 will be seen on a bike that is not a factory Honda. Instead Marquez will team up with his brother Alex at the satellite Ducati outfit where the pair will ride a GP23 spec machine. Marc Marquez rode a Ducati for the first time in November last year at Valencia
where he finished fourth, just 0.171s off the pace. The Gresini Ducati livery itself is extremely similar to last year’s with the familiar grey and red style retained while the Ducati logo has been moved closer to the handlebars. As expected a lot of the focus on the livery reveal was around new star recruit Marc Marquez who appears refreshed after a frustrating and injury interrupted recent past that led to the Honda departure. “To be fair it is quite a strange feeling after many years with the one team, but this is a beautiful challenge,” he said. “I only spent a day on it, around 50 laps
and I felt good, but curious and eager. I am like a child with new shoes that wants to learn new things.” In fact, Marc went as far as saying that brother Alex, who is preparing for his second season with the Gresini team is in much better shape to win at Qatar than himself. “The first race is Qatar, where I think Alex has more chance than me,” insisted the 59-time MotoGP winner. “I won only two times. I’m not in the mindset to think about victory now but we’ll see. If it’s a win for Gresini we will be happy. “I’ve always said, you can’t finish the championship in tenth and start the next
one thinking you will win it. It doesn’t happen. “If you are tenth you have to start thinking you can get top 7 or top 5. Little by little, you scale it up. “A sporting person can’t make such a big change from one year to another. It’s continuous progress. “The most important thing for Alex is, don’t put high expectations because I’m in the box. He needs to be realistic all the time.” The 2024 MotoGP launch season continues when the factory Ducati squad reveals its new world championship defender on Monday, January 22.
DUCATI EYES MORE TITLES WITH NEW LOOK MACHINE DUCATI ENJOYED one of the most dominant seasons ever in 2023 and it is eyeing more success in 2024 after revealing its latest challenger. The Italian marquee revealed the colours current twotime champion Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini will race their DesmosediciGP24s with throughout the 2024 season. The traditional Ducati red remains the dominant feature much like the liveries in recent years. The biggest change has been on the front of the bike with the black surrounding the numbers gone and the red continuing. As a result the #1 of Bagnaia and #23 of Bastianini have changed colours to black and white respectively to stand out more. Bagnaia hopes to join Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi as the only riders to take a hat-trick of MotoGP world titles later this season. The Italian is already boosted by a positive experience testing the 2024 bike and is full of confidence to chase more silverware.
“I’m thrilled to kick off my fourth season with the Ducati Lenovo Team,” the 2022 and 2023 world champion said. “The last test in Valencia provided positive feedback, giving us a solid foundation for the upcoming season’s development work. I’m eager to hit the track and pick up where we left off. “It’s bound to be a challenging season, but we’re ready to face it with our usual determination. “As a close-knit team, we’ll give our best to aim for the Championship once again.” Whilst Bagnaia held off Pramac Ducati rival Jorge Martin to the title after winning seven Grands Prix last year, it was a very different campaign for Bastianini. He could only manage 15th in the championship with one podium after a tough season dominated by injury setbacks having started just five of the first 14 races. However, that podium was a sweet one being a redemption victory in Malaysia and Bastianini believes the challenges of 2023 will give him more resolve for what’s to come in 2024. “2023 was a challenging year, and I look forward to redeeming myself in the upcoming season,” he said.
“Despite participating in only a few Grands Prix last year, I’ve learned valuable lessons that I’ll carry into the new season. “I have great confidence in my Team, and I know we have all the potential to do well. “I can’t wait to hit the track and start the new season.” Testing begins in Malaysia on February 6-8.
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F1 CONFIRMS SPANISH GP MOVE TO MADRID FORMULA 1 has confirmed the Spanish Grand Prix will be held at a new track in Madrid from 2026. Madrid’s recent agreement with Formula 1 signifies a major shift as the Spanish Grand Prix relocates from its long-standing home at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya to an all-new hybrid circuit in Madrid. The move, effective from 2026 to 2035, has left the future of the Barcelona venue uncertain, with ongoing discussions among local authorities about the possibility of hosting a second event in the country. The upcoming circuit, a hybrid 5.47km track, will be constructed around the IFEMA fairgrounds and convention centre in the north-east of Madrid. This groundbreaking project, subject to FIA approval, features a combination of street and non-street sections much like Supercars’ Reid Park circuit in Townsville, comprising 20 corners with a projected lap time of 1 minute and 32 seconds. The track will include what Formula 1 terms a ‘premium’ paddock building, creating a state-of-the-art facility. With initial public transport accessibility and a capacity of 110,000 spectators, the venue plans to increase its capacity to 140,000 over the first half of the 10-year contract. IFEMA, operational since 1991, enjoys the backing of local authorities, with a consortium of public bodies overseeing its operations. The 10-year deal aligns with the trend of long-term race contracts, with Madrid joining Australia (2035) and Bahrain (2036) in securing commitments that extend well into the future. The Madrid area has a history of hosting races at the Jarama circuit between 1968 and 1981. Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali expressed excitement about this new chapter for F1 in Spain, thanking IFEMA MADRID, the regional government, and the city’s mayor for a compelling proposal that aligns with F1’s vision of creating a multi-day spectacle emphasizing innovation and sustainability. “It’s great news for Formula 1 as it shows once again that there is strong appetite around the world for our sport,” says Domenicali.
“It shows that at a moment where Europe is perceived to be a place that is not ready to invest in our sport, Madrid and others are showing it is. “They have presented a fascinating project, one that will be built in the next couple of years and a project that is considering the fans and their whole experience, from their travel to the whole event experience. “The proposition we received from the promoter was great. Since the first day, it has been an open discussion of what this event can be.” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized the venue’s commitment to sustainability, aligning with the broader goals for Net Zero carbon by 2030. The proposed circuit will undergo FIA homologation, safety checks, and calendar approval by the World Motor Sport Council. Jose Vicente de los Mozos, president of the executive committee of IFEMA MADRID, emphasized that the race aims to become a “reference” for the sport. He expressed excitement about hosting a major F1 event
after more than four decades and outlined ambitions to create a Grand Prix that offers a distinctive and unique experience for fans and teams. Isabel Diaz Ayuso, president of the Region of Madrid, highlighted the predicted economic impact on the city, projecting a substantial increase in GDP and job creation. The event, expected to be followed globally by 70 million people, is seen as a significant contributor to further consolidating Madrid’s international standing. City mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida
echoed these sentiments, emphasising that F1 presents an unprecedented opportunity to showcase Madrid’s transformation, energy, character, and passion to the world. Confident in the city’s ability to meet the challenge, he expressed that F1 deserves a city with the energy and passion of Madrid.
WINTON SUPERCARS TEST DAY OPEN TO FANS VICTORIAN BASED fans will get an early glimpse at the 2024 Supercars with Winton’s gates to be thrown open at next month’s pre-season test day. On Wednesday, February 5, all Victorian based teams - Erebus Motorsport, Tickford, Walkinshaw Andretti United, Penrite Racing, Team 18, Brad Jones Racing and Blanchard Racing Team - will put their new cars and liveries to the test at Winton. Being the only official day of on track running prior to the season opening Bathurst 500, it will be a critical session to get right with Queensland based teams testing at Ipswich two day earlier. Outside of the standalone official sessions, test days are usually held behind closed doors but fans will be able to get a first-hand glimpse of the 2024 Chevrolet
Camaros and Ford Mustangs before they go racing. No less than 16 cars will be on show it what may be the only to see the cars fly around the “Action Track” in 2024 with no round scheduled for the second year in a row.
Winton Motor Raceway General Manager Stephen Whyte is looking forward to offering fans a unique experience away from a race meeting. “Whilst it is disappointing that Winton Motor Raceway isn’t hosting a round for
2024, it’s important that Winton plays a part in the Supercars by providing the official test track for the Victorian and New South Wales based teams,” he said. “The official Supercars test day provides the North East Victorian fans an opportunity to see the cars up close!” Food, drink and coffee will be available to attendees who will also have the chance to win one of three Winton merchandise packs which include a hat, t-shirt, stubbie and hoodie. Entry is $5 each while children under 12 and Benalla Auto Club members have free entry. Gates will open from 9am on Wednesday, February 7. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE HERE
SUPER3 CHAMP STEWART THRILLED TO STEP UP WITH EREBUS/IMAGE RACING REIGNING SUPER3 champion Jobe Stewart will stick with Image Racing and the Erebus Academy as he takes the step up to Super2 in 2024. Along with welcoming Jarrod Hughes to the team (see news pages) Erebus also confirmed its current Academy member Stewart will continue his progression to the second tier. The Mount Gambier based driver will drive the Holden ZB Commodore Jack Perkins raced in last year’s Super2 season that was previously raced by David Reynolds and Will Brown in the main game in 2020 and 2021 respectively. For Stewart, the decision to stay with Barry Ryan and Terry Wyhoon’s team at Super2 level made perfect sense. Last year he made the jump from the Toyota 86 Series to Super3 and clinched the title at the first time of asking after a super consistent campaign. The teenager finished no lower than fourth across the entire Super3 season on
his way to a comfortable championship win, while his relationship with Erebus dates back to 2017. “We have been working on it over the past couple of months behind the scenes just trying to get the fine details down and now it is official we can start looking forward to a big season,” Stewart told AUTO ACTION. “I have been with Image for one year and with the Erebus Academy for the last six years and could not see myself doing it any other team. “The whole team environment will be the same which will be really good because it will feel like just stepping into another race. “It is great we can continue with them and I just can’t wait to go racing.” Stewart described transitioning from the simple, one-make Toyota 86 Series to the faster and more powerful ex Supercars Super3 series as a “huge jump” But he expects shifting from a 10-year
old VF Commodore to a four-year-old ZB Commodore as much simpler. Whilst the ZB being more aero dependant, his first taste of a Supercar was in the final Holden Commodore. At the end of 2022 Stewart enjoyed a drive in the “Mercadore” chassis at Winton and he believes it won’t be too different to the car he steered to glory in Super3. “I am looking forward to the new challenge with a year of experience under my belt (but) it won’t be the biggest change,” Stewart said. “90 percent of the car will be the same with just a few things slightly different, being a bit faster with more aero. “I won’t have to re-juggle my head too much. Just need to get comfortable in the ZB and focus on my driving.” Despite coming into Super2 with the Super3 crown, Stewart is not placing any pressure on himself to do the double like Broc Feeney. “Although I have a year in Super3 under
my belt, it will be another big learning year,” he said. “Last year I was still learning at the final round being a brand new track so I have not really set any expectations. “It would be great to win, which is what everyone thinks but I will just try my best and hopefully we can be on the top step.” Ryan has been extremely impressed with Stewart’s approach and believes he is the perfect byproduct of the Erebus Academy. “Jobe is still only 19 years old but last year he showed exactly what we saw in him at 12,” Ryan said. “He has all the hallmarks of a future Erebus Champion and that is exactly what the Academy is about.” Both Stewart and Hughes will test their ZB Commodores for the first time at Winton Motor Raceway on Monday, February 5.
EARLY BATHURST WINNING CORTINA COMING TO ADELAIDE ONE OF the earliest cars to conquer Mount Panorama, the Ford Cortina Mk.I GT500, will perform a starring role at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival. The famous Ford Cortina nameplate scored a hat-trick of Great Race victories from 1963-1965 with the latest arriving with the updated GT500. The new car featured several mechanical upgrades to the engine, gearbox and suspension as well as a larger fuel tank after strong input from Ford competition manager Harry Firth ahead of the 1965 Armstrong 500. Armed with these updates, Bo Seton and Midge Bosworth led home Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland in a Ford one-two after 130 laps of racing. The 1965 Armstrong 500 was
dominated by two cars, the Ford Cortina Mk.I GT500 and the Mini
Cooper S which filled the top nine positions.
The Cortina that will be coming to Adelaide is in the same clean colours Seton and Bosworth drove with the #11 and Class D signs on the door. It is the latest famous car to join the PremiAir Hire Bathurst winners’ category at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival and by far the oldest. Other cars include Peter Brock’s Holden VH SS Commodore from 1982 and 1983, the Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 that went back to back with Jim Richards and Mark Skaife in 1991 and 1992, plus Shane van Gisbergen’s and Garth Tander’s Holden ZB Commodore in 2020 and 2022. The 2024 Adelaide Motorsport Festival will take place on March 15-17 and more information can be found here.
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HOW MCLEOD IS SHARPENING UP FOR SUPER2 IN THE DESERT MSR CHANGES RISING TALENT Cameron McLeod is currently in the UAE using the ongoing 24h series endurance events as a critical preparation for his upcoming Super2 debut. Last year McLeod competed in the Dubai 24hrs event in a BMW M4 GT4 before setting Super3 alight with eight race wins, nine pole positions and 11 fastest laps. He also won the Marc Cars Australia Championship, and the Precision National Sports Sedans event at the Gold Coast on his way to winning the highly prestigious Mike Cable Young Gun Award. McLeod sees the early season competition at the major Middle East Creventic events as being very important for his development and preparation as he heads into his first Super2 season. “Racing in the Creventic series, gives me such a head start on the competition,” said McLeod. “By the time we roll out for Practice at Bathurst, I’ve already competed the equivalent of two or three rounds. “I’ve driven different cars, on different tyres, in varying conditions so I’ve well and truly blown out all the cobwebs from the off season and I hit the track ready to go. “I’ve been focusing on training and competing for at least a month longer than the people I’m racing against. “The 24hseries events are well organised and run at a professional level, it’s a perfect situation for me to place myself in order to be able to perform at a high a level against great opposition.” McLeod returned to the Middle East earlier this month to compete in the Hankook 6H at Abu Dhabi, driving in Porsche 992 class. Despite his limited practice
laps on the famous Yas Marina Circuit, and his first experience in a Porsche, he raised eyebrows by registering the fastest class time in his Q2 session, and third fastest overall for all Porsche drivers. McLeod was pleased with how his performance and is chasing a drive in the 24H race this weekend. “Whilst I didn’t get many laps in practice, I did get to qualify and start the race which was a great opportunity afforded to me by the team,” he said. “It was great experience and I raced for more than 2 hours over the two stints I was in the car. “I’m very thankful to Karsten and his KKramer team for giving me the opportunity. “I’ve decided to stay on in the Middle East and try to arrange another drive at Dubai for the Hankook 24H race. “The opportunity and the experience are too good to pass up, so I’m working hard and canvassing all the teams and talking with all our contacts to try and get in a car for this great event.” For 2024 McLeod will step up to Super2 with support from PremiAir Racing and believes staying sharp in GTs could give him “an edge” when the season begins at the Bathurst 500. “With the PremiAir team there’s an option, a pathway to Supercars and I know I have to perform at my best to maximsze the opportunities in front of me, so for me, this experience counts,” he said. “It keeps me sharp, gives me confidence, and it exposes me to new circumstances and puts me in front of new people. “I think it gives me an edge. And that’s why I’m here in the Middle East, to gain an advantage.”
TO ICONIC FAMILY NUMBERS MATT STONE Racing (MSR) has tapped into its family heritage by changing both of its racing numbers ahead of the 2024 season. Since entering Supercars in 2018 #35 has been associated with MSR while it has used #34 since expanding to two cars in 2020. However, MSR will bring the iconic #4 back to the family for the first time in 12 years with Cameron Hill to sport the special number. New recruit Nick Percat will race #10 which is appropriate given that was the number he made his Supercars debut with in 2010 racing for Walkinshaw Racing at Phillip Island. The acquisition of #4 from Brad Jones Racing is particularly significant given MSR owner Matt Stone’s father is Jim Stone, who co-owned Stone Brothers Racing. SBR was one of the top Ford teams during its 14-year stint in Supercars from 1998 to 2012. Undoubtedly the highpoint was SBR’s hat-trick of championships from 2003 to 2005 and the car which turned the team into a heavyweight was the #4 driven by Marcos Ambrose. Ambrose drove the #4 Pirtek Falcon and SBR into Ford folklore by ending HRT’s run of five straight championships going back to back in 2003 and 2004. After Ambrose retired in 2005 the #4 remained at SBR when a fresh faced rookie James Courtney joined the team, steered a Jeld-Wen Falcon from 2006 to 2008. In 2009 Alex Davison took over the iconic #4 with IRWIN backing also for three seasons before Lee Holdsworth arrived in 2012. The #4 carried on into the Erebus Motorsport and Mercedes era where Holdsworth ended a six-year drought between wins for the number at Winton in 2014. The final season with Mercedes saw Ash Walsh, Dean Canto and Davison all drive car #4 in 2015. After three years off the grid the #4 was
brought back by BJR initially in a wildcard capacity through Macualey Jones and Jack Smith before being run full time by the latter from 2020 to 2023. With Smith retiring and being replaced by Jaxon Evans, the fourth BJR Camaro will race with a new number in 2024. A smaller connection is also behind the move to #10 for Percat’s entry with that number used by SBR customer team Larkham Motorsport. The #10 is forever associated with Mark Larkham having used it in his ATCC debut in 1995 all the way to the end of 2005 when Larkham Motorsport switched to WPS Racing. After Larkham hung up the helmet full time at the end of 2003, the #10 remained the lead car of the team being transferred to Jason Bargwanna. When WPS Racing folded ahead of 2008, the #10 also disappeared off the grid for a season before Walkinshaw Racing brought it back with Paul Dumbrell in 2009 and Andrew Thompson in 2010. For the next 12 years car #10 was only seen once when the Triple Eight Bathurst wildcard of 2013 driven by Mattias Ekstrom and Andy Priaulx used it. The number’s return to the full time grid was made by Grove Racing when it expanded to two cars with Lee Holdsworth in 2022. But the number immediately disappeared again with rookie Matt Payne opting for #19. However, MSR has brought it back for Percat, who will get a smile from the sight of it given it was a Walkinshaw Racing #10 VE Commodore he made his first Supercars start with alongside Thompson 14 years ago.
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LE BROCQ TO DRIVE EREBUS BACKED 12 HOUR CAR EREBUS MOTORSPORT has thrown its support behind M-Motorsport’s Mercedes which will take on the Bathurst 12 Hour with Jack Le Brocq at the wheel. M-Motorsport will field a new Mercedes GT3 at the February classic endurance race with team owner Justin McMillan, Le Brocq and experienced GT drivers Glen Wood and Garth Walden. It will not be Le Brocq’s first attempt at the 12 Hour having raced in an Erebus Mercedes in 2013 and finished sixth while the all
German sister entry won. Le Brocq has also worked with M-Motorsport in 2015, whilst Wood helped him secure his Formula Ford title in 2012 as a mechanic and data engineer. He knows the Bathurst 12 Hour will be vital preparation for the Bathurst 500 the following weekend. “I’m super excited to be getting the band back together and attacking the Mountain in a current spec Mercedes GT3,” he said. “I obviously spent some time in the SLS
back in ‘13-’14 under the Erebus banner and to be back with Justin and Glen who I’ve shared some incredibly memorable times with is a huge honour. “It’s also a great opportunity to get some early miles in before my 2024 Supercars campaign with Erebus gets underway at the Bathurst 500.” For McMillan it will be his 10th attempt at the 12 Hour and he believes his Pro-Am line up will be a “formidable” one. “With the support of Erebus and our
M-Motorsport team, together with a new Mercedes GT3 and a formidable Pro-Am driver lineup, I am confident that we will be a strong contender for the Pro-Am this year,” he said. “The Bathurst 12 Hour is undoubtedly one of the world’s most demanding races and we have a lot of boxes to tick but I’m excited for what’s to come.” The M-Motorsport and Erebus entry will conduct a test session at Phillip Island on January 30.
LEGENDARY 250 LM ADDED TO ADELAIDE’S ‘FERRARI SPETTACOLO’
THE ADELAIDE Motorsport Festival has confirmed the legendary Ferrari 250 LM as a part of its ‘Ferrari Spettacolo’ demonstration. One of the most spectacular “oggetti di desiderio” in the Ferrari collection, the 250 LM was developed as a Berlinetta version of the Le Mans-winning 250 P. After making its first public appearance in 1963 at the Paris Motor Show, it was then rejected for GT homologation by
the FIA for entry into the GT class as fewer than the required 100 models were built, which in turn, also damaged its public sales potential. The manufacturer instead opted to enter it into the outright prototype class, which took victory in 1965 with Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory behind the wheel (Ferrari’s last overall Le Mans victory before its 499P took victory in 2023). The 250 LM is powered with a rear, longitudinal 60° 3.3 L
V12 engine, producing 320 horsepower (235 KW) at 7500 rpm with a top speed of 287 kph, sharing the same chassis and running gear as the 250 P prototype with minor modifications. The car has repeatedly broken auction records as just 32 were built between 1963 to 1965, with this particular machine having been piloted by the likes of Rindt, John Surtees and Lorenzo Bandini at the Le Mans 24 Hours, Nürburgring 1000km, and the Reims 12 Hours. It is a car with incredible international provenance and arguably one of the most important cars spectators will see at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival. The ‘Ferrari Spettacolo’ will be the greatest gathering of special edition Ferraris in the southern hemisphere, with the demonstration taking place on both days of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, on the Victoria Park section of the Adelaide Street Circuit. It features the likes of a LaFerrari, Ferrari FXX, Ferrari 599XX, Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari F40 in addition to the Ferrari 250 LM. Held the week prior to the Australian Grand Prix on March 15-17, the Adelaide Motorsport Festival is a museum in motion, displaying historic, rare and significant racing vehicles on the Victoria Park section of the Adelaide Street Circuit. Categories featuring Formula 1, V8 Supercars, Group C and A touring cars, sportscars and more will feature over the course of the Adelaide Motorsport Festival, in addition to on-track demonstrations, off-track displays, villas and more.
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QLD (07) 3715 2200
625 Boundary Rd, Coopers Plains
VIC (03) 9212 4422
4 Abbotts Rd, Dandenong
WA (08) 9373 9999
11 Valentine Street Kewdale
01_ACC_161123
WIDE RANGE OF OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE... Visit www.machineryhouse.com.au/welding-tables-accessories
ACTION MART Leading LS Conversion Specialists Castle Headers and Exhaust components Dynogen Alternators - The hidden alternator in a generator body Hi-Torque Gear Reduction Starter motors Billet High Performance Alternators Wiper Motor Kits EFI Conversion Looms and ECU reprogramming Conversion engine mounts, Transmission Crossmembers, Conversion Sumps Rack & pinion Conversions
CAMS CAMS SPEC SPEC MILD MILD STEEL STEEL CHROMOLY CHROMOLY TUBE TUBE -- SHEET SHEET -- SOLID SOLID
TUBE BENDERS - DIES - NOTCHERS
CAEPERFORMANCEPRODUCTS.COM.AU 7 MAIN RD CASTLEMAINE VICTORIA 3450
PH: 02 9676 8001 SHIPPING DAILY AUSTRALIA WIDE
T 03 5472 1442
THE ORIGINAL
OFTEN COPIED - NEVER EQUALLED www.speco.com.au
W W W. R A C E T E C H S T E E L . C O M . A U
THE ULTIMATE IN CALIPER PAINTS
Australia’s premier online racewear retailer • Karting & race suits, gloves, shoes, underwear • Helmets • Hans devices • Coolshirt products • Steering wheels
OMP DISTRIBUTOR & MORE
CAZ MILBURN 0428 887 223 www.raceline-racewear.com.au
F F I e r D ence e h t l e e F
• High quality German made limited slip differentials • Proven in competition by winners in FIA GT, ALMS, WTCC, Targa, BTCC, F3, Nürburgring 24 hour and Bathurst 12 hour • Competition gearboxes, Gear sets, Driveshafts, & Wheels Hubs also available
OVER 5,000 PRODUCTS
INSTORE OR ONLINE
machineryhouse.com.au
Contact details: P: (02) 4868 2347 W: www.drexler-motorsport.com.au
01_AA_290420
WANT MORE MOTORSPORT?
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autoaction.com.au/newsletter TOP TORQUE PROVIDES FULL ENGINE reconditioning and rebuilding services including complete engine rebuilding specialising in Subaru and LS Series engines. With over 100 years of combined experience in engine machining, assembly and cylinder head reconditioning-from performance, full competition to standard, Top Torque Performance is a trade leader.
• Cylinder Head Reconditioning • Engine Block Reconditioning Our workshop is full of the latest engine and cylinder head reconditioning machinery including Serdi, Berco, Hines and Rottler machines.
FACTORY 5, 187-201 ROOKS ROAD, VERMONT VIC. 3133
PHONE: 03 9873 3800 • WWW.TOPTORQUE.COM.AU
The Auto Action RevLimiter podcast The team that’s not trying to make friends or look after sponsors!
NEW EPISODES OUT EVERY WEDNESDAY WWW.REVLIMITER.COM.AU
Custom printed or embroidered suits, made to measure
ACTION MART Leading LS Conversion Specialists Castle Headers and Exhaust components Dynogen Alternators - The hidden alternator in a generator body Hi-Torque Gear Reduction Starter motors Billet High Performance Alternators Wiper Motor Kits EFI Conversion Looms and ECU reprogramming Conversion engine mounts, Transmission Crossmembers, Conversion Sumps Rack & pinion Conversions
CAMS CAMS SPEC SPEC MILD MILD STEEL STEEL CHROMOLY CHROMOLY TUBE TUBE -- SHEET SHEET -- SOLID SOLID
TUBE BENDERS - DIES - NOTCHERS
CAEPERFORMANCEPRODUCTS.COM.AU 7 MAIN RD CASTLEMAINE VICTORIA 3450
PH: 02 9676 8001 SHIPPING DAILY AUSTRALIA WIDE
T 03 5472 1442
THE ORIGINAL
OFTEN COPIED - NEVER EQUALLED www.speco.com.au
W W W. R A C E T E C H S T E E L . C O M . A U
THE ULTIMATE IN CALIPER PAINTS
Australia’s premier online racewear retailer • Karting & race suits, gloves, shoes, underwear • Helmets • Hans devices • Coolshirt products • Steering wheels
OMP DISTRIBUTOR & MORE
CAZ MILBURN 0428 887 223 www.raceline-racewear.com.au
F F I e r D ence e h t l e e F
• High quality German made limited slip differentials • Proven in competition by winners in FIA GT, ALMS, WTCC, Targa, BTCC, F3, Nürburgring 24 hour and Bathurst 12 hour • Competition gearboxes, Gear sets, Driveshafts, & Wheels Hubs also available
OVER 5,000 PRODUCTS
INSTORE OR ONLINE
machineryhouse.com.au
Contact details: P: (02) 4868 2347 W: www.drexler-motorsport.com.au
01_AA_290420
WANT MORE MOTORSPORT?
Stay up to date with all the latest motorsport news Subscribe to the Auto Action newsletter today!
autoaction.com.au/newsletter TOP TORQUE PROVIDES FULL ENGINE reconditioning and rebuilding services including complete engine rebuilding specialising in Subaru and LS Series engines. With over 100 years of combined experience in engine machining, assembly and cylinder head reconditioning-from performance, full competition to standard, Top Torque Performance is a trade leader.
• Cylinder Head Reconditioning • Engine Block Reconditioning Our workshop is full of the latest engine and cylinder head reconditioning machinery including Serdi, Berco, Hines and Rottler machines.
FACTORY 5, 187-201 ROOKS ROAD, VERMONT VIC. 3133
PHONE: 03 9873 3800 • WWW.TOPTORQUE.COM.AU
The Auto Action RevLimiter podcast The team that’s not trying to make friends or look after sponsors!
NEW EPISODES OUT EVERY WEDNESDAY WWW.REVLIMITER.COM.AU
Custom printed or embroidered suits, made to measure
Pic Courtesy Chris Carter