Haven't had time to unwind unforgettable impressions from the recent American race in Daytona, as exactly one week later, there is another very significant event in the world of motor sport in Australia kicks off a 12-hour marathon at one of the most complex and famous trails in the world: Mount Panorama.
Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, anurans race in Bathurst, this year has received a new round of development in its history. The company SRO (Stefan Rattel Organization), the organizer of one of the largest Championships of the modern history of the Blancpain GT Series, took her under his wing and turned in a new racing series called the Intercontinental Challenge GT. Thus, 2016 will give us the joy of watching several unique races.
Just this year, the Intercontinental calendar GT Challenge includes so far 3 events: in addition to racing at Mount Panorama will include a 24-hour marathon at the Belgian track Spa-Francorchamps 28 to 31 July and 12-hour race at the Sepang track in Malaysia on 10–11 December.
What is famous Bathurst 12 Hour?
If to tell briefly, his story began in the 60-ies, when thousands of kilometres of race cars touring shifted from the Australian Victoria (Phillip Island Circuit) at Mount Panorama.
Then, in 1990, the championship regulations processed under the cars production for sedans with 4 and 6 cylinder engines, however, accepted the V8 engines and the cars with blowers. But, any car with mid-engined configuration, as well as the GT class, were strictly forbidden. Bathurst has been the scene of battles between factory teams like Mazda, Holden, Citroen, Peugeot, Nissan, Maserati, BMW, Lotus and Porsche. But after a few seasons the championship has moved to Sydney, and for a number of years in Bathurst nothing happened.
In 2002 and 2003 there were two 24-hour races, and all again was quiet.
The revival of the 12-hour traditional competition had for 2007. The regulations essentially repeated the previous one, for classroom production and event start to collect a decent number of participants: in 2009, started out 49 cars.
Then, in 2013, the race made the car class GT3. The first victory was won by Erebus Motorsport team consisting of Bernd Schneider, Thomas and Alexander Yager Rolof Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.
In 2014 the winner was the team of Maranello Motorsport, whose leading pilot Allan Simonsen died in the summer of 2013 during the race in Le Mans. In 2014 was established a prize in his name for the pole position: Allan Simonsen Pole Position Trophy.
In 2015 the race has set a record for number of appearances on the track the safety car: 20! time. And the winner was the first Nissan GT-R, which took the lead in two laps to the finish.
2016
This year Allan Simonsen Pole Position Trophy was awarded to the crew of the McLaren at number 59 Techno Autosports team consisting of Shane van Gisbergen (Shane Van Gisbergen), Alvaro Parente (Alvaro Parente) and Jonathon Webb (Jonathon Webb). They won the race, bringing the next crew Nismo Nissan GT-R just 1.2 seconds! Think about it, this gap between the first and second places after 12 hours of racing! The third was the No. 10 team M-Sport Bentley, fourth place went to the team Phoenix Audi, Mercedes Erebus and the fifth number 36.
I must say that the big surprise was unsuccessful. All five cars from the Top 5 (in this case, all five different manufacturers) were in the lead throughout the race. Leaders in turns going out that Bentley team M-Sport, Erebus Mercedes, the winner of last year Nissan Nismo GT-R.
Of course, the race was a success.
The track is Mount Panorama is not only the beautiful views and watching on the sidelines for cars kangaroo, but also the incredible complexity of the track, whose length is more than 6 thousand meters and the elevation is 174 meters! The main high-speed Chicane is not just «closed», but is located on the slopes and on the main straight of the track speed exceeds 300 km/h to pass some turns on a public Gaza, you need to truly have nerves of steel and an indomitable will to win.
For 12 hours the leaders were followed by 29 times: top candidates to win five listed above the main stables (Audi, Bentley, McLaren, Mercedes and Nissan) — firmly hold the leadership in their hands, and do not let anyone intrude. Thus, as between them, and among cars of the class AM, the fight was no laughing matter. The safety cars went on to the track 13 times in 12 hours, and it is only in cases where there was a need for evacuation or other serious hazard on the track.
In many cases, the participants of the incident were able to understand without assistance. Bathurst track in its structure, rather, the city, without a broad security zones and closely spaced to the blade hardreally of soft tyres. Therefore, often the car that flew out of the tyre, managed to get out of the trap and continue forward, even if only to boxes of his team.
In the overall ranking and classification Pro victory went to McLaren's largely due to luck-not a single crash and significant damage, but at the same time, a sudden problem with the electronics when the car just stopped on the track with a failed electricity. 45 seconds of «dead» the car obviously cost the pilot and nerves, and gray hair. Everyone was already prepared for the introduction of security and evacuation, as orange McLaren suddenly started up and went on as if nothing had happened.
The victory helped the team and smart tactics pit stop. They got away on the final pit stop during the last of the security regime, where some 90 minutes before the end of the race, and remained on the track, but their main rival the Nissan Nismo GT-R # 1 was forced to leave the pit stop later than 50 minutes prior to the finish, and was not able anymore to play the first position.
Not had much luck in the race and the team M-Sport Bentley with two Continental GT3 #10 and #31. The crew with tail number 31 twice been in a car accident. First, a rather hard contact with McLaren #60 — which, however, did not prevent the crew to return to the leading position, and then another accident which damaged the front of the car — and a very strange pit stop when mechanics replaced the damaged wheel, but not touched deeply zagnuvsheysya body, and punched tires. And here after two laps #31 again goes into the pits and again on the rim — and here it is already clear that the repair requires more than merely moving wheels. In the end 7th place.
10-th number Bentley was more successful and managed to resist the Phoenix Audi, the crew of which went in addition to Alex Davison — Marcus Winkelhock and Lawrence Vanthoor. However, during the race it was noticeable that, despite his highly experienced crew, Phoenix Audi is inferior to the Bentley team, especially on the long straights.
I would also like to mention the Erebus Motorsport team: despite the fact that they use one of the old cars of the GT3 category, they manage to keep you at the top of the participants, and their fifth in the overall standings says that they can be a pain for other contenders for the victory.
In the classification of AM the victory went to the crew of the #75 Audi MPC. Second place went to team Lago racing #32 Lamborghini Gallardo, and the third won the International Motorsports Audi #82.
CURIOUS!
- Unlike most long races Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour kicks off early in the morning, at 5.45, when it's still dark, and ends in the early evening. In many ways, this schedule is linked to daylight hours, although for Europe it is not the best time for the broadcast.
- How the legacy of past contest Bathurst 12 Hour, Intercontinental GT Challenge plays host to the V8 series cars — such as the MARC Focus V8 MARC Mazda 3 V8.
- One of the unusual participants of the race was Daytona Sportscar Coupe — great and wonderful representative of American motorsports. Its perfectly aerodynamic body designed by Peter Brock (Peter Brock). Daytona Coupe became popular in 1965, when bypassed Ferrari in the world championship FIA GT.
The next stage Intercontinental GT Challenge will be held in late July in the Belgian Ardennes, and we invite everyone to screens from 8 to 10 April, when the Italian at Misano will be the first race of the Blancpain GT Sprint Series.
