Objective Racing McLaren Tops Final Practice in Bathurst

Photo: John Dagys

After sessions topped by Audi and Bentley, it was a McLaren that was quickest in final practice heading into qualifying for Sunday’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

The GT3-Am class No. 11 Objective Racing McLaren 650S GT3 of Matt Campbell jumped to the top of the time sheets in the one-hour session, which was shortened due to an accident from a Lamborghini.

Campbell recorded a best lap of 2:02.287 — the quickest of the weekend so far — just moments before the red flag. It was 0.104 seconds quicker than the No. 63 Erebus Motorsport Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of Maro Engel.

Rene Rast made it three different GT3 manufacturers in the top-three, putting the No. 75 Melbourne Performance Center Audi R8 LMS third on the time sheets with a 2:02.440.

The No. 59 Tekno Motorsport McLaren and No. 74 Melbourne Audi completed the top-five overall.

Grove Racing led the way in Class B with its Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, while the No. 93 MARC Cars Australia Ford Focus V8 topped Class I.

The session saw two red flags, the first for one of the MARC cars, which stopped on track, and the second for an accident by the No. 48 M Motosport Lamborghini Gallardo, which sustained damage.

A combined one-hour qualifying session gets underway at 12:55 p.m. local time, followed by a 20-minute Top-20 shootout for the Allan Simonsen Pole Award.

RESULTS: Practice 5

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John