43 Cars on Bathurst 12H Entry List

A total of 43 cars will contest the 17th edition of the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in February.

The provisional version of the entry list, released Friday, includes 28 GT3 cars – the same number as last year – represented by ten manufacturers without any driver lineups.

Most entries for the Intercontinental GT Challenge season-opener have already been confirmed independently by teams, including the two-car efforts from Bentley Team M-Sport, R-Motorsport and BMW with Walkenhorst Racing and Team Schnitzer.

A notable new addition is GruppeM Racing, which is set to make its Bathurst 12 Hour debut with a single Mercedes-AMG GT3.

The German manufacturer has six GT3 cars listed, more than any other constructor, including four AMG-backed entries.

Defending winner Audi will bring four cars with two entered under the Audi Sport Team Valvoline banner, although reigning champion WRT has elected not to return.

As previously announced, KCMG will field a pair of new Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3s, while Porsche will be represented by four cars including a double effort from EBM.

Elsewhere on the grid, there are four-car entries in the 911 GT3 Cup class for single-make Porsches and the GT4 category, while the Marc Car V8 silhouettes are also slated to return.

“We’re thrilled with the quality of the field and the depth of brands, teams and drivers to be involved,” said event director Kurt Sakzewski.

“The growth of the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the enduring appeal of Mount Panorama is reflected in the sizable manufacturer presence, but the addition of so many strong privately entered teams shows that anyone can have a shot at winning this race.

“The competition will be strong in each class but there will be a bit more space between cars which will hopefully make for a cleaner race, both for those in it and those watching trackside or on TV.”