Farfus Leads at Halfway Mark in Bathurst

Photo: BMW

The No. 42 Team Schnitzer BMW M6 GT3 of Augusto Farfus leads the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour at the halfway mark of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli season opener.

Farfus holds a 1.8-second advantage over the second-placed Maxime Soulet in the No. 108 Team M-Sport Bentley Continental GT3, with both cars due a pit stop.

Jake Dennis, in the No. 62 R-Motorsport Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3, runs in third following a drive-through penalty for Maxi Buhk in the pole-sitting No. 999 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG GT3 for a breach of the safety car protocol while under the race’s fifth full course caution.

Buhk was seen weaving behind the safety car on the lap prior to the restart, which is prohibited per the sporting regulations.

The caution had come out for an accident by the No. 43 Ashley Seward Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car of Danny Stutterd on the top of the mountain.

Both the No. 18 KCMG Nissan and the No. 911 Earl Bamber Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R elected to change brakes during the safety car period.

A previous yellow was deployed in the fifth hour for debris, just moments after the No. 35 KCMG Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 of Josh Burdon stopped on track but rejoined with persistent electrical gremlins.

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