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Intercontinental GT Challenge

Marciello Fastest as Practice 4 Shortened Due to Accident

Raffaele Marciello goes quickest but Practice 4 shortened after accident for Invitational car…

Photo: Kevin Pecks/SRO

Mercedes-AMG Team GruppeM Racing driver Raffaele Marciello led the fourth Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour practice session which ended early due to a red flag.

An accident for Keith Kassulke at the Chase caused the 40-minute session to be halted, with race control electing not to restart with ten minutes left on the clock.

Kassulke’s Invitational-class MARC II V8 jumped over the apex curb at the left-hand corner of the Chase, briefly gaining air time and hitting the tire barrier at high speed.

Event organizer Supercars confirmed that Kassulke was “conscious throughout, communicating with the recovery teams and suffered no major injuries.”

The driver was taken to the circuit medical center for checks.

Marciello posted a time of 2:03.995 to lead the session in the No. 999 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo that he is sharing with Maro Engel and Mikael Grenier.

The Swiss-badged driver led a Mercedes-AMG one-two result as Luca Stolz finished second for SunEnergy1 Racing, at a difference of 0.14 seconds.

Mathieu Jaminet claimed third in the No. 912 Manthey EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R, ahead of Audi Sport Team MPC driver Patric Niederhauser and Jordan Love in the Tony Bates Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.

Track action for Bathurst 12 Hour competitors kicks off on Saturday morning with the fifth practice session at 8:35 a.m. local time.

RESULTS: Practice 4

Daniel Lloyd is a UK-based reporter for Sportscar365, covering the FIA World Endurance Championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, among other series.

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