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Intercontinental GT Challenge

Shootout Replaced with Two 15-Minute Qualifying Sessions

Supercars replaces Bathurst Top 10 Shootout with two 15-minute qualifying sessions…

Photo: Mark Horsburgh

The Top 10 Shootout to decide the grid for the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour has been replaced with two 15-minute qualifying sessions, in a late change to the format.

A communication from event organizer Supercars was issued shortly after the end of preliminary qualifying and stated that two timed sessions will replace the popular one-by-one shootout procedure that has been used in previous editions of the event.

The first session will be reserved for the cars that finished sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth in Saturday afternoon’s aggregate qualifying times.

They are the Grove Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, the Valmont Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, the Triple Eight Racing Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, the Wall Racing Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo and the No. 9 Hallmarc Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.

The five fastest cars from preliminary qualifying will then take to the track for the second 15-minute spell, with the best time from across both sessions taking pole.

The No. 65 Coinspot-backed Melbourne Performance Centre Audi, both MPC-run Audi Sport Team Valvoline cars, and the Mercedes-AMGs from SunEnergy1 Racing and Sheargold Motorsport will take part in the second session.

According to Supercars, the format revision has been made to “ensure ideal operating tire temperatures can be reached in current conditions”.

Its statement read: “The 15-minute window will allow each driver enough time in the shootout to reach those temperatures and put in at least one flying lap as they compete for the coveted pole position in Sunday’s race.

“Following extension conversations with competitors, event organizers have replaced the existing single-car shootout with a pair of 15-minute sessions for the 10-fastest cars from qualifying.”

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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