2015 Bathurst 12hrs.

**Nero Horse** · 8th February 2015, 15:42

Bad luck in the race for Ferraris this time, a real shame. Oh well, at least Ferrari won it last year, that was simply awesome. Aside from F1, last year was actually very good for Ferrari, winning the Bathurst 12h and Le Mans 24h + the WEC titles. The 458 Italia is the best GT racing car for sure. Hoping for better luck next year in Bathurst 12h. And who knows, maybe it will be the new 488 GTB replacing the 458 in the next year's race. Forza Ferrari!

**Rob** · 8th February 2015, 15:55

Originally Posted by Nero Horse

lambo isn't even an Italian car anymore, their factory may be based in Italy but it's a German brand now. The big daddy Volkswagen owns it and the lambos are nothing more than overpriced and overrated Audis. Ferrari is the true and only Italian supercar brand.

oh for sure Ferrari true Italian still and always will be, and always my first love. But Lambos, i do and dont like them. I like Fiats, Alfas, Lancias, Lamberretas anything/all Italian.

**Nova** · 8th February 2015, 16:08

Hey, from last to 2nd..not so bad.. Below:

Bathurst 12 Hours – Montermini, Simonsen and Loberto from last to second

Bathurst, 8 February –From last to second in the Am category: that was the stunning feat pulled off by Andrea Montermini, Benny Simonsen and Renato Loberto in the Bathurst 12 Hours. After a disastrous qualifying, the trio was peerless in their Vicious Rumour Racing car and managed to make it onto the podium behind the overall winners, the Athlete Global Team Nissan crewed by Florian Strauss, Katsumasa Chiyo and Wolfgang Reip. Third was the Hallmark-Network Clothing Audi of Cini-Eddy-Mies. The other two Ferraris in this category, the 27 car entered by TFM Ferrari Motorsport New Zealand and the 29 car of Team Pirelli both had to retire.

Pro-Am. There was disappointment for Ferrari in the Pro-Am class. AF Corse’s number 77 car led the race until it went out following a collision with the 36 Mercedes of Dean Canto, which saw it end up in the barriers, bringing out the Safety Car for the twelfth time in the race. In total there were 20 neutralised periods, a record in the history of this race. The other Ferrari also strugged: Mok Weng Sun, Toni Vilander and Matt Griffin had to settle for sixth place in the category that was won by the Phoenix Racing Audi driven by Mapelli-Vanthoor-Winkelhock.

D’Alberto heads home. Ferrari’s Bathurst 12 Hours had already got off on the wrong foot, when the Maranello Motorsport car, winner here in 2014, crashed heavily into the barriers during qualifying, with Australia’s Tony D’Alberto at the wheel. The team had to pull out and the driver had to go to hospital. However, D’Alberto has now been discharged and is heading home with wife Steffanie, thus escaping with a major fright and a few scratches.

**Nova** · 8th February 2015, 16:11

Originally Posted by Rob

oh for sure Ferrari true Italian still and always will be, and always my first love. But Lambos, i do and dont like them. I like Fiats, Alfas, Lancias, Lamberretas anything/all Italian.

Yes..growing up, Alfa was the big dog in Italian cars. I grew up loving Lancia,
Maserati, Alfa, Fiat, Stanguilinni AND Ferrari.

Lancia still is 1 of my fav, the Stratos, 037 and the Integrale Evo2.

**Nero Horse** · 8th February 2015, 16:54

Originally Posted by Rob

oh for sure Ferrari true Italian still and always will be, and always my first love.

Well, thank God for that mate!

I personally have never liked lambos and never will. Imo they're just cars with flashy/vulgar designs with no real substance for rappers and posers. Lambo doesn't even have any racing pedigree, it has never won anything. Ferrari on the other hand, has always had elegant, sophisticated and beautiful designs, the best engines with the best sound and the most glorious racing heritage in the automotive history. So yea, Ferrari is definitely my one and only love in the car world.

Now, please don't get me wrong, I don't mean to disrespect you in any way Rob, it's just that I really hate lambos.

So to sum up: Respect you and your opinion Rob...but hate lambo.

**Nero Horse** · 8th February 2015, 18:23

Last year's race and the great Ferrari triumph...

**Aussie** · 8th February 2015, 20:37

Originally Posted by Tobes

Yeah, done it...

Been around in a V8 now that's was a amazing

**Aussie** · 8th February 2015, 20:42

Was a let down how the v8 super car drivers was there. How the board did not let them race and put practice on the same day. Lowndes is the best on the mountain who won last year was not allowed to race

**Rob** · 8th February 2015, 20:53

Originally Posted by Aussie

Was a let down how the v8 super car drivers was there. How the board did not let them race and put practice on the same day. Lowndes is the best on the mountain who won last year was not allowed to race

V8s getting to tight and political, should of let them race. Real shame.

**Aussie** · 8th February 2015, 21:10

100% look no v8 drivers we get record safety cars.
As one German said this is harder then nurburring

**Tobes** · 8th February 2015, 21:17

Originally Posted by Aussie

Been around in a V8 now that's was a amazing

Fair play sir, no doubt...

Originally Posted by Aussie

100% look no v8 drivers we get record safety cars.
As one German said this is harder then nurburring

Not sure i'd take the word of one German...

**Rob** · 8th February 2015, 22:41

Originally Posted by Tobes

Fair play sir, no doubt...

Not sure i'd take the word of one German...

cannt remember what driver said it, but they did say its harder than The Ring, as you got 8 or so minutes, where at Bathurst you have 2 minutes before you back into the tight, twisty sections.

**Tobes** · 9th February 2015, 09:32

Originally Posted by Rob

cannt remember what driver said it, but they did say its harder than The Ring, as you got 8 or so minutes, where at Bathurst you have 2 minutes before you back into the tight, twisty sections.

No doubt Bathurst is a pretty special track, but harder than The Nordschleife..?
Cant see it, Bathurst is three sides of a rectangle and a twisty bit, Nurburgring is 22km of twisty bit with one straight, there is no chance to relax...

**Rob** · 9th February 2015, 12:12

DOUBLE PODIUM FOR ASTON MARTIN IN THRILLING BATHURST 12 HOURS

Bathurst, 9 February 2015 - Aston Martin Racing partner team Craft-Bamboo Racing finished a thrilling Bathurst 12 Hours in third overall, with its V12 Vantage GT3 crossing the line just 2.8-seconds behind the leader in a dramatic four-way last-lap battle.

Also claiming a podium position, Aston Martin St Gallen took second place in the GT4 class, in a race that saw all four entries from the brand cross the line despite a record number of safety cars.  

The #97 V12 Vantage GT3 - driven by Aston Martin Racing works drivers Stefan Mücke (DE), Alex MacDowall (GB) and two-times Bathurst 12 Hours winner Darryl O'Young (HK) - started the race from fifth following a strong qualifying session from Mücke in his maiden weekend on the Panorama Mountain circuit.   

Throughout the 12 hours, the team battled it out within the top five and, on the last lap, Mücke was in fourth. In a heroic last battle for a spot on the podium, the 33-year-old German closed the gap and made his move on the Bentley, taking the position and crossing the line in third.   

"The V12 Vantage GT3 was fantastic all week and the Craft-Bamboo Racing team did an amazing job to give us a car that could get on the podium in its first attempt at the race.

“Going into the final lap, I had my sights on the top three and I was determined to get the result that the whole team deserved. Along with the Audi, I applied the pressure to the Bentley and managed to get past on the final corner. It was a great way to end a fantastic week in Australia."

The Aston Martin St Gallen team headed to Bathurst with the aim of repeating its 2013 podium and the small team from Switzerland will leave the Mountain with its mission complete.   

Dr Andreas Baenziger and Dr Florian Kamelger, dealer principals at the Aston Martin St Gallen dealership, qualified in second place and led their class for much of the race, often running within the top half of the grid overall. When the chequered flag dropped they crossed the line in second place, the team's best result at Bathurst to-date.  

"We are so happy for the team that worked hard to prepare a car that was just perfect," commented Kamelger. "As expected, the race was a long and tough one. We are extremely proud that we could finish second in class on this demanding track here Down Under."

It was a solid maiden weekend for Banbury-based team Motionsport and its V12 Vantage GT3. The team quickly got to grips with the 6.0-litre 600bhp machine to have a trouble-free race. After 12 hours, the all-British line-up of Gordon Shedden, Ben Gower and Pete Storey crossed the line in eighth in the Pro-Am class and 23rd overall.  

Just behind, in ninth place in the Pro-Am class, the #99 Craft-Bamboo Racing V12 Vantage GT3 of Jonathan Venter (AU), Jean Marc Merlin (FR) and Frank Yu (HK) crossed the line to complete a 100 per cent finishing rate for the Aston Martin entries.  

"What a exciting race that was," commented Aston Martin Racing Team Principal John Gaw. "Congratulations to Craft-Bamboo Racing for its overall podium result and to Aston Martin St Gallen for the GT4 podium - both huge achievements.  

"It was a tough race that had a record number of safety cars, so for all of our teams to cross the line is a success in itself. All our teams represented our brand exceptionally well and our cars ran pretty much trouble-free.   

"With a class podium for the Strata 21 V12 Vantage GT3 in Dubai 24 Hours and a pole position at Daytona 24 Hours a fortnight ago, this is a great start to the year for us with our factory-supported customer teams."  

The 2015 V12 Vantage GT3 customer programmes will be announced in the coming weeks.

- ENDS -

**Rob** · 9th February 2015, 12:14

Originally Posted by Tobes

No doubt Bathurst is a pretty special track, but harder than The Nordschleife..?
Cant see it, Bathurst is three sides of a rectangle and a twisty bit, Nurburgring is 22km of twisty bit with one straight, there is no chance to relax...

that is very true. I get time to relax when im ahead for you, window down arm out, shades on and cruising