BATHURST 12 HOUR QUALIFYING: BMW AND MERCEDES-AMG LOCK OUT FRONT ROW
In a captivating qualifying session for the 2024 Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, BMW and Mercedes-AMG have secured the front row for the highly anticipated endurance race.
Published on the official Bathurst 12 Hour website, this thrilling news sets the stage for an exhilarating battle on the iconic Mount Panorama circuit this Sunday.
Sheldon van der Linde of Team WRT clinched pole position for BMW, marking the German marque’s first top spot at Bathurst in six years. Van der Linde’s impressive lap time of 2m01.9810s in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 he shares with Charles Weerts and Dries Vanthoor was enough to fend off the challenge from the #888 National Storage Mercedes-AMG driven by Supercars ace Broc Feeney, who qualified second just 0.256 seconds behind.
“Just coming back to Bathurst and driving the track is an honor,” an elated van der Linde expressed. “My team-mates have done an amazing job so far.” However, he acknowledged the challenges ahead, adding, “I was pushing on the second lap and unfortunately I went off.”
Feeney, who will be joined by Will Brown and Mikael Grenier in the Mercedes-AMG lineup, shared his thoughts on the demanding Bathurst circuit: “It’s hard work across the top of the Mountain but it is a great car.”
Rounding out the top five on the grid are Maro Engel of Team GruppeM in third, Matt Campbell of Manthey EMA in fourth, and Luca Stolz in the SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG in fifth.
With a highly competitive 29-car field set to take the start, fans can expect a thrilling battle for victory when the 2024 Repco Bathurst 12 Hour gets underway at 5:45am local time on Sunday.
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