FIRST BATHURST 12 HOUR AM ENTRY RACING FOR CHARITY

The Valmont Racing Bathurst 12 Hour entry is the first confirmed in the GT3-Am class, and it has a greater purpose than just going fast on track.

Porsche Carrera Cup regular Duvashen Padayachee will join Sydneysiders Marcel Zalloua and Sergio Pires in a Mercedes AMG GT3 at the Bathurst 12 Hour in May.

Zalloua and Pires are long time business associates and have gone head-to-head in Porsche GT3 Cup Cars in years gone by. After Covid-19 scuppered their local racing activities, the pair turned to endurance racing, recently teaming up to score a podium in the Abu Dhabi 6 Hour race earlier this year, while Zalloua also contested the famous Dubai 24 hour.

Pires most recently took part in the Bathurst 6 Hour, but the 12 Hour is a whole different ball game for the pair.

“Sergio and I decided that post-Covid we were going to maximise our time in the race car by going endurance racing together at any possible opportunity, and that has built to us entering the 12-Hour this year,” Zalloua said.

“Moving on from battling each other on the race track in the Porsche’s was a big call – we had never finished an endurance race together prior to 2022.

“It’s a big jump for both of us seeing as we have had minimal running in a high aero GT3 car, but we can’t wait.”

The trio is teaming up to raise money for not one but two charities, with more than $30,000 already banked.

The first is the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, working in conjunction with members from the City Tattersalls Corporate Concierge.

Funding for the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation goes towards the treatment of children with anything from common injuries to rare conditions.

The second charity supported by Valmont Racing will be Sony Foundation’s ‘You Can Stay’ program, which provides uncapped emergency accommodation for regional youth cancer patients aged 15-25 and their families, who are required to travel to major cities for life-saving treatment.

“We are hoping that this could be an annual fundraising opportunity, where we can select different charities to support each year, through leaning on our extensive network and our love of the sport,” Zalloua said.

“We’re super grateful that we can go racing at all, let alone race at Bathurst in the 12-hour.

“Using this program to assist others is a great way for us to give something back to those who need it most.”

Branding from both charities is front and centre on the black and yellow livery that has been revealed for the Valmont Racing Mercedes AMG GT3.

The Bathurst 12 Hour is set for May 13-15 at Mount Panorama.

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