MERCEDES 1-2-3 IN BATHURST 12 HOUR

The SunEnergy 1 Racing Mercedes AMG quartet of Jules Gounon, Luca Stolz, Kenny Habul and Martin Konrad reigned supreme in an intense and weather affected Bathurst 12 Hour.

The SunEnergy Mercedes run this weekend by Triple Eight Race Engineering utilised the best strategy to take the win.

Team owner and driver, Australian Habul spun and the final turn and picked up two drive-through penalties for overtaking under safety car early in the race.

However, the pros of Jules Gounon and Luca Stolz got the car back towards the front and when the flag was thrown the #75 machine was 8.707s clear of the #91 Craft Bamboo Racing Mercedes.

For Gounon, the man who brought the race winning car home in first it is back-to-back Bathurst 12 Hour wins having won the race with Bentley in 2020, the last edition of the race, for the other three it is a first Bathurst 12 Hour win.

The Craft Bamboo Racing Merc came home a lonely second in the hands of Maro Engel, Daniel Juncadella and Kevin Tse.

Engel tried to catch Gounon in the final stint of the race but was unable to do so, with green flag running to the end of the race meant that the 8s margin was too much to overhaul.

It was a Mercedes 1-2-3 with the Triple Eight Race Engineering #888 machine finishing the race in third.

Van Gisbergen was not able to match the two factory Mercedes drivers in the final portion of the race and in the end fell over 95s off the race victor.

The relentless lap record pace was too much for van Gisbergen to match, he was unable to push as hard as the GT pros.

SvG, Broc Feeney and Prince Jefri Ibrahim rounding out the all Mercedes AMG GT3 podium.

It was a case of what could have been for the #74 Audi, when leading the race the #74 machine was dealt a two minute penalty as the Am driver Brad Schumacher exceeded his maximum seat time.

This dropped them down a lap with a third of the race to go, sadly they never got the lead back despite setting faster times that the two leads.

The South African unlapped himself to SVG and was catching, in the end he got his leap back and finished only 39.5s behind the Kiwi.

D’Alberto held off reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Lee Holdsworth who both stayed out of trouble and finished well inside the top six.

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