MARCOS AMBROSE will return to both the track and the TV screens at Mount Panorama for the 2023 running of the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour, this April 7-9.

The two-time Supercars Champion and NASCAR race winner, who now heads Garry Rogers Motorsport’s young driver development program, will make his long-awaited on-track racing return driving a Ford Mustang with George Miedecke and Tim Brook.

As well as racing, Ambrose will also join the Stan Sport broadcast of the race across the weekend, offering his insight and commentary on the keys to tackling the Mountain.

Ambrose was entered in the same car last year, however, the squad was forced to withdraw from the race within sight of the event after teething problems with the new car could not be resolved.

Plenty of development miles since then have the team set to tackle the Mountain this year, their driving line-up among the most experienced in the race.

The Miedecke/Ambrose/Brook Mustang will line up in Class A2 – which will include five other Mustangs in what is set to be one of the most competitive battles within the broader 6-hour picture.

The car will be supported by Andrew Miedecke Ford and the Miedecke Motor Group.

The partnership between the Miedecke and Ambrose families dates back to when George raced with success for Marcos’ NASCAR team in the United States.

Meanwhile, Ambrose will also join a Stan Sport and Nine Network team that will provide a combined 18 hours of coverage across the Easter long weekend.

Stan Sport will be live and ad-break-free from midday Saturday, covering Bathurst 6 Hour qualifying, the opening race of the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS season, the first two GT4/Australian Production Cars races plus Excel Cup and Nissan Pulsar sprints.

The Nine Network will have live, free-to-air coverage between 2-5pm on Saturday around Australia.

Sunday’s broadcast then commences at 9:00am and includes the second Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS race, the GT4/APC finale and the 6-Hour itself.

Ambrose will join host Matt White, reporters Chris Stubbs and Molly Taylor and commentators Matt Naulty and Richard Craill at Mount Panorama this Easter, with Greg Rust and Fabian Coulthard off for this event to be with families at home.

Supercheap Auto TCR Australia star Josh Buchan will also join the broadcast team, adding his insight, analysis and quick wit to the broadcast.

The 2023 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour doubles as the second round of the Shannons SpeedSeries this year and takes place over the 7-9 April weekend.

Tickets, camping and corporate for what remains Bathurst’s biggest enduro remain on sale at www.bathurst6hour.com.au.

Fans looking to watch the Hi-Tec Bathurst 6 Hour can sign up for a free, 7-day trial on Stan Sports to catch all the action.

MARCOS AMBROSE

“I am looking forward to finishing this story of the GRM Mustang that we built for the Miedecke’s,” Ambrose said.

“It was supposed to run last year but we had issues with the Transmission and the car just wasn’t ready. They have been working on it in Queensland for a while, been testing and it’s ready to go.

“We’ll have a shakedown at Queensland Raceway on Tuesday.

“I’m really looking forward to teaming up with George and Andrew, we’ve been good friends for a long time and it should be a good weekend enjoying the car and the race.

“It’s great to be part of the race and the broadcast team this year. I’ve been up there at the 6 Hour and it’s become one of my favourite events to visit on the crew side.

“It feels old school to me, private teams, working on their cars all year for the one big race.

“There’s lots of speed difference between the cars, different configurations and 6 hours is the perfect length for the race.”

ANDREW MIEDECKE

“I’ve been to Bathurst many times and I see the Bathurst 6 Hour as being the race that I first started competing in 1986,” Miedecke said.

“The cars are quite similar – Group A cars were essentially production cars with relatively limited modifications and they are surprisingly similar to the modifications allowed in the 3E Production Car regulations. It’s a true Bathurst as it used to be with the classes and the challenges that entails – the different cars, drivers and speeds between them all.

“To me it’s nostalgic and a really good race.

“I think there’s opportunity for an upset. The Mustang won’t be as quick up the hill as the BMWs but we’re hoping with our reliability, strategy and our drivers we hope to be in the fight at the end.”

ANDREW JANSON
Head of Broadcast, Shannons SpeedSeries

“Marcos is a great addition to the team and the fact he is also racing in a competitive car means we’ll have the best possible insight into what it takes to conquer the Mountain in the Bathurst 6 Hour.

“He’s still highly current, forthright and honest in his opinions and that’s why he’s so good on TV. Our plan is that he will be able to jump straight out of the car and debrief with us at the same time, if not just after, he does with the team. It will be great access and insight for the audience.

“We’re happy to add he and Josh Buchan to the team, plus some other guest callers, across the weekend. Rusty and Fabian will be back for Phillip Island and the remainder of the season, but this is also a chance to get some different voices into the mix.

“Between Stan Sport and the Nine Network we have a combined 18 hours of live broadcast from Mount Panorama, a record for the Bathurst 6 Hour. It’s a huge undertaking but the team is ready to go.”