A CHANCE to interact with the top brands, teams and drivers competing in global GT3 racing is behind a trip to the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa by Bathurst 12 Hour organisers, this week.

Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director Shane Rudzis and Repco Supercars Championship and Bathurst 12 Hour Motorsport Operations Manager Paul Martin are spending the week at the iconic Belgian circuit as a field of 72 GT3 cars tackles the annual around-the-clock event this weekend.

It’s the first international trip by 12-hour organisers since the pandemic and a critical opportunity for Australia’s International Enduro to promote itself on the world stage to the same competitor group.

The opportunity is also a chance to meet with event partners SRO Motorsports Group, the promoter of the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli, and also experience first-hand how one of the largest endurance races on the planet operates.

Rudzis and Martin arrived in Belgium earlier this week and after walking the circuit, enjoyed the Bronze driver test session held on Tuesday.

The duo will remain in Belgium for the race with meetings planned with key manufacturers and teams throughout the week.

A host of Bathurst 12 Hour alumni will tackle the 24 Hour this weekend, including defending winners Sun Energy 1 Racing.

Two-time 12 Hour winner Kenny Habul will steer his familiar Mercedes-AMG this weekend with Supercars ace Chaz Mostert as one of his co-drivers.

Habul’s Bathurst co-drivers – including three-time 12 Hour winner Jules Gounon – also feature the Frenchman to steer an Akkodis ASP Mercedes this weekend, while Luca Stolz will drive for Mercedes-AMG Team AlManar.

After finishing narrow runners-up at Bathurst this year, GruppeM Racing will field Maro Engel, Mikael Grenier and Daniel Juncadella aboard their Mercedes.

Aussie-supported team Manthey EMA will field a Porsche 911 GT3R for Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre and Julien Andlauer.

Meanwhile, Valentino Rossi will continue his circuit racing journey with BMW team WRT with regular co-drivers Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus.

Aussie entries include Grove Racing, who will field their Porsche 911 GT3R with the support of Earl Bamber Motorsport.

Brenton and Stephen Grove, Anton de Pasquale and Earl Bamber will drive the red and black Porsche this weekend.

West Aussie ace Jordan Love will drive for the Haupt Racing Team in a Bronze Cup entry, while Aussies Alex Peroni, Ricky Capo and Calan Williams also feature.

The Bathurst 12 Hour will be held on the new date of February 16 – 18 next year.

Shane Rudzis – Bathurst 12 Hour Event Director:

“After a few years of being unable to get to events like this, to interact one-on-one with the paddock, it’s fantastic to be here for the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa this week,” Rudzis said.

“It’s an incredible location, circuit and event and everything we’ve experienced so far has been outstanding – our thanks to our partners at SRO for their support.

“We’ve got a busy week interacting with teams and manufacturers and showcasing what the Bathurst 12 Hour has to offer. We’ve been blown away by the support for the event internationally and it’s clear a lot of people are very keen to get there in the future, be it next year or beyond that.

“There are a lot of exciting prospects in the world of GT3 racing: There’s the new Lamborghini making it’s Spa 24 Hours debut this weekend and the new Ford Mustang that has been unveiled. We’d love to see them all at Mount Panorama next February.

“We’ve already had some fantastic discussions with some very exciting propositions for next February, but also some great opportunities to introduce what we’re doing to people who haven’t been to Bathurst before.

“We’re taking in everything about the event and the notebook is already full with things we’ve experienced and will look at to enhance our own event.”