The IGTC Bathurst 12 Hour is set to run on a new date in 2024, with the Australian endurance event set to be held on February 16-18.
The revised date is two weeks later than the race’s traditional slot, which is the weekend following the Rolex 24 Hours in Florida. The organisers say the change has been made “following extensive consultation with teams, fans, key stakeholders, manufacturers and international partners to ensure the event’s growth”.
The SRO Motorsports Group has also confirmed that the Bathurst 12 Hour will remain the opening round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, with the outright class remaining for all-professional driving combinations. Teams and manufacturers from Australia and overseas are said to be in discussions with the event organisers already about filing entries for 2024.
“Racing in February is an intrinsic part of the 12 Hour’s identity but also allows manufacturers and international teams to travel Down Under each year without impacting their other programmes,” said SRO founder and CEO Stephane Ratel.
“Maintaining both elements has always been of paramount importance, but we are also mindful of the congestion that now exists within global GT and sportscar racing’s ‘pre-season’ schedule, as well as the clamour from outside of Europe – and especially in America – to race at the iconic Mount Panorama.
“Pushing Bathurst back two weeks, therefore, makes perfect sense if we’re to ensure that even more of the world’s very best drivers can test themselves in Australia’s International Enduro.”
Grid sizes for the Bathurst 12 Hour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic have been negatively affected by the Australian race’s closeness to the Rolex 24 Hours and the Asian Le Mans Series (which accepts GT3 cars) since it moved to a compact schedule in the Middle East. The IGTC race at Kyalami has also struggled to build a strong grid with its slot early in the season.
Notably, this new date for the 12 Hour in mid-February puts it on a weekend used by the Asian Le Mans Series in the past three seasons. Depending on the plans for the series, which has taken place solely in the UAE over a two-week period since 2021, there is now clearly the potential for a direct clash.
A senior SRO representative was in the UAE for meetings with the Asian Le Mans Series organisers about the future earlier this year in February. An announcement was made in November 2021 that the Asian Le Mans Series was set to be run jointly by SRO and Asian LMEM in the future. It is an arrangement that has been delayed by the continuation of the quick-fire UAE format as global logistical difficulties continue.
The 2024 Asian Le Mans Series format and schedule are not yet known.
“There has been extensive consultation into the revised date, all of which is aimed at further growing the race as one of the leading GT endurance races in the world,” adds Shane Rudzis, the Bathurst 12 Hour event director.
“It is only a two-week shift, however, it creates several positives for our competitors from both Australia and overseas.
“Moving two weeks later allows for some separation from the start of the United States’ season at the Daytona 24 Hour and opens the potential for participation from those teams.
“The slightly later start will also allow for Australian teams to better prepare across the Christmas – New Year period, while also allowing European teams to better manage their freight and travel logistics at the end of the current season.
“The race will remain the start of the Australian racing calendar and launch the 2024 season with a bang in New South Wales.
“Our thanks go to our partners at Destination New South Wales, the Bathurst Regional Council, SRO Group and all our partners for their support as we continue to build Australia’s International Enduro into the future.”
