Supabarn Racing is set to return to the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour with the same driving line-up in 2024, but a new car as it aims for more success at Mount Panorama.
After several years behind the wheel of an Audi, Canberra brothers James and Theo Koundouris will be joined by David Russell and former 12-Hour winner Jonathan Webb once again in 2024.
Next year, however, the quartet will enter a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the race for the first time.
The car made its debut in the hands of the Koundouris brothers at the Adelaide 500, the final round of the GT World Challenge Australia series.
There, the duo recorded top 10 finishes in each of the three races, running in contention with the GT3-AM class contenders throughout.
Prepared and run by Wollongong-based Tigani Autosport, the driving quartet brings a host of experience to the race with 29 GT3-era 12 Hour starts between them.
The Koundouris brothers have three 12-Hour class wins to their credit while driving together, taking victory aboard a Class B Porsche in 2015 and then again in 2018 and 2022 driving an Audi R8 LMS.
Webb won the race driving a Tekno Autosport McLaren with Shane van Gisbergen and Alvaro Parente in 2016, returning to the race with the Koundouris brothers this year.
Russell, a two-time Bathurst 1000 podium finisher, has 11 of a possible 12 GT3 era 12-hour starts to his credit, among the most of any driver in the current era.
His 12 Hour highlights include an AM-class win with the Supabarn team in 2022, a stint as a factory Bentley racer plus qualifying Roger Lago’s Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 on the front row in 2015.
Tigani Motorsport managing director Nathan Tigani said he was looking forward to building on a solid platform the team had established in 2023.
“For me, it’s exciting with such an experienced driver line-up,” he said.
“We showed last year with the Valmont Mercedes that we can produce a fast race car (being a Silver class entry inside the top-10 shootout) so it’s motivating to be able to put that form and work in to this car and piggyback off the knowledge gained from last year. It already puts us in much better shape.
“We had a great test at Sydney Motorsport Park in early December, and have a few more days planned in January, so we can head to Mount Panorama all guns blazing for a result.”
The Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, the Intercontinental GT Challenge season opener, will be held between February 16-18, 2024
