Infotainment Factory: Plans revealed for new Bathurst enduro event

The Bathurst 6 Hour is set to keep its production car formula for the foreseeable future despite the growth of the global GT4 platform.

Murmurs have been getting louder in the pit lane that the six-hour race might move from its bespoke multi-class set-up to an event led by the global FIA GT4 platform.

Instead, GT4 cars look set to get their own endurance race and a standalone series to boot.

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At the Bathurst 6 Hour, a handful of GT4 machines joined the Australian Production Cars grid as a curtain raiser to the endurance race.

That prompted suggestions from some competitors that the six-hour race might ditch its top division, Class X, which is home to the fastest production cars.

Bathurst 6 Hour organisers have moved to quell those fears, revealing plans to establish a standalone GT4 series.

"It's one of those things – if it's not broken, don't fix it," Australian Racing Group chief operating officer Liam Curkpatrick told Wide World of Sports.

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"I think it's got a good vibe. It's got a good feel. Definitely down in the paddock speaking to teams, everyone's happy.

"It works. The regulations are good, they don't need tweaking. We've seen quite a few good races and finishes and so I think the formula is all there.

"While it's working well, you keep pushing in the same direction. Next year, we say it every year, but there's no reason we can't get closer to the 70 cars.

"This time of year is always a bit difficult. In some ways it works for a lot of people, in other ways it's a difficult one. The tradition of running on Easter as well is important and ultimately does work."

A standalone GT4 series is in the works.

The inclusion of GT4 cars to the Australian Production Cars is a means to an end, using the series as a launch pad before the category goes solo.

It should be noted that GT4 cars are currently eligible to race in GT World Challenge Australia.

However, some competitors are reluctant to race against the faster GT3 cars and would rather be the stars of their own series.

Curkpatrick confirmed a three-hour endurance race for GT4 cars at the Bathurst International in 2024 is in the works.

The No.92 BMW (right) is one of the fastest cars in the Bathurst 6 Hour.

Fundamentally, organisers are keen to keep the amateur ethos of the event where professional racing teams might otherwise enter GT4 cars and change the feel of the six-hour.

GT4 cars are purpose-built race cars by manufacturers and come with customer support from the factory. By contrast, production cars are home-built machines, featuring minor modifications from the showroom floor.

There is already a healthy stock of GT4 cars in Australia and more are coming into the country.

Curkpatrick expects upwards of 14 entries when the GT4 series stands on its own with up to five events on a future calendar as well as the Bathurst International enduro.

The No.90 HSV GTS is the only car in Class X that is not a BMW

Curkpatrick is also conscious that Bathurst 6 Hour competitors in the leading Class X have invested significantly in the top-line cars, and dethroning those cars would be doing the owners a disservice.

"It's got its own DNA," said Curkpatrick of the Bathurst 6 Hour.

"It is a cost-effective way to go racing. I don't think you really want to change that by bringing influences that might do that.

"Keeping the DNA of what it is, not changing that or interfering with it, that's probably the key.

A Ginetta G55 GT4 (left) with two Mercedes-AMG racers.

"There was a lot of rumour about GT4 coming into the six hour, but in all honesty, it was never really the intention.

"We were always looking for a way to introduce GT4 and working with APC (Australian Production Cars) to bring it in with them.

"That's been the best strategy and already we can see it's working.

"They've got a lot of interest and Troy Williams (Australian Production Cars general manager) is talking about having up to six GT4 cars for their next round at Phillip Island."

Curkpatrick expects the new GT4 series to be a springboard for competitors to graduate into GT3 cars locally.

The Bathurst 6 Hour takes place annually on Easter weekend.

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