The 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour grid is set, with four brands represented in the top six.
Maro Engel took his second 12 Hour pole with a stunning record-breaking lap in the Pirelli Top 10 Shootout.
Engel will start the #999 GruppeM Mercedes-AMG when the race starts at 5:45am local time.
The German will be joined on the front row by countryman Maximilian Gotz.
Gotz is sharing the #888 Supercheap Auto Mercedes-AMG with Shane van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney.
Feeney qualified the #888 in second ahead of Matt Campbell (#912 Porsche) and Jules Gounon (#75 Mercedes-AMG).
The 2023 grid is comprised of 24 cars following the withdrawals of the #52 MARC and #66 SIN.
The #52 MARC was ruled out following Keith Kassulke's big Friday practice crash at The Chase.
Shane Woodman crashed the SIN heavily during practice at Brock's Skyline on Saturday.
The #32 BMW and #74 Audi were disqualified from the Shootout results over separate breaches.
It promoted the #65 Audi to fifth, #46 BMW to sixth, #44 Mercedes-AMG to seventh and #77 Mercedes-AMG to eighth.
There have also been technical adjustments regarding tyres and Balance of Performance per the SRO.
The minimum tyre pressure requirement has been changed to 1.85 bar for each tyre after eight green laps in a stint.
The previous rule had been 1.40 bar for each tyre when leaving pit lane and on the starting grid.
Regarding BoP, the Mercedes-AMGs have had 10kg added to their BoP ballast, while Porsche has had 5kg added.
The Audis, the BMWs, and the Lamborghinis, have had 10kg removed.
2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour starting grid
Note: The driver listed first will start the race
Key: P (Pro), PAM (Pro-Am), SIL (Silver), INV (Invitational)
Pos | No. | Class | Brand | Drivers |
1 | 999 | P | Mercedes-AMG | Engel, Grenier, Marciello |
2 | 888 | P | Mercedes-AMG | Gotz, Feeney, van Gisbergen |
3 | 912 | P | Porsche | Preining, Campbell, Jaminet |
4 | 75 | P | Mercedes-AMG | Stolz, Gounon, Habul |
5 | 65 | PAM | Audi | Talbot, Mostert, Ross |
6 | 46 | P | BMW | Farfus, Martin, Rossi |
7 | 44 | SIL | Mercedes-AMG | Padayachee, Zalloua, Pires, Cameron |
8 | 77 | P | Mercedes-AMG | Ellis, Juncadella, Catsburg |
9 | 32 | P | BMW | Vanthoor, van der Linde, Weerts |
10 | 74 | P | Audi | Haase, Niederhauser, Drudi |
11 | 6 | SIL | Lamborghini | Wall, D'Alberto, Denyer, Deitz |
12 | 55 | PAM | Audi | Vervisch, Golding, Schumacher |
13 | 10 | SIL | Audi | O'Keeffe, Gaunt, Fawcett |
14 | 47 | SIL | Audi | Russell, T.Koundouris, Webb, J.Koundouris |
15 | 99 | PAM | Mercedes-AMG | Whincup, Stanaway, Ibrahim |
16 | 777 | PAM | Audi | Feller, Mies, Shahin |
17 | 222 | PAM | Mercedes-AMG | Davison, Davison, Emery, Taylor |
18 | 24 | PAM | Mercedes-AMG | Reynolds, Love, Bates |
19 | 101 | SIL | Mercedes-AMG | Hunt, Poulakis, Hui, Tse |
20 | 4 | PAM | Porsche | B.Grove, De Pasquale, S.Grove |
21 | 9 | PAM | Audi | Holdsworth, Fiore, Cini |
22 | 50 | SIL | Audi | Wood, Harrison, Crampton |
23 | 19 | INV | Mercedes | Schiller, Pancione, Griffith |
24 | 111 | INV | MARC | Taunton, Currie, Donaldson |