De Silvestro set for Bathurst despite surgery

Emergency surgery for Simona De Silvestro has forced the Shell V-Power Racing Team to arrange alternative testing plans for its enduro wildcard.

De Silvestro is set to make her first Supercars start since 2019 in a Dick Johnson Racing-prepared Ford Mustang wildcard entry at the Repco Bathurst 1000.

The Swiss driver will share a third DJR Ford with Super2 rookie Kai Allen, who will also make his Bathurst 1000 debut.

The two drivers were set to test the #98 Ford at Queensland Raceway next week alongside other northern Supercars teams.

However, De Silvestro underwent surgery to remove her appendix over the weekend, delaying her return to Australia.

In a statement, DJR said the former factory Nissan Supercars racer is set to join the team midway through September.

"Simona De Silvestro was due to land in Australia later this week ahead of wildcard testing at Queensland Raceway on the 4th and 5th of September,” a DJR statement reads.

"However due to an emergency operation required to remove her appendix over the weekend, her arrival date in Australia has been pushed back.

"Simona is recovering well in Switzerland and at this stage is anticipated to join the team in Australia in mid-September. Alternative plans are being arranged for wildcard testing ahead of the Repco Bathurst 1000.

"The Shell V-Power Racing Team wishes Simona a speedy recovery and looks forward to seeing her soon.”

DJR will field one of three wildcard entries at October’s Repco Bathurst 1000, along with Triple Eight Race Engineering and the Blanchard Racing Team, taking the grid to 28 entries.

Triple Eight will field a third Chevrolet Camaro for Craig Lowndes and Zane Goddard. BRT, meanwhile, will enter a second Ford for the returning Jake Kostecki and debutant Aaron Love.

The Lowndes/Goddard and Kostecki/Love cars will test next week at Queensland Raceway and Winton Motor Raceway respectively.

The Penrite Oil Sandown 500 will be held on September 15-17, ahead of the Repco Bathurst 1000 on October 5-8.