Unique V8 French-built car joins Bathurst 12 Hour grid

A unique addition to the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour's Invitational Class will see a V8-powered, French-built Sports Car join Australia's International Enduro for the first time in 2024. 

Vortex, a racing car constructor based in Pézenas in the South of France, has entered the race with one of their unique Sports Cars for the first time.

Created in 2015 under the leadership of Olivier and Arnaud Gomez, Vortex's leadership have more than 50 combined years of racing experience between them.

While Arnaud Gomez is a champion French driver, with six French championships to his credit, as well as multiple starts at Le Mans, Olivier is a noted motorsport engineer and driver.

Their cars compete both domestically in France and in key long-distance endurance races around the world, while the factory also runs its own racing programme as well as selling cars to customers.

Vortex will enter their first-generation racer into the 2024 12-Hour, the car based on a tubular steel chassis coupled to a 6.2-litre Chevrolet V8 engine producing 550hp.

The model has competed for seven years and accumulated 200 race starts - with reliability and ease of operation the key hallmarks of the car.

Three drivers experienced with the Vortex team will complete in the race next February 16-18: Lionel Amrouche, Julien Boilot and Philippe Bonnel.

All three drivers are experienced in long-distance races and prior to their Bathurst debut, will have contested the 12 Hours of Kuwait this December, followed by key races in January next year including the 24 Hours of Dubai and the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi.

Vortex has also just announced their '2.0' racer, which includes the same Chevrolet powerplant now mated to a carbon chassis and bodywork.

The brand has an extensive 2024 program planned, including a full-season of the '24 Hour' Series across Europe, The Ultimate Cup Series and Spanish GT, as well as the key endurance races in the UAE and their Australian debut.

The Vortex will be entered in the Invitational Class for the 2024 Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, which is open to an array of Sports and GT racers that don't fit existing GT3, GT4 or other category regulations.

The class has been the home of the MARC Cars racers since 2014, while cars like the Daytona Coupe, Dodge Viper and KTM X-Bow GT2 have also competed.

The Invitational class entries are approved on a case-by-case basis by the event and must adhere to a 2m06-second lap time benchmark throughout the event.

"I think the Vortex is going to be one of the most interesting additions to the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour grid we've seen in a long time," Event Director Shane Rudzis said.

"It draws on the heritage of the race where we have always seen interesting machinery in the Invitational Class alongside the GT3 cars that battle for the outright win.

"We have been in touch with the guys from Vortex for some time and they are very keen to get to Bathurst and show their car to Aussie fans and tackle the Mountain for the first time.

"They are a professional team, the cars are well engineered and their drivers will have lots of endurance racing experience, so we are looking forward to what is shaping up to be a really good fight for the Invited class next February."