First 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour entry confirmed

An Australian-German effort is the first official entry into the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour.

German-based Porsche team Manthey will join forces with Australian team EMA Motorsport.

The two teams will race a Porsche 991.2 Generation Porsche GT3R under the Manthey EMA banner.

The Porsche, complete in iconic green and yellow, will be hard to miss at Mount Panorama.

The driver line-up will be announced at a later date.

The two teams have enjoyed a big 2022, with EMA Motorsport making its European debut at this year's Spa 24 Hour.

EMA most recently contested the eighth round of the Nürburgring Endurance Series with the support of Manthey.

Bathurst will mark just the second instance of the fan favourite ‘Grello’ livery in the Southern Hemisphere.

The striking neon green and yellow design was previously rolled out at the 2018 12 Hour.

On that day, Dirk Werner, Romain Dumas and Frédéric Makowiecki carried the Porsche to sixth.

EMA Motorsport will make its Bathurst 12 Hour debut, but has raced in Bathurst before.

The team competed in Porsche Carrera Cup Australia at Mount Panorama in October.

The striking 'Grello' Porsche

Nicolas Raeder, Managing Director of Manthey Racing GmbH, was excited for the challenge.

"The season opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge in Bathurst is a special highlight in the racing calendar,” Raeder said.

"We are looking forward to starting our motorsport year 2023 with this event together with EMA.

"With its hilly sections, the Mount Panorama Circuit is reminiscent of the Nordschleife and places very high demands on both the vehicle and the drivers.

"This is exactly where we're experienced from our stints in the Green Hell. And we clearly want to compete for victory in Australia."

Tickets for the 2023 LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour are on sale now on Ticketek.com.

Camping for the 2023 event is also on sale.