International drivers bolster Mercedes 12 Hour entry

Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport will tackle the LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour for the first time in 2023.

Following an outstanding debut season in the 2022 Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Championship, Ross Poulakis will make his 12 Hour debut this February amidst an experienced Bronze-class driving squad with international credentials.

Poulakis, from Victoria, will be joined by Macanese driver Kevin Tse and Hong Kong's Jonathan Hui.

The car is entered in the Bronze class in a bid to score Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli class points for the two international drivers.

Tse made his 12 Hour debut in 2022 with Mercedes-AMG team Craft Bamboo Racing, finishing second in the all Pro-Am affair less than 10 seconds behind the eventual winners.

He heads to Bathurst off the back of a full Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli campaign last year, plus races in British GT and GT World Challenge Europe.

Hong Kong driver Jonathan Hui will make his Bathurst debut this year however is an extremely experienced long-distance GT racer.

He won the Pro-Am Cup title in the 2021 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup driving a Ferrari, and last year raced in GTWC Europe in a Mercedes-AMG.

Poulakis made an immediate impact on the national racing scene in 2022, contesting the GT World Challenge Australia schedule with Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport.

A highlight of the season included third outright in the three-hour Bathurst enduro last November, driving with Jordan Love.

The striking Harrolds Mercedes AMG GT3 will include backing from Guilty Chocolates, Contempo Concepts and Sky this February 3-5.

Craft-Bamboo Racing signage also appears on the car, the Volante Rosso Motorsport team partnering with the Hong Kong-based squad for this year's 12 Hour.

The team will also run the Makita-backed entry in the Bausele Watches Pro-Am class, to be driven by Tony Bates, David Reynolds and Jordan Love.

"I can't believe I'm racing at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour after following it for so many years, it's a dream come true. I have been watching this race for over a decade now,” Poulakis said.

"I had a great first season in GT and have learnt a lot. Having never raced before, I threw myself in the deep end and was extremely pleased with my results.

"We have set our benchmark for 2023 so we will be looking to build on even better results. Josh Hunt, Chris Papadopoulos [Volante Rosso] and the team have been amazing and I wouldn't be able to achieve what we did without their support and guidance.

"I'm looking forward to driving with Jon and Kevin. I've heard great things about both drivers and having watched quite a few of their races during the 2022 season I'm really excited to be partnering with them for the race.

"Racing the three-hour enduro at Bathurst late last year with Jordan Love was definitely a great learning experience as it was my first time at the Mountain - and it dealt with different weather conditions. I'll definitely be taking what I learned there into the 12 Hour.

"I want to thank Harrolds and Guilty Chocolates for supporting me."

Tse added: "I am very excited to be going back to Bathurst after less than a year, eight months since our last race there.

"This time I will not be in the Pro-Am Car, I will be in the Amateur car with Jon and Ross and we will be shooting for the top step in our class.

"Hopefully I can bring what I learnt from Maro [Engel] and Dani [Juncadella] and apply it to the car this year. It's the same Mercedes-AMG car that I drove last year, so I look forward to doing well again."

“I have been watching the Bathurst 12 Hour race for years and have always wanted to do it; finally, my time has come,” Hui said.

"I’m really looking forward to working with my teammates Kevin and Ross, both of whom have experience at the circuit and learning from them. Mount Panorama is infamous for being one of the most challenging in the world and hence it is no surprise that many of the world’s best drivers rate it so highly.

"I am realistic with my expectations, knowing that the learning curve will be extremely steep it will be important not to take too many risks and to try to score as many points as possible.

"With the support of Volante Rosso combined with Craft-Bamboo Racing’s technical expertise, I am confident that we have the tools to challenge for a strong result.”

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