Bathurst 12 Hour Practice 3 Report
Mount Panorama, Bathurst – In a competitive Practice 3 session ahead of the 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour, Will Brown secured the top position with a blistering lap time of 2:03.8992 in the #55 Jamec Racing Audi. This marked the only instance of a driver dipping into the 2:03s, demonstrating both skill and speed as conditions shifted to warm and sunny.
The session served as the first hot-pit practice, allowing teams to refine driver changes and refueling strategies. The #61 EBM Porsche duo of Ricardo Feller and Laurin Heinrich placed second, clocking laps in the 2:04.2 range before facing a delayed driver change to Klaus Bachler, which took over four minutes.
The top five was rounded out by the #888 Team GMR Mercedes, which climbed to third on the final lap, followed by the #46 Team WRT BMW and the #222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes. Overall, while the session times were slower compared to the earlier practice, 18 cars broke the 2:05 barrier.
A notable incident involved the #86 High Class Racing Porsche when Anders Fjordbach lost control at the Metal Grate but managed to spin 360 degrees and avoid the wall, returning safely to the pits.
Out of the 35 entries, 34 cars logged at least 15 laps, with the only exception being the #15 Volante Rosso McLaren, which battled persistent gearbox issues.
Bronze drivers will take to the track in Practice 4 at 16:40 AEDT as the first day of action at the Bathurst 12 Hour concludes.
Top Five Results from Practice 3:
- #55 Jamec Racing Audi – Will Brown – 2:03.8992
- #61 EBM Porsche – Ricardo Feller / Laurin Heinrich – 2:04.2
- #888 Team GMR Mercedes – –
- #46 Team WRT BMW – –
- #222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes – –
This report encapsulates the essential developments from Practice 3, providing teams and observers with vital information heading into the event’s subsequent sessions.
