Brendon Leitch has high hopes that he can break Lamborghini’s duck at the Bathurst 12 Hour this weekend with Wall Racing.
The Italian marque has never finished on the outright podium in the endurance race at Mount Panorama, but stands a good chance with the 2023 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe champion.
Leitch, 29, returns to Mount Panorama just two months after he stunned onlookers by taking pole position in GT World Challenge Australia having never seen the circuit before.
That was in an Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II, which has the same engine as the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO II that he’ll race alongside Wall Racing co-drivers Tony D’Alberto, Adrian Deitz, and Grant Denyer.
The quartet are certified underdogs in this year’s race as Silver class entrants, but Leitch is more than happy to be a dark horse in the race, which features some of the world’s best GT3 competitors from across the globe.
Nevertheless, the Kiwi is also riding high on confidence knowing he has proven he has the speed at the famous mountain course.
“The last time I was here I put it on pole position in my first ever qualifying session at Mount Panorama. I had never seen the place before November last year and I think that caught a lot of people’s attention,” said Leitch.
“It wasn’t long after that we got a few phone calls from teams who were interested in having me onboard and ultimately it made sense to jump into the Lamborghini. It’s a car I know well, I’ve raced it around the world, and it’s arguably the best GT3 car of its generation.
“The high-revving V10 engine makes it the best sounding car and its short wheelbase makes it super nimble. It’s definitely one of the most rewarding cars to drive when you stitch a lap together. Qualifying should be fun!”
With four drivers in the team, strategy will play a big part in Wall Racing’s hopes of a podium finish as they balance the driving time between them.
Last year the team won the Silver class, finishing 11th overall and two laps down on the race winners.
“With 22 cars in this year’s race and fewer non-GT3 cars, the likelihood of a safety car is probably a bit lower than in years past — so the race is even more of a sprint than usual,” Leitch explained.
“Really it’ll be about staying on the lead lap and putting ourselves in the best position for the final hour or two of the race.”
Leitch will be out to break a nine-year winless streak for New Zealand. The last Kiwi to win the race was Shane van Gisbergen in 2016.
Leitch will have his first laps in the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO II on Friday in practice before qualifying on Saturday. Sunday’s race gets underway at 5:45am AEDT.
Coverage of the Bathurst 12 Hour is live on Foxtel and Kayo in Australia while Sky Sport will broadcast the race in New Zealand.
