Team NZ’s Bathurst campaign has come to a premature end, the squad confirming overnight that its Aston Martin Vantage GT4 will take no further part in this weekend’s Bathurst 12 Hour after sustaining heavy damage in Friday’s practice running.
The decision followed a late-session incident high on the mountain that halted proceedings just as the day appeared set to conclude without interruption. With little more than five minutes remaining in Practice 4 at Mount Panorama Circuit, contact between the Team NZ entry and a rival GT3 machine brought out the red flag and ultimately ended the session early.
The flashpoint came on approach to Sulman Park, where Alfred Renauer positioned the Porsche 911 GT3 R down the inside of Graeme Dowsett. With the Porsche marginally ahead at turn-in, the two cars made contact. The impact unsettled the Aston Martin, pitching it into a slide before it struck the concrete barrier rear-first.
The right-rear corner of the GT4 bore the brunt of the damage. After assessing the car on Friday evening, the New Zealand outfit concluded repairs would not be possible in time to continue, forcing a withdrawal from the event.
In a statement released after the incident, the team struck a composed and respectful tone.
“Endurance racing is tough. We accept it with respect.”
“No blame. No anger. No drama. Only: dignity + sportsmanship + strength”
Reflecting on the severity of the challenge posed by the Mountain, the team added: “Endurance racing is never easy — and Bathurst is one of the toughest circuits in the world.
“Following an on-track incident during practice, our Aston Martin GT4 has unfortunately sustained damage that prevents us from continuing in the race.
“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we are grateful that our driver is safe and incredibly proud of the team’s hard work and professionalism throughout the event.
“Multi-class racing brings intense and complex moments on track, and we respect every competitor who shares the circuit.
“We may be out of the race, but our spirit remains strong. We’ll regroup, rebuild, and come back stronger.
“Thank you to the fans, teams and drivers for the support and messages.”
Track action resumes on Saturday with Practice 5 scheduled for 10:05am, followed by Practice 6 at 12:05pm. Qualifying will then unfold across three sessions at 3:05pm, 3:50pm and 6:15pm, before Sunday morning’s 12-hour endurance classic roars into life at 7:45am.
Header Image: Bathurst 12 Hour
