A NEW agreement between the respective promoters will see the opening round of the 2013 Australian GT Championship incorporated into the Bathurst 12 Hour race in February next year.

Australian GT will conduct a one-hour race within the Bathurst 12 Hour race itself, commencing at the beginning of the enduro and ending at the end of the first hour.

Cars entered for only the Australian GT round will then return to pit lane whilst 12 Hour competitors continue on for a further 11 hours of racing.

The agreement between Australian GT and 12 Hour promoters has been made for the good of the GT Category as a whole and it is hoped it will stimulate growth in both the 12 Hour and Australian GT Championship going forward.

Australian GT one-hour competitors will compete in two of the three 12 Hour practice sessions and one of the two nominated qualifying sessions on Saturday.

Qualifying for the entire event will revert to using the fastest lap time set by the vehicle in qualifying to determine the grid – as opposed to the aggregate times of three drivers as utilised this year.

Australian GT competitors who elect to continue in the full Bathurst 12 Hour race will be scored on their relative position at the end of the first hour before continuing onwards as per normal.

There will be no compulsory pit stops for any competitors. Those continuing onwards to complete the 12 Hour Race and GT round will start the race, and remain in the vehicle for the first hour to be classified for both races.

For 2013, the Australian GT Championship will adopt the regulations and balance of performance utilised by the Bathurst 12 Hour – identical to the hugely successful Blancipain Endurance Series held in Europe.

“The net result is this scenario provides Australian GT Championship competitors the first round of their national championship at Bathurst, without disadvantaging those entrants who do not wish or are not able to do the full 12 hour enduro,” said Bathurst 12 Hour promoter, James O’Brien.

“Those that do contest the full race will not only score points towards the AGT Championship, as well as having a chance to win the Enduro, but will also not incur the cost of an additional Event as Bathurst will double up as the first round of the AGT Championship.”

“This is an ideal marry-up between Australian GT and the Bathurst 12 Hour,” said AGT Category Manager, Ken Collier.

“It was important for the championship to have a presence at Bathurst in 2013 and this was a perfect way to achieve that. The Balance of Performance is a match, the drivers match, the teams match and we cannot see any negatives out of this partnership.

“It was important for everyone involved that we find a way to have Australian GT and the 12 Hour work together for the betterment of GT racing in this country as a whole, and that’s what we are doing: It works for everyone.

“It is going to be very exciting to watch the opening one-hour race of the 2013 Australian GT season unfold within the first hour of the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour.”

The 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour will be held on February 8-10, with entries closing on December 12 this year.