DEFENDING Bathurst 12 Hour champion team, Phoenix Racing, has entered the 2013 race in a bid to secure back-to-back wins for the German outfit and three in a row for Audi.

Phoenix Racing prepared the race-winning Audi R8 LMS that won the 2012 race with drivers Darryl O’Young, Christopher Meis and Christer Jons and has entered the latest 2012-specification Audi R8 LMS Ultra for 2013.

The team also ran the ‘Aussie Audi’ driven by Bathurst champion Craig Lowndes, with Mark Eddy and Warren Luff.

Phoenix is yet to confirm drivers or sponsors for next year however has officially entered one car and is ready to challenge for another Bathurst crown.

“Phoenix Racing is really looking forward to a start at the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour race,” said Team Manager Bernhard Demmer.

“The 2012 race was a great experience for us. The Mount Panorama circuit is one of the most challenging and exciting tracks in the world. A strong field of competitors and the difficult weather conditions made the win very valuable for the whole team. A fast car, a very good pit-stop crew and a precise strategy are very important at Bathurst.”

Phoenix has had a remarkable season that has seen the team – based near the Nurburgring – dominate the fiercely competitive world of GT3 racing in style.

Following their success down under, the team went on to win the Nurburgring 24 hour race in June and then backed that up with a crushing victory in the recent Spa 24 hour against a record field of more than 70 GT3 vehicles.

The team clearly holds the growing Bathurst 12 Hour race in similar esteem and has begun planning their title defence.

“The 2012 season went on really well for Phoenix Racing, securing wins at 3 of the major GT3-endurance events,” Mr. Demmer said.

“We were able to score the ‘triple’ (Bathurst, Nurburgring and Spa) for Phoenix Racing in 2012 – making it the most successful year in our history.

“As last year’s outright winner it is our main intention to defend this (Bathurst) title and face up to the challenge of the Mount Panorama Circuit again.

“We expect a strong field of competitors of high-level GT3 teams and drivers for next years’ edition of the race and are keen to fight against them for the win.

“At this early stage of the season the driver line-up and the car designs are not confirmed yet, but it is our goal to appear as strong as 2012. One thing is already certain: Phoenix Racing will trust again in the performance and reliability of the new Audi R8 LMS Ultra.

“We will work hard to announce more details on our return to the legendary Bathurst soon!”

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

More information about the Bathurst 12 Hour can be found at www.bathurst12hour.com.au