The Heart of Racing Finish Second in Bathurst 12H Debut

BATHURST, Australia (19 February 2024) - In its debut outing in the Bathurst 12H the Heart of Racing team scored a second place finish in the GT3 ProAm category with Ian James, Alex Riberas, and Ross Gunn. 

The famed Australian race included six practice sessions, two of which were for bronze rated drivers only. Qualifying took place midday on Saturday before Sunday’s early morning 5:50 AM AEDT start. 

Gunn qualified for the Heart of Racing team securing a fifth place in class starting position. 

James was first behind the wheel as the only starting bronze rated driver in the field. The trio worked their way through the field to sit second in class just four hours into the 12 hour race. At the halfway mark the No. 27 Heart of Racing entry remained in second after leading several laps. 

The last six hours of the race was filled with variable weather that included heavy rainfalls, helping to produce seven different safety car periods. The trio rotated through their respective stints remaining consistently in the top three positions and leading a majority of the laps. 

While leading the ProAm category the No. 27 Heart of Racing entry was penalized for a dubious breach of safety car procedure with 25 minutes remaining forcing it back to third. Ultimately the Heart of Racing team passed for second with just 7 minutes left on the countdown clock, crossing the finish line second in class for a strong debut in this challenging global event. 

“This experience has been off the charts,” said James. “Even though we didn’t get the finish we deserved, we are happy with a second place result for our first time at Bathurst. The track has lived up to its expectations and has been exciting. We came into this race without the experience that most of the field has and I’m really proud of how the team came together this weekend.” 

The Heart of Racing heads to Doha, Qatar for the next two weeks for the FIA World Endurance Championship prologue and season opener race.