Australian motorsports icon Craig Lowndes will spearhead YNA Autosport’s McLaren GT-supported effort at next year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. He will be joined by former Blancpain Endurance Series champions Shane Van Gisbergen and Côme Ledogar.
The all-Pro line-up boasts a total of 11 wins at Mount Panorama, including seven Bathurst 1000 victories and four at the Bathurst 12 Hour, including the last two iterations of the event. It will mark Lowndes’ first appearance in a McLaren 650S GT3, and van Gisbergen’s return to the car in which he set the Mount Panorama lap record with in the 2016 event.
“The Bathurst 12 Hour is one of my absolute favourite events, so I am delighted to have the chance to defend my win in 2017 but in a McLaren for the first time,” said Lowndes. “McLaren is an iconic name in motor racing and the 650S is a serious bit of kit, so I am really excited about the opportunity to race it at Bathurst with Shane (Van Gisbergen) and Côme (Ledogar). I can’t wait.”
“I’m excited to be back in a McLaren for the Bathurst 12 Hours,” added van Gisbergen. “It’s good to team up with Côme again, I drove with him in 2016 when we won the Blancpain Endurance Series in a McLaren 650S GT3, and driving with Craig to help him defend his 2017 title. I think we’ve got a strong driver line up, a strong team and a strong car, so I’m looking forward to the event.”
Completing the line-up is Ledogar, a winner of 2016 Blancpain Endurance Series with van Gisbergen for McLaren. Ledogar finished third for McLaren in last year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. He also shared the YNA Autosport McLaren 650S GT3 with Fraser Ross at the opening round of the Australian GT Championship, and again at the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.
The McLaren 650S has proved one of the most successful GT3 cars in recent years, winning multiple Australian Championships, the 2016 Bathurst 12 Hour, and achieving considerable success in both Europe and the United States.