David Brabham will make a racing return at Mount Panorama next month when he joins the Toyota 86 Racing Series grid at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
The son of the late three-time Formula 1 world champion Sir Jack Brabham has been invited by Toyota Australia to fill one of its guest driver spots for the penultimate round (October 5-8) of popular the one-make series.
Brabham is expected to pilot a Toyota 86 featuring a special retro inspired Brabham livery utilising the #66 to mark his father’s third F1 world title, which was secured in 1966.
The one-off drive sees Brabham return to the Mount Panorama circuit for the first time since 2015 when he contested the Bathurst 12 Hour in a Bentley Continental GT3.
The 51-year-old has clocked up nine Bathurst 1000 starts during his career, including a victory in the 1997 Super Touring edition of the race, alongside his brother Geoff Brabham in a BMW.
“It’s always a thrill to race at Bathurst – and it’s even better when you’re part of a series that involves such close competition among drivers who are passionate enthusiasts aiming to forge a career in motorsport,” said Brabham, winner of the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours.
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“By spending the weekend with these drivers, racing against them and just talking to them, I hope I can help improve their performance and encourage them to work hard and be prepared to take the opportunities as they happen.
“I thought it would be interesting to see how a retro-inspired Brabham design from my father’s era would work on a current car.
“I asked for car number 66, as it represents one of Australia’s greatest motorsport achievements, when Jack won the 1966 Formula 1 World Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships.”
Jimmy Vernon currently leads the Toyota 86 Racing Series standings by 90 points from Cameron Hill.
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