FIA GT champion Laurens Vanthoor hopes to return Audi to its winning ways in the Bathurst 12 Hour on his debut at the challenging mountain circuit.
The 22-year-old Belgian is regarded as one of the hottest properties in world GT racing after claiming the FIA title for WRT Audi alongside Stephane Ortelli last season.
Next week Vanthoor will make his first ever visit to Australia after securing a deal to join Phoenix Audi’s Bathurst 12 Hour line up.
He is joined in the team by multiple Porsche Supercup champion Rene Rast and former DTM driver Rahel Frey, who will also make their Mount Panorama debut at the event on February 7-9.
The highly successful German team, which won the endurance event in 2012 with Christopher Mies, Christer Jons and Darryl O’Young, are being considered contenders for outright victory this year.
Phoenix Racing’s Audi R8 LMS Ultra joins a list of renowned teams and global driving talent in the 18 car Class A category for the event.
Although keen to point out that none of that neither he or his team-mates have ever driven the famous Mount Panorama circuit, Vanthoor believes his team can fight at the front.
“Its a good line up and Phoenix have gone there and won it so they know what they are doing,” Vanthoor told Speedcafe.com.
“The expectation from Audi is to go and try to get the victory and that will be our goal. I hope we can at least finish on the podium.
“My expectations are difficult to say as I have never been there before and for all three of us it is our first time at Bathurst.
“For me I will just have to go there and see what happens. I have done a bit of work on the simulator but that is about it.
“Its the otherside of the world so things will be different but I will have to lean as quick as possible.”
Vanthoor, who has just three years of GT racing is also a rookie when it comes to endurance races with just one 24 hour sportscar race under his belt.
However, racing at Bathurst has been a long time ambition admitting the circuit presents a challenge the world’s greatest drivers are always searching for.
“Its a big challenge which excites me. I don’t know the circuit but this one is quite special,” he said.
“There are some tracks we race on where if you go off at 200kph you won’t hit anything and Bathurst you cannot make a mistake and that is a challenge I like.”
While his reputation is growing rapidly in Europe, the former German Formula 3 champion is keen to build his profile in Australia and eluded he hopes to make more appearances in the country.
“The only impression which I want to leave behind is that I’m a quick driver,” he added.
“That is my main goal in the race and it would be nice in the future if I can do more racing in Australia. This will depend on if I do a good job.”
