David Brabham, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009, is set to pilot the Volante Rosso-prepared #34 Harrolds Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Brabham will join Chris Batzios at the inaugural GT Festival at the famed motorcycle grand prix circuit on August 23-25.
The Brabham name is synonymous with Australian motorsport success and the 58-year-old brings a wealth of experience.
The son of the late Sir Jack Brabham started in 30 grands prix and went on to enjoy touring car and sports car success after his two-year F1 career.
Brabham won the 1997 Bathurst 1000 in the Super Touring era alongside his older brother Geoff.
In 2009, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Peugeot and a year later claimed the American Le Mans Series crown with Honda’s North American brand Acura.
It’ll be the second time Harrolds Racing has had a Brabham in their car. In 2022, the team fielded Sam Brabham.
Sam will also be in action, racing a Mercedes-AMG GT4 with Love Racing in Monochrome GT4 Australia.
“I’ve never driven the Mercedes GT3 before, I raced against one in the UK in GT Cup and it’s very quick so I am really looking forward to driving it,” said David Brabham.
“Sam has always been complementary of Volante Rosso and when I was at Bathurst for a GT round when Sam raced, it was clear to me they were a very good team with a strong technical understanding of the car.
“Harrolds Racing has been aligned with Volante Rosso for some time. I’m very much looking forward to being part of Harrolds Racing by VR and driving alongside a friend in Chris.
“As a family, we have forged a strong and personal relationship with Chris, Ross Poulakis and the Harrolds brand; and we look forward to further growing this.”
Brabham said the chance to see his son race on the same weekend is a privilege.
“To race with Sam on the same weekend will be very special,” he said.
“I know a lot of people are super excited to see us both racing at the GT Festival and I thank both Chris and Sam for making it happen.”
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The GT Festival will mark the first time in over a decade that Brabham has raced at Phillip Island.
In 2011, Brabham partnered with Alex Davison and Stone Brothers Racing in the L&H 500.
“My family and Phillip Island go back a long way from when my father won the Repco Trophy in 1960 and was a very close friend of Len Lukey who purchased the circuit in 1964,” Brabham explained. “I always remember calling him Uncle Len as a kid.
“As a circuit, I would personally put it number two in Australia – just behind Bathurst. It has the best location with the sea in the background, it’s fast flowing and has a mix of technical corners, a great drivers circuit.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve raced at Phillip Island. It was with Stone Brothers in the V8 Supercar enduro round in 2011. When we were secretly testing the Brabham BT62 in 2017, both Sam and I were driving so that was the last time I drove a car in anger there.”
Coverage of the GT Festival will be live on the GT World YouTube channel as well as Foxtel and Kayo.
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