The introduction of new marques into the V8 Supercars Championship under the Car of the Future rule package has brought an international flavour to the Bathurst paddock.
Heavyweights from Nissan, Mercedes AMG and new-for-2014 competitors Volvo Polestar are all present at Bathurst alongside dignitaries from traditional rivals Ford and Holden.
Volvo has made a significant splash at the event, with its Australian managing director Matt Braid joined by the company’s Sweden-based executive director of motorsport Derek Crabb and Polestar chief executive Christian Dahl.
Volvo has been proudly displaying its 508bhp Polestar-tuned S60 roadcar in the V8 Supercars paddock, which 1998 Bathurst winning Volvo driver Jim Richards has taken for hot laps around the circuit.
“It’s an absolutely amazing event,” Dahl, whose job includes overseeing Polestar’s five-car assault on the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship, told Speedcafe.com of Bathurst.
“I was at the top of the Mountain in qualifying having a look at the top of the Mountain.
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“You have Spa in Belgium which is maybe the closest thing you can get, but this is fantastic.”
Nissan meanwhile has flown in its United Kingdom based global motorsport director Darren Cox and Japanese-based vice president of global communications, Jeff Kuhlman, in addition to five international journalists.
This year marks Nissan’s first appearance in the Bathurst 1000 since the 1998 Super Touring race, and first as a factory team since the second of its back-to-back wins in 1992.
Seventeenth placed Michael Caruso was the manufacturer’s top performer in qualifying, with a lack of straightline speed and high fuel consumption ensuring it’ll be a tough race for the four-car squad.
Completing the presence of the new players is team leader of construction at HWA, Gordian von Schoming, who is a part of the customer Erebus Motorsport outfit.
Erebus has brought the Mercedes star back to Bathurst for the first time since 1994. Its three-car effort, which will also be up against it due to fuel consumption, will be led from the grid by the 12th placed car of Lee Holdsworth and Craig Baird.
In addition to the presence of the new marques, there are six international drivers in this year’s event, the most since 2003.
Full-timers Alexandre Premat (France) and Maro Engel (Germany) are joined by Andy Priaulx (United Kingdom), Mattias Ekstrom (Sweden), Marc Lieb (Germany) and Jeroen Bleekemolen (Holland).
CLICK HERE for the full Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 grid order
