O’Keeffe fastest but under a cloud after Q1 at the Bathurst 12 Hour

Dylan O’Keeffe was fastest in Qualifying – Part 1 for the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour but questions remain about his eligibility to participate in the session.

O’Keeffe stormed to a 2:02.5652s in the 25-minute session at Mount Panorama in the #10 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi but is the official ‘Driver 2’ for that car per the latest version of the official entry list.

Qualifying for the Bathurst 12 Hour is a four-step process with Q1 being for cars below the Pro class, and specifically the officially nominated ‘Driver 3’ and/or ‘Driver 4’ from those cars, per Rule 3.23.10.1.1 of the event Sporting & Technical Regulations.

The same question applies to the #6 Wall Racing Lamborghini in which David Wall claimed third with a 2:03.4343 given he too is officially Driver 2 in that entry.

No such concerns apply for Valmont Racing, with its Driver 4, namely Aaron Cameron, taking second place on a 2:03.1066s.

In a session populated by Silver- and Bronze-rated drivers, Wall fastest after the initial flyers on a 2:10.5930s in the Silver class #6 Lamborghini.

He improved next time around but Cameron did so by more, taking over top spot with a 2:07.9449s in the Silver class #44 Mercedes-AMG, with Brad Schumacher to second on a 2:09.2110s in the Pro-Am #55 Schumacher Motorsport Audi.

Then it was O’Keeffe lighting up the timing screen in the #10 Audi, cracking a 2:03.3128s on his third flyer and a 2:02.5652s next time through, a lap which would have left him second-quickest in Practice 6, when the GT3 superstars were on-track.

Cameron closed the gap with a 2:03.1066s on his fifth flyer, before a red flag was called in the 15th minute in response to the #111 111Racing MARC Car headbutting the barriers at Hell Corner in the hands of Grant Donaldson.

With the clock stopped, 10:37s remained when the session went green again, although Cars #10 and #44 remained in the pits for the duration.

They also remained first and second on the timing screen, while Wall improved on his final lap, but not enough to elevate Car #6 from third position.

Liam Talbot claimed fourth with a 2:03.9466s in the #65 MPC Audi which Chaz Mostert is set to drive in Qualifying – Part 2, from Theo Koundouris fifth in the #47 MPC Audi.

Rounding out the top 10 were the #55 Audi, the #777 MPC Audi of Yasser Shahin, the #99 Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG which Jamie Whincup and/or Richie Stanaway will drive later, the #101 Volante Rosso Motorsport Mercedes-AMG, and the #222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes-AMG.

Qualifying – Part 2, when the Pro class cars join in, is set to start at 13:55 local time/AEDT.

Results: Qualifying – Part 1 Driver 3 and/or Driver 4