Michael Bartels has vowed to bring a driver line-up capable of winning the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour at his Vita4One’s squad’s first attempt next February.

The addition of two BMW Z4Ms from the former World Championship winning team highlighted the release of the race’s full entry list on Monday.

The key international squads are yet to reveal their driver line-ups, which require at least one amateur under the race’s regulations.

The 45-year-old Bartels will himself steer one of the BMWs. Bartels has previous experience of the Mount Panorama circuit having finished fourth in the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour driving a Porsche Carrera Cup car.

Dutchman Yelmer Buurman is at this stage the team’s only other confirmed driver.

The 26-year-old has great experience in Z4s, driving for both Vita4One and Marc VDS in Europe.

Prior to his move into GT racing, Buurman spent a decade in open-wheel racing, culminating in a Formula 1 test drive with Force India.

“We are still working out who will be driving but we want to make sure that we have a strong line up that will be competitive,” said Bartels.

“We will be pushing very hard. We want to make sure we don’t go to Bathurst with drivers who do not know the car and the circuit so we are already talking to drivers who we have worked with for the last few years.”

Bartels added that he’s not underestimating the level of competition, which includes four other BES teams as well as a host of well-equipped locals.

“I have great memories from Bathurst and it is one of the reasons I have wanted to come back,” he said.

“This is a great opportunity to bring Vita4One Racing to Australia for the first time.

“We looked at the field and saw that there were no BMW Z4 GT3 cars entered and also thought it would be a great opportunity to showcase the BMW brand and the cars.

“There is a very strong field entered with some of the best GT teams from around the world and it will be a great challenge for us, but we will be going there and pushing hard.”