2016 Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour: 4-7 February

[Reload]

An awesome experience and lap record for Nico Verdonck at the 12 Hours of Bathurst

February 10th, 2016 by PR
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On request from the PROsport Performance team, Nico Verdonck headed off down under to Australia for the first time to take part in the 12 Hours of Bathurst. If on the one hand for the Belgian driver and his teammates the race unfortunately came to premature end, the Brussels based competitor definitely left his mark thanks to his performances and notably producing a new lap record in the GT4 category.
Never before had Nico Verdonck set foot on Australian soil. Since last weekend this has been rectified! The Brussels based driver was at the start of the 12 Hours of Bathurst, the beginning of this season’s top endurance event. “The PROsport Performance team, with whom I had taken part in various VLM races last year, had asked me to compete with their Porsche Cayman GT4 in the company of Fabian Hamprecht, Adam Christodoulou and Jörg Viebahn”, Nico explained. “Unfortunately there was a lack of GT4 machines at the start and we were slotted into another category, with far more powerful cars. Regardless of that we were fully determined to play our cards through to the finish.”
However fate was to decide otherwise. In the first instance electronic problems during qualifying prevented the Porsche Cayman GT4 from clocking up a single lap time. But right from the start of the race, the Belgian driver soon stood out! “I set off from 34th and last place on the grid”, Nico smiled. “This was the first time I had taken a night start, as is the tradition in Bathurst. It was impressive…but I very quickly found my rhythm! During my double-stint I succeeded in climbing up into 22nd spot, third in our category. While on the subject, I significantly improved the reference lap time for a GT4 on the renowned Mount Panorama circuit: the previous record set by an Aston Martin was 2’19’’2, and I lapped the circuit in 2’17’’5, in other words one and a half seconds faster!”
Basing himself on the dependability of the Pirelli tyres, the car’s qualities and the PROsport Performance team’s experience in which it prides itself in endurance races, Nico had every hope of seeing the Porsche Cayman #16 climb up in the hierarchy. Unfortunately it was not to be … “Fabian Hamprecht was out on track completing his double-stint when he lost the control of the car in the ’The Chase’, the chicane at the end of the long straight. The damage was too substantial and our race unfortunately came to an end there and then … “
If on the one hand bitter disappointment was on the books, Nico nevertheless had numerous reasons to smile upon his return in Belgium. “It was an awesome experience”, he commented. “The Mount Panorama circuit is quite simply magnificent, with its walls one needs to brush passed to retain speed, not unlike Monaco or Macao. PROsport Performance put in some remarkable work not hesitating one minute to drive the 8 hours to solve the car’s electronic problems at an official Porsche dealership in Sydney. The performance was there and the team were pleased with my efforts, so much so that we are presently discussing the possibility of working together more often in 2016.”
On the human front Nico Verdonck also amassed some amusing souvenirs: “This was the first time I read in a briefing note that one needed to be aware of kangaroos crossing the track, or in the event of problems, of a snakes lurking behind the walls bordering the circuit! The fact that they open up the circuit to normal traffic in the evening of the practice sessions is also quite startling. In a nutshell, I truly hope to return one day! “
In the meanwhile Nico is working flat-out on his programme for the 2016 season. “Several avenues are presently being explored, but it is still too early to confirm anything “, the driver clarified. Patience is called for …

[naca]

Originally Posted by peckstar

Running events that get total crowds of over 200,000 plus at bathurst is the promoters expertise

The amount of people at the 12 hour allows you to move around the track, with ease and get a reasonably decent view from all locations.

[goat69]

Some of the tentenths collective up on the hill @ the Bathurst 12hr.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by naca

The amount of people at the 12 hour allows you to move around the track, with ease and get a reasonably decent view from all locations.

Well who knew? No crowd equals more space!

How long ago was that?

[rich07]

Originally Posted by goat69

Some of the tentenths collective up on the hill @ the Bathurst 12hr.

lol that's a collection of mugs

I don't look as burnt as I felt in that pic haha

[KSM86]

Originally Posted by rich07

lol that's a collection of mugs

I don't look as burnt as I felt in that pic haha

Photo looks great! the bloke sitting in the chair with the lago shirt on looks abit shady though haha

[rich07]

Originally Posted by KSM86

Photo looks great! the bloke sitting in the chair with the lago shirt on looks abit shady though haha

Hahaha

[mayhem]

Is it too early to begin a 2017 thread? Craft Bamboo said to be bringing 2 Porkas, Tekno with 3 McLarens, Walkinshaw with a Porsche, Erebus, Hacket and Taylor bringing some AMGs, M Sport indicated they are keen to return and hopefully a few of the 2016 absentees will come back like Truss Family.

[Reload]

Originally Posted by mayhem

Is it too early to begin a 2017 thread? Craft Bamboo said to be bringing 2 Porkas, Tekno with 3 McLarens, Walkinshaw with a Porsche, Erebus, Hacket and Taylor bringing some AMGs, M Sport indicated they are keen to return and hopefully a few of the 2016 absentees will come back like Truss Family.

Can't see Trass coming back, but expect to see Clearwater and a Calvert-Jones Porsche.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by goat69

Some of the tentenths collective up on the hill @ the Bathurst 12hr.

I only know Dickie, who are the other ones?

[Reload]

Originally Posted by Miguel

I only know Dickie, who are the other ones?

No idea who they are as i was just minding my own business and all of a sudden i was surrounded by this riff raff who started calling out "go Brocky".

[rich07]

Originally Posted by Reload

No idea who they are as i was just minding my own business and all of a sudden i was surrounded by this riff raff who started calling out "go Brocky".

Nice of you to take off your Ford jacket for the photo mate

[KSM86]

Originally Posted by rich07

Nice of you to take off your Ford jacket for the photo mate

I noticed he has taken down the Ford flags aswell...shame on you reload

[rich07]

Originally Posted by KSM86

I noticed he has taken down the Ford flags aswell...shame on you reload

Don't be too hard on him he put them back up after the photo so he's still keeping the faith

[one five five]

Originally Posted by mayhem

Walkinshaw with a Porsche, Erebus, Hacket and Taylor bringing some AMGs,

They've confirmed to do the GT Championship this year, have they indicated being involved in the 12hr though.

It will be interesting to see how the split Sprint & Endurance GT events go this year, and how much budget will be left for the locals to include a non-championship 12hr assault into the campaign budget?

[mayhem]

Originally Posted by one five five

They've confirmed to do the GT Championship this year, have they indicated being involved in the 12hr though.

It will be interesting to see how the split Sprint & Endurance GT events go this year, and how much budget will be left for the locals to include a non-championship 12hr assault into the campaign budget?

All were mentioned during commentary as running next year, so nothing official but indications are that they are all keen.
Adrian Burgess has already commented that they will be looking far and wide for the best drivers for the team including Garth and Courtney. Sean Walkinshaw perhaps...?

EDIT Forgot to add Steve Richo and the BMW to that list.

[goat69]

Originally Posted by rich07

Don't be too hard on him he put them back up after the photo so he's still keeping the faith

Those flags were flying strong all weekend especially on friday!

[peckstar]

Normally this forum has some people that are really quick with providing tv ratings, But they have been a bit quiet

[mayhem]

An extremely respectable (although I cant confirm the authenticity just yet) average of of 227,000 / 73,000 on Ch 7 and 7 Mate. Peak numbers not available at this time.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by mayhem

An extremely respectable (although I cant confirm the authenticity just yet) average of of 227,000 / 73,000 on Ch 7 and 7 Mate. Peak numbers not available at this time.

cheers. thinking they may not be good enough to get a saturday telecast

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

cheers. thinking they may not be good enough to get a saturday telecast

Based on which criteria?

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by D.R.T.

Based on which criteria?

the criteria that Tv numbers would need to grow reasonably to encourage saturday coverage

[Hingo]

What kind of numbers would they need to justify a Saturday telecast? Don't they usually just play second rate crap and re-runs? Currently there is a show called Nabbed which is just another RBT show and 7mate has Hillbilly Fishin'...

It isn't like they need to do much more than telecast the stream that already exists.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by Hingo

What kind of numbers would they need to justify a Saturday telecast? Don't they usually just play second rate crap and re-runs? Currently there is a show called Nabbed which is just another RBT show and 7mate has Hillbilly Fishin'...

It isn't like they need to do much more than telecast the stream that already exists.

which rates higher?

[mayhem]

If we're talking about an all day Saturday coverage it depends on the cost to produce the content vs the numbers tuning in and the sponsors that can be drawn to pay to be a part of it.