Ford SuperVan, Mercedes AMG to attempt Bathurst records

This weekend’s Bathurst 12 Hour is set to host a fascinating showdown between petrol and electric power on Mount Panorama.

Traditional V8 grunt will take on modern electric performance in a battle for lap records at Mount Panorama this weekend.

Ford and Mercedes have prepared cutting-edge machines for demonstration runs at the Bathurst 12 Hour that could result in unofficial lap records.

Ford is bringing its electric SuperVan to Bathurst.

The blue oval is bringing the Ford SuperVan, an electric monster with almost 1500kW of power – roughly 10 times the thrust of regular vehicles – to the mountain for a series of demonstration runs.

French racer Romain Dumas will steer the van this weekend, drawing on the experience of victories in races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.

The SuperVan has completed testing at Sydney Motorsport Park.

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Ford has not officially announced a plan to challenge for an unofficial record – after all, official lap records can only be set during competitive events.

The unofficial lap record is a 1m48.88s effort recorded by Jenson Button in a McLaren Formula 1 car in 2010. Ford and Mecedes do not plan to match that this weekend.

Jenson Button took a McLaren-Mercedes F1 car to Bathurst in 2011. Photo: AFP / Greg Wood.

Mercedes set an official record in qualifying for the 12 Hour last year, when Maro Engel recorded a 2m00.88s effort to secure pole position.

The race was won by another Mercedes led by Jules Gounon, a racer who says Bathurst is his “undisputed favourite track”.

Gounon will take the reins of a special Mercedes for a record run in the lead-up to Sunday’s race.

Mercedes celebrates 130 years of racing in 2024.

Based on the latest Mercedes-AMG GT3 race car, the big ‘Benz will fly the flag for traditional motors with an upgraded 6.2-litre V8 engine producing more than 485kW.

The car also benefits from active aerodynamics, F1-style carbon brakes and modified bodywork that should highlight the ultimate potential of the latest GT race cars.

Audi’s Chris Mies set a 1m59.3s lap time in a modified R8 LMS GT3 car at Challenge Bathurst in 2018, before Bathurst 1000 winner Luke Youlden undercut that with a 1m58.68s tour of the circuit in a demonstration run for the Brabham BT62 track car in 2019.

That’s the time this week’s contenders are gunning for.

Mercedes is the team to beat at the 2024 Bathurst 12 Hour.

While Mercedes is confident it will beat those machines this weekend, the far more powerful SuperVan will be tough to match.

Benz goes into the race as hot favourites, having won the race for the last two years. Supercars stars such as Craig Lowndes, Cam Waters and David Reynolds join Mercedes specialists such as Engel and Gounon in a squadron of imposing race machines.

Porsche's Matt Campbell in action at the 2019 Bathurst 12 Hour.

Australia’s Matt Campbell leads Porsche’s operation, having secured victory in January’s Rolex Daytona 24 Hour.

But the fan favourite has to be MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who returns to the mountain after impressing on debut for BMW with the M4 GT3 last year.

Valentino Rossi at the Bathurst 12 Hour.

Bathurst 12 Hour event coverage on Fox Sports, Kayo and the Seven Network starts from 12.30pm on Saturday, while the race begins at 5.30am on Sunday.

Originally published as Ford SuperVan, Mercedes AMG to attempt Bathurst records