HubAuto Racing confirm star-studded line-up of Porsche drivers for Bathurst 12 Hour
HubAuto Racing has announced an all-star line-up for next month’s Repco Bathurst 12 Hour, with Porsche drivers Kévin Estre, Patrick Pilet and Klaus Bachler set to take on the Mount Panorama Circuit on 16-18 February.
The Taipei-based team took on a busy 2023 campaign with Porsche, with two entries in the GT World Challenge Asia and the FIA Macau GT World Cup. Now, the squad is gearing up for a crack at Australia’s biggest GT3 race with the #39 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992).
Porsche Penske Motorsport driver Estre has extensive experience on the mountain, finishing third in the Pro-Am category in 2018. Fellow Frenchman Pilet returns to the race for the first time since 2020, where he clinched fourth on his only appearance at the event. Meanwhile, Bachler will be making his Bathurst 12 Hour debut in a continuation of his busy start to 2024, which will also see him take on the Rolex 24 at Daytona and Rounds 3-5 of the Asian Le Mans Series in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The trio raced together as recently as October 2023, when they teamed up at the MOTUL Petit Le Mans, where they clinched an impressive second-placed finish.
Kévin Estre: “I’m glad to be back at Bathurst with HubAuto Racing. It’s one of the best tracks in the world and the competition is strong this year. I can’t wait to drive on the mountain and share the car with Klaus and Patrick. We make a good team and finished second in the last race we did together, so let’s try and improve to the top step!”
Patrick Pilet: “I’m extremely happy to join HubAuto Racing for this amazing event. I’ve experienced Bathurst once before, it’s a brilliant circuit and definitely a race win I would like to add to my collection. Teaming up with Klaus and Kévin again will be a pleasure, so I’m looking forward to getting out on track.”
Klaus Bachler: “I’m really excited to take on Bathurst with HubAuto Racing. Mount Panorama is one of the best tracks in the world and I can’t wait to make my debut in this amazing race. It will be a big challenge, with plenty of competition, but it’s awesome to share the car with Kévin and Patrick and we’re ready to fight for victory.”
Morris Chen, Team Owner and Principal HubAuto Racing: “We’re really happy to have Klaus, Kévin and Patrick for HubAuto Racing’s return to Bathurst. They work well together and it’s a wonderful opportunity to have them join us. We’re confident we have the right combination of skills and experience, which places us in an excellent position for success. This synergy, and the ongoing support from our fans and partners is of utmost importance. We’re ready to make them all proud at Mount Panorama.”
Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.: “We’re excited to see HubAuto Racing taking on the Bathurst 12 Hour with such a strong line-up. Kévin, Patrick and Klaus are all very talented drivers with plenty of experience racing the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), so we’re feeling confident ahead of the event. Bathurst is always a very special event, and this year is the first time the new 911 GT3 R takes on the mountain – we are really looking forward to being on site and working to support our customer team HubAuto Racing in their first attempt at this iconic race with Porsche, and we’re hoping to see a competitive performance in February.”