KTM and M-Motorsport is set to expand its GT4 programme in 2018, with entries for its two KTM X-Bows in the Dubai 24 Hours and Bathurst 12 Hour in January and February.

“After that great run in Bathurst our plan was always to do more with the KTM this year,” M-Motorsport team boss Justin McMillan explained. “Sadly the local market for GT4 didn’t do what we’d all hoped for 2017, so Glen [Wood] and I shot over to Beijing mid-year for a round of China GT where we grabbed two second-placed finishes, and from there started talking to KTM and Reiter Engineering about expanding plans for 2018.

“Almost immediately after Bathurst we started fielding calls from people who were interested in the X-Bow and wanted to be a part of the program for the 2018 12-Hour, and having effectively dominated this years event up to that silly electrical issue [the electrical loom melted internally in the car due to it’s proximity to the exhaust] KTM wanted to prove a point too with a 2018 return and victory.”

Despite campaigning two Reiter Engineering ‘factory’ stars in 2017, M-Motorsport and KTM have elected for an all-Australian entry for next year’s Liqui Moly 12-Hour, with a mixed selection of drivers – some with championship winning credentials, and others with international experience..

“I’ll be in the #48 Interlloy entry again this year, but joining me will be multiple Australian Driver’s Champion Tim Macrow, emerging Radical star David Crampton, and one of Reiter Engineering’s fast young hopefuls, who also happens to be Australian – 2016 Reiter Young Stars winner Caitlin Wood..

“Caitlin has been campaigning the 2017 Blancpain GT Sprint Series in Europe with Reiter Engineering in a Lamborghini Gallardo R-EX GT3 alongside Tomas Enge – who drove with us last year – and she has proven very competitive, although unlike the rest of us in the #48 machine, she hasn’t raced yet at Bathurst.

“Whilst our goal is to be right in the mix at the front of the GT4 field, the goal for the #49 car is victory. Unlike last year where we had a couple of European stars (Enge and Reinhard Kofler), this year we’ve gone for a selection of young guys who whilst successful in a variety of categories, aren’t ranked too highly because they’re not professional full-time drivers, but we expect they’ll be capable of running with the leaders.”

M-Motorsport favourite Glen Wood will lead the #49 team, the Australian GT race winner and 2017 Bathurst 12-Hour team member will be joined by Trent Harrison, another young driver who has enjoyed success in a variety of cars over many years [including – like Wood – the Australian Formula Ford Championship] but has not competed at an international level after electing to focus on his career, whilst Cody Hill too has had cameo appearances in a variety of categories around the world including the 2016 Dubai 24-Hour race where he campaigned a Renault Clio Cup car.

On the invitation of KTM and Reiter Engineering, McMillan and Wood will join Reiter favourite Peter Kox and experienced gentleman driver Nico Pronk in Dubai in mid-January for the 24-hour event.

“We’re really looking forward to it,” McMillan admitted. “It will be another good opportunity to get miles in the car, but also to work again with the Reiter Engineering team, some of whom will also join us at Bathurst. It’s going to be the ideal preparation.”

For the remainder of the 2018 12-Hour team, they are all busy preparing for the rigours of Mount Panorama in summer, with drivers like David Crampton already on an intense training program.