The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour will return on February 2, 3 and 4 in 2018, continuing its traditional place at the head of the Australian Motor Sport season.

Tickets and Camping packages to the week-long celebration of all things motoring and motorsport will go on sale in early July though the official event website, www.bathurst12hour.com.au.

“The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour has established itself as the traditional start to the Australian motor racing calendar,” explained Event Director John Casey.

“The first weekend in February also allows for international teams and drivers to compete without any clashes with other events and has become a great tradition.

“We have already received strong interest in the 2018 event and look forward to working with the Bathurst Regional Council, Liqui-Moly Australia and our great partners to continue to grow this world-class event.”

This year a record Bathurst 12 Hour grid of 52 cars started the race, won by Maranello Motorsport’s Ferrari 488 GT3 driven by Toni Vilander, Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup.

A record crowd of more than 40,000 people – up more than 7 per cent on the previous year – attended the event, while the Live TV coverage on the Seven Network reached more than 1.2 million people on the Sunday.

A further 800,000 live streams were recorded across the Saturday and Sunday of the event.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the partnership had seen continued growth of the event which attracts an elite field of participants and an increasing number of visitors to the region.

“The 2016 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour attracted more than 11,000 overnight visitors to the region who injected $6.3 million into the local economy,” Mr Marshall said.

“I’m pleased to confirm that the NSW Government has signed a three-year agreement with the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour, to continue supporting the event until 2019.

“Growing tourism in rural and regional NSW is a top priority for the NSW Government, and as a Minister who lives in rural NSW, I am personally committed to this objective.

“Partnering with events like the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour help cement the state as the home of motorsport in Australia, and drive us towards our goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure in NSW by 2020.”

Mayor of Bathurst Cr Graeme Hanger OAM also welcomed the date announcement.

“The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour has firmly established its position as an international endurance event that is on the must-do list of both national and international drivers and teams,” Mr Hanger said.

“Staging the race at the start of the Australian motor sport season will ensure a strong field of contenders taking on the challenge of Mount Panorama, Australia’s premier motor sport venue.”