Maranello Motorsport Confirms Pye And D’Alberto

Scott Pye and Tony D’Alberto will join ‘Flying Finns’ Mika Salo and Toni Vilander in a talent-packed Maranello Motorsport squad at this year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

The four drivers will share the McDonald’s Maranello Motorsport Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 as the team seeks to return to the top of the Bathurst podium following their thrilling victory in 2014. Pye is one of the rising stars of the V8 Supercars Championship and impressed in the 2015 championship after taking over the No. 17 DJR Team Penske Falcon from Marcos Ambrose early in the season.

His performances in the second half of the season were strong enough to convince team owner Roger Penske to add a second car to the Queensland squad for Pye to drive this year. Victorian D’Alberto raced with Maranello Motorsport in the 2015 Australian GT Championship and has multiple starts in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 both as a lead driver and a co-driver – most recently with Tim Slade.

Salo, an ex-Ferrari Formula 1 driver, and factory Ferrari GT pilot Vilander were confirmed in late 2015 and complete a remarkably strong driving squad.

Pye says he was looking forward to his first experience in top-flight GT Machinery.

“Everyone talks about the fact that every time you get to drive at Bathurst its special and I’ve been wanting to drive a GT car for a long time. I’m really excited and grateful for the opportunity,” he said.

“I’m going to grab it with both hands and do the best I can. Enduro time in the V8 Supercars is always fun – difficult, but fun, and I always enjoy teaming up with a co-driver.

The South Australian driver has had contesting the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in a GT car on his radar for some time, having started the race in a Production Car-specification Holden Astra in 2012.

“This race something I have wanted to do for a while now, but probably didn’t feel like I was completely ready last year and I wanted to focus on what we were doing in the main series,” he explained.

“So I thought I’d wait another year and this has come at the perfect time. You could say I have unfinished business at the Mountain and the 12-hour is a race I want to win. Maranello has done that in the past and I think it’s the right team with the right drivers to do just that.”

“The last time I drove a car lots of downforce was during my season in Formula 3 in 2011. Any time you go across the top of the Mountain it feels good and I’m looking forward to doing it in a car with lots of grip like the Ferrari.”

International Motorsport Confirms Bathurst Campaign

International Motorsport has confirmed its long awaited return to Mount Panorama in 2016, confirming its entry to the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race in Class A with an Audi R8 LMS Ultra with Andrew Bagnall, Rick Armstrong and Matt Halliday driving.

Traditionally known for its dominance in New Zealand with Porsche, International Motorsport introduced two of the Audi R8 GT3’s to its endurance campaign earlier this year, and has enjoyed success with the Audi’s performance and suitability to New Zealand tracks.

The Audi R8 GT3 LMS Ultra will leave this month for Bathurst after a successful lengthy testing session at Taupo Motorsport Park in December.

“We are elated to be returning to Bathurst” says team principal and Kiwi Motorsport heavy-weight Lyall Williamson. “It’s been a long time in the making, we’ve got fond memories of competing at Mount Panorama in years gone by especially winning the Bathurst 1000 in 1997 and the Audi R8’s are a magnificent platform to be returning to Australia with.”

International Motorsport’s 12 hour drivers are all veterans. Andrew Bagnall was the 2014 SIRDEC Endurance Champion, Rick Armstrong has endurance experience in New Zealand and New Zealand-born Motorsport professional, Matt Halliday was a former A1GP and FIA GT1 World Championship driver.