Erebus Motorsport field six-man squad for Bathurst 12 Hour
Fresh from taking victory in the Dubai 24 Hour earlier this month, it will be Schneider's first competitive visit to Mount Panorama. He was previously at the Mountain for a private AMG event in 2008 and dominated the 2012 Australian GT Championship finale at Homebush in December.
"I am very happy to be coming to Bathurst and racing with Erebus Motorsport," said Schneider. "It is considered to be one of the world's greatest tracks, it's a fantastic challenge for any driver, but to be part of this Erebus Motorsport team and chasing the 12 Hour victory for AMG Customer Sports is a very special thing.
"I enter the event with some momentum after winning the Dubai 24 Hour with Black Falcon and before that the win for Erebus in Sydney."
Schneider is joined in the #36 Gullwing by FIA GT1 World Team Champion Thomas Jäger, who showed every inch why he is a current World Champion with his stunning charge from the rear of grid at the Armor All Gold Coast 600 in October.
"After winning in Dubai last year, the SLS AMG GT3 finished second at Bathurst. Now that the race in Dubai has been won again, we are happy to support Erebus Motorsport in ending the dominance of recent years. We will be giving it our best shot," said Jäger.
The third driver in the international machine is 32-year-old Alexander Roloff. Whilst considered the 'gentleman driver' in the #36, by no means will he be just a lunchtime fill in. Throughout 2012, Roloff took two victories for the ROWE RACING AMG Customer Sports team in the VLN Series on the Nurburgring Nordschleife and backed that up with a second and third placing.
In the Australian #63 machine, the lineup is no less impressive. It will be spearheaded by Erebus Motorsport V8 Supercar drivers - Tim Slade and Lee Holdsworth, Slade having his first taste of the famed Gullwing at last year's Bathurst 12 Hour.
Slotting in with the V8 Supercar guns will be Peter Hackett - who finished second in 2012's Australian GT Championship. Not only does he have plenty of experience as a pilot of the Gullwing, but also with the entire AMG range in his role as a driver trainer with the Mercedes-Benz Driver Academy.
The week following the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour at Sydney Motorsport Park, Holdsworth and Slade will publicly debut the new Erebus Motorsport E-Class V8 Supercars at the official public test. With another manufacturer having won the last two Bathurst 12 Hour races, Erebus Motorsport has been strategising how it can go one better in this year's event.
"Erebus Motorsport has been focused on this event since leaving in February," explained CEO, Ryan Maddison.
"To come so close last year was a stinging blow. With Erebus Motorsport's expanded relationship with Germany over the last year, the team at AMG Customer Sports has supported us to achieve the maximum.
"To combine the overall experience of Bernd Schneider on any racetrack around the world with Thomas Jäger and two guys that have plenty of experience at Mount Panorama in Lee Holdsworth and Tim Slade - it's a potent mix. Add to those Alexander Roloff and Peter Hackett - both of whom are right up there with the most experienced SLS AMG GT3 drivers in the world.
"Australian race fans will have a real treat in seeing someone like Bernd Schneider operate on Mount Panorama - which, being a European style track, is his natural habitat aboard the car that he and Thomas effectively built from scratch on AMG Customer Sports' behalf."
Erebus Motorsport will carry support for its Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour effort from its tyre technical partner, Michelin along with Snap-On Tools, King's Apparel and KOOGA. The team will comprise a full Australian crew for both cars with assistance coming from AMG Customer Sports.
EREBUS MOTORSPORT LIQUI-MOLY BATHURST 12 HOUR DRIVER STATS:
Car #36 Notes:
Bernd Schneider
- 5 times DTM Champion (1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006)
- FIA GT Champion (1997)
- Former Formula 1 driver
- First German World Karting Champion
- Dubai 24 Hour winner (2013)
- Winner of final round, Australian GT Championship (2012)
Thomas Jäger
- FIA GT1 World Team Champion (2012)
- Dubai 24 Hour winner (2012)
- Porsche Carrera Cup Germany Champion (2009)
- MINI Challenge Germany Champion (2006)
Alexander Roloff
- 2 round wins in VLN Endurance Series (2012)
- VLN Series Round 6 winner (2011)
- Porsche Carrera Cup Germany (2004-2006)
- Renault Clio Cup (2002-2003)
- Former competitor World & European Karting Championships
Car #63 Notes:
Tim Slade
- 5th in 2012 V8 Supercar Championship (2012)
- 2nd Bathurst 12 Hour (2012)
- 1 V8 Supercar Pole Position
- 6 V8 Supercar Podium Finishes
Lee Holdsworth
- 8th in 2012 V8 Supercar Championship (2012)
- 2 V8 Supercar Race Wins
- 4 V8 Supercar Pole Positions
- 12 V8 Supercar Podium Finishes
- Bathurst 12 Hour debut
Peter Hackett
- 2nd Australian GT Championship (2012)
- 2nd Bathurst 12 Hour (2012)
- 3 Australian GT Championship wins (2012)
- 9 Australian GT Podium Finishes (2012)
- 2001 Australian Formula 3 Champion
The 2013 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour race will begin at 7am on Sunday, February 10, and run right through to 7pm. Practise starts on Friday, February 8, with qualifying on Saturday, February 9.
