British racer, and former ‘The Stig’, Ben Collins will head to Mount Panorama with Maranello Motorsport for the 2015 Bathurst 12-hour in February.
SEEKING BACK-TO-BACK wins, Maranello Motorsport announced V8 Supercars driver Tony D’Alberto and Mika Salo will join Collins in the team’s Ferrari 458 Italia. This will be Collins’ second trip to Mount Panorama after campaigning with Kelly Racing at the 2009 Bathurst 1000.
British driver Collins has multiple LeMans 24 Hour starts to his credit and this year raced with RAM Racing in the World Endurance Championship, driving a Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 car.
“The Le Mans 24 and Macau Guia Circuits are the most challenging and enjoyable tracks I’ve raced on, but Bathurst takes it to another level,” Collins said.
“To be racing in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour with reigning champions Maranello Motorsport is a fantastic opportunity for me.
“Bathurst is intense because, like Macau, it punishes the slightest transgression, and like Le Mans your focus has to be impregnable for a lot of laps. I’ve loved racing the Ferrari 458 GT in the World Endurance Championship this year and I cannot wait to ride one over the mountain.”
D’Alberto said he was keen to challenge for victory at Bathurst with the defending champions.
“I’m really grateful for opportunity to be with the reigning champion team. Maranello Motorsport has assembled a great line-up of drives which should make for an exciting event for us. I’m really pleased to be part of the event and the team.
“The Ferrari is a great car to drive and it’s good that I already have experience working with the team after working with them in Townsville earlier this year. It will be great to work with Mika and Ben to try and deliver a Bathurst win.”
The Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-hour runs from 6-8 February.
