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Former Supercars driver Maro Engel has guided Team GMR to victory in a chaotic Bathurst 12-hour as Ford’s sole entrant crashed out after hitting a kangaroo.
Sunday’s race was also marred by several crashes, including the early morning incident in which the kangaroo was struck by a car racing at 250km/h.
Germany’s Engel crossed the finish line first in the No.888 Mercedes at Mount Panorama to snare victory with co-drivers Mikael Grenier and Maxime Martin.
The factory-backed Mercedes outfit won the 262-lap marathon by 1.036 seconds ahead of Team High Class Racing in second.
Legendary MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi was third in the No.26 Team WRT BMW, after finishing second last year. One-time Supercars champion Will Brown led the No.183 Jamec Racing-Team MPC Audi to fourth in front of 55,231 fans.
The dramatic crash involving leader Ralf Aron’s No.77 Mercedes and the No.79 Porsche of Johannes Zelger.Credit: Bathurst 12 Hour
The race was suspended under the red flag for an hour after then-race leader Ralf Aron’s No.77 Mercedes burst into flames following a collision with the No.79 Porsche of Johannes Zelger.
Unaware Zelger had spun to a halt after the bend at Forrest Elbow, Aron obliterated his car after rocketing into the Porsche with three hours and 40 minutes remaining.
Aron’s No.77 Mercedes wasn’t the only car to be engulfed in flames, with Supercars driver James Golding suffering a similar fate.
Blanchard Racing Team driver Golding had failed to recover after brushing the barrier on the run to McPhillamy Park, resulting in a heavy airborne collision against the concrete wall.
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