Endurance

Defending Bathurst 12 Hour winner seals 2022 return

Defending Bathurst 12 Hour winner Jules Gounon has joined SunEnergy1 Racing for this year's round-the-clock enduro.

Andrew van Leeuwen

Published: Apr 22, 2022, 3:30 AM

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SunEnergy1 Racing

The SunEnergy1 crew, spearheaded by US-based expat Aussie Kenny Habul, has become a regular starter at Mount Panorama in recent years.

For this year's race Habul will share the Pro-Am entry with Martin Konrad, Luca Stolz and Gounon, who won the 2020 edition as a factory Bentley driver.

The SunEnergy1 Mercedes will be run by Triple Eight, alongside its primary Mercedes that will be driven by Shane van Gisbergen, Broc Feeney and Prince Jefri Ibrahim.

"We're still with AMG, they've been good to me. I won the Pro-Am trophy with SRO last year which was nice," said Habul.

"I've got a good group of drivers around me I like, the same group of AMG drivers around me.

"Whenever there's a Pro-Am race I always drive with Martin Konrad, he's quick and fast.

"Luca Stolz is a great guy, super-fast and then Jules Gounon who used to be Bentley factory team but is now with AMG.

"We like each other, we get along and everyone is pretty similar on the setup.

"Congratulations to the series and everyone in the race to make it a Pro-Am race, it makes it so much better for us rather than me going up against the Pros.

"I'm excited. I'm thankful it's back on and I know everyone is keen to get there."

SunEnergy1 Racing's best finish so far at the Bathurst 12 Hour was a second outright in 2018 for Habul, Jamie Whincup, Tristan Vautier and Raffaele Marciello.

"It's my favourite race in the world and in my opinion the best track in the world," said Habul about the 12 Hour.

"I've done okay racing around the GT series – Suzuka, Spa, South Africa and Daytona – but to me [Bathurst is] the most special, it's the most difficult.

"I grew up going to the races there and I worked with [Peter] Brock as a teenager in 1987, and worked with teams in the 1990s and I even bought the property there on Conrod [Straight], which I haven't seen yet!

"It's been tough not being there for a couple of years, but it's my favourite track and favourite race and I'm excited."

The 2022 Bathurst 12 Hour will take place on May 13-15.

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