BATHURST 12 Hour contenders Craft-Bamboo Racing have locked in a replacement for injured driver Lucas Auer.
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport confirmed via social media that Auer’s place in the #77 entry for this weekend will be taken by Philip Ellis.
Auer was set to combine with Daniel Juncadella and Nicky Catsburg in the Craft-Bamboo car before the Austrian suffered “significant fractured lumbar injuries” in a practice crash at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Craft-Bamboo quickly set about exploring its options and has now settled on factory Mercedes driver Ellis to round out its all-Pro line-up.
MORE: Every driver racing in the 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour
“Philip Ellis will replace Lucas Auer in the #77 Mercedes AMG Team Craft-Bamboo for the Bathurst 12 Hour, starting February 3,” Mercedes-AMG Motorsport announced on Twitter.
“We continue to wish Luggi a fast recovery!”
There are eight Pro entries in the 26-car field for the February 3-5 event at Mount Panorama.
Ellis, 30, is a German-born Brit with race-winning credentials in both DTM and IMSA.
He was sharing the Winward Racing Mercedes which Auer crashed at Daytona, with the team continuing on into the iconic race by calling up Canada’s Daniel Morad as an injury replacement.
Craft-Bamboo finished second in the 2022 Bathurst 12 Hour, only behind the Mercedes of SunEnergy1 Racing.
