TWO Pilatus stickers on the front of Triple Eight’s Pro Class entry in the 2024 Repco Bathurst 12 Hour are a small nod to how seriously the Supercars powerhouse is tackling a rather large challenge.
The team is this year chasing a Bathurst double, fielding two Mercedes-AMGs in the Bathurst 12 Hour one weekend and its pair of Red Bull Ampol Racing Camaros in the opening round of the Repco Supercars Championship at the same venue the next.
Enter Pilatus, which will supply a light aircraft to ferry drivers and key staff directly from Bathurst to Brisbane – where the Triple Eight team is based – and back again between the two events.
It means those doing both race meetings can minimise their time away without the usual combination of commercial flights to and from Sydney and road trips through the Blue Mountains either side.
“It’s a little bit flashy but it’s more efficient,” says Triple Eight team manager Mark Dutton, noting that the Pilatus arrangement came through Triple Eight’s new driver Will Brown, who is also a keen aviator.
“Will flies planes and he’s got mates, so we were able to strike up a deal to get some direct flights.”
Triple Eight’s Supercars drivers and engineers will be among those flying back and forth between the events.
“The engineers can work remotely from Bathurst, but it’s not as efficient as getting them home,” adds Dutton.
“Because we can do it this way, we can opt for the best way for performance and looking after the crew. You want people to be able to see their families and things like that too.”
Read the full version of this feature on Triple Eight’s quest for the Bathurst SuperFest double in the 2024 Repco Bathurst 12 Hour Official Program.
The 104-page publication is available to pre-order now in the V8 Sleuth Superstore and will be sold trackside at the event’s Official Merchandise stand.
