Bathurst 12 Hour winners Bernd Schneider and Thomas Jaeger will return to the Erebus Motorsport line-up in 2016.
The duo will be joined by fellow AMG drivers Maro Engel and Nico Bastian, with teenager Austin Cindric, and V8 Supercar driver David Reynolds, completing the two-car line-up.
With multiple GT endurance race wins including the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour, and five DTM Championships to his name, Schneider, will lead the #63 SLS AMG GT3 entry alongside 2014 Allan Simonsen trophy winner, Engel, and 17-year-old American, Cindric.
The sister #36 entry will be piloted by 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour winner Jaeger, ADAC GT Masters driver, Bastian, and V8 Supercar driver and Carrera Cup Champion, Reynolds.
Erebus Motorsport’s Barry Ryan is confident that the two-car line-up is the strongest ever campaigned by the team, which has finished twice on the podium in the past, in addition to its win in 2013.
“We’re confident that this year we’ve put together our best line-up ever,” said Ryan.
“We’ve had fantastic combinations in the past, but we believe the blend of maturity and youth in the #63, and the experience in the #36, will maximise the performance of the cars.”
Erebus Motorsport GT Team Principal, Daniel Klimenko, is pleased with team’s entry for what will be its final Bathurst 12 Hour with the storied SLS AMG GT3.
“We’ve got great hopes for this year – as usual we have two cars with line-ups which have the potential to win,” said Klimenko.
“From the youth of Austin to the experience of Bernd, I think this is the best line-up we’ve had.
“And given that it’s the last year which our SLSs will compete at the 12 Hour, for us, it’s a great way to see out the car.”
With GT endurance race wins at Spa, Dubai, and Nurburgring, AMG driver, Schneider, will provide valuable experience and maturity.
“Bernd’s resume speaks for itself,” said Ryan.
“He’s accomplished so much in his career including five DTM Championships and wins at many international GT endurance races, including with us at the 12 Hour.
“It’s always a privilege to welcome such a great motorsport Champion into our team, and we always learn from Bernd in some way.”
Schneider, who has raced the 12 Hour twice, both with Erebus Motorsport, is eager to return.
“It is a great pleasure for me to be invited to come back to Australia again and contest the Bathurst 12 Hour with Erebus Motorsport and AMG Customer Sports, especially after the impressive victory in 2013,” said Schneider.
“I am looking forward to the upcoming race.”
A long association with the team including winning the Allan Simonsen Trophy at the 2014 12 Hour, and sweeping the Phillip Island round of the Australian GT Championship in 2012, Engel also raced with the team in 2013 in the V8 Supercars Championship.
“I have great memories racing for Erebus Motorsport – one of them was taking Pole at the 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour,” said Engel.
“I’m really happy to be returning to Bathurst – it’s such an amazing track and event that sits firmly among the top endurance races in the world.
“It has always been a huge pleasure working with Barry [Ryan] and the whole team, so I am really looking forward to getting to work with everyone again.
“Together with Bernd and Austin we’ll have a really strong line-up that should give us a good chance to fight for the win, so we will do everything we can to put the Erebus Motorsport SLS on the top step of the podium!”
In 2015, Cindric made Bathurst history as the youngest ever driver to race the 6.2km circuit.
Now 17 years old, the American youngster will return with more experience under his belt after his sensational debut last year.
“I am really grateful to Erebus Motorsport for giving me another chance to run with such a great team at one of the best races in the world,” said Cindric.
“I feel that I learned a lot last year and hopefully that experience will help me go to the next level this year.
“I couldn’t ask for a better learning environment and I appreciate Bernd and Maro agreeing to drive with a 17 year old kid!
“I realize this is a tremendous opportunity and I can’t wait to get started!”
With various racing credits to his name including the German Mini Challenge Championship and the Carrera Cup Germany Championship, Jaeger won the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour with Erebus Motorsport in what was, extraordinarily, the AMG driver’s first attempt.
“Participating in the Bathurst 12 Hour with Erebus Motorsport for the first time and winning the race is one of my best experiences in racing!” said Jaeger.
“It was a great success and I´m looking forward to working with the team again, the guys are great and I feel very relaxed with them all.
“Bathurst is a very challenging track, and definitely one of my preferred.”
Well acquainted with the Mount Panorama Circuit, 2015 Bathurst 1000 pole-getter, Reynolds, will debut in the SLS AMG GT3 at the 12 Hour next week.
“What a track to kick off the 2016 season– one of the best tracks in Australia!” said Reynolds.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve competed in a GT race and it will be my first in an SLS AMG GT3, and my first with my new team, Erebus Motorsport.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the car with two great drivers in Nico and Thomas, and hopefully I can get up to speed quickly.
“This race requires a bit of a different mindset than a V8 Supercar race – there is a lot more variety in machinery with varying speed differentials, and it’s double the length of a Bathurst 1000 so it requires a lot more from you as a driver.
“It’s a great way to start the year off.”
Keen to see Reynolds race the SLS in anger, Klimenko is confident in the new Erebus Motorsport signing, particularly given his recent introduction to the gullwing at a test.
“In my eyes, Dave has turned a corner in his career the last few years and is driving better than ever,” said Klimenko.
Given his experience at Bathurst, and his recent test, I’m really looking forward to seeing how Dave will perform.
“And it’s always great to have Supercar guys come and play in our GT pond!”
With plenty of GT experience including the ADAC GT Masters and the VLN Endurance Championship, AMG driver, Bastian, will round out the #36 entry.
“I am really looking forward to going back to Bathurst with Erebus Motorsport,” said Bastian.
“We were unlucky in 2014 when we suffered a technical issue after we led the race for nine hours, so in 2016 we all want to bring home the win.
“It will be more difficult as the race gets bigger each year and driver line-ups look super competitive, but we accept the challenge and we’ll fight hard!”
Erebus Motorsport will hold a test day at Winton Raceway on January 29 in the lead-up to the Bathurst 12 Hour.
EREBUS MOTORSPORT 2016 BATHURST 12 HOUR DRIVERS
Car 36
Thomas Jaeger
David Reynolds
Nico Bastian
Car 63
Bernd Schneider
Maro Engel
Austin Cindric