Disaster struck the Team New Zealand racing team at the 12Hours of Bathurst earlier today when a Free Practice accident saw their #7 Aston Martin Racing Vantage GT4 incur significant rear end damage after contact with the outside wall.
Having already circulated around the Mount Panorama circuit without incident for the Graham Dowsett, Romain Leroux and Chris Van Der Drift driven car, the #7 crew were the fastest GT4 classed crew sitting a respectable P33 out of the thirty-five strong runners after the first session available to them.
To end the day of track action was the second bronze driver only session of the day where Dowsett would again run solo with his like graded peers and for his twelve laps completed, was still the fastest of the two GT4 entries.
However, disaster struck the gentleman driver as #21 Herberth Porsche came through into Sulman Park where the line of the Aston Martin was disturbed and the car drifted out onto the marbles to back heavily into the concrete retaining wall. Not as visually spectacular as the R-Motorsport AMR Vantage GT3 at the same corner a few years ago, Dowsett was able to remove himself from his race car unaided and without injury.
Upon later inspection, the team have since confirmed that the damage is not repairable at the circuit and have since withdrawn from further proceedings as a result.
A sad ending for all concerned as that leaves just the Volante Rosso team again flying the AMR flag at the event within the GT3 Pro-Am class.
Photo credits – Team / Bathurst 12Hr / social media