Harrolds Volante Rosso enters Bathurst 12H

The team has confirmed the initial entry of their #101 Mercedes AMG GT3, with Ross Poulakis named as the lead driver.

The Mercedes AMG Customer Racing squad maid their racing debut in the Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS this season and has impressed with a series of highly competitive performances.

As well as taking several GT3 Am class race victories so far this year, the highlight saw the team claim a stunning third outright at Mount Panorama recently, in the three-hour GT Endurance Championship finale'.

There, Poulakis and international Aussie Jordan Love starred; Love qualifying fastest of the pro drivers, before the pair chased the leading Brad Schumacher-run Audi and the Triple Eight / Johor Motor Racing Mercedes all day - finishing on the lead lap and on the podium.

The result was doubly impressive given it was Poulakis' first attempt at taking on Mount Panorama.

The team heads to Adelaide's GT World Challenge Australia sprint season finale' this weekend with Poulakis in contention for a podium finish in the GT3 Am competition.

Harrolds Volante Rosso also field a GT4 car in the championship round this weekend, with Sam Brabham - who co-drives with Chris Batzios - second in that class ahead of the final round.

The Harrolds and Volante Rosso Motorsport partnership commenced mid-way through the 2022 season and has since flourished.

In its remarkable 37-year journey and counting, Harrolds has blossomed from a 90-square-metre space into a Business of Fashion-recognised Top 30 Global Menswear Retail Innovator, spanning three stores across Australia. 

To this very day, Harrolds remains a family-run enterprise, with Managing Directors Mary and Ross Poulakis at the helm.

Harrolds is the proud exclusive Australian retailer of worldwide icons, from Tom Ford to Amina Muaddi, Thom Browne and more. Combining a unique range of tailoring and contemporary luxury wear, Harrolds holds some of the most sought-after seasonal collections, year on year.

Volante Rosso was established in 2016 to bring the highest level of service to the racing & sports car market in Australia. The team is led by Chris Papadopoulos, an Engineer with a decade of Formula 1 experience and 5 constructors world championship victories as testament to his motorsport credentials.

Further details about the teams' attack on the February 3-5 event, including the remainder of the driving squad, will be announced following the final round of GT World Challenge Australia this weekend.

ROSS POULAKIS - Harrolds Racing

"Before November, competing at Mount Panorama was a dream and to leave there with a trophy and having stood on the Bathurst podium was incredible.

"Confirming our entry into the Bathurst 12 Hour is the next step for Harrolds Racing as we continue to dive headfirst into the world of GT Racing.

"The 12 Hour is one of the most prestigious and competitive races on the planet and to even talk about going there is exciting.

"The three-hour race was a great opportunity to get the experience we needed to feel confident to take the next big step and enter the 12-Hour next year."

JOSH HUNT - Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport

"We're excited to be working with Ross and the Harrolds crew to take the next step forward and tackle the Bathurst 12 Hour.

"As a team we have lots of experience in long-distance racing and we know we will put our best foot forward with a very competitive team.

"The pieces of the puzzle we have assembled have all come together well and we're very pleased with the team we have. The race will be competitive from others we know are running, but we want to be in a position to win our class and we think we have the ingredients in place."