McLaren names drivers for three-car Bathurst 12 Hour assault

McLaren has announced the names of the nine drivers who will pilot the manufacturer's 650S GT3 cars in February's Bathurst 12 Hour.

Two of the three cars will be fielded by V8 squad Tekno Autosport, with both the teams' outgoing V8SC driver Shane van Gisbergen and new signing Will Davison on board for the race.

Van Gisbergen, who finished fourth in the 2014 edition of the event, will partner McLaren factory man Alvaro Parente and Tekno owner Jonathan Webb.

Davison, meanwhile, will share the other car with McLaren duo Andrew Watson and Rob Bell, the latter having partnered van Gisbergen (and new Porsche signing Kevin Estre) on their way to two Blancpain Endurance Series wins for the 650S GT3 this year.

The remaining car will be run by Objective Racing, with a line-up featuring team boss Tony Walls, V8 regular Tim Slade, Pirtek Enduro Cup winner Warren Luff and Porsche Carrera Cup Australia frontrunner Matt Campbell.

"The Bathurst 12 Hour is one of the most fantastic races on the motorsport calendar, both for spectators and for drivers," said McLaren's Andrew Kirkaldy. "It is great to partner with Tekno Autosport - a new team on the GT grid, and having such a strong line-up of drivers in the cars underlines how seriously they are approaching the challenge.

"Having being part of the 2014 line-up, I can vouch for how tough this endurance race is, but it is definitely one of the most exhilarating.

"The 650S GT3 has enjoyed a strong debut season across the globe, including in Australia, and I am really pleased to see Tekno Autosport and Objective Racing on the grid, and they will be hopefully both be pushing for the podium positions"