Bathurst 12 Hours Preview: Maro Engel Interview

‘Anything can happen, and it usually does’ is one of Murray Walker’s most famous lines from the commentary booth, but it’s an axiom that certainly fits Mount Panorama and one Maro Engel is well aware of. The German tackled the legendary mountain for the first time in the V8 Supercars last year, and is eager to return as Erebus Motorsport look to defend their Bathurst 12 Hours crown following an epic 2013 race in changeable conditions. 

Maro Engel rates Bathurst as one of the top
circuits in world motorsport. (Credit: Erebus Motorsport)

Engel is joined by young gun Nico Bastian and DTM legend Bernd Schneider, who formed part of the winning lineup last year, and is under no illusion of the challenge facing him against a strong international field of 44 cars, 14 of which will compete for outright honours in Class A GT3-spec machinery.

“There’s a very strong field of V8 Supercar drivers and internationals and you’ve got to give them a lot of respect,” Engel said. “At the same time, we’ll be working as hard as we can in the lead up to the race to make sure we put ourselves in the best position we can to win the race and defend our title, but the competition has stepped up a bit compared to last year so it’s certainly not going to be a walk in the park." 

With Schneider on the team, there comes a certain expectation that the car will run at the front, but Engel shrugged off suggestions that he will be under pressure to perform. 

“It’s just a positive really, it’s great to have Bernd in the team and his experience will be a big factor, as he’s won the race before.  Nico’s done very well at the Nordschleife and in various smaller categories, and he’s driven the SLS GT3 extensively, so he’ll go very well. As a whole team with Bernd and myself, it’s certainly a very strong combination and hopefully we’ll be pushing each other on so we can come out on top at the end of the day.”

Engel shone at Macau and was unlucky to be denied
the victory by a puncture. (Credit: Erebus Motorsport)

The 28 year-old has a proven track record in the SLS, with a win on his first time on Australian soil at Phillip Island in 2012, and set pole position and a GT lap record to boot on the streets of Macau last year only to be denied victory with a late puncture, so it shouldn't take long for Engel to acclimatise after a year racing the E63 AMG.

“The V8 Supercars are very different cars that require a unique driving style, which doesn’t quite apply as much to the SLS. You could say it’s more like what we Europeans are more familiar with in terms of driving style, downforce and performance of the cars.  It's great to jump back in the SLS which was competitive straight out of the box at Macau, the team did a great job of preparing it and I guess we did something which nobody really expected.

“It was really special, it was obviously great for me to see that I hadn’t lost any of the speed and I just needed a competitive car underneath me.  I’d have loved to finish off the job and take the win, and I think we were on to achieve that comfortably, we were out in front and everything was under control. It’s just a shame, 2013 certainly wasn’t a lucky number for me.”

It was undoubtedly a tough season for Engel in 2013, as he had to get to grips with a new set of cars, tracks, and drivers he had never raced with before.  But even if the results weren’t what he’d hoped for as Erebus Motorsport grappled with a power disparity and fuel economy issues, Engel will benefit enormously for having done the Bathurst 1000 alongside Steven Johnson, with circuit knowledge an extremely valuable commodity.

“Obviously track knowledge there is key, so the fact that I’ve done the 1000 there has given me a lot of laps and it’s always good to have a heads up and know the track, even though Bathurst is a place where you never stop learning,” he said.  “It’s one of those places where before the start you get a very special feeling, and you probably only have that feeling at Indianapolis, Le Mans and maybe the Nurburgring.  It’s a unique place.”

Maro Engel's Bathurst Track Guide

Maro Engel attacks the mountain on his Bathurst 
1000 debut in 2013. (Credit: Maro Engel)

“Bathurst is one of those iconic race tracks in the world, there’s very few of those around. There are some tracks that are just that little bit more special than any other track and Bathurst is very high on that last. It’s obviously very unique, it’s got a great history and driving a race car around there in anger is a very special feeling, going over the top of Mount Panorama with the walls so close, the succession of fast corners and that incredible descent.  You can feel that atmosphere on raceday early in the morning when the whole mountain is full of fans. Everyone is just living that buzz, it’s a great experience to be a part of.

“It’s very demanding, probably a mixture between an open, European style circuit down the bottom – you could compare it to Spa in some instances – and around the top I’ve tried to find comparisons and what seems closest to me is Macau, you’ve got the walls beside you all the way from the moment you get out of turn two all the way until you come down the Conrod Straight.  

"It has its own character, a lot of fast, blind corners around the top and gradient changes, it’s a big challenge. The sun will definitely be a factor in the later afternoon as it sets very low and you come around the top over Skyline, you’re blinded. When you do the track walk, you realise the place demands respect and its special, and that’s exactly how you have to treat it the first time you drive around there in a race car."