Tsunami RT Returns to Bathurst 12 Hour in 2027 with No. 79 Porsche

Photo: Bathurst 12 Hour

Tsunami RT is set to bring its No. 79 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo back to Mount Panorama for the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour in 2027. The return gives the Porsche team another opportunity to complete a race that ended prematurely on its first visit, and makes it the second entry confirmed for the next edition.

The 2027 race is scheduled for Feb. 11-14. Scott Taylor Motorsport was the first team to lodge an entry, earlier this month. Tsunami RT’s announcement establishes an early outline for the field, though its driver roster and further details of its plans are still to come.

A second chance after an early exit

Tsunami RT made its Bathurst debut in this year’s race, the opening round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. Its run ended after a major incident at the top of the Mountain involving Johannes Zelger and Ralf Aron’s Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. Team principal Valerio M. Speziali said both drivers were doing well, and the team is now preparing to return to the demanding Australian circuit.

The result left the team without the race finish it wanted, but it hasn’t dulled its interest in coming back. Speziali described the debut as the start of a new endurance challenge and the realization of a dream. The team’s stated aim for 2027 is to deliver a stronger performance and improve on its previous result.

That goal is straightforward, but Bathurst makes execution a particular test. Mount Panorama’s narrow, varied circuit asks drivers to maintain concentration lap after lap, with little room to treat any section casually. Speziali said the team understands the level of attention the venue demands and regards the race as one of its first major challenges of the 2027 season.

The No. 79 Porsche returns

The team also drew attention at its debut through the bright, multicolored livery on its No. 79 Porsche. The car became a fan favorite among a group of first-time entries, giving Tsunami RT a visible identity in a field that included established endurance racing teams. Its return keeps that car at the center of the team’s Bathurst plans, although the announcement does not specify whether the livery or driver combination will change.

Zelger, who is FIA Bronze-rated, is expected to remain part of the lineup. Speziali indicated that he would likely return, but the team has not confirmed the complete roster. No further driver names or technical details were provided, so the final composition of the entry remains open.

That uncertainty matters for an endurance race, where driver combinations and preparation shape how a team approaches the event. For now, Tsunami RT has committed to the return itself and says preparations are already underway. More information about the 2027 entry is expected closer to race week.

What the return says about Bathurst

Speziali pointed to the circuit, the enthusiasm of Australian fans and the event’s atmosphere as reasons the team wants to come back. Those factors made a strong impression despite the difficult end to the debut. For a new entrant, that response suggests Bathurst has value beyond the immediate result: the experience has given the team a clear target for its next endurance outing.

The return also gives Tsunami RT a chance to build on its first Intercontinental GT Challenge season. The team says that season is complete, and Speziali framed the Bathurst entry as part of its next step in endurance racing. He called Mount Panorama a legendary circuit and said the team was ready to take on the challenge again.

There is still a long lead-up before the Feb. 11-14 event, and a confirmed entry does not reveal how competitive the Porsche will be. The more useful measure will come when Tsunami RT publishes its driver lineup and demonstrates how its preparation has progressed. Its immediate objective is clear: bring the No. 79 back, get beyond the early exit, and make a stronger mark on its second visit Down Under.