Campbell hunting repeat 12 Hour victory

AUSTRALIAN factory Porsche star Matt Campbell is eyeing off a special back-to-back win in his own backyard at this weekend's Meguiar's Bathurst 12 Hour.

Having won the race last year in Manthey EMA's Porsche 911 GT3R (992), the Queenslander returns to Mount Panorama with Absolute Racing, reuniting with Ayhancan Güven of Turkey, and new co-driver Alessio Picciarello of Belgium.

Campbell, who also won the 2019 12 Hour and the Allan Simonsen Pole Award in 2020, is looking forward to returning to his home event amid a busy international schedule with Porsche.

"It's always a highlight race for me, the only race I get to do at home these days," said the reigning 12 Hour winner on Thursday.

"Obviously it's been very good to me over the years. There's been a lot of good results and success, and coming off the win last year with Ayhancan and Laurens [Vanthoor].

"Looking forward to this weekend, obviously coming off Daytona last week, so I've been busy, but nevertheless looking forward to getting on track tomorrow."

The 29-year-old finished third at last weekend's 24 Hours of Daytona for Porsche Penske Motorsport in a Porsche 963 LMDh, and is contesting the IMSA SportsCar Championship alongside Frenchman Mathieu Jaminet this season.

Returning to Australia this weekend, Campbell says he is looking forward to a relaxed weekend at Bathurst, as he returns for what will likely be his only race in his homeland in 2025.

"I think it's always a very different race when you come into this weekend, at least for me," said Campbell at the Track to Town.

"It's always quite a relaxed weekend and I know this track so well, it's just nice for me. It's my home race, so for me I don't feel to busy or too stressed or anything like that, and even coming from another race into a different car."

This weekend, Campbell will be chasing his third 12 Hour crown to go with his 2019 and 2024 crowns, and will also be looking to keep a remarkable streak alive.

Campbell and Mercedes star Jules Gounon have won the last five Bathurst 12 Hours between them, with Gounon winning in 2020, 2022, and 2023.

"Obviously I'd love to go back-to-back. There's this big story this weekend about me and Jules and our success in the last few years at this race, either of us have won," Campbell added.

"But I'd love to be able to go back-to-back, I've had a really good run here over the past couple of years, always on the podium, so I'd love to replicate something like that and go back-to-back with Ayhancan.

"But there's 10 cars that can win this race, and we just have to see where we stand in the last hour."