Hopes of a Kiwi victory at this year's Bathurst 1000 have been boosted, with Earl Bamber confirmed as Andre Heimgartner's teammate for the 2021 Mount Panorama classic.
Bamber, 30, will return to Bathurst for the first time since 2018, when he teamed with compatriot Shane van Gisbergen, finishing in fifth place.
This time, Bamber will drive for Kelly Grove Racing, with fellow Kiwi Heimgartner, 25.
The Kiwi is no stranger to endurance racing success, after winning the Le Mans 24-hour race in 2015 and 2017 with Porsche, as well as the world endurance championship in the LMP1 - also in 2017.
"I'm thrilled to be joining the guys at Kelly Grove Racing for this year's Bathurst 1000," Bamber says. "For me, success at Mount Panorama in the 1000 is one of the items on my racing bucket list and to do it with Andre, who's a fellow Kiwi, would be fantastic.
"When I raced at the Bathurst 1000 in 2018, the atmosphere was incredible, the race means so much to the fans and the teams, and it's the one race that every single driver wants to win. It's one of the coolest and most competitive endurance events that I've raced in.
"The team are all really pushing hard with the car development at the moment too and the results of that are starting to show, so it's definitely an exciting time for Kelly Grove Racing and I'm looking forward to being part of that."
The 2021 Bathurst 1000 will be held from October 7-10.
