Bottas will drive the ex-Perkins VK Commodore in the Heritage Touring Cars category at the Adelaide event, alongside other classic Group A and C touring cars.
This Group A Commodore is noteworthy in that it was one of the first cars built by the Perkins Engineering team. It marked the beginning of Larry Perkins’ long and successful spell as a ‘privateer’ entrant (and supplier of chassis and a range of componentry to other Commodore privateers), following on from the glory years with Peter Brock’s Holden Dealer Team, and then a single outing with Dick Johnson in the latter’s Ford Mustang in 1985.
“We can't think of a better car for Valtteri at this year’s event,” says Adelaide Motorsport Festival event director Tim Possingham. “This car was originally made right here in Adelaide at the Holden factory and then went on to be prepared as a Group A touring car. It has some rich Formula 1 history itself with former Formula 1 world champion Denny Hulme racing the car alongside Larry Perkins. We can't wait to see Valtteri push this piece of quintessential 1980s Aussie V8 muscle around the Adelaide Motorsport Festival circuit.”
Bottas may have not have even been born when Larry Perkins raced this car, but the Finnish F1 ace and Perkins share a historical connection. Just as Bottas has raced for the Alfa Romeo team for the past two seasons, during Perkins’ F1 career he also raced with Alfa Romeo power, with the Brabham team in 1976.
Held the week prior to the Australian Grand Prix, the Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival is a museum in motion, featuring historic, rare and significant F1 machines and sports cars, V8 Supercars and Group C and A touring cars on the Victoria Park section of the Adelaide Street Circuit. For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.
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