Caruso eyeing unique Bathurst touring car double

Caruso is one of a number of drivers now facing double duties at Mount Panorama thanks to what is effectively a combining of the Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst International race meetings.

While the schedule is yet to be locked in, he's likely to be contesting the Bathurst 400 in his Alfa Romeo TCR car earlier in the week, before switching his focus to his co-driver role alongside Mark Winterbottom at Team 18 for the Bathurst 1000.

According to Caruso, the challenge of switching from a relatively low-power, front-wheel-drive TCR car to the V8 rear-wheel-drive Supercar isn't one that he's phased about.

Instead he's focused on winning the unique touring car double as the two categories come together on Australia's biggest racing stage.

“I’m really looking forward to double duties at Bathurst, especially in two really different styles of touring cars,” said Caruso.

“Any time you race at Bathurst, it’s special, regardless of what car you are in.

“When I did double duties in the development series and Supercars, those cars handled different, and needed to be driven differently, so you just adapted and got on with it.

“I can’t see this being any more of a challenge to that, and it will be a bonus to have more track time. It will help get myself into the zone for the big race on Sunday.

"It’s a massive week for the sport, and something really special. Who knows if we’ll get to do anything like this ever again.

“I’m going there in both cars with a good opportunity to win. It would be great to take out the touring car double at Bathurst.”

Caruso hasn't raced since the TCR Australia season came to an abrupt stop right after his breakthrough win at Sydney Motorsport Park back in May.

It's not yet clear how drivers will tackle double or even triple duties across the combined Bathurst week, particularly those in 'primary' Supercars seats.

Shane van Gisbergen is unlikely to drive Triple Eight's GT entry, while it's yet to be determined what the likes of Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert will do about their respective GT commitments.

Mostert could feasibly face triple duties through his involvement with both the GT and TCR Australia programmes at Melbourne Performance Centre.

He currently leads the TCR Australia standings.

Mostert's Bathurst 1000 co-driver Lee Holdsworth is also a TCR Australia regular, as are Tony D'Alberto (Dick Johnson Racing co-driver), James Moffat (Tickford co-driver) and Dylan O'Keeffe (Team Sydney co-driver).