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- Mercedes-AMG Team GMR won after starting from a record 29th position.
- A record-breaking crowd of 55,000 spectators attended the 2026 event.
- Valentino Rossi secured a podium finish for the BMW WRT team.
- Ford and Chevrolet debuted new Mustang and Corvette GT3 race cars.
- Chaz Mostert’s race ended early after a collision with Jayden Ojeda.
There’s never been a better time to be a motorsports fan in Australia. We have the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Melbourne, the Bathurst 1000, and the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, which I have previously described as the best motor racing spectacle in the country. However, sitting here at the top of Mount Panorama at 5:45 am in the morning watching some of the best endurance racing drivers in the world fight for position at the Bathurst 12 Hour behind the wheel of Mercedes-AMGs, Ferraris, Corvettes, Audis, Porsches, and BMWs, I’m not sure there’s a place I’d rather be.
While the record crowd at this year’s event topped 55,000 people, its status as a top GT endurance race in the world is still somewhat underappreciated by local fans. Nürburgring Nordschleife attracts 280,000 spectators, Spa-Francorchamps manages more than 100,000, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans just set an attendance record with 332,000. It’s amazing that a race just three hours from Sydney attracts only a quarter of the number of spectators you’ll find at a Bathurst 1000. But I’m not sure it will stay this way for long.
If this is your first time hearing of the Bathurst 12 Hour, there are a few things to know. The GT3 cars in the race are quicker around Mount Panorama than a V8 Supercar, the driver line-up contains some of the best endurance racers in the world, with multiple 24 Hours of Nürburgring Winners, 24 Hours of Spa Winners, IMSA Daytona 24 Hour Winners, a 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans Winner in Matt Campbell, and even the man himself “The Doctor” Valentino Rossi claimed a podium at the event this year.
Spectacle
It attracts drivers and teams from all over the world, but the Bathurst 12 Hour also makes a fantastic weekend away from Sydney. If you’re keen to take a few days off, Thursday is the Town to Track parade, where you can witness the multimillion-dollar machines drive through the Bathurst town centre before they park up for fans to take a closer look. Friday is Practice Day, but the main events are Qualifying on Saturday, followed by the race on Sunday at 5:45 am under the cover of darkness.
Unlike Formula 1 night races (Singapore, Las Vegas), Mount Panorama doesn’t have floodlights. The only light comes from the cars’ headlights, and with a near-zero track temperature most years, cold tyres and brakes, it’s a tense hour before sunrise. Crashes are frequent in the first 10 minutes, and wildlife (mainly Kangaroos) can be an issue.
Spectators are often torn between watching the start of the race (and the carnage that unfolds) at Turn 1 down the bottom of the mountain, or at the top of the mountain at Brocks Skyline, which offers one of the most spectacular views in world motorsport. No matter which view you choose, there is no better way to start your day than with the sound of a race car under the cover of darkness.
Storylines
Endurance events are known for their storylines, but this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour was full of them. New world-class drivers, teams, cars, and more made for a fairytale race win for Maro Engel, Mikaël Grenier, Maxime Martin and the Mercedes-AMG Team GMR.
Chevrolet and Ford were the fresh faces, entering the Johor Motorsports Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R and HRT Ford Racing Mustang GT3. Many tipped the top-speed champion Mustang as a dark horse for the podium, but the former Bathurst 12 Hour winner Christopher Mies was the first to crash out of the race with “irreparable damage” when his car obliterated a kangaroo at 250km/h before the chase.
With the Corvette as the fastest car on track, the Pro class #2 JMR Z06 GT3.R of Alexander Sims, Nicky Catsburg and Earl Bamber was on pace to retake the lead in the final hours. However, a mechanical failure at the back of the car (a suspected toe-link issue) caused a spin into The Dipper with driver Earl Bamber merely a passenger. “Just turned off Skyline and then got a big snap from the rear and took the escape road,” said Bamber on the broadcast. “Then tried to turn through the next corner and just had nothing on the rear. So just slowly spun and stopped, and yeah, it looks like there’s an issue on the rear.”
Satisfaction
Ford and Chevrolet were out of the main contention, so it quickly became Mercedes-AMG’s race to lose. Chaz Mostert (Mercedes-AMG) was the fastest car on track, hunting down the leaders with pace to win the race, but he got into a tangle with Jayden Ojeda (another Mercedes-AMG) at Turn 2. The collision slammed Mostert into the wall, ending his race instantly. It was the most dramatic moment of the entire day and denied Mostert a fairytale win.
With Chevrolet, Ford, and Mostert out of the race, another fairytale had been written for Maro Engel, Mikaël Grenier, and Maxime Martin and team Mercedes-AMG Team GMR. The team started in 29th position and passed 28 cars with strategy, skill, and a little luck to win the Bathurst 12 Hour and break the all-time record for the lowest starting position to ever win the race in the process.
High Class Racing (Porsche 911 GT3 R) with Dorian Boccolacci (FRA), Anders Fjordbach (DEN), and Kerong Li (CHN) behind the wheel finished in second, and Valentino Rossi (ITA), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Augusto Farfus (BRA) put their Team WRT (BMW M4 GT3, Car #46) on the podium to prove that The Doctor is more than a celebrity guest.
Once again, the Bathurst 12 Hour proved itself as one of the best motor racing events in Australia. It squeezed disaster, disappointment, surprise, and the satisfaction of a win into 12 hours. If you’re a motorsport fan, this is the event you won’t want to miss next year.
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