Introducing the 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour

A quick glance at the entry list reveals the scale of the event, held on the other side of the world. The Bathurst 12 Hour now features prominently in the calendars of manufacturers, drivers, and their teams. Born in 1991 as a simple local event where Australian stars came to have fun during the V8 Supercars break, the race has transformed over the years into a major classic that everyone wants to add to their list of achievements.

35 participants in 2026

The 2026 grid confirms the event's status with a strong field of drivers coming together to compete on the demanding slopes of Mount Panorama. WRT, the defending champions, field two brand-new BMW M4 GT3 Evos for Jordan Pepper, Kelvin van der Linde, and Charles Weert. The No. 46 BMW, meanwhile, will be driven by... Valentino Rossisupported by Augusto Farfus and Raffaele Marciello. Two top-level crews facing stiff competition.

Among the main rivals are the No. 2 Corvette of Alexander Sims, Nicky Catsburg and Earl Bamber, as well as the Classic Ferrari for sale Number 26, led by Serra, Rigon, and Jaxon Evans. Mercedes Benz AMG GT will also be in force with the No. 888 of Maxime Martin, Maro Engel and Mikael Grenier, not forgetting the No. 75 driven by Jules Gounon, Lucas Stolz and Kenny Habul. Porsche will be well represented with No. 61 of Feller, Heinrich and Bachler.

The Australian contingent also adds significant weight to the grid. Chaz Mostert will drive a Mercedes alongside Tickford Racing drivers Cam Waters and Thomas Randle. Broc Feeney will compete in the factory Ford Mustang with Dennis Olsen and Christopher Mies (HRT #64). His Triple Eight teammate will pilot an Audi R8 LMS (Team MPC #183). And the list of top drivers doesn't end there.

Promising free practice sessions

The four free practice sessions held since the start of the week suggest a particularly open race. Performances have been varied, with several teams taking turns at the front. The first session was dominated by the No. 32 BMW of Weert and his teammates, under direct pressure from the all-Australian Mercedes of Mostert and the Tickford drivers. The second session, reserved for bronze-rated drivers, was topped by Brett Hobson's No. 45 Mercedes. Will Brown impressed by setting the fastest time in FP3, while the most recent session so far was won by Kenny Habul's No. 75 Mercedes.

The next major event of the weekend is the qualifying session, scheduled to begin at 3:05 a.m. on Sunday morning (Part 2 from 3:50 a.m. to 4:20 a.m., followed by the Top 10 Shootout from 6:15 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.). The race will start on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. and is expected to finish on Sunday morning at 19:45 a.m.