For Europeans, the Nürburgring Nordschleife is the last word benchmark. For Australians, that position is crammed by the Bathurst circuit and its legendary 12-hour race. And Mount Panorama has no must concern comparability with the dramatic rises and falls of Germany’s Inexperienced Hell. Fairly the alternative.
The Bathurst circuit is among the many most well-known racetracks on the earth. Very similar to the high-speed Sarthe circuit at Le Mans and, prior to now, the Nürburgring, the Mount Panorama Circuit, opened in 1938, is for a lot of the yr a public street. It is usually the one true landmark within the city of Bathurst, house to round 35,000 folks within the Australian state of New South Wales. What makes this circuit significantly uncommon is its excessive elevation change. With greater than 170 metres of altitude distinction and gradients of as much as 16 per cent, it’s spectacular even in a standard street automobile, and an outright thrill in a racing machine.
Within the worldwide touring automobile calendar, the opening spherical of the Intercontinental GT Problem has lengthy held a set place. In Australia, it’s arguably much more extensively recognised than the Formulation 1 Grand Prix, which begins the season in simply two weeks. “The Bathurst 12 Hour 2026 was a really unforgettable occasion with a report variety of guests who wished to expertise the magic of Mount Panorama,” mentioned occasion director Shane Rudzis. “We’re extremely happy with the best way followers, groups and companions assist this race with such ardour and enthusiasm. This yr’s attendance displays the rising world significance of the 12-hour race and the dedication of everybody concerned who makes this occasion potential.”
Thirty-five groups, with their GT automobiles producing as much as 600 PS and representing ten completely different producers, are just one a part of the spectacle. The driving force line-up is simply as spectacular yr after yr. Anybody with critical ambitions in GT racing makes the lengthy journey Down Beneath, travelling from Asia, Europe or the US to Australia’s east coast in pursuit of one of many sport’s most prestigious trophies.
This yr as soon as once more delivered one thing of a German celebration. After Porsche received in 2024 and BMW achieved a one-two end in 2025, Mercedes claimed victory in 2026. On the chequered flag, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 quantity 888, pushed by Engel, Martin and Grenier, completed after 262 laps only one second forward of the Porsche 911 GT3 of Li, Fjordbach and Boccolacci. The most effective-placed BMW M4 GT3, pushed by Rossi, Farfus and Marciello, adopted one other seven seconds behind.
Simply how harmful the circuit within the Australian outback stays was underlined not solely by the quite a few security automobile durations and a crimson flag round three hours earlier than the end following a heavy crash within the mountain part. There was additionally a second of sheer Bathurst insanity early on, when German driver Christopher Mies, at round 250 km/h within the fading night time, hit a kangaroo that had bounced onto the racing line. The affect destroyed the animal and precipitated harm to different automobiles as nicely.
Mount Panorama is taken into account probably the most harmful and spectacular racetracks on the earth. Its fixed climbs and drops, two lengthy straights up and down the mountain, and the tight, twisting part at over 800 metres above sea degree give it a personality all of its personal. Kangaroos, wallabies and even snakes repeatedly discover their manner onto the circuit. Sections equivalent to Griffins Bend, The Reducing, Frog Hole and The Dipper might be recited by nearly each Australian boy like a prayer.
Security provisions stay tough to check with European circuits. With hardly any important fencing and minimal run-off zones, elements of Bathurst really feel little completely different from 1966, when Mini achieved probably the most legendary victories in Australian motorsport historical past. The primary 9 positions within the Gallagher 500 have been taken by Morris Cooper S fashions. The winners have been rally icon Rauno Aaltonen and his co-driver Bob Holden. Their small Minis defeated far bigger and extra highly effective touring automobiles with outstanding ease, whereas a Chrysler Valiant V8 solely managed tenth place.
Immediately, the race is dominated by vastly extra highly effective GT3 equipment such because the BMW M4, Porsche 911, Corvette Z06, Audi R8 LMS, Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin Vantage and Ford Mustang. But the individuality of the circuit has remained untouched. Yearly, the Bathurst 12 Hour, with its begin at 5:45 within the nonetheless pitch-black early morning, stays one of many nice highlights of the motorsport calendar.
It’s no shock that the 2026 version attracted a brand new report crowd of greater than 55,000 spectators. And anybody who needs to be taken significantly within the GT world should compete right here at the least as soon as, and ideally stand on the rostrum.
