The Bathurst 12 Hour race is known for its unpredictability, but this year’s edition took chaos to a whole new level. Imagine a race where kangaroos, red flags, and late-race collisions all play a part in deciding the winner. Yes, you read that right—a kangaroo. But here’s where it gets even more intense: the GruppeM Mercedes-AMG team emerged victorious after a wild, red-flagged event that left fans on the edge of their seats. Let’s dive into the drama that unfolded at Mount Panorama.
The GruppeM Racing team, flying the Hong Kong flag, secured a hard-fought victory in the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, a race marred by multiple serious accidents, a nearly hour-long red flag, and a thrilling late-race battle for the lead. Maxime Martin piloted the No. 888 Mercedes-AMG to a razor-thin 1.037-second win over Dorian Boccolacci’s No. 86 High Class Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, which also claimed the Bronze class victory. This nail-biting finish capped off the Intercontinental GT Challenge season opener in spectacular fashion.
But here’s where it gets controversial: The race’s final restart, with just 40 minutes remaining, saw a collision between the then-leading No. 32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Kelvin van der Linde and Jules Gounon’s No. 75 Express Mercedes-AMG. This incident reshuffled the deck, handing the lead to GruppeM’s Martin, who was running third at the time. Was it a racing incident or a tactical mistake? Fans are still debating.
Van der Linde, the defending race winner, had inherited the lead by staying out during the race’s ninth full-course caution. This caution was triggered by a crash between Repco Supercars stars Jayden Ojeda and Chaz Mostert while battling for 13th place—a lifeline for many front runners. However, van der Linde’s luck ran out on the restart when Gounon made contact with his rear end at Turn 1. The South African’s car suffered damage, leading to a mechanical black flag and a forced pit stop, ultimately finishing 12th. Gounon’s Mercedes-AMG, meanwhile, dropped to seventh.
And this is the part most people miss: Race control issued no penalties for the incident, leaving the door wide open for GruppeM to claim the win. This decision sparked debates among fans and pundits alike. Was it the right call, or should penalties have been handed out? Let us know in the comments.
For Maro Engel, this victory was particularly sweet. The Mercedes-AMG factory driver finally secured his first Bathurst 12 Hour win in his tenth attempt at the Mount Panorama enduro. Martin and Engel shared the winning car with Mikael Grenier, extending Mercedes-AMG’s record to four Bathurst 12 Hour wins in the GT3 era. The German manufacturer also notched its first IGTC victory since the 2023 Gulf 12 Hours, where Engel and Grenier were also part of the winning lineup.
Boccolacci, a former Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Selected Driver, stunned everyone by finishing second overall alongside co-drivers Anders Fjordbach and Kerong Li. The No. 46 WRT BMW of Augusto Farfus, Raffaele Marciello, and Valentino Rossi completed the podium in third place.
The No. 55 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, driven by 2024 Supercars champion Will Brown, finished fourth. BMW factory driver Max Hesse, making his Bathurst debut, rounded out the top five and secured a runner-up spot in the Bronze class for the Chinese Team KRC squad.
Bastian Buus, who took over the No. 911 Absolute Racing Porsche for the final stretch, finished sixth after forcing Ricardo Feller’s No. 61 EBM Porsche off track in the closing 30 minutes. Feller crossed the line eighth, while the No. 26 Arise Racing GT Ferrari 296 GT3, led by factory driver Daniel Serra, finished ninth. The sister Ziggo Sport Tempesta by ARGT Ferrari rounded out the top ten and claimed third in the Bronze class.
A record 13 cars finished on the lead lap, showcasing the race’s competitiveness. In the Pro-Am class, the No. 45 RAM Motorsport/GWR Australia Mercedes-AMG of Dylan O’Keeffe, Brett Hobson, and Garth Walden took the honors, finishing one lap ahead of the No. 99 JMR Johor Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R.
The lone GT4 entrant, the No. 42 Method Motorsport McLaren Artura GT4, driven by Kevin Madsen, Adrian Kunzle, and Steven Aghakhani, finished 26th overall after a relatively trouble-free run. The same couldn’t be said for the Invitational class entries. The No. 50 Vantage Racing KTM X-Bow GT2 of David Crampton retired early due to a suspected mechanical issue, while the 111 Racing IRC GT suffered a rear wing failure, triggering the third safety car period. It later returned to finish 25th.
The only Silver class entry, the No. 15 Volante Rosso Motorsport McLaren, crashed at the Dipper with Rylan Gray at the wheel, bringing out the fourth yellow flag.
But let’s not forget the kangaroo. The race’s first retirement came just three laps in when Chris Mies’ Bathurst-debuting HRT Ford Mustang GT3 struck a kangaroo in pitch darkness. Mies escaped unharmed, but the car suffered significant damage. The kangaroo also collided with two other cars, including the No. 32 WRT BMW and the No. 6 Tigani Mercedes-AMG of Ojeda, causing further chaos.
A massive accident later in the race, involving the then-leading No. 77 Craft-Bamboo Racing Mercedes-AMG of Ralf Aron and Johannes Zelger’s Tsunami RT Porsche, resulted in a red flag with three hours and 40 minutes remaining. Aron was transported to a hospital in stable condition, but the incident halted the race for nearly an hour.
As the race resumed with less than two and a half hours to go, Luca Stolz led ahead of Engel, with Nicky Catsburg’s No. 2 JMR Corvette charging hard. However, co-driver Earl Bamber’s accident due to a suspected left-rear suspension failure ended the Corvette’s race, marking the second American-built GT3 car to retire on its Bathurst debut.
Here’s a thought-provoking question for you: With so many unpredictable elements—from wildlife to mechanical failures—is the Bathurst 12 Hour becoming too chaotic, or is this exactly what makes it one of the most thrilling races in motorsport? Share your thoughts below!
For full results of the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, visit [official results link]. And if you’re as passionate about endurance racing as we are, stay tuned for more updates from the world of motorsport.
