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BMW Dominates Bathurst 12 Hour With Historic Win and 1-2 Finish

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
February 2, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0
BMW Dominates Bathurst 12 Hour With Historic Win and 1-2 Finish

The Bavarians Are Back! BMW clinched its first-ever Bathurst 12 Hour victory under the GT3 format, delivering a stunning 1-2 finish at the legendary Mount Panorama Circuit. The #32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3, piloted by Kelvin van der Linde, Sheldon van der Linde, and Augusto Farfus, took the checkered flag with a 10.25-second lead, edging out their #46 sister car, driven by Raffaele Marciello, Charles Weerts, and Valentino Rossi.

It was a masterclass in fuel strategy and pace management, with the M4 GT3s running like clockwork while their rivals faltered. “It was the hardest two hours of my life,” admitted Kelvin van der Linde, as he fended off a late charge from Chaz Mostert in the Arise Racing Ferrari 296 GT3.

“We were fuel-saving like crazy, especially when Chaz was coming—it was so hard. But we are so proud of this result,” added the South African.

Farfus, who had previously come heartbreakingly close at Bathurst, was equally thrilled:
“We’ve been trying to win this race for three years! Finally, we executed a perfect race, and it paid off.”


A Well-Timed Drive-Through for Rossi’s Team

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the #46 BMW of Marciello, Weerts, and Rossi. A drive-through penalty for the MotoGP legend—after passing a lapped car under yellow flags—could have derailed their podium charge. But smart strategy minimized the damage, and the team managed to recover six positions after serving the penalty.

With two well-timed Safety Car periods in the first half of the race, the BMWs had just the right amount of fuel to keep their lead intact while their rivals scrambled.


Gounon and Habul’s Mercedes Claims Final Podium Spot

Two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner Kenny Habul and his #75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 teammates Jules Gounon and Luca Stolz completed the podium, finishing just behind the two BMWs. Habul suffered an early-race scare after contact with Stephen Grove, sending the Grove Racing Mercedes-AMG into the wall. Despite the incident, Gounon and Stolz clawed their way back up the order to secure third place.


Mostert’s Late Charge Falls Short as Ferrari Finishes Fourth

Despite starting the race from pole position, the Arise Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 of Mostert, Will Brown, and Daniel Serra found itself in a tough fuel window in the final stint. Mostert needed either a Safety Car intervention or a last-minute splash-and-dash to make it to the end. Neither came, forcing him into the pits with under 30 minutes to go.

While he set the race’s fastest lap in the closing stages, it wasn’t enough to break into the podium—he finished a frustrating fourth.


Pro-Am, Silver, and GT4 Class Winners

🏆 Pro-Am Class: #36 Arise Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 – Jaxon Evans, Alessio Rovera, Brad Schumacher, Elliott Schutte
🏆 Silver Class: #93 Wall Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 – Brendon Leitch, Tony D’Alberto, Adrian Dietz, Grant Denyer
🏆 GT4 Class: #7 McLaren Artura GT4 – Adam Christodoulou, Daniel Bilski, Mark Griffith

Special mention to Aston Martin Academy drivers Jamie Day and Mateo Villagomez, who led the Silver class for much of the race before a heartbreaking clutch failure ended their promising run.


Biggest Crash of the Race: Stephen Grove’s High-Speed Impact

The scariest moment of the Bathurst 12 Hour came when Stephen Grove suffered a terrifying crash at the top of the mountain. After contact with Habul’s Mercedes, Grove’s car rode the concrete wall before coming to a dramatic halt.

He was transferred to Bathurst Base Hospital for a back injury evaluation, but early reports suggest that his condition is stable.


BMW’s Bathurst Breakthrough: A Sign of More to Come?

With a dominant 1-2 finish, BMW has finally conquered Bathurst in the GT3 era. Could this be the start of a new era for the Bavarian manufacturer? With the van der Linde brothers leading the charge, Team WRT looks stronger than ever—and ready to defend their crown in 2026.

One thing is certain: BMW has arrived at Bathurst in style.

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