Bathurst 12hr - 2026
Mercedes-AMG launched the new Intercontinental GT Challenge season in dominant fashion, claiming a record-breaking fourth victory at the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour. The triumph also marked a first win at Mount Panorama for GMR and its drivers Maxime Martin, Mikael Grenier, and Maro Engel, with Engel finally conquering the event on his 10th attempt. In a remarkable finish, they defeated the High Class Racing Porsche of Independent Cup winner Kerong Li, Anders Fjordbach, and Dorian Boccolacci by just one second.
The result was even more extraordinary given that the top two finishers started 29th and 30th on the grid. In doing so, GMR shattered the previous record for the lowest winning grid position, which had stood at 11th since 2020. High Class Racing not only secured Independent Cup honors but also outperformed several factory-backed entries. A record crowd of 55,231 attended the race, and 13 cars finished on the lead lap—another new benchmark for the endurance classic. BMW completed the podium with WRT’s Raffaele Marciello, Augusto Farfus, and Valentino Rossi, while Audi, BMW, and Porsche entries rounded out a fiercely competitive top six.
The race itself was shaped by drama and attrition. After battling forward from the back of the grid, GMR moved into contention when long-time leaders encountered trouble in the closing hours. A major incident at The Dipper led to a red flag with just over three hours remaining, temporarily halting the race. Upon the restart, strategic pit stops and on-track clashes among frontrunners reshuffled the order, setting up a tense finale.
The decisive moment came after a late collision between two leading contenders at Hell Corner. As rivals ran wide with damage, Martin seized the opportunity to dive into the lead. From there, he controlled the closing stages, holding off Boccolacci’s Porsche to secure victory. Other contenders suffered misfortune, including late-race damage and mechanical failures, while Ford’s Intercontinental debut ended early following wildlife-related damage and Chevrolet’s challenge faded due to a mechanical issue.
With this victory, Mercedes-AMG takes a five-point lead over Porsche in the manufacturers’ standings heading into the next round at the Nürburgring in May, reinforcing its status as the team to beat in the early stages of the championship.
Results -
1 - Mercedes-AMG Team GMR - Engel/Grenier/ Martin - Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo
2 - High Class Racing - Boccolacci/Fjordbach/Li - Porsche 911 GT3R
3 - Team WRT - Farfus/Marciello/Rossi - BMW M4 GT3 Evo
We now have a few weeks off before the first round of the 24H Series European Championship in Mugello.
