Bathurst 12 Hour: Two podium finishes for the BMW M4 GT3 EVO after a dramatic race.

Bathurst. One year after their sensational 1-2 finish, Team WRT was once again close to winning at the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS). In the end, Augusto Farfus (BRA), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Valentino Rossi (ITA) finished third in the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO after a dramatic race with many incidents. The #32 sister car, which competed in Bathurst with a special livery, was leading the race at the final restart but dropped far back after a collision. Team KRC enjoyed a fantastic Bathurst debut on which Max Hesse (GER), Maxime Oosten (NED), and Ruan Cunfan (CHN) finished fifth overall and second in the Bronze class in the #89 BMW M4 GT3 EVO .

The 12-hour race was marked by numerous accidents, which repeatedly led to yellow flag periods and even a roughly one-hour interruption. However, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO managed to stay clear of all incidents and was part of the leading group from the very beginning. Ultimately, the pace wasn’t quite enough to secure a second consecutive win for Team WRT in Australia after their 2025 victory. The driver trio celebrated a flawless performance and third place on the podium.

The crew of car #32, consisting of Kelvin van der Linde, Jordan Pepper (both RSA), and Charles Weerts (BEL), was disappointed. The trio lost more than a lap early in the race when the front of the car had to be replaced after a collision at the start. Over the course of the race, they fought their way back to the leading group thanks to consistently strong lap times and several safety car periods. In the final hour, the team opted for a bold strategy, refuelling early for the last time and banking on another yellow flag period. That yellow did indeed come, and van der Linde was leading the race at the final restart. However, in the battle for the lead in turn one, he collided with Jules Gounon (FRA, Mercedes). The #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO was so badly damaged that it had to pit again for repairs and dropped back to twelfth place.

The car’s livery was a tribute to the 1989 BMW M3 Art Car by Australian artist Ken Done, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the BMW Art Cars and the 40th anniversary of the BMW M3. Ken Done himself was present in Bathurst and admired the homage to his artwork.

Sporting admiration goes to Team KRC. The squad, led by team principal Mars Kang, was competing for the first time on the highly demanding Mount Panorama Circuit and delivered a sensational race. Hesse, Oosten, and Cunfan remained unfazed even after suffering front-end damage and repairs, mounting an impressive comeback that took them to fifth overall and second place on the Bronze category podium.

Vincent Vosse (WRT Team Principal): “It was a spectacular race, and first and foremost, I hope no one was seriously injured in the accidents. The fans saw many great duels and hopefully enjoyed them. For us, it was a race of ups and downs. Despite some setbacks, we were in the top-five with both cars about 40 minutes before the end and, thanks to a great strategy, leading with #32. The collision was, of course, frustrating. Both crews drove a great race, and #46 was rewarded with a podium. That’s a good result, but we were very close to celebrating another win here in Bathurst so I have mixed feelings.”

Raffaele Marciello (#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, 3rd place): “It was definitely a tough race. We were never the fastest car, but we tried our best. We were close to the lead several times but never really had the win in sight. We had to push all the time, and in the end, we secured third place. On one hand, it’s a bit frustrating because I’ve been on the Bathurst podium many times but never won. On the other hand, it’s a great podium with important points for the championship so we have reason to be happy.”

Kelvin van der Linde (#32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, 12th place): “It was a difficult weekend for us; from the start of the race, we kept getting into tough situations. Whenever we felt we were moving forward, a problem, traffic, or incidents on the track got in our way. With such a strong field, it’s very hard to come back. Still, we were leading 40 minutes before the end and gave it a try, but ultimately we lacked the last five percent of basic speed to win the race. It’s a shame it ended this way but we gave it our all, and the team did a top job.”

Mars Kang (KRC Team Principal): “Finishing second in the class is fantastic. We didn’t expect it, as it’s a very tough race. Early on, we had a problem after an accident but we managed to repair the car and, thanks to our strategy, came back to the front. Max, Maxime, Ruan, and the team did a brilliant job.”

Max Hesse (#89 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team KRC, 2nd place Bronze class): “It’s really hard to put it all into words. Ruan and Maxime did a great job in the first two stints. Everything was going according to plan. In the third stint, we made a small driving error. We had significant damage to the car, no performance, and had to wait three hours for a yellow flag period. At that point, we thought the race had slipped away from us but the team did a top job, changed the front end – and for the last three hours, it was full attack. Of course, we would have liked to win, but as a Bronze car, to finish fifth overall and second in the category on our debut, we can be proud of that.”