The annual Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race is a crown jewel in the international motorsport calendar. Each year, the world’s most talented endurance drivers are invited to test their mettle on the iconic Mount Panorama Circuit. And each year, thousands of passionate fans brave the pre-dawn darkness to witness GT racing at its finest.

Kicking off the 2025 season of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC), the event drew more than 50,000 avid spectators, and saw vehicles from nine different manufacturers across six classes of car – Pro, Pro-Am, Bronze, Silver Cup, GT4 and Invitational – including eight teams from Mercedes-AMG in four different categories.

A legacy of dominance

Mercedes-AMG is known to be a dominant force at the Bathurst 12 Hour, having previously claimed the race three times: in 2013, when Bernd Schneider, Thomas Jäger and Alexander Roloff drove a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 to victory for Erebus Motorsport; in 2022, when Jules Gounon, Kenny Habul, Martin Konrad and Luca Stolz triumphed in a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Triple Eight Race Engineering; and in 2023, when Jules Gounon, Kenny Habul and Luca Stolz won for the SunEnergy1 Akkodis ASP Team in a Mercedes-AMG GT3. 

Not to mention, Mercedes-AMG racing driver Maro Engel still holds the official GT lap record at Mount Panorama, with his staggering time of 2:00:8819 set in 2023.

This year, the brand once again showcased a strong contingent of teams and vehicles. Leading the charge in the Pro class were two Mercedes-AMG performance teams, Team Craft-Bamboo Racing and Mercedes-AMG Team GMR, as well as 75 Express and Scott Taylor Motorsport. Additionally, Grove Racing and Heart of Racing by SPS entered two cars in the Bronze category, Supabarn Supermarkets competed in the Silver Cup, and Team Nineteen showcased the Mercedes-AMG GT4 in its class.

With its challenging corners and 174-metre elevation between highest and lowest points, the Mount Panorama Circuit is known to be a gruelling test of both man and machine.

“The Mount Panorama Circuit is definitely one of the most difficult circuits in the world and, along with the Nordschleife and Macau, is one of my personal top three,” Maro commented prior to this year’s race.

“Bathurst is an intense race and the nature of the track is unforgiving,” agreed Mercedes-AMG Team Craft-Bamboo Racing driver Jayden Ojeda. “You have to work hard for a good result, which is why us drivers love this event so much.”

But the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 engines, sophisticated aerodynamics and advanced traction control systems of the Mercedes-AMG GT3s proved perfectly suited to the demanding nature of the Mount Panorama circuit. They also demonstrated remarkable reliability as temperatures soared during the middle of a summer’s day.

Podium success for Mercedes-AMG

The 2025 event was off to a thrilling start when Mercedes-AMG performance driver Lucas Auer achieved a remarkable 2:01.2760 time in the pole shootout – the fastest time of the top teams – at his Bathurst debut. It’s the second pole in three years for Mercedes-AMG (fifth overall) and made the Austrian driver one of the fastest drivers in Bathurst 12 Hour history.

The teams faced and overcame various hurdles over the course of the weekend, from strategic fuel management to navigating traffic during the race's most crucial moments. In the Pro category, the teams experienced a few setbacks; Scott Taylor Motorsport's #222 retired after contact with the track barriers, while Maxime Martin in the #888 Mercedes-AMG Team GMR was also forced to retire early after a crash.

But, after a challenging day, Jules Gounon, Kenny Habul and Luca Stolz – who previously won this event in 2023 – clinched another podium finish. 

“It’s incredible, for me it's the fifth podium finish in a row at Bathurst. And that in such a tough race on such a difficult track,” says Jules. “Thanks to Kenny, Luca and the whole team and Mercedes-AMG. This series of victories and podium finishes is strong proof of how good the product is.”

The 75 Express team finished third in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO car after maintaining a highly competitive position most of the race. A little over a minute behind, Team Craft-Bamboo came in fifth after challenging for the lead in the middle of the gruelling race. Another 17 seconds on, Heart of Racing by SPS crossed the line in seventh in their Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. 

Heart of Racing by SPS also celebrated a victory in the Bronze class, while Supabarn Supermarkets and Team Nineteen both achieved second place in the Silver Cup and GT4 classification respectively.

“It was a nerve-wracking 12 hours full of tough battles,” says Ian James, Heart of Racing by SPS driver. “Last year there was quite a hiccup at the last restart and we lost the victory. To come back and win this year is justification for that. The AMG kept on ticking for 12 hours. We finished one lap behind the Pro cars, which is pretty good for our set-up.”

The challenging Mount Panorama circuit once again proved why it holds a special place in the hearts of racing enthusiasts worldwide, with Mercedes-AMG adding another memorable chapter to its storied history.

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