Bathurst 12 Hour Update: JMR Leads After Three Hours
At the three-hour mark of the Bathurst 12 Hour, Johor Motorsport Racing (JMR) is in the lead with Alexander Sims at the wheel of the #2 JMR Corvette. Sims is holding off Chaz Mostert in the #222 STM Mercedes-AMG, while Valentino Rossi in the #46 Team WRT BMW occupies third position.
The current top positions were established after the second safety car incident, which emerged following a collision involving the #268 Team BRM Audi. Driver Mark Rosser lost control after clipping grass on the exit of McPhillamy, resulting in the car being immobilized against the wall. Rosser was unharmed, but damage to the vehicle resulted in a return to the paddock for repairs.
The deployment of the safety car allowed several leading teams, including both WRT BMWs, the #100 Grove Racing Mercedes, and the #26 Arise Racing Ferrari, a strategic advantage to pit without losing significant track position.
Following the subsequent restart, the leading BMWs initially extended their lead until another safety deployment occurred due to an incident with Daniel Stutterd’s #111 Racing IRC GT, which lost its rear wing and came to rest in the gravel trap. Stutterd managed to return to the pits after a quick repair, but his car is now 18 laps down.
With racing resumes, the WRT BMWs found themselves in contention yet again, though the #32 Team WRT BMW suffered mechanical issues that required it to pit for a replacement front clip, costing it critical laps.
At the quarter-distance mark, Sims reclaimed the lead for the #2 JMR Corvette, soon joined by Mostert, who moved the #222 STM into second place. Completing the top five are Daniel Serra in the #26 Arise Racing Ferrari and Bastian Buus in the #911 Absolute Racing Porsche.
In the Pro-Am category, Dylan O’Keefe leads in the #45 RAM/GWR Mercedes, while challenges continue for the #15 Volante Rosso McLaren, now a lap down and facing penalties for pit lane violations. The #27 Heart of Racing by SPS Mercedes is seven laps down due to extensive repair work.
As the race approaches the seven-hour mark, the competitive intensity is expected to escalate further.
