2026 Bathurst 12 Hour: Mercedes-AMG Sets Early Pace Amid Chaos
Bathurst, Australia — The 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour commenced under the cover of darkness, with Mercedes-AMG taking control in the initial hour of racing. Maxi Goetz piloted the #77 Craft Bamboo Mercedes to the front after a chaotic start that saw multiple cars jostling for position only 30 seconds in.
Despite a promising pole position by Thomas Randle in the #222 STM Mercedes, the opening skirmish saw the pole sitter slip to second while the #75 Express Mercedes-AMG fell to fifth, marking a tough start for the top contenders.
However, the race’s intensity heightened with the first significant incident involving the #64 HRT Mustang, which sustained heavy damage after crashing into a kangaroo on Conrod Straight. Christopher Mies emerged uninjured but was forced to retire the vehicle — the incident prompting an early Safety Car period.
As recovery efforts shifted to the #50 KTM Vantage Racing X-Bow, which experienced a technical failure and spun off at Murray’s Corner, the race resumed after a 28-minute delay. Goetz maintained his lead, followed closely by Randle, while the #55 Jamec Racing Audi, driven by Christopher Haase, occupied third.
Further down the order, a battle unfolded in the mid-pack, where the #89 Team KRC BMW, being driven by Ruan, held up a group from ninth to 15th place. A critical mistake at the Elbow allowed the pack to surge past Ruan, dropping him down to 15th.
Key positions in class standings include the #93 Wall Racing Lamborghini leading the Bronze class, and the #99 JMR Corvette at the front of the Pro-Am pack.
As the race progresses, attention remains on Mercedes-AMG’s early dominance and the impact of the challenging Bathurst circuit, poised to deliver further excitement and potential surprises.
