BMW Team WRT has secured a dominant 1-2 finish at the 2024 Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, with Kelvin van der Linde, Sheldon van der Linde, and Augusto Farfus claiming victory in Australia’s premier international endurance race. The trio completed 306 laps, covering just over 1,901 kilometres to take the chequered flag at Mount Panorama.
The result marks the first Bathurst 12 Hour victory for all three drivers and the second overall win for WRT. It was also a historic moment for the van der Linde brothers, who became the first siblings to win a major endurance race at Bathurst since David and Geoff Brabham triumphed in the 1997 Bathurst 1000, also in a BMW.
Adding to the celebrations for BMW Team WRT, their sister car secured second place in a strong showing for the Belgian outfit. The #46 entry, driven by Valentino Rossi, Raffaele Marciello, and Colin Weerts, delivered a solid performance to secure the runner-up spot.
For MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, this marks his first podium at Mount Panorama in what was his third attempt at the prestigious event. The result underscores the nine-time motorcycle world champion’s continued success in four-wheel competition
Local Bathurst resident Kenny Habul and his SunEnergy1 Racing team rounded out the podium with a strong third-place finish. Habul, along with Mercedes AMG teammates Jules Gounon and Luca Stolz, continued their impressive consistency at the event, standing on the Bathurst 12 Hour podium for the fourth consecutive year.
High Drama and Heavy Crashes in Early Stages
The race saw intense battles from the opening lap, with multiple incidents disrupting the early running.
A major accident occurred when Ryan Sorensen spun into the concrete wall at McPhillamy Park, collecting Marcel Zalloura’s Audi in the process. Sorensen was transported by road to Bathurst Health for further assessment before later being released.
Shortly after, another heavy crash unfolded when Kenny Habul and Grove Racing’s Stephen Grove made contact at Skyline, sending Grove into the barriers. The impact caused Grove’s Mercedes to briefly become airborne before coming to a stop.
Grove was able to exit his damaged car under his own power but was later transported to Orange Health, where tests revealed a back injury. He is set to undergo further testing at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital.
Mostert’s Late Charge Falls Short
Supercars stars Chaz Mostert and Will Brown, joined by Brazilian driver Daniel Serra, put in a strong effort in their Ferrari, finishing fourth overall.
Mostert’s race strategy saw him needing one more pit stop than the top three, forcing him into a scintillating late charge to recover lost time and pray for a late safety car. Despite setting a series of flying laps in the closing stages, the Gold Coast driver ran out of time before being able to challenge for a podium finish.
Record Crowd Witnesses Thrilling Race
The three-day event drew an impressive 51,372 spectators, marking the second-highest attendance in Bathurst 12 Hour history. A record 2,700 campsites were also filled with passionate fans, adding to the electric atmosphere at Mount Panorama.
BMW Team WRT’s triumph at Bathurst further cements their status as a force in endurance racing, while Valentino Rossi’s podium finish adds another chapter to his growing reputation in GT competition.
