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BMW M Motorsport celebrated a landmark success in the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour as it scored a dominant 1-2 finish and its maiden victory of the GT3 era at Mount Panorama. The #32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 driven by Sheldon van der Linde, Kelvin van der Linde and Augusto Farfus won out, ahead of the sister #46 car shared by Valentino Rossi, Raffaele Marciello and Charles Weerts.
That boiled the race result down to BMW’s superior fuel economy and cunning pit strategy. Recent changes in the regulations have given more flexibility in the length of the stints, and Team WRT used that expertly, stretching their fuel windows to make fewer pit stops while competitors needed to refuel during the final stages. Notably, the lead was briefly taken by Chaz Mostert in the Arise Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 with just 37 minutes remaining, but was forced to pit for fuel and out of contention. One of the key moments in sealing the 1-2 came when Raffaele Marciello made a crucial pass on the Mercedes-AMG of Jules Gounon at The Chase to move into third, with himself and his co-drivers then moving into second to complete the BMW 1-2 with several rivals struggling for fuel.
The Bathurst triumph marked a significant victory for BMW, who finally tasted the top of the podium in Bathurst for the first time since the 2010 event won by a BMW 335i, and also kept Team WRT unbeaten in 2025 after earlier successes in the 24H Dubai and 6H Abu Dhabi.
After such a brilliant performance, Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, said:
“Congratulations to Team WRT on the long-awaited Bathurst victory! It was our third attempt with the BMW M4 GT3, and after coming close last year, we finally made it! I am very happy for the Van der Linde brothers that they can celebrate a victory in their first race sharing a car for BMW M Motorsport. I am also pleased for Augusto Farfus, who can add another prestigious triumph to his illustrious career as a BMW M works driver. Valentino Rossi, Raffaele Marciello, and Charles Weerts also did a great job in the sister car. It’s a pity that a penalty cost them a chance of victory. Team WRT remains undefeated this year after victories at the 24h Dubai and the 6h Abu Dhabi. Hopefully, this is a good omen for the rest of the season! Thank you to all the drivers, team members, and BMW M Motorsport employees who made this outstanding season start possible.”
The race wasn't without Its hiccups, though. A drive-through penalty was given to Valentino Rossi in the #46 BMW due to infringement of safety car protocol, which did set them back for a while. But with strategic driving and capitalizing on competitors’ miscalculations, they secured the second position.
The 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour performance underlined not only the engineering and strategic prowess of BMW but also set the bar high in the rest of the racing season.
