BMW M Motorsport secured a dominant 1-2 finish at the 2025 Bathurst 12 Hour, marking its first victory in the GT3 era at Mount Panorama. Team WRT executed a near-perfect race strategy, allowing the #32 BMW M4 GT3 of Sheldon van der Linde, Kelvin van der Linde, and Augusto Farfus to take the win. The #46 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Valentino Rossi, Raffaele Marciello, and Charles Weerts, finished in second place, capping off a strong performance for the Belgian squad.
The key to victory was BMW’s fuel efficiency and pit strategy. With new regulations allowing greater flexibility in stint lengths, Team WRT extended their fuel windows while their competitors were forced to pit in the closing laps. Chaz Mostert, in the Arise Racing Ferrari 296 GT3, briefly took the lead with 37 minutes remaining but had to stop for fuel, dropping him down the order.
Raffaele Marciello also played a crucial role in securing the 1-2 finish, making a decisive overtake on Jules Gounon’s Mercedes-AMG at The Chase to move into third. As other competitors struggled with fuel limitations, Marciello and his co-drivers advanced to second place, completing BMW’s clean sweep of the podium’s top two spots.
This victory marks a significant milestone for BMW, which had not won at Bathurst since 2010 when a BMW 335i took overall honors. The win also continues Team WRT’s unbeaten streak in 2025, following victories at the 24H Dubai and the 6H Abu Dhabi.
Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport: “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.”
