The 12 Hours of Bathurst, the opening race of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, will be held in 2026 with the largest field of participants since the coronavirus pandemic. There are currently 36 cars from twelve manufacturers entered for the endurance race on the Mount Panorama Circuit. The event will take place from February 12 to 15, 2026.
Several cars are celebrating their Australian premiere at Bathurst. Both the Ford Mustang GT3 and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R will be competing in the tradition-steeped race for the first time.
Two Aston Martin cars have been entered so far. Volante Rosso Motorsport is fielding a Vantage GT3, while Team NZ is represented in the GT4 category with an Aston Martin GT4. As has been the case for many years, the Melbourne Performance Center is fielding a large Audi line-up with four Audi R8 LMS GT3s.
BMW will be represented with three M4 GT3s. Team WRT, which celebrated a one-two victory in February 2025, will once again field two cars. Team KRC will also take part in the race for the first time with a BMW M4 GT3. Two Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs will be entered by Johor Motorsports Racing.
Ferrari will be represented by the Australian racing team Arise GT, which will enter two Ferrari 296 GT3s. The Ford Mustang GT3 celebrates its premiere in Australia with HRT Ford Racing, which will enter one car.
In the invitation class, 111 Racing will once again be competing with the IRC GT, an Australian design. KTM Vantage Racing will also be competing in this class with a KTM X-BOW GT2, as in previous years. Lamborghini is traditionally represented by Wall Racing with a Huracán GT3.
Three McLaren cars are on the entry list. Optimum Motorsport and Volante Rosso Motorsport will each field a 720S GT3. Method Motorsport, the team of Supercars champion Chaz Mostert, will enter a McLaren Artura GT4.
With a total of eleven cars, Mercedes-AMG makes up the largest brand fraction in the field. Tigani Motorsport will field three Mercedes-AMG GT3s, Craft-Bamboo Racing two. Other AMG cars will be fielded by 75 Express, Grove Racing, Heart of Racing by SPS, GruppeM Racing, RAM Motorsport/GWR Australia and Scott Taylor Motorsport.
The field will be completed by five Porsche 911 GT3 Rs. Absolute Racing, Earl Bamber Motorsport, Herberth Motorsport, High Class Racing and Tsunami RT have each entered a car for the twelve-hour race.
With the extensive and diverse field of brands, there are early signs of a top-class season opener for the Intercontinental GT Challenge at Bathurst.