What a race, what a victory! Team WRT achieved an impressive 1-2 result with the BMW M4 GT3 at the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS), the season opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC). Brothers Sheldon and Kelvin van der Linde (both RSA) triumphed alongside Augusto Farfus (BRA) in car #32.
Following them, Valentino Rossi (ITA), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Charles Weerts (BEL) in the #46 BMW M4 GT3 secured second place. It was the first victory for BMW M Motorsport in the GT3 era at the Mount Panorama Circuit. Team WRT remains undefeated in the 2025 season after successes at the 24h Dubai and the 6h Abu Dhabi (both UAE). On the sidelines of the race at Bathurst, the new BMW M3 CS Touring celebrated its world premiere .
Team WRT owed its 1-2 finish primarily to a perfect race strategy. Throughout the race, the two BMW M4 GT3s consistently gained an advantage in fuel consumption, which ultimately decided victory or defeat. While most competitors had to pit for refuelling just before the end, both BMW M4 GT3s were able to continue without stopping. Car #46 temporarily fell back to eighth place due to a drive-through penalty but fought its way back onto the podium. Marciello secured second place with a spectacular overtaking manoeuvre against Jules Gounon (AND, Mercedes).
BMW M Motorsport won at Bathurst for the first time after numerous attempts since GT3 cars have been competing there. The last triumph dates back to 2010 with a BMW 335i. For the Van der Linde brothers, it was their first joint victory in a BMW M Motorsport car, and for Rossi, it was his first podium at the Bathurst 12 Hour.
World premiere of the new BMW M3 CS Touring.
Born on the racetrack, made for the street: BMW M’s philosophy came to life on Thursday ahead of the Bathurst 12 Hour. In the Mount Panorama Circuit pit lane, the first-ever BMW M3 CS Touring celebrated its world premiere, presented by Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW M GmbH. The iconic racetrack provided the perfect stage for the debut of the latest BMW M special-edition model in the high-performance sports car sector. A 405 kW/550 hp six-cylinder in-line engine, bespoke chassis tuning, exclusive design features and weight savings resulting from the use of numerous carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components provide the ingredients for an unadulterated racing-car feel.
Reactions after the Bathurst 12 Hour:
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.”
Vincent Vosse, Team Principal Team WRT: “Three races, three wins. What an amazing start of the season! We tried to win at Bathurst with BMW M Motorsport for the last two years, but it never worked out. This time, everything was just spot on. This is a big race everyone wants to win, so I could not be happier. A special congrats goes to Kelvin van der Linde, who in only his second race with BMW M Motorsport achieved maybe his biggest win yet together with his brother. The #46 crew also did an excellent job coming back in the race and finishing just ten seconds behind.”
Sheldon van der Linde (#32 BMW M4 GT3, 1st place): “I am very, very happy! I think this victory was down to excellent execution of the guys at Team WRT. I don’t think I have ever seen such a perfet execution in terms of strategy before. We did not have the outright fastest car today, but still we did it! Both my teammates didn’t make any mistakes. Sharing this win with my brother for the first time since 2018, is very special of course. I’m really impressed how quickly he is up there with his pace in just his second race with BMW M Motorsport.”
Kelvin van der Linde (#32 BMW M4 GT3, 1st place): “This was a race with a crazy amount of emotions for me. First race back with Team WRT, first race back with my brother, first race with Augusto, second race for BMW m Motorsport. This is all very special. I don’t have to explain, what this win means for my brother and myself. I’m sure, mom and dad are proud at home. It’s also amazing for me to share this victory with Augusto, whom I looked up to when I was a kid. He was one of my heroes. Looking at the race, the final stint was very tough, as I had to hit fuel numbers and had Chaz Mostert behind me catching up. But in the end, it worked out perfectly.”
Augusto Farfus (#32 BMW M4 GT3, 1st place): “I’m a very lucky guy to be with BMW M Motorsport for such a long time. We came here many times and never were lucky enough to win. This time, we thought we had a chance – and we executed a perfect race. To put my name in the history books of this event now is very emotional. During the final 40 minutes we just hoped for a green end, as a safety car would have ruined our race. Luckily it all went well in the end. Thanks a lot to BMW M Motorsport, Team WRT and my teammates who did a perfect job.”
Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3, 2nd place): “This podium is a fantastic way to start the season. The whole weekend was great, as we were always strong and competitive. We were able to fight with our sister car until I made a mistake unfortunately and we had to serve a drive-through penalty. I tought at that point, that the fight for the podium was over. But we managed to come back with great pace. Raffaele’s pass against Jules Gounon was a lot of fun to watch. I am very happy with the result.”
Raffaele Marciello (#46 BMW M4 GT3, 2nd place): “A 1-2 is a great result for the team. I know they have tried to win it for a long time, and now it finally worked out. Not for me personally, so I will still have to wait for my first victory here after a couple of podium finishes. It was a good fight with Jules Gounon. I knew I had the faster car on the straights, and when there was a slower car in front of us, I took the opportunity and attacked him. It was a good move. ”
Charles Weerts (#46 BMW M4 GT3, 2nd place): “Huge congrats to our sister car. They were really quick all week and really deserve this win. For BMW M Motorsport it has been a long time trying to win here, so this 1-2 is pretty big for them and also for the entire Team WRT. Their strategy was absolute masterclass today. The overall result is great, but next time I hope we can swap positions.”
