The 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour officially kicked off with four practice runs on the iconic Mount Panorama circuit, and Kiwi drivers made their presence felt across multiple classes. From PAM and Bronze to GT4, several New Zealand competitors posted competitive lap times, highlighted by class victories and strong overall pace.
Practice 1 – Kiwis Near the Front
The opening practice session set an encouraging tone for the Kiwi contingent. Steve Brooks in the Team BRM Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo (PAM Class), alongside co-drivers Alex Peroni and James Golding, posted a fastest lap of 2:04.1610, finishing third overall and first in class.
Their time was less than two-tenths off the outright fastest lap set by Kevin Van Der Linde and Charles Weerts in the Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo in the Pro Class, immediately establishing Team BRM as a class benchmark.
Ryan Wood in the Ziggo Sport Tempsta Ferrari 296 GT3 (Bronze Class), with Christopher Froggatt, Jonathan Hui, and Lorenzo Patrese, finished 14th overall and 5th in class, setting a fastest lap of 2:05.3324. He was just over a second off the fastest Bronze Class lap.
Meanwhile, Jaxon Evans (Arise Racing GT – Ferrari 296 GT3, Pro Class) recorded a best of 2:05.7167, placing 16th overall and 9th in Pro Class. Brendon Leitch, piloting the Tigani Motorsport/Geyer Valmont Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO in PAM Class, was 17th overall and 2nd in class with a lap of 2:05.8372.
In GT4, Graeme Dowsett (Team NZ – Aston Martin Vantage) topped his class with a lap of 2:15.4264, finishing 33rd overall and outpacing the nearest GT4 competitor by almost six seconds.
Bronze Class driver Daniel Gaunt’s co-drivers posted 13th overall and 4th in class, while Pro Class ace Earl Bamber’s teammates finished 23rd overall and 11th in class, rounding out the Kiwi performances in Practice 1.
Practice 2 – Bronze Drivers Take the Spotlight
Practice 2 focused on Bronze drivers, with several Kiwi entries setting competitive times. Steve Brooks returned with co-driver Mark Rosser, finishing 9th overall and 2nd in PAM Class with a lap of 2:06.908.
Daniel Gaunt’s co-drivers Johannes Zelger and Fabio Babini completed 15 laps, finishing 10th overall and 6th in class (2:08.084), while Brendon Leitch’s co-drivers posted a fastest lap of 2:09.2657, 16 laps in, placing them outside the top ten in PAM.
Graeme Dowsett finished 21st overall but just 0.41 seconds off the fastest GT4 lap, while Ryan Wood’s co-drivers impressed with a 6th overall, 3rd in class result with a lap of 2:05.986, less than six-tenths off the fastest Bronze lap.
Practice 3 – Consistent Class Leaders
Practice 3 saw further solid performances from the Kiwi drivers. Steve Brooks’ team topped the PAM Class again, finishing 9th overall with a lap of 2:04.630, just 0.731 seconds off the session’s fastest time.
Brendon Leitch and Scott Andrews were competitive in PAM Class, 16th overall and only 0.279 seconds off the fastest PAM lap.
Daniel Gaunt’s co-drivers maintained pace in Bronze, finishing 19th overall and 6th in class, while Earl Bamber and Jaxon Evans’ co-drivers placed 21st and 26th overall, respectively, in Pro Class. Ryan Wood finished 29th overall and 10th in Bronze Class, while the GT4 class saw Romain Leroux and Chris Van Der Drift post the fastest GT4 lap at 2:15.078.
Practice 4 – Evening Runs
The final practice session of Day 1 was held in the evening, with cooler track conditions. Steve Brooks finished 12th overall and 4th in PAM Class (2:08.875), while Brendon Leitch’s co-drivers were 11th overall and 2nd in class (2:08.354).
Daniel Gaunt’s co-drivers impressed with a 5th overall and 2nd in Bronze Class result (2:06.569). Ryan Wood finished 6th overall and 3rd in Bronze Class, while Graeme Dowsett, returning solo in GT4, again topped his class with a 2:22.345 lap, significantly faster than his class rivals.
Notably, Earl Bamber and Jaxon Evans did not participate in the final session.
Day 1 Summary
Kiwi drivers delivered a strong start to the Bathurst 12 Hour support sessions. Steve Brooks dominated the PAM Class, Graeme Dowsett continued to lead GT4, and Ryan Wood and Daniel Gaunt kept the Bronze Class competitive. Brendon Leitch remained a consistent podium contender in PAM, while Jaxon Evans and Earl Bamber’s Pro Class teams were still finding pace.
As teams prepare for qualifying and race sessions, the Kiwis are well-positioned to make an impact across all classes at Mount Panorama, setting the scene for an exciting weekend of high-speed endurance racing.
Header Image: Bathurst 12 Hour
