Bold takeaway: Bathurst 12 Hour qualifying delivered a dramatic mix of pace, surprises, and a red-flag moment that reshaped the grid. Here’s a fresh, beginner-friendly rewording that preserves every key detail while expanding clarity and flow.
In qualifying, Waters asserted command by topping the times, while four of the top five positions were occupied by Mercedes-AMG entries. The #222 car led, followed by Scott Andrews in the #44 Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG entry.
Broc Feeney finished third behind the wheel of the #64 Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang GT3, with Luca Stolz in the Silver Arrows of the #75 Express car and Jayden Ojeda in the #6 Tigani Motorsport car securing fourth and fifth places, respectively.
Waters clocked a lap of 2:01.5631, narrowly beating Andrews by 0.1075 seconds. Co-driver Thomas Randle reflected on the weekend so far, noting that teams are still comparing relative pace and that the upcoming super pole offers another chance to clinch pole position. He credited Cam Waters’ standout performance and emphasized that the result was a true team effort, thanking STM, Ashley Seward Motorsport, and Barry Ryan for their contributions. Randle added that he’s eager to watch Cam in the Pirelli Pole battle.
Lucas Auer set the early pace in Qualifying 1 with a 2:01.9715 in the 30-minute session, a time that ultimately earned him a place in the Pirelli Pole Shootout, though his position ended up eighth overall after subsequent runs. Laurin Heinrich stood in second for the #61 Earl Bamber Motorsport Porsche 911, finishing 15th overall.
A surprise in Qualifying 1 came from Maro Engel, who qualified in 31st as the #888 Team GMR Mercedes-AMG suffered a suspected power issue. Engel commented that qualifying at Bathurst is a special challenge, and the team planned to investigate the issue to prepare for racing the following day.
Waters became the first driver to surpass Auer’s time, vaulting to the top with a 2:01.8894 in the #222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes-AMG. A red flag then interrupted the action on the Mountain when Kai Allen’s #100 Grove Racing Mercedes-AMG lost its left rear wheel right after exiting the pits. The team was left puzzled as video footage suggested the wheel nut appeared tight and seated, creating an unusual mechanical mystery.
Grove Racing managed to repair the car and return it to the track late in Qualifying 2, but Allen could not improve on 21st overall after his fastest time was taken away for bringing out the red flag.
With around six minutes left in the session, drivers began posting personal bests. Christopher Haase led the way in the #55 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo with a 2:01.8804, only to be eclipsed two minutes later by Scott Andrews with a 2:01.6706. Stolz’s Mercedes (#75) followed with a 2:01.7565, and Feeney’s Ford Mustang GT3 clocked a 2:01.6875, briefly putting him in the mix before Waters reclaimed the top spot with 2:01.5631.
Final Qualifying results (top 5 highlighted):
- 1: 222 PRO Cameron Waters, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 9 laps, 2:01.5631
- 2: 44 PAM Scott Andrews, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 11 laps, 2:01.6706
- 3: 64 PRO Broc Feeney, Ford Mustang GT3, 12 laps, 2:01.6875
- 4: 75 PRO Luca Stolz, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 9 laps, 2:01.7565
- 5: 6 PRO Jayden Ojeda, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, 12 laps, 2:01.8066
Additional notable times and positions included: Haase in the #55 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo at 2:01.8804 (6th), Marciello in the BMW M4 GT3 EVO at 2:01.9631 (7th), and Auer’s Mercedes in 8th at 2:01.9715. Matt Campbell’s Porsche 911 GT3R sat just outside the top 10 with 2:01.9785, while Mapelli’s Lamborghini Huracan found 10th at 2:01.9902. Kai Allen’s red-flag incident left him 21st overall, and Engel’s earlier 31st position remained a talking point despite his strong potential.
To sum up, the qualifying session produced a tight battle at the front, with Waters narrowly leading Andrews, and Feeney locking in a strong third as the field prepared for tomorrow’s pole shootout and the main race. As always at Bathurst, the mountain delivered drama, pace, and plenty of talking points for teams and fans alike. The big question remains: which combination of speed, strategy, and reliability will prevail in the Bathurst 12 Hour? Share your thoughts in the comments: do you expect the pole position to translate into a race-winning performance, or will strategy and unforeseen events swing the result? And this is the part most people miss: how will the red-flag incidents influence tire choices and pit strategies for the main event?"
