Why Bathurst 1000?
Phillip Island hosted the first three editions of what became the Bathurst 1000 from 1960 until 1962 when the track surface was deemed too damaged to use. A scenic road at Mount Panorama, Bathurst was chosen to host the 500-mile race for production cars and it has held it ever since. Changing to the metric 1000km length in 1973, the race remained this length only becoming a 161-lap event when The Chase was added ahead of the World Touring Car Championship round in 1987.
Bathurst 2025 Track
Bathurst 2025 Stats
Track Length
Lap Record
Track Wins
Attendance Record
How did it all start?
Originally planned to be run around Albert Park, but politics came into play and Phillip Island moved into host what was a 500-mile race for locally manufactured showroom models. Sponsored by shock absorber producer Armstrong, the event proved successful until the track surface at Phillip Island became unsuitable to host such an event after 1962. It was moved to the Mount Panorama Scenic Drive, which was first constructed in 1938 on what was known as Bald Hills. It was at Easter of the same year Mount Panorama hosted its first meeting and a quarter of a century later the circuit changed the Australian motorsport landscape.
Did You Know...
The models competing in the Repco Bathurst 1000 today are vastly different to those to have competed in the first event at the Mountain in 1963.
Bespoke racing versions of the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro built to Supercars’ Gen3 regulations will compete in the race in addition to the entire Repco Supercars Championship season.
For 2026, the Repco Supercars Championship will welcome Toyota’s Supra to the field in a new program led by Walkinshaw Andretti United and supported by Brad Jones Racing.
Legend Peter Brock holds the record at nine Repco Bathurst 1000 victories, with Craig Lowndes leading the way for the most active drivers on seven wins.
Jim Richards leads the way for New Zealanders at the Mountain and shares the same amount of wins at Lowndes at seven. Although Holden may not be around anymore, it heads the list of most wins for a manufacturer on 36.
Chaz Mostert holds both the Qualifying and lap records for the Repco Bathurst 1000.
The Qualifying lap record Mostert set was achieved in 2021 driving the Walkinshaw Andretti United Holden ZB Commodore he took victory in alongside Lee Holdsworth. Mostert’s 2m 03.373s during qualifying set provisional pole, which he converted at the end of the Top 10 Shootout.
Mostert achieved the race lap record back in 2019 when he was with Tickford Racing by achieving a 2m 04.760s.
Network Seven will feature live coverage starting on Friday and carrying through until the race’s conclusion on Sunday. Fox Sports and Kayo will broadcast every Repco Supercars Championship session across the weekend live.
Sky Sport in New Zealand will provide coverage of all sessions also.
The circuit is 6.213-kilometres in length. It was first built as a public road in the 1930s in the wake of the Great Depression through a national employment relief scheme and, while presented as a scenic road, was undoubtedly created with motorsport in mind. The first race was held there in April 1938 and the first race that led to today's Repco Bathurst 1000 - the Armstrong 500 - was held for the first time at the track in October 1963.
