Can Toyota beat Ford and Chevy at Bathurst?
Toyota's Supra joins Mustang and Camaro for the first time at Bathurst. Start times, TV details and the road cars worth watching.
The Bathurst 1000 is the grand final for Australian car enthusiasts.
Growing up with the sights and sounds of Mount Panorama coming from the lounge room; as a kid, you would duck in and out throughout the day, ready to sprint back in when you hear a mum and dad yelling at the TV.
As I got older, the longer I'd stay glued to the TV, I loved it so much i made a career out of it, and it still gives me goosebumps.
There is nothing quite like 27 Supercars tearing around Mount Panorama.
This years Repco Bathurst 1000 runs from Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 October at Mount Panorama, with the 161-lap race starting at 11:30am AEDT on Sunday.
Ford Mustang vs Chevrolet Camaro vs Toyota GR Supra
Toyota joins the fight in 2026, so three nameplates you can actually picture in a driveway line up on the grid: 11 Ford Mustang GT's, 10 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1's and five Toyota GR Supras.
The days of winning on Sunday, sell on Monday are over with the Toyota GR Supra being discontinued in 2025, and the Camaro meeting its demise globally in 2023. The Ford Mustang is the only model in the line up you can purchase new.
The shake-up runs deep. with Triple Eight (Red Bull Ampol Racing) switching from Chevrolet to Ford, Walkinshaw TWG Racing swapped their Ford Mustang's For Toyota GR Supras and Brad Jones Racing now run Toyotas in lieu of their Camaro's - and the Supra has already cut its teeth, taking the top step at The Bend 500 with Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard.
With 27 entries and 1000km's around one of the toughest race tracks in the world, the Bathurst 1000 is anyones race to win.
Avid Torquecafe readers might remember Will Davison's former Bathurst-winning Mustang has been up for sale more than once. Davison is co-driving for Matt Payne at Grove Racing in this year's race.
For the event guide, see Speedcafe's Bathurst 1000 preview.
A battle of the brands
Mount Panorama has been a proving ground for manufacturers for over 80 years, every racing car driver around the world knows it turn by turn, a victory on the mountain cements your name in the history books.
Here is a list of brands, makes and models putting it all on the line this weekend.
- Supercars Championship - 11 Ford Mustang GT's, 10 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1's and five Toyota GR Supras. Friday Qualifying: 4:10pm, Saturday Top Ten Shootout: 5:05pm and the Sunday race: 11:30am.
- V8 SuperUtes - Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux, Isuzu D-Max, Mazda BT-50, Mitsubishi Triton and Holden Colorado, all in race trim fitted with a V8 (2026 SuperUtes Series). Sunday race: 8:00am.
- Porsche Carrera Cup - Race-spec 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992.2). Sunday race: 9:30am.
- Toyota GR Cup - one-make Gazoo Racing Toyota GR86 race cars. Sunday race: 9:00am.
- Touring Car Masters - the category for anyone who grew up with posters on the bedroom wall. The Holden Torana A9X dominates the field, with eight of the 19 cars on the series' driver list, but Ford answers with four Mustangs - including two Trans Am-style builds - and a pair of Falcons, one a GTHO and the other an XD. Two Chevrolet Camaro SS entries add American muscle, while a Chrysler Valiant Pacer and a Mazda RX-7 make sure it's not just a two-brand fight. Sunday's race is at 7:30am AEDT - worth the early alarm.
All times AEDT.
Off the track
Not everything worth seeing at the Mountain is racing. The front-engined, twin-turbo V8 Porsche 911 built with Repco gets its full reveal on race day, and the former Peter Brock-led HDT brand is teasing a comeback.
How to watch the Bathurst 1000
| Fox Sports / Kayo | Seven / 7mate / 7plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 8 October | From 7:25am | No coverage |
| Friday 9 October | From 7:30am | From 10:00am |
| Saturday 10 October | From 8:25am | Check local guide |
| Sunday 11 October | From 7:00am | From 7:00am |
Times AEDT. In New Zealand, watch on Sky Sports, Sky Sports Now or Sky Go. Viewers elsewhere can use Supercars' SuperView streaming service.
Race start, Sunday 11 October: 11:30am AEDT (Sydney, Melbourne) · 10:30am AEST (Brisbane) · 11:00am ACDT (Adelaide) · 10:00am ACST (Darwin) · 8:30am AWST (Perth) · 1:30pm NZDT
For every session time and the full entry list, see our motorsport site Speedcafe's complete Bathurst 1000 schedule.
More Bathurst stories
Jordan Mulach
Jordan Mulach
Jordan Mulach
