The 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000 witnessed an electrifying showdown at Mount Panorama, where fans were treated to a spirited contest among the top Supercars teams. Matthew Payne and Garth Tander emerged victorious, piloting the No. 100 Ford Mustang GT from Grove Racing to a remarkable finish, completing 161 laps in a time of 1:42.2128.
"It feels incredible to win at Bathurst," said Garth Tander, who played a pivotal role in the victory. His experience combined with Payne's speed proved to be an unbeatable combination throughout the race.
Trailing closely behind were David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth, representing Team 18. They drove their Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to a commendable second place, finishing just 0.9588 seconds behind the leaders. "We gave it everything we had, but it just wasn’t enough today," commented Reynolds, reflecting on the intense competition.
The third spot on the podium was secured by James Golding and David Russell of PremiAir Racing, who also leveraged their Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 effectively. The duo clocked in a time that put them 4.0396 seconds behind the leaders. "We are pleased with our performance and honored to be on the podium at such a prestigious event," said Russell.
Cooper Murray and Jobe Stewart of Erebus Motorsport closely followed in fourth place, finishing within a mere 4.6969 seconds of the winners. Murray expressed, "Every race at Bathurst is challenging. We gave it our best, and there’s always next time."
The fierce competition didn’t stop there, as Cameron Hill and Cameron McLeod from Matt Stone Racing wrapped up the top five, showcasing consistent pace and strategic driving. Hill remarked on their performance, saying, "We pushed hard till the end; it’s a tough circuit, but we held our ground."
Among the notable performances, Broc Feeney and legendary driver Jamie Whincup from Triple Eight Race Engineering took sixth place, while the next few finishers also demonstrated remarkable skill, with several teams completing the race within similar lap times.
"The level of competition is always sky-high at Bathurst, and you have to bring your A-game, or you’ll be left behind," reflected Whincup, emphasizing the race's challenging nature.
However, the race was not without its share of disappointments. Several leading teams faced difficulties leading to retirements. For instance, Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard from Walkinshaw Andretti United faced technical issues that forced them to retire early on just 57 laps into the race. "It’s always tough when you can’t finish a race; we had high hopes for today," mostert lamented.
Among the other drivers who encountered troubles were Richie Stanaway and Nash Morris of PremiAir Racing, who also couldn’t finish due to issues after 143 laps. Morris stated, "We had a strong start, but racing is unpredictable, and that’s part of the game."
As the tension of the race subsided, the remaining teams reflected on their performances. With the Bathurst 1000 now complete, fans and teams alike can look forward to the next events of the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship and who will gain the upper hand in the ongoing title chase.
Looking ahead, the championship continues to unfold as competitors analyze their strategies and gear up for another fight on the race circuit. The stakes will only grow higher, and the passion of the racers will undoubtedly lead to more thrilling performances in the coming events.