Get ready to rev your engines, because the Bathurst 12 Hour just heated up! Will Brown stole the show in Practice 3, becoming the first driver to shatter the 2:04s barrier and claim the top spot on the time sheets. But here's where it gets interesting: Brown's blistering 2:03.899 lap in the No. 55 Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II was just 0.250 seconds faster than Laurin Heinrich's No. 61 EBM Porsche 911 GT3 R, setting the stage for a thrilling battle on Sunday.
Brown's dominance wasn’t the only story of the session. Raffaele Marciello’s No. 46 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 EVO secured third place, closely followed by Thomas Randal in the No. 222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. Jules Gounon rounded out the top five in the 75 Express Mercedes-AMG, proving that the competition is fierce across the grid.
And this is the part most people miss: Team KRC’s BMW wasn’t just sixth overall—it was the fastest in the Bronze class, outpacing the No. 32 WRT BMW. Meanwhile, the No. 268 Team BRM Audi claimed the top spot in the Pro-Am class, with the No. 911 Absolute Racing Porsche and No. 101 Q/Team MPC Audi completing the top ten.
The session wasn’t without its drama. Anders Fjordbach and Fabian Schiller both spun early on—Fjordbach at the top of the mountain in his No. 86 High Class Racing Porsche, and Schiller in the No. 6 Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG. Thankfully, neither driver made contact with the walls, but it’s a reminder of just how unforgiving Bathurst can be.
But here’s the controversial question: With Brown setting such a commanding pace, is the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II the car to beat this weekend, or will Porsche and BMW find a way to close the gap? And what about the Bronze and Pro-Am classes—are we underestimating their potential to shake up the overall standings?
A final practice session, exclusively for FIA Bronze-rated drivers and Silver-rated rookies, is set for 4:40 p.m. local time (12:40 a.m. ET). Will it reveal any last-minute surprises, or will Brown’s lead remain unchallenged? Only time will tell.
RESULTS: Practice 3 (https://www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com/documents/notice/3886/Practice+3+-+Provisional+Results.pdf)
John Dagys, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365, brings you this update. With eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel, and contributions to numerous global publications, Dagys is your go-to source for all things racing. Contact John (https://sportscar365.com/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9bfefff2eff4e9dbe8ebf4e9efe8f8fae9a8adaeb5f8f4f6) and let him know what you think of today’s action—agree or disagree, the debate is open!
