Bathurst drama unfolds as Will Brown triggers near-mest disaster
Bathurst’s practice session delivered one of the most chaotic moments of the weekend when Supercars star Will Brown narrowly avoided a potentially catastrophic collision on the final turn. The Red Bull Racing Australia driver was barrelling toward a hot lap as a separate on-track duel between rivals Thomas Randle and Chaz Mostert intensified just ahead. What happened next left teams, fans, and commentators talking long after the cars rolled into the garages.
As Mostert moved to take the line, he unintentionally placed his Mustang in Brown’s path. Brown, faced with a delicate balance of speed and control, had to brake aggressively to avoid contact. The car snapped toward the grass, and onlookers could sense a serious crash was imminent if Brown hadn’t managed to claw his way back under control. The incident culminated in a moment Brown later described with a sheepish grin and a candid admission: “I just pooped in my pants.”
The tension on the hill was echoed in the pit lane as Mostert exited his car and approached Randle outside Randle’s garage. He was heard signaling frustration, saying “Sort it out there, mate” as he vented at the rival in a tense confrontation that underscored how quickly Bathurst can turn from practice into high-stakes drama.
In the immediate aftermath, Brown’s team and the crowd exhaled as the Red Bull Mustang was checked and the #25 of Mostert was recalibrated in response to the near-miss. Brown walked into his garage later to share a moment of reconciliation with Mostert, who offered a terse apology and shook hands with a clearly rattled racer. Analysts watching the live footage noted the narrow margin for error that exists at Bathurst, where a single miscalculation at the corner can erase days of work.
Expert voices frame the moment as a near-miss with real consequences
Commentators Neil Crompton and Mark Skaife provided perspective on the dangerous line Brown faced. “That could have resulted in two cars being well out of business,” Crompton said, reflecting on the severity of the incident. Skaife added that the vehicles, which lack ABS, required drivers to judge braking and steering with almost telepathic precision at high speeds through a demanding corner.
As the drama cooled, analyses turned toward the bigger picture of Bathurst 1000 preparations. Reigning Bathurst champion Brodie Kostecki captured provisional pole by a razor-thin margin, but remained vocal about parity issues and the pace gap with other teams. The episode with Brown, Mostert, and Randle highlighted the tight competitiveness of the field and the high stakes of every practice lap ahead of Sunday’s big race.
What this means for Saturday’s schedule and Sunday’s showdown
With the practice concluded, teams shifted focus to qualifying and the Shootout, where a handful of drivers will chase pole position. Brown’s 12th-place finish in the Shootout was a disappointment given his speed and potential, but the incident at the final turn remained the talking point for teams evaluating risk–reward decisions in the closing stages of practice.
Fans will be watching closely as the weekend progresses, hoping for competitive racing and a reminder that Bathurst rewards precision, courage, and nerves of steel. The unpredictable nature of the track means every session could rewrite the narrative heading into the big race.
Final thoughts
The Bathurst drama surrounding Will Brown was a stark illustration of why this event tests drivers not just on talent, but on composure under pressure. The sport’s paramount weekend features moments that become part of its lore, and this near-miss will likely be cited as a cautionary tale—an unforgettable reminder that at Mount Panorama, a race can be decided by milliseconds and a single miscalculation.
