Final Bathurst practice: near-mox and motorstorms
The late afternoon session at the Repco Bathurst 1000 delivered drama as Will Brown in the #1 Triple Eight Race Engineering Camaro navigated a tight, high-stakes moment that could have rewritten the day’s script. A near-miss at Murray’s Corner underlined the razor-thin margins teams operate within as Australia’s premier endurance race drew closer to the decisive qualifying rounds.
As the field approached Turn 1’s famous sections and pressed toward the final straight, Brown found himself in a precarious position behind Chaz Mostert and Thomas Randle, who were scrapping for track position in a high-velocity, side-by-side move into the last turn. Mostert slowed abruptly, seemingly attempting to create space for Brown, but his car swerved back toward Brown’s line, forcing the 2024 champion into a split-second decision. Brown checked his speed, veered into the grass, and then spun at Murray’s Corner, narrowly avoiding contact with the sister battle unfolding just ahead.
Commentary from Fox Sports captured the tension. “That was so close to being a monumental shunt,” veteran analyst Neil Crompton noted, highlighting how Brown’s momentum was redirected through instinct and precision rather than force. The incident was a reminder of the combustible mix that Bathurst Practice can serve up: a blend of strategy, pace, and moment-to-moment risk management.
On the radio, Brown’s moment of relief was tempered with a touch of humor. “I just pooped in my pants,” Brown quipped, prompting a dry reply from his engineer, Andrew Edwards: “Copy.” The lighter exchange underscored the human element at play amid the high-stakes environment. Behind the scenes, Mostert’s on-track reaction to the near-miss spilled into a tense moment post-session as he confronted Randle, pointing at his head in a display that suggested a heated dialogue over the couple of seconds that nearly collided at the final turn.
The session itself was punctuated by other notable incidents that tested pit crews and drivers alike. Six minutes from the end, a leaf blower accidentally found its way onto the track in the #100 Grove Racing Mustang, triggering an investigation by race control. The incident drew attention away from on-track timing and placed Grove Racing under scrutiny as teams prepared for the crucial Shootout rounds.
In the meantime, the competition maintained its edge. The session began with Brodie Kostecki setting a blistering pace, his time of 2:05.4176 leading the early times. It wasn’t until Cameron Waters seized top spot with a 2:05.3052 that the field started to recalibrate their rhythms. Feeney then vaulted into the lead late in the session with a final-lap 2:04.9698 in the #88 Triple Eight Camaro, signaling a shift in tempo as teams pushed to fine-tune setups just ahead of the top-10 shootout.
Mostert held a narrow gap behind Waters, finishing just 0.146 seconds adrift in the standings before the session concluded, with Cooper Murray and Brodie Kostecki close behind in mixed weathering conditions and a track that rewarded aggressive, clean driving. For Triple Eight and their rivals, the message is clear: every corner has a decision, and every decision can ripple through the rest of the Bathurst 1000 weekend.
The atmosphere during practice six reflected the combative nature of the Repco Supercars Championship at Mount Panorama. The Top 10 Shootout is scheduled for 5:05pm AEDT, with teams hoping to translate the day’s lessons into a strong qualifying performance and, ultimately, a competitive race run.
What to watch next
As drivers reset, attention will turn to the balance of aggression and consistency. The near-miss at Murray’s Corner will likely influence how teams approach late-race management and how they calibrate car behavior under the unique Bathurst dynamics. Fans can expect a tense, tactical Shootout and a race that rewards precision and nerve in equal measure.
Results snapshot
Practice 6 results and the evolving pace-setters will shape preparations for the Repco Bathurst 1000. Expect strategic decisions around aero, tire management, and how teams approach the chicanes and high-speed straights as the weekend advances.
