Cameron Waters surged to provisional pole for the 2026 Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, putting Scott Taylor Motorsport’s Mercedes-AMG at the head of a field packed with championship contenders. Waters clocked 2:01.079s on his second flying lap, setting the second-fastest lap in the event’s history and cementing STM’s sixth Allan Simonsen Pole Trophy. Sharing the car with fellow Supercars drivers Thomas Randle and Chaz Mostert, Waters led a Mercedes-AMG 1-2-3 in a session of intense competition and unpredictable incidents.
IGTC: 2026 Bathurst 12 Hours: Qualifying 1: Chaos and shifting front-runners
The first session quickly proved unforgiving. 2025 pole-sitter Lucas Auer reached the Pirelli Pole Battle, but many front-runners fell behind. Maro Engel struggled with a power issue in the #888 Mercedes-AMG Team GMR, starting 31st, while Kai Allen’s #100 Mercedes lost a wheel and the defending champion BMW #32 finished only 12th.
Early pace came from Broc Feeney and Marco Mapelli, with Alex Peroni, Waters, and Scott Andrews soon challenging. Laurin Heinrich set a string of fast laps in the #61 Porsche, only to be edged out by Auer and later Waters. Andrew’s #222 Pro-Am Mercedes-AMG surprised the field, eventually topping the provisional times with a 2:01.6706s. “It’s tight out there,” Waters said after setting the benchmark, highlighting the razor-thin margins across the top ten.
IGTC: 2026 Bathurst 12 Hours: Qualifying 2: The fight for position
The second stage of Qualifying saw teams chasing the final top spots for the Pole Battle. Track conditions improved, prompting multiple improvements across the leaderboard. Waters’ earlier pace proved decisive, as he responded to Auer’s brief lead. Broc Feeney, Marco Mapelli, and Lucas Auer all held provisional positions at various points, but the STM Mercedes consistently found time where others faltered.
The session emphasised strategy as much as speed. Several BMWs and the 75 Express Mercedes had yet to post representative laps when red flags interrupted, forcing crews to quickly readjust. Haase’s Audi and Mapelli’s Lamborghini impressed, but only Waters, Auer, and Stolz emerged as realistic contenders for the Pole Trophy.
Qualifying 1 + 2 Results
IGTC: 2026 Bathurst 12 Hours: Final Pole Shootout: Waters clinches top spot
In the final Pirelli Pole Battle, Waters delivered a flawless lap to set 2:01.079s. Auer and Stolz challenged but could not match the Mercedes’ pace, falling 0.177s and slightly further behind respectively. The top five was completed by 75 Express-AMG, Absolute Racing Porsche, and the Jamec/MPC Audi, which, while ineligible for IGTC points, remains a strong contender for victory on Sunday.
Waters’ performance demonstrated both raw speed and composure under pressure. “Setting fastest times in final practice and qualifying made me the favourite,” he said, “but I had to dig particularly deep on my second flying lap to beat Auer and Stolz.” The session confirmed STM’s Mercedes-AMG as the benchmark for the race, with five AMG cars in the top ten and several championship favourites starting further back, including Ferraris and JMR Corvettes.
Pirelli Pole Battle Results
STM and Waters set benchmark
Cameron Waters and Scott Taylor Motorsport have set a commanding tone for Sunday’s 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour. With a flawless pole lap, the #222 Mercedes-AMG demonstrates it has both pace and reliability, while rivals face a challenge from mid-grid. As the Intercontinental GT Challenge heads into the opening round, spectators can expect an intense, action-packed start at Mount Panorama. Waters’ performance reaffirms his standing as one of Australia’s premier endurance drivers, while STM extends its record pole tally at the iconic 12 Hour.
