Supercars | 2026 Bathurst 1000 | Race 30 | Kostecki and Hazelwood claim dramatic last-lap victory

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Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood have claimed a remarkable victory at the 2026 Repco Bathurst 1000, following a dramatic final-lap twist that saw race leader Anton De Pasquale run out of fuel within sight of the chequered flag.

The Shell V-Power Racing Team pairing looked set to dominate the 161-lap contest before a costly brake change threatened to derail their victory hopes. However, a late charge from Kostecki, combined with fuel troubles for De Pasquale, saw the #17 Ford Mustang return to the front in the closing moments.

The result delivered Dick Johnson Racing its first Bathurst 1000 victory since 2019, while Kostecki added another Great Race triumph to his 2024 success. A crowd of 204,223 attended the four-day event, the largest Bathurst 1000 attendance since 2018, as Mount Panorama once again produced an unpredictable endurance contest.

Seton leads as opening lap drama unfolds

Following a remarkable Top Ten Shootout performance from Zach Bates on Saturday, co-driver Aaron Seton lined up on pole position alongside Todd Hazelwood.

As the lights went out, Seton made a strong getaway, holding the inside line into Hell Corner to maintain the lead. Hazelwood remained close behind, while Lee Holdsworth settled into third in the #18 Team 18 Chevrolet.

However, further back, the opening lap was far from straightforward. Contact between James Moffat and Tony D’Alberto at The Cutting resulted in Nash Morris spinning, while Moffat sustained a right-front puncture. Morris later found himself in the gravel at McPhillamy Park while attempting to avoid the slowing car. Meanwhile, the #11 Objective Racing Ford of Jackson Walls and Jack Perkins encountered power steering problems before the race had properly begun. Perkins was forced into the pit lane, where repairs cost the team several laps.

At the front, Seton continued to lead Hazelwood and Holdsworth, with the leading trio beginning to establish a gap over Lochie Dalton and Scott Pye. Further down the order, Kai Allen was making progress in the #26 Penrite Racing Ford. Having started 11th, Allen moved into eighth within the opening ten laps, before passing Harri Jones at Murray’s Corner and later finding a way past James Courtney.

Early pit stops shake up the order

With the opening stint progressing, attention began to turn towards fuel strategy and the first round of pit stops.

Seton maintained his lead throughout the opening 25 laps, before bringing the #10 Chevrolet into the pits and handing over to Bates. Hazelwood and Pye followed one lap later, with both drivers having conserved fuel during the opening stint. Their strategy proved advantageous, allowing their respective teams to gain track position.

For Red Bull Ampol Racing, Pye’s fuel-saving efforts proved particularly valuable. Will Brown emerged ahead of Kostecki following the first round of stops, moving the #888 Ford from fifth on the grid into the effective race lead. Bates settled into third, with Jack Le Brocq and De Pasquale completing the top five.

Elsewhere, defending Bathurst winner Matt Payne found himself in trouble after an incident involving David Reynolds on Conrod Straight. Payne forced Reynolds onto the grass, resulting in a five-second penalty to be served at his next pit stop. Despite the early incidents, the race continued without Safety Car intervention, allowing teams to settle into their strategies as the laps continued to tick down.

Penrite Racing suffers a difficult afternoon

As the race approached its halfway point, Penrite Racing’s hopes of another Bathurst victory began to unravel. Having already received a five-second penalty for his earlier incident with Reynolds, Payne’s #19 Ford was dealt another setback following a pit stop infringement. During the car’s third stop, a wheel rolled towards the fast lane while the crew were refuelling. The incident was investigated by race officials, with co-driver Will Davison subsequently instructed to serve a drive-through penalty.

The penalty dropped the defending Bathurst-winning entry further down the order, leaving the team facing a difficult recovery. Across the garage, Allen and Tim Slade were also encountering problems. The #26 Ford required an early brake change, raising concerns about whether the new brakes would last the remaining distance.

By half-distance, Davison was running tenth, while Allen had slipped to 19th.

The problems continued later in the race when Allen was forced to return to the pits after his left-front brake duct came loose. Slade was also required to return to the car to complete his mandatory co-driver laps, with the resulting stop costing approximately 90 seconds. Although Payne and Davison remained in contention for a respectable finish, the combination of penalties and mechanical difficulties had significantly compromised Penrite Racing’s afternoon.

Kostecki takes control before costly pit stop

While other teams struggled, Kostecki and Hazelwood appeared increasingly comfortable at the front of the field. The #17 Shell V-Power Racing Team Mustang had established itself as one of the strongest cars throughout the race, with Kostecki building an advantage as the contest entered its final quarter.

With the race having continued under green-flag conditions for more than 100 laps, strategy and pit stop execution remained crucial. However, on lap 125, Kostecki entered the pits for what should have been a routine brake change ahead of the final stint. Although the left-front brake change was completed without issue, difficulties with the right-front brake resulted in a lengthy delay.

The mistake proved costly. As Kostecki remained stationary, Bates, De Pasquale, Brown and Le Brocq all moved ahead, leaving the 2024 Bathurst winner facing a considerable recovery. Bates inherited the lead in the #10 Matt Stone Racing Chevrolet, while De Pasquale began closing the gap in the #18 Team 18 entry.

Brown occupied third, with Le Brocq completing the top four as the race entered its closing stages. For Dick Johnson Racing, what had appeared to be a straightforward route to victory had suddenly become a fight to recover lost positions.

De Pasquale closes in as fuel strategy takes centre stage

With fewer than 30 laps remaining, the battle for victory began to intensify. Bates continued to lead, but De Pasquale was rapidly closing the gap. The Team 18 driver had a fuel advantage over the #10 Chevrolet, placing him in a strong position for the final round of pit stops. With 27 laps remaining, the gap between the leading pair had fallen below two seconds.

Behind them, Brown and Le Brocq continued to push, with both drivers running wide through The Esses as they attempted to remain in contention. The final stops began on lap 136 when Bayley Hall brought the #15 Team 18 wildcard entry into the pits. Le Brocq and Payne followed on lap 138.

On lap 139, Team 18 made the decision to bring De Pasquale into the pits as he closed onto the back of Bates. Matt Stone Racing responded one lap later, bringing Bates in for his final stop. However, the difference in fuel requirements became apparent as De Pasquale emerged with a significant advantage.

With 21 laps remaining, the Team 18 driver held a 15.5-second lead over Bates. Meanwhile, Kostecki was beginning to recover from his earlier setback. Following his final stop on lap 150, he faced an 11-lap sprint to the chequered flag, with approximately five seconds separating him from Brown.

As De Pasquale continued out front, his engineer Andrew Donnelly instructed him to begin conserving fuel with ten laps remaining. What initially appeared to be a manageable fuel-saving exercise soon developed into a growing concern for Team 18.

Late Safety Car sets up dramatic finish

With the laps running out, Kostecki was determined to return to the podium. The Dick Johnson Racing driver demonstrated remarkable pace, setting consecutive Gen3 lap records on laps 152 and 153 as he closed in on Brown. With six laps remaining, Kostecki was right behind the #888 Ford, setting up an intense battle for third position. Brown defended hard, eventually receiving a bad sportsmanship flag for moving under braking. However, Kostecki found a way through with a decisive move at Murray’s Corner.

Moments later, the race was turned on its head once again. Chaz Mostert crashed at Forrest’s Elbow after clipping the inside wall, triggering the first Safety Car of the afternoon with just six laps remaining.

After more than 150 laps of uninterrupted green-flag racing, the field was finally brought back together. For De Pasquale, the Safety Car appeared to offer a welcome opportunity to conserve fuel. However, Team 18 had already been issuing increasingly urgent instructions, with the driver told to undertake maximum fuel saving.

As the Safety Car returned to the pits, just three laps remained. De Pasquale made a strong restart, maintaining the lead ahead of Bates and Kostecki.

However, the #17 Ford was far from finished.

Kostecki immediately began applying pressure to Bates, making another decisive move at Murray’s Corner to take second position. With only De Pasquale standing between him and victory, Kostecki continued his pursuit into the final lap.

Safety car called, five laps to go! #RepcoSC #Supercars #Bathurst1000 pic.twitter.com/ZmXFnT6nhu
— Supercars (@supercars) October 11, 2026

Final-lap heartbreak hands Kostecki Bathurst victory

Having controlled the closing stages, De Pasquale appeared set to claim a remarkable Bathurst victory alongside Lee Holdsworth. However, as the #18 Chevrolet began its final lap, concerns over fuel consumption became a reality.

Despite Team 18’s efforts to conserve fuel, De Pasquale began slowing on Mountain Straight, allowing Kostecki to close in rapidly. The Dick Johnson Racing driver swept past to inherit the lead, completing an extraordinary comeback after his earlier brake change difficulties.

Meanwhile, De Pasquale desperately attempted to bring his Chevrolet home. However, his efforts proved unsuccessful, with the #18 eventually coming to a stop in the final sector, unable to reach the chequered flag. For the Team18 pair, it was a heartbreaking conclusion to a race in which they had appeared on course for victory. After leading the closing stages, the pair were ultimately classified as non-finishers.

At the front, Kostecki crossed the line to secure victory alongside Todd Hazelwood, delivering Dick Johnson Racing its first Bathurst 1000 triumph since 2019. Having overcome a costly pit stop, fought his way through the leading contenders and capitalised on De Pasquale’s misfortune, Kostecki secured his second Bathurst 1000 victory in three years.

After 161 laps, changing strategies and a dramatic final-lap twist, the 2026 Bathurst 1000 produced another extraordinary finish at Mount Panorama.