Bathurst 12H Expanded to Four-Day Event for 2027

The Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour will be held over four days in 2027, with the Intercontinental GT Challenge season opener maintaining its mid-February date.

Announced on Wednesday, the Mount Panorama event has been confirmed for Feb. 11-14, the date for this year’s race having shifted two weeks forward from 2025 to create more separation with the Rolex 24 at Daytona — which is slated for Jan. 28-31.

The expansion to a four-day event means more opportunities for paid testing on Thursday ahead of the start of official practice, as well as an expanded ‘Track to Town’ parade that has become a staple of the Bathurst 12H build-up in recent years.

Naming rights partner Meguiar’s has also been confirmed for a third season.

Bathurst 12H event director Shane Rudzis said: “The mid‑February timing received positive feedback across all aspects of the event, from competitors and manufacturers through to partners, broadcasters and the local community, reflecting the strength of the event and its potential to grow further on and off the track.

“We had clear feedback across the board to maintain a similar window for 2027.

“Balancing international calendars, freight and manufacturer commitments is never simple, however we’re confident these dates strike the right balance and a commitment to a world-class experience for our competitors, fans and partners at Mount Panorama.”

Rudzis told Sportscar365 ahead of this year’s race that the Bathurst 12H could become a GT3-only competition as early as 2027 amid a boom in interest in the IGTC opener, which attracted a 35-car field this year including 31 GT3 cars.

Such a move would go hand-in-hand with a possible Monochrome GT4 Australia support race, something that a shift to a four-day event would help facilitate.

Further news on the development of the Bathurst 12H will come later this year.