New Date for Bathurst in Five-Round 2026 IGTC Calendar

The Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour will return to a mid-February slot as part of a largely unchanged five-round Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar for 2026.

Announced on Friday during SRO Motorsports Group’s annual press conference, the Australian enduro will be held on Feb. 13-15, retaining its spot as the season opener for the IGTC calendar.

The event on the IGTC calendar is subject to confirmation with event promoter Supercars.

The date change marks a departure from this year, when it was held on the weekend after the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Notably, the new date means the event avoids a direct clash with the Asian Le Mans Series finale at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, which is held on Feb. 6-8.

“We are pleased to confirm the date for 2026 and lock the Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour into its place as the opener for the Aussie motorsport season once again,” said event director Shane Rudzis.

“We have worked very hard with our partners to ensure the race enjoys clear air to support the aspirations of international teams and drivers to compete here, as well as ensuring our locally based stars can be on the grid.

“We’re expecting another melting pot of teams and drivers from here and abroad as global GT racing continues to go from strength to strength.

“Along with our many partners who contributes to this fantastic event, we’re working hard to ensure it’s another brilliant showpiece for Mount Panorama and the state of New South Wales on an international stage.”

The Nürburgring 24, which is the second round on the calendar, will return to a mid-May slot, followed by the 24H Spa on the final weekend of June.

Notably, this means that the two 24-hour fixtures on the calendar will not run on back-to-back weekends as was the case this year.

Suzuka International Circuit, which is set to make its IGTC return later this year, will remain part of the calendar next year with the Suzuka 1000km scheduled for Sept. 11-13.

The Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS will once again serve as the season in finale, forming a joint event with GT World Challenge America powered by AWS.

2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge Schedule:
Feb. 13-15 – Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour
May 14-17 – Nürburgring 24
June 25-28 – CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa
Sept. 11-13 – Suzuka 1000km
Oct. 8-10 – Indianapolis 8 Hour