There’s a reason why the Bathurst 1000 is the biggest racing event on the Australian motorsport calendar - it’s the most challenging and most unpredictable race of the year.
To win it drivers need to conquer Mount Panorama 161 times and this year the weather forecast for rain each day will only make it even more challenging and unpredictable. Picking a winner isn’t easy, but here’s our form guide on who to watch in this year’s race.
#97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander - Holden Commodore
It’s very hard to pick against the Red Bull-backed Holden… except for the fact Mt Panorama doesn’t like to be predictable.
To say van Gisbergen has dominated Supercars in 2022 is an understatement. He holds a commanding lead in the championship and seems to win at will.
If the forecasted rain comes, that only stacks the odds even further in van Gisbergen’s favour as the Kiwi is the undisputed wet-weather ace of the field.
Tander is arguably the best co-driver in the field too - quick and incredibly experienced - so there’s no weak link in car #97.
#25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard - Holden Commodore
The defending race winners are back but with one key change to its line-up. Co-driver Lee Holdsworth left for a full-time seat at Grove Racing, but in Coulthard Walkinshaw Andretti United found an equal replacement.
Mostert’s performance in 2021 was nothing short of dominant, looking like the man-to-beat through the week. It’s been an up and down season, but he’s won four races and enters Bathurst off the back of four top five results in the past six starts.
Coulthard was unlucky to miss out on a full-time drive this season but has kept sharp in TCR competition. Given his experience back-to-back wins for #25 is a distinct possibility.
#6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat - Ford Mustang
Waters has emerged as both Tickford Racing and Ford’s unofficial leader since the departure of Scott McLaughlin from the series. He enters Bathurst after a strong weekend at Pukekohe and in TCR regular Moffat he has an experienced co-driver who can play a strong supporting role.
On pace alone Waters may be van Gisbergen’s biggest threat, but there’s a lot more than just raw pace needed to win the 1000.
If Waters, Moffat and Tickford can get everything right this combination could go one better than their second place finish in 2021.
#17 - Will Davison/Alex Davison - Ford Mustang
When DJR signed Will Davison many people viewed him as the safe and steady veteran to play the supporting role to rising star, Anton de Pasquale. Except nobody seemed to tell Davison because he’s enjoyed a fantastic season, notching three race wins and entering Bathurst third in the championship - one place ahead of his teammate.
Davison is also a two-time Bathurst winner, so he knows what it takes to get the job done on the biggest stage of the year.
Partnering him will be his brother Alex, who is starting his 17th Bathurst and the sixth alongside Will, so they should make a cohesive partnership.
#11 - Anton de Pasquale/Tony D’Alberto - Ford Mustang
While Davison has had a strong season and sits ahead of de Pasquale, it’s hardly been disappointing for the DJR ace with one win and 10 podium finishes in total. But having replaced McLaughlin in the Queensland team there is pressure on him to perform and emerge as a consistent race winning threat every weekend.
Winning Bathurst during DJR’s celebration of its 1000th round would certainly be one way to cement his place in the team and the sport.
He’s already shown he has pace at Mt Panorama in the past, but his best finish is only ninth. His teammate D’Alberto, another TCR regular and front-runner, will be a capable partner so the pressure will be on de Pasquale to get his first Great Race win and the team’s fifth.
#88 - Broc Feeney/Jamie Whincup - Holden Commodore
If there was pressure on de Pasquale replacing McLaughlin, they were nothing on the expectations surrounding Feeney’s promotion to the most converted seat in the sport - driving #88 for Triple Eight Race Engineering.
The team expects results and when you take the car used by the sport’s most successful driver, even in your rookie season there is no avoiding the pressure to win.
While a first race win hasn’t come yet, the return of Whincup (now in a co-driver role) could be the boost he needs to bag that first victory.
#99 - Brodie Kostecki/David Russell - Holden Commodore
While de Pasquale, Feeney and even his own Erebus Racing teammate Will Brown get the lion’s share of attention, Kostecki has been one of the most impressive young drivers in the past two seasons.
Importantly for this weekend, at last year’s Bathurst 1000 he and veteran co-driver Russell finished in third place. With another year of experience a return to the podium seems like a likely possibility for this pair.
#51 - Greg Murphy/Richie Stanaway - Holden Commodore
If you want to back a roughie you could do far worse than a four-time winner and a quick young driver with something to prove. While this wildcard entry has been designed as a promotion for the phone company backing it, this is a serious effort with two quality drivers running a solid Erebus Commodore.
Murphy is a modern-day Bathurst legend with his resume in both qualifying and the race. He is the perfect example of a driver who could rise to the occasion of The Great Race and has a reputation for contending regardless of what car he’s driving.
Stanaway was a talented driver who suddenly called it quits on the sport after some frustrating seasons. With this one-off drive he has a chance to remind people of what he was capable of, if he can bring his best form after more than two years out of the category.
#26 - David Reynolds/Matt Campbell - Ford Mustang
Reynolds is a former winner and seems more at home in 2022 with his Grove Racing team and its Mustang. He’s taken six podium finishes this season already, so the car speed is there and Reynolds will be starting his 15th Bathurst 1000, so the experience is there too.
Co-driver Campbell is fresh off winning the US-based IMSA GT championship, and while he’s more familiar with Porsche race cars he’s no stranger to Supercars or Bathurst.
Grove Racing wants to become a new front-running team in Supercars and nothing would help make its mark more than a Bathurst win.
#888 - Craig Lowdes/Declan Fraser - Holden Commodore
Other wildcard darkhorse, like the Murphy/Stanaway entry. Lowndes is back for his second year in the Triple Eight third entry, and after pairing with veteran Russell Ingall in ‘21 he’s got Super2 front-runner Declan Fraser alongside this time.
Given neither driver is a regular in the main game a race win will be a tough ask, but never count out the seven-time winner from finding his way to the podium.
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