The Bathurst 12 Hour will return to its traditional first-weekend-in-February slot next year.
Australia’s International Enduro will take place on February 2, two weeks earlier than it did this season.
The race therefore avoids clashing with the Asian Le Mans Series, which stages events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the second and third weekends of that month, and is one week later than the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The event will officially commence with the traditional track to town parade on January 30 before practice begins on Friday.
Strong interest has already been received from potential 2025 entries, with the race set to potentially welcome a host of brand-new models. They include the Ferrari 296 GT3, Ford Mustang GT3 and Chevrolet Corvette GT3, which are all eligible to compete for the first time.
“It’s great to have the dates locked in for 2025 and know that the world will return to Mount Panorama across the January 31 – February 2 weekend next year,” said event director Shane Rudzis.
“We need to be flexible and dynamic in scheduling the race to ensure it fits within the international calendar each year which is why the date has shifted two weeks earlier in 2025.
“The level of interest and excitement in the race is already high and we’ve had fantastic discussions with current entrants and new teams and brands who are keen to race next February.
“At the same time, we continue to review all elements of the event to continue the improvements already put in place in 2023 and 2024, to not only grow the event but add to the experience for everyone attending.
“We’re very proud of the growth of the Bathurst 12 Hour. We’ve seen over the last two years huge crowds, camping records broken, amazing world-class vehicle demonstrations on track setting scintillating lap times, legends of world motorsport coming back yearly, amazing activations and car displays, plus much more.
“Where to from here? Stay tuned!”
Stephane Ratel added: “2025 has the potential to be the biggest Bathurst 12 Hour yet thanks to several new manufacturers entering the GT3 space and a growing number of Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia Powered by AWS entries. This is a bucket list event for international teams and drivers, and also highly prized by manufacturers, but a strong domestic environment is vitally important for any Intercontinental GT Challenge round to truly flourish. Indeed, it is a cornerstone of the series' philosophy.
“Moving the date back to its traditional slot also avoids clashing with the Asian Le Mans Series – a major consideration for our local and regional base.”
Camping, ticketing and corporate experiences for 2025 are expected to go on sale mid-year.
The Bathurst 12 Hour is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
2024’s Intercontinental GT Challenge campaign continues with the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nurburgring this weekend.