High Class Racing delivered one of the most remarkable performances of the endurance racing season at the Bathurst 12 Hour, storming from 32nd on the grid to finish second overall while also claiming victory in the Bronze class with their Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Competing on the unforgiving Mount Panorama Circuit, the trio of Dorian Boccolacci, Anders Fjordbach and Kerong Li overcame a difficult qualifying session to produce a measured and disciplined race performance. By halfway, they had already climbed into the top 15, positioning themselves strategically for the decisive final phase.
The 6.213-kilometre mountain circuit — featuring a 174-metre elevation gain, high-speed straights and a narrow downhill section bordered by concrete walls — once again proved why it remains one of the most demanding venues in global GT racing. Since 2016, the event has opened the season for the Intercontinental GT Challenge, a championship Porsche won in 2024 following earlier titles in 2019 and 2020.
The race unfolded dramatically. A lengthy interruption after an incident involving another Porsche reshaped strategies across the field, while multiple late safety car periods compressed the pack and created opportunity. When the race restarted with just over 40 minutes remaining, Boccolacci seized the moment. Restarting from fourth, he executed a decisive charge to second place, crossing the finish line barely a second behind the winners.
“It’s just crazy what we’ve achieved,” Boccolacci said post-race. “Finishing second overall and winning the Bronze class exceeded all expectations.”
Five Porsche 911 GT3 R entries lined up at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday morning, including two all-professional crews. Absolute Racing’s line-up of Matt Campbell, Alessio Picariello and Bastian Buus ran strongly in the early stages before strategy during an extended safety car period cost them track position, ultimately finishing sixth.
Earl Bamber Motorsport’s trio of Laurin Heinrich, Klaus Bachler and Ricardo Feller were forced to start from the back after a qualifying infringement related to rear wing settings. Despite the setback, they recovered steadily into the top 10 by halfway and secured eighth place at the flag.
Herberth Motorsport concluded the race in eleventh overall while securing fourth in the Bronze classification, underlining the depth of Porsche’s customer racing programme at one of the most prestigious endurance events on the calendar.
The 2026 edition will be remembered not only for the intensity of competition, but for the emergence of a customer team that defied expectations. At Bathurst, precision, resilience and timing define success — and High Class Racing delivered all three when it mattered most.
