The Bathurst 1000 is upon us for 2018, with 1000 kilometres ahead of an uncertain Supercars field after a tough week on the mountain. Join The Roar for live coverage of the great race from 11am (AEDT).
This is one of the most open Bathurst’s in years. Of course, every Bathurst is open with nothing decided until the drivers come over the finish line six hours after they start, but there are so many teams which you feel could win this year.
David Reynolds will start the great race from pole and has shown some great pace, having qualified well and then clocked an excellent lap in qualifying.
The defending champion goes in with a target on his back this time around though, after coming from the clouds to claim the 2017 version of the gaunt around the mountain.
Beside him on the front row is Jamie Whincup. Teaming with Paul Dumbrell, they make one of the most formidable pairings in the field and with pace to burn after clocking a 2.04.1 during qualifying, they will be hard to beat today.
Anton De Pasquale, who races out of the same Erebus garage as Reynolds was the surprise packet yesterday, but the rookie combination of him and Will Brown will do well to last the distance, while Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin will be right up there if they can keep their nose out of trouble.
Long touted as the best wet-weather driver in the field, Van Gisbergen may well be hoping for some rain and the forecast has changed from earlier in the week, meaning those vital practice sessions where many drivers stayed in the pit lane may now come into play.
There may not be much rain, but the chance of it increases through the afternoon and at the Mountain, things can change in an instant and make things very tricky.
Last year’s race – the first 100 laps of it anyway – were raced almost entirely in the rain and it became a battle of attrition. We won’t see that this year, but it could cause havoc on strategies late in the race.
The other men who can’t be discounted from calculations are Craig Lowndes in his final race at the mountain and Garth Tander, who round out the top ten on the grid.
Prediction
This is going to be a cracking race again. The weather is up in the air, the pace is tight based on qualifying and it’s nearly impossible to tip a winner.
Based on that, you have to back experience, the best driving combination and the best driver.
Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell to take out another 1000.
Be sure to join us here on The Roar for live coverage of the greatest motorsport race on the Australian calendar from 11am (AEDT) and don’t forget to get involved by leaving your thoughts and comments in the section below.
Start time: 11:10am (AEDT)
Track: Mount Panorama, Bathurst
Laps: 161
Lap distance: 6.213 kilometres
Race distance: 1000 kilometres
TV: Live, Ten, Fox Sports
Full grid
| Pos. | Car No. | Driver | Co-driver | Manufacturer | Car | Team |
| 1 | 9 | David Reynolds | Luke Youlden | Holden | ZB Commodore | Erebus Penrite Racing |
| 2 | 1 | Jamie Whincup | Paul Dumbrell | Holden | ZB Commodore | Red Bull Holden Racing Team |
| 3 | 99 | Anton De Pasquale | Will Brown | Holden | ZB Commodore | Erebus Motorsport |
| 4 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Earl Bamber | Holden | ZB Commodore | Red Bull Holden Racing Team |
| 5 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | Alexandre Premat | Ford | FG X Falcon | Shell V-Power Racing Team |
| 6 | 6 | Cameron Waters | David Russell | Ford | FG X Falcon | Monster Energy Racing |
| 7 | 8 | Nick Percat | Macauley Jones | Holden | ZB Commodore | Blackwoods Racing |
| 8 | 25 | James Courtney | James Perkins | Holden | ZB Commodore | Mobil 1 Boost Racing Team |
| 9 | 888 | Craig Lowndes | Steven Richards | Holden | ZB Commodore | Autobarn Lowndes Racing |
| 10 | 33 | Garth Tander | Chris Pither | Holden | ZB Commodore | Wilson Security Racing GRM |
| 11 | 55 | Chaz Mostert | James Moffat | Ford | FG X Falcon | Supercheap Auto Racing |
| 12 | 34 | James Golding | Richard Muscat | Holden | ZB Commodore | Wilson Security Racing GRM |
| 13 | 7 | Andre Heimgartner | Aaren Russell | Nissan | Nissan Altima L33 | Plus Fitness Racing |
| 14 | 15 | Rick Kelly | Garry Jacobson | Nissan | Nissan Altima L33 | Castrol Nissan Motorsport |
| 15 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard | Tony D’Alberto | Ford | FG X Falcon | Shell V-Power Racing Team |
| 16 | 23 | Michael Caruso | Dean Fiore | Nissan | Nissan Altima L33 | Drive Racing |
| 17 | 56 | Richie Stanaway | Steve Owen | Ford | FG X Falcon | MEGA Racing |
| 18 | 2 | Scott Pye | Warren Luff | Holden | ZB Commodore | Mobil 1 Boost Racing Team |
| 19 | 5 | Mark Winterbottom | Dean Canto | Ford | FG X Falcon | The Bottle-O Racing Team |
| 20 | 14 | Tim Slade | Ash Walsh | Holden | ZB Commodore | Freightliner Racing |
| 21 | 18 | Lee Holdsworth | Matthew Brabham | Holden | ZB Commodore | Preston Hire Racing |
| 22 | 21 | Tim Blanchard | Dale Wood | Holden | ZB Commodore | Team CoolDrive |
| 22 | 35 | Todd Hazlewood | Bryce Fullwood | Holden | VF Commodore | Bigmate Racing |
| 24 | 230 | Will Davison | Alex Davison | Ford | FG X Falcon | Milwaukee Racing |
| 25 | 19 | Jack Le Brocq | Jonathon Webb | Holden | ZB Commodore | Tekno Autosports |
| 26 | 78 | Simona De Silvestro | Alex Rullo | Nissan | Nissan Altima L33 | Team Harvey Norman |
Doc
Guest
Like a head injury assessment in rugby. Any driver that falls asleep in the garage while the race is on should be medically assessed. Some of the crew gave him a look of "wtf", we are awake, what the hell are you doing asleep?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, that's just about going to wrap it up for today. Thanks for joining me here on The Roar for our live coverage of the 2018 Bathurst 1000 as Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards won at Mount Panorama. Hopefully you enjoyed the call. Now, it's time to tune into the cricket with Suneer Chowdhary as Pakistan take on Australia. Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the race Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
FULL RESULTS
Scott Pryde
Expert
Presentations getting underway now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
This was the quickest race in history. 6 hours, 1 minute and 44 seconds.
Tom
Guest
Even the commentators were saying it - surely the team medicos/trainers should have stepped in and made the call. I would have thought it was fairly common knowledge that he was experiencing pretty much all of the typical signs of being severely fatigued.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Full results will follow shortly.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lowndes. "This means a lot. It's like '06 again. These guys (my team) have done a hell of a job. We have had troubles all weekend, but they pulled it together. I didn't have any air in my cool suit the last three stints, so I'm a little bit tired, but credit to these guys. "Richo (Steven Richards) and I didn't quite have the speed at the beginning of the race, but the track came to us in the end. I'm not sure what happened to Reynolds, but once we had the lead, we didn't want to give it up. "I really cruised that last lap. I wanted to soak it all up."
Scott Pryde
Expert
Craig Lowndes parking it up in pit lane now. Steven Richards did an amazing job today as well.
Scott Pryde
Expert
CRAIG LOWNDES AND STEVEN RICHARDS WIN THE 2018 BATHURST 1000 Craig Lowndes is a seven-time champion on the mountain. They have won the Bathurst 1000 by seven seconds. Scott Pye drives over in second with Scott McLaughlin third. What a performance from Lowndes and Richards today. What an effort. You have to feel for David Reynolds who had the fastest car all day, but Triple Eight racing have Bathurst.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 161/161 Up Conrod Straight. Lowndes is doing it easy. Three turns to execute.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 161/161 - FINAL LAP Lowndes is away on his final lap of the 2018 Bathurst 1000 with more than a seven-second lead. He has been outstanding today, as has teammate Steven Richards. This will be emotional. His final lead driver run at Bathurst and he goes out a champion.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 160/161 Tim Slade has lost the right front. He will smoke all the way back down Conrod into the pit lane.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 159/161 Lowndes with one hand down the wheel on Conrod Straight. He is cruising all the way to the finish line now. Steven Richards still with the fingers crossed in the garage though. Two laps to go!
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 158/161 Lowndes just starting to ease off the pace now. Does a 2.07.8 that time, just guiding his racer to the finish line. Pye picked off half a second, but he is still seven behind.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 157/161 Still eight seconds for Lowndes. You'd love to say it's over, but nothing is ever over at Bathurst. Meanwhile, the only change of position which looks even close is still Whincup - he is a second behind Kelly.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 156/161 Whincup charging for a spot in the top ten here. Just behind Rick Kelly here who currently sits tenth on the road. Just 30 kilometres to go.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 154/161 Let's have one more look at the order. This is probably how it ends unless there is a safety car. Lowndes, Pye, McLaughlin, Mostert, Van Gisbergen, Taner, Percat, Golding, Coulthard, Kelly, Whincup, Winterbottom, Slade, Youlden, De Silvestro, Le Brocq, Heimgartner, W.Davison, Blanchard, Hazelwood, Holdsworth, Stanaway, Waters, De Pasquale (out) Fiore (out), Perkins (out)
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lap 153/161 Lead still over seven and a half seconds, but Pye is driving really well here, holding off McLaughlin in the background. Looks like the podium is starting to lock itself in.