The Italian finished second in the 2025 event, as part of Team WRT and BMW M Motorsport’s stunning one-two and has an obvious on-track goal for the February 15 event – go one better.

The MotoGP legend turned racecar driver returns to Mount Panorama in the #46 BMW M4 GT3 with last year’s winner Augusto Farfus (Brazil) and 2025 partner, the Swiss-born Italian Raffaele Marciello.

The famously superstitious Rossi, known for his pre-race rituals, will have noted the 12 Hour falls on his last day as a 46-year-old. Win, lose or draw, the post-race party will be quite something, as he turns 47 on Monday, 16 February.

The numeric quirk is just one of many reasons the motorcycling GOAT is eager to return to the Mountain. Rossi has race-winning form in Europe late last season in GT3 competition.

“I'm really looking forward to returning to Bathurst,” Rossi said. “It's one of the best races of the season. The track is fantastic. When I started racing, Bathurst was at the top of my wishlist.

“Now I've been here three times and enjoy it every time. Last year the race went great and we finished second. The podium is the goal again this time.

“With Raffaele and Augusto, I have two stellar teammates from whom I can learn a lot and with whom I will certainly have a lot of fun.”

Team WRT’s other M4, #32, will be driven by last year’s victors Kelvin van der Linde (South Africa) and Charle Weerts (Belgium), joined by new BMW recruit Jordan Pepper (South Africa), a previous Bathurst 12 Hour winner with Bentley.

BMW’s feats are covered extensively in the 2026 12 Hour magazine available from newsagents nationally or via here

Image supplied by Andrew Hall/Firepower Photographics