ARGT Revs Into 2026 Securing Back-to-back Bathurst 12-hour Podiums

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Arise Racing GT (ARGT) has kicked off the 2026 season in style, securing back-to-back podium finishes at the Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama Circuit. ARGT celebrated a hard-fought third place in the Bronze class with the Ziggo Sport Tempesta entry #193, while the Pro class #26 entry of Jaxon Evans, Davide Rigon and Daniel Serra battled through adversity to finish ninth outright.

The team struggled to find the right balance across both cars in practice, which placed them in the lower 50% qualifying session. The #193 machine qualified fifth in class, putting it 17th overall, while Evans placed the #26 entry 19th on the grid.

The race began with immediate drama and multiple safety car periods. Evans delivered a standout opening stint, climbing from P18 to P4 in the first two hours. However, an early fuel stop combined with a minor electrical issue forced a slow pit stop for the #26 car, dropping it to 26th.

Meanwhile, the Ziggo Sport Tempesta #193 entry made strong progress from the start, quickly moving into second position in the Bronze class and maintaining competitive pace throughout the early stages.

Repeated safety car interventions disrupted strategies. The #26 car lost track position due to unfortunately timed pit stops and spent much of the race fighting back through the pack, eventually working its way back into the top ten.

After the halfway point, the intensity increased. Wood drove the #193 car into the Bronze class lead, defending strongly before handing back over to Patrise. A major crash over the top of the mountain triggered a safety car period lasting more than 30 minutes. During this time, the #26 crew made a smart double stop for additional fuel, positioning themselves well for the run to the finish.

Further drama unfolded when, after backmarkers were waved through ahead of a restart, a car spun on a blind corner and was collected by the race leader, resulting in a red flag.

The race resumed with two and a half hours remaining and the field tightly bunched. Both ARGT entries were inside the top ten and in contention. The #193 car reclaimed the Bronze class lead during hard-fought battles before slight contact with the wall at Turn 2 caused alignment damage, affecting handling for the remainder of the race.

Both cars later lost ground after pitting from sixth and eighth positions respectively, only for another safety car to be deployed shortly after, allowing competitors to gain advantage under full course yellow conditions.

In the final stages, Serra and Wood were behind the wheel. Despite challenging handling, Wood delivered an impressive drive to secure third place for the Ziggo entry in the Bronze class, holding off a fast-charging Porsche to seal ARGT’s second consecutive Bathurst 12 Hour podium. Serra brought the #26 entry home in ninth outright after a relentless race of recovery and strategic gambles.

Jordan Oon, Team Principal of Arise Racing GT, said:

“To come away with back-to-back podiums at Bathurst is something we’re incredibly proud of. It wasn’t an easy weekend, we struggled for balance early and had more than our fair share of bad luck, but thankfully it wasn’t detrimental for us.

The entire team executed under pressure, especially with the strategy calls during those long safety car periods. The drivers showed resilience all day, and for the #193 crew to fight through damage and still secure P3 in Bronze is a fantastic result.

The #26 car deserved more on the day, but finishing ninth outright after everything thrown at us shows the strength of this team. It’s a solid foundation for the 2026 season.”

Sponsors: ARGT extends sincere thanks to its valued partners - Barbagallo, Iveco Australia, Car Expert, ORAFOL, Anthem Workwear, Lift Off, OMP and VCM Coffee & Machines - for their continued support throughout the 2026 season.