First event at famed Mount Panorama for Corvette Z06 GT3.R
DETROIT (February 9, 2026) – In almost 30 years of competition, Corvette Racing has taken on and won at the greatest tracks in the world: Le Mans, Sebring, Daytona, Spa, Watkins Glen… just to name a few. Maybe the biggest one missing from that list gets crossed off this weekend with the program taking on iconic Mount Panorama at the Bathurst 12 Hour.
Two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs from Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) are set to race up and down the 3.86-mile, 23-turn circuit that winds its way up, over and down Mount Panorama. It’s a mix of public road and permanent racetrack that will test a field of 35 cars – the largest grid in the race since 2020.
Bathurst also serves as the opening round of this year’s Intercontinental GT Challenge – SRO Motorsports’ all-GT3 global championship. For the first time, Chevrolet is a participating manufacturer in the five-race championship.
JMR’s No. 2 Corvette is one of 15 entries in a stacked Pro class. Full-time Corvette Racing factory drivers Alexander Sims – a JMR regular – and Nicky Catsburg will team with Cadillac factory ace and New Zealander Earl Bamber in his first race in a Corvette since 2024.
Bathurst will be the second Pro-class race for JMR and the No. 2 Corvette. The team finished third overall last fall in the Suzuka 1000K with Sims and Catsburg teaming with Scott McLaughlin in a thrilling race.
Bamber is a two-time class winner in the Bathurst 12 Hour as a driver and won the 2019 race as a team owner, but he’s seeking his first overall win in the event behind the wheel. Catsburg has made three starts in the race, and Sims is making his debut at Mount Panorama.
In addition to the No. 2 Pro entry, JMR is fielding its No. 99 Corvette in the Pro-Am class for the lineup of Ben Green, Australian Jordan Love, Prince Jefri Ibrahim and Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim. The pair of Malaysian princes were part of a third-place effort in Pro-Am at Suzuka, and all four will arrive at Bathurst after contesting the six-round Asian Le Mans Series with JMR.
The Bathurst 12 Hours is scheduled for 5:45 a.m. Eastern Australian Time on Sunday / 1:45 p.m. ET on Saturday. The race will stream live on SRO Motorsports’ YouTube channel.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R DRIVER QUOTES
ALEXANDER SIMS, NO. 2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’ve been fortunate to race at some of the best tracks in the world in my career, and I’m thrilled to finally be able to add Bathurst to that list. This is something that I’ve been looking forward to for quite awhile and have spent a good deal of time preparing for in the DiL (Driver-in-the-Loop simulator) and in talking with some of the Corvette Racing engineering team, as well as JMR. It’s really exciting to be part of finally taking Corvette to The Mountain in the Pro class and to kick off the IGTC. The team has the experience of last year at Suzuka to fall back on, so that plus the pre-event work should hopefully have us in a decent spot to start this week. It’s been a very busy and positive start to my season but I can’t think of a better way to close out this run by tackling Bathurst.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Bathurst this year will be extra-special for me. First, I get to team with my good friends Alex and Earl in what looks like an extremely competitive race. Just as important to me is being part of a Pro-class effort with Corvette. This is another big milestone race for the Z06 GT3.R, going back to our podium finish last year at Suzuka. We will have a few things to work on in practice to get us in a competitive window. But I’m confident that we will be in a good spot by the time qualifying and the race come around.”
EARL BAMBER, NO. 2 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Bathurst is a special place to me for a lot of reasons. It’s a race I’ve basically grown up watching and racing in – both as a driver and a team owner. Being part of Corvette’s first race there in the Pro class with JMR is something that means a lot and that I’m very thankful to do. I’ve driven the Corvette around the track in the DiL and think we should arrive in a pretty good window to make progress through the first couple of practices to get into the window for qualifying and the race. An overall victory as a driver at Bathurst is one of the few things missing from my CV, so I’m excited to see how we progress and how the Corvette feels around this iconic track.”
BEN GREEN, NO. 99 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m very excited to be making my debut at Mount Panorama, Bathurst, and to do it with Johor Motorsports Racing and Corvette is a fantastic opportunity. It’s great to be joining Corvette for the program’s debut at the track, too, and to kick start the impressive IGTC calendar. It’s safe to say I can’t wait to get started!”
HH PRINCE JEFRI IBRAHIM, NO. 99 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Bathurst has always been a very special place for me and one of my favorite tracks in the world. The history, fans, atmosphere and racing are incredible, and it’s also where I first raced in Australia. I’ve raced the 12 Hour three times, and since starting JMR it has been one of my main goals to return with our own team. To return next month with two cars makes it even more meaningful, especially racing alongside my brother and two great teammates, Jordan Love and Ben Green. Watching Bathurst last year was a huge motivation for us, and now to return with a new manufacturer in GM Corvette makes it even more exciting. We’ve been working towards this moment for a long time, and I’m incredibly proud to see JMR lining up with a Pro car at such an iconic event. We’re ready for the challenge and looking forward to an exciting year ahead.”
HH PRINCE ABU BAKAR IBRAHIM, NO. 99 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Competing in the Bathurst 12 Hour represents a significant milestone in my career. Having been fortunate enough to attend the event in person on several occasions, the opportunity to now race at Mt Panorama is incredibly meaningful. The Bathurst 12 Hour is one of the world’s most iconic endurance races, and I’m fully committed to giving my best effort to help the team achieve the strongest possible result.”
JORDAN LOVE, NO. 99 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The Bathurst 12 Hour is without a doubt one of the most exciting events of the year, and one everyone wants to be part of. Driving a GT around my favorite track is something special and requires commitment and precision. It’s extremely exciting to see Corvette at the mountain and to be a part of it is very special! I’ve now done a full year in the car, and I absolutely love it and feel extremely comfortable. We have a clear goal to walk away with a trophy and hopefully the tallest one. It’s a big race, and a challenging one at that, but we’re fully prepared and ready to tackle the mountain.”
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