Gounon/Stolz/Habul further 12 Hour legacy with 2025 podium

THE Jules Gounon/Luca Stolz/Kenny Habul combination further established itself as arguably the Bathurst 12 Hour's greatest with another podium finish on Sunday.

Team WRT BMW was the toast of Bathurst on Sunday, with Kelvin van der Linde/Sheldon van der Linde/Augusto Farfus leading home the sister Valentino Rossi/Raffaele Marciello/Charles Weerts entry.

A competitive and inspired third by the 75 Energy Mercedes-AMG of Gounon/Stolz/Habul was a result few could have locked away after a dramatic opening half of the race, with Habul clashing with Stephen Grove, among others.

However, the previous form of the #75 at Mount Panorama ensured they couldn't be denied, with Gounon racing home to secure his unprecedented fifth consecutive Bathurst 12 Hour podium.

Habul and Stolz, meanwhile, also join Gounon on five Bathurst 12 Hour podiums. No other driver has more in the event's GT3 era, the trio pulling away from Shane van Gisbergen (four) and six drivers on three.

One of those drivers, Marciello, joins Craig Baird on three podiums without a win. Those ahead, Matt Campbell, Craig Lowndes, Darryl O'Young and Jamie Whincup, have at least one 12 Hour victory.

Gounon won with Bentley in 2020, with Habul and Stolz finishing second and third in 2018 for Mercedes-AMG and Porsche respectively. It was in 2022, however, when they first linked up for what was known as SunEnergy1 Racing.

Remarkably, all of the trio's respective five podiums have come in the last seven 12 Hour races.

Along with Austrian Martin Konrad, Gounon/Stolz/Habul won the 2022 race, held in the afterglow of the COVID-19 pandemic. They returned in 2023, with Gounon surviving a clash with Maro Engel to win this third in a row, and a second for Habul and Stolz.

Campbell and Porsche won in 2024, although Gounon/Stolz/Habul finished a credible second, Gounon denied a remarkable Bathurst enduro-first four straight wins.

Most Bathurst 12 Hour podiums (GT3 era)