A STUNNING first stint from Chaz Mostert helped put Arise Racing GT and Ferrari into an early lead at the 2025 Meguiar's Bathurst 12 Hour, which got underway in dramatic scenes.
At the 60-minute mark, Mostert led the pole-sitting #77 Craft-Bamboo Mercedes-AMG by nine seconds, having taken the race lead through The Chase.
The pass for the lead came after Mostert started fifth, and had the best view of arguably the most dramatic race start in Bathurst 12 Hour history.
As the field was released to green, understeer for Gotz invited Ricardo Feller (#183 Audi) and Maro Engel (#888 Mercedes-AMG) to attack up Mountain Straight.
The moment led to a barely-believable three-wide run to Griffins Bend, with Gotz hanging on as Engel rounded up Feller.
As the race wore on, Mostert emerged as the pace-setter in the #26 Arise Ferrari, passing Augusto Farfus (#32 BMW) before hunting down the leaders. Mostert was second by the eighth lap, and caught Gotz before getting by the #888.
From there, Mostert stretched his legs, the lead breaching 10 seconds by the 65-minute mark.
The race was held in earnest behind Mostert, Jamie Day (#14 Aston Martin) surviving a clash with the wall under the Reid Park tree.
Gotz tried to respond to Mostert with fastest first sector on his 19th lap, and it again on 20th lap. Feller also regained fourth from Engel through Murray's Corner at 57-minute mark, but no one had an answer to Mostert as the first pit stops approached.
At the hour mark, Mostert's #26 Ferrari led Gotz (#77 Mercedes-AMG), Farfus (#32 BMW), Feller (#183 Audi) and Engel (#888 Mercedes-AMG).