Matt Campbell returns to lead Absolute Racing charge in 2026
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Absolute Racing and Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific are thrilled to announce the team’s entry and line-up for the 2026 Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, with Matt Campbell and Alessio Picariello returning for the outfit as they are joined by Porsche Driver Bastian Buus.
This will be the team’s third visit to Mount Panorama Circuit, with its first coming back in 2020, where Campbell scored a stunning first pole position at the event for Porsche. The Australian was then part of the line-up which returned for the squad last year, being joined by Picariello and Ayhancan Güven, as the trio finished sixth overall.
Absolute Racing has enjoyed another active season working alongside Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific, competing across various championships. The Shanghai-based outfit has had Porsche 911 GT3 R entries in GT World Challenge Asia and Thailand Super Series throughout the campaign, taking podiums in both.
Additionally, the crew clinched second overall in September at the first running of the Suzuka 1000km since 2019 and more recently secured a top three finish in the FIA GT World Cup Qualification Race at the Macau Grand Prix, as well as a GT3 Pro-Am podium at 12H MALAYASIA in Sepang.
The squad names 2025 IMSA SportsCar GTP titleholder Campbell and GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup winner Picariello for its third trip to New South Wales. To complete the competitive trio is 2023 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup champion Buus, who will make his second appearance at the once around-the-clock enduro, after wrapping up an impressive podium on his Bathurst debut in 2024.
The 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour takes place from 13-15 February, and will mark the 10th anniversary of the event becoming part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge calendar, once again acting as the opener for the 2026 campaign.
Matt Campbell, Absolute Racing:
“This will be my third time competing at Bathurst 12 Hour with Absolute Racing. I’m looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces and I think we’ve got a strong line-up with Bastian and Alessio. As an Australian it’s one of the highlights of the season, so we’re aiming to have a strong weekend and battle for a podium finish.”
Bastian Buus, Absolute Racing:
“I’m super excited to be working with Absolute Racing for the first time at Bathurst 12 Hour! I know Matt and Alessio well so I’m sure that we will have a great event. With the driver line-up and the experience of the team, I’m confident that we can fight at the front throughout the enduro. It’s now all about our preparation leading up to the big weekend in February.”
Alessio Picariello, Absolute Racing:
“I’m very happy to be back at the Bathurst 12 Hour for a third year in a row. It’s one of the coolest events of the year and one of the best race tracks in the world, and always brings extra excitement thanks to being early in the season. To return with Absolute Racing is a pleasure, and alongside Matt and Bastian, I believe we have all the ingredients to succeed in our Porsche 911 GT3 R.”
Fabien Fior, Absolute Racing Team Principal:
“We are delighted to be returning to the Bathurst 12 Hour, and to do so in Porsche colours makes it even more special. We have fond memories of this event, having secured pole position and led the race in 2020, and leading it again in 2024. This time, we will be aiming to convert that pace into the podium finish that has so far eluded us, while enjoying the incredible support of the local fans. We can count on three excellent drivers - Matt and Alessio form a strong and familiar core within the Absolute Racing line-up, while Bastian will be a valuable addition. I believe we have everything in place to make it happen.”
Alexandre Gibot, Managing Director Porsche Motorsport Asia Pacific Ltd.:
“We’re delighted to see Absolute Racing return to Bathurst 12 Hour for a second consecutive year. Additionally, it will be the team’s third visit to Mount Panorama Circuit after securing Porsche’s maiden pole position back in 2020. We have a competitive line-up at Absolute Racing, with Matt, Bastian and Alessio all having raced at the event previously. Bathurst 12 Hour is such a challenging enduro with the night start and the complex track layout, but we know that with the experience of the squad and the driver line-up the team has, Absolute Racing can be in strong contention at the sharp end of the field.”
