McLaren make their GT3 return to Mount Panorama with Optimum Motorsport

10 years on since the marque’s GT3 win on the Mountain, McLaren make their return to the Australian enduro with Meguiar’s Bathurst 12-hour debutants, Optimum Motorsport.

Boasting a full pro lineup of Garnet Patterson, Ben Barnicoat and Marvin Kirchhöfer, the Wakefield-based outfit will be vying for the outright win next February at the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge season opener.

While the 2026 event marks Optimum's first-time racing at Mount Panorama, all three drivers bring valuable Bathurst experience and a strong record of international GT success.

For Garnet Patterson, the event marks a homecoming of sorts. The Australian driver has been competing professionally in GT3 and LMP racing since 2016, building an international career across IMSA, Asian Le Mans, European Le Mans and GT World Challenge.

After extensive mileage in McLaren GT machinery throughout 2025, Patterson arrives with both car familiarity and Bathurst experience. His most recent success came at the European Le Mans Series finale in Portimão, where he finished second in LMGT3 after four hours of racing.

“To race for McLaren and Optimum in a Pro line-up at one of the best GT races in the world— in my home country – is an incredible opportunity. It’s a long race, but with the line-up Optimum has put together with Marvin and Ben, I’m confident we have a very strong package and a real chance of being at the front.”

McLaren last competed at an outright level in 2020, the 720S GT3 entered by 59Racing and driven by Barnicoat, Tom Blomqvist and Alvaro Parente qualifying third and finishing second. The brand also won the race in 2016 with the 650S GT3.

Barnicoat is no stranger to the 6.213km circuit, nor its podium having finished second in the twelve-hour race in the pre-evo 720S back in 2020.

The Brit makes his return to the team, having helped secure the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series title with Optimum-Motorsport run Inception Racing in the McLaren. His winning streak most definitely didn’t stop there, the Lexus Factory Driver claimed the 2023 IMSA GTD Pro championship, and a year later went on to clinch the LMP2 Pro-Am victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Just like Barnicoat, Kirchöffer’s best result at Bathurst also comes in the form of a second-place finish. In fact, it was just a year prior in 2019 that the German secured his maiden podium at the Australian event, driving R-Motorsport’s Aston Martin Vantage.

The 2026 edition of Bathurst comes following a strong season for Kirchhöfer, which kickstarted with a Rolex 24 Hour at Daytona win, pole position at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours: IGTC’s blue-riband event and claimed McLaren’s first sprint Cup win in GT World Challenge Europe since Nürburgring 2016 enroute to claiming the overall race victory at Misano.

“I’m super excited to be back racing in Bathurst our lineup for the 12-hour. Racing with Ben and Garnet is something we can all very much be excited for, it should be a great weekend for us! The car has been very strong around Bathurst, and the two guys already have some really great experience at the track. I’m super grateful to be part of an awesome lineup.”

“It’s been quite some time since I’ve raced in Bathurst, so I’m looking forward to being back in Australia and heading to one of my favourite tracks. I really can’t wait to get this started,” added Kirchhöfer.

Shaun Goff, Team Principal added: “Everyone at Optimum Motorsport is delighted to confirm our entry into next year’s Bathurst 12 Hours. It’s a race we’ve been keen to do for a long time, and with our rapid pro lineup I know we can take the battle for the victory to the teams that have won it before.”

The 2026 Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour, the first round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, takes place next February, with the action kick-starting on Friday 13th ahead of Sunday’s sunrise-to-sunset season opener.