Bathurst 12 Hour 2025 – an Aston Martin comeback

With walls close enough to touch, steep climbs, and the thunder of echoes bouncing off the sharp rocks of the mountains, driving the 12 Hours of Bathurst is a thrilling, sensory experience.

A mountain circuit with history

Back in 1851, Bathurst was a flurry of activity, as people migrated there in droves to mine gold. These days, the city is a tourist hot spot – especially for one weekend a year, at the end of January/beginning of February, when the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race comes to Mount Panorama.

This Australian event is a highlight of every racer’s calendar, with teams coming from across the globe to compete. The GT3 cars are the best in their class, with team powerhouses like Mercedes, Lamborghini, and Porsche lining up to take on the treacherous terrain.

Aston Martin returns to the Bathurst 12 Hour

Aston Martin hadn’t been seen at the event since 2020, despite always being very competitive on the road. Backed by Volante Rosso Motorsport, 2025 saw the brand’s return, with Jamie Day, Mateo Villagomez, and Jaylyn Robotham racing in a sleek, stylish Aston Martin GT3 Vantage.

Decorated with the iconic blue and orange livery of Gulf Oil, this car made an impact from the minute it rolled into the practice sessions. But the updated specs of the car meant that it was almost made for Bathurst, with incredible traction for long corners, and an aerodynamic downforce essential for braking on those terrifying downhill sections.

Despite the relatively rookie trio of drivers selected to drive, Team Volante Rosso Motorsport went into the event feeling confident of success. Meanwhile, Day, Villagomez, and Robotham were about to embark on a notoriously tough endurance race, giving them the kind of experience that would be essential in building world-class race skills.

Despite Jamie Day clocking up one of the fastest practice laps, in the end, car No.14 completed the event with a respectable 276 laps in 12 hours.

Bring the Bathurst 12 Hour home to your track

Reckon you could do better on the Scalextric track? The Aston Martin GT3 Vantage is now replicated in high detail slot car form. With features like the deep-dish wheels and irresistible GT stance, this slot car is a real beauty – perfect for display or racing.

Just like the real thing, the Scalextric Aston Martin GT3 Vantage 12hrs of Bathurst 2025 Gulf Edition handles like a dream, and it’s a wonderful addition to any fleet of Gulf-liveried slot vehicles. This officially licensed model features Magnatraction technology (essential for any hilly Bathurst-inspired layouts) and front and rear lighting for the most satisfying drive. And you can upgrade to digital control by adding a digital chip (sold separately).

And it’s not the only Bathurst inspired slot car we have to offer. We already have the Rover SD1 from the 1984 Bathurst 1000, and the Mazda RX7 FD from the 12hrs of Bathurst event in 1994 will also be in stock soon!

So, if Mount Panorama delivers the kind of GT3 drama that you demand, things are about to get very exciting on your Scalextric tracks. Get your Bathurst-inspired slot cars now and set that 12-hour timer!