Zach Bates wins Bathurst 1000 pole position as rookie

Supercars rookie Zach Bates has secured pole position for the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama, becoming the first rookie to do so since 2001. Driving for Matt Stone Racing, the 22-year-old Bates set a Gen3 qualifying record with a lap of 2:03.9376, later confirming his top spot by winning the Top 10 Shootout with a time of 2:04.206.

Bates’ performance denied Brodie Kostecki the opportunity to become the first driver to claim four successive pole positions at the event. Bates will share the car with co-driver Aaron Seton, whose family has a deep history at the circuit, including grandfather Barry “Bo” Seton’s victory in 1965.

Qualifying sessions throughout the weekend highlighted a performance advantage for Chevrolet Camaros in power-sensitive sectors, while Ford Mustangs showed strength in technical sections. As the race begins, the Seton/Bates pairing holds the advantage for the 161-lap marathon.