Kostecki Seizes Bathurst 1000 Win as De Pasquale Runs Out of Fuel in Dramatic Finish
October 11, 2026
In a dramatic Bathurst 1000 finish, Brodie Kostecki and co-driver Todd Hazelwood won for Dick Johnson Racing after Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel on the final lap, with Will Brown and Scott Pyne finishing second.
Kostecki overtook polesitter Zach Bates under the first safety car and held off a late surge to secure the 161-lap race, while De Pasquale faced pit-stop issues and a late fuel failure.
Lap 159–161 saw Kostecki surge from third to second and then capitalize on De Pasquale’s fuel struggles as the Australian title drama unfolded on Mount Panorama.
Audience metrics show VOZ 5.0 national data and overnight figures underpinning Seven’s broadcast reach for the event.
A detailed three-day breakdown shows Sunday’s race, support events, the Top 10 Shootout, and practice contributing to reach, with streaming playing a significant role.
Bathurst Mayor Ben Fry praised the event’s economic and tourism impact, highlighting Bathurst as the spiritual home of Australian motorsport and the enduring fan base.
Seven will carry further motorsport events, including the Gold Coast 500 and the Adelaide Grand Final, live and free on Channel 7 and 7plus.
Camping demand was unprecedented, with all 7,100 campsites sold out within 90 minutes and more than 20,000 people on-site.
The 66th Repco Bathurst 1000 attracted 204,223 attendees for the race week, the highest since 2018 and a small rise from 2025.
The race featured Bates’s rapid Gen3 rise, Seton’s family racing legacy, and ongoing penalties and challenges that shaped the final results.
Sunny, fast-paced conditions and a near three-hour halfway mark framed the race, with discussions around safety car intervals and fuel strategy.
Seven’s figures showed the event as the weekend’s top program across key demographics, with 7plus Sport delivering a 241,000 audience for the race, up 15%.
Summary based on 5 sources
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Sources

The Canberra Times • Oct 11, 2026
Tears flow as Kostecki prevails for Bathurst 1000 crown
Ministry of Sport • Oct 12, 2026
66th Repco Bathurst 1000 Reaches Record-Breaking Attendance
TV Central • Oct 12, 2026
Channel 7 Bathurst 1000 reaches 5.55 million across race weekend