The Mountain Has Spoken! The 2026 ATR1000 has been run and won! 🏆 Sunday, 25 October saw the field come together for another fantastic edition of our annual ATR1000 endurance event, following the Qualifying and Top 10 Shootout sessions held the previous weekend, Sunday 18 October. This year we had an impressive 26 teams registered, with two drivers per team, ready to take on the Mountain. Unfortunately, we lost one team due to illness in the lead-up to race day, leaving 25 teams prepared to tackle six hours of racing around one of the most challenging circuits in motorsport. And what a day it turned out to be!
Race Day Preparations The track opened at 11:00am Sydney time, allowing teams to complete their final preparations, attend the drivers’ briefing and ensure the correct qualifying drivers were behind the wheel for the race start. This year also saw the introduction of Live Race Stewards, adding another level of professionalism and support to the event. A massive thank you to Ryan, Darrell and Bennie, who generously gave up their Sunday to provide their time, knowledge and assistance throughout the race. Your contribution was greatly appreciated, and having live stewarding available was a fantastic addition to this year’s ATR1000. SimSational TV – Another Fantastic Broadcast! We also need to give a huge shout-out to the brilliant crew at SimSational TV, who once again delivered outstanding coverage of the ATR1000. Unfortunately, a few technical gremlins made an appearance throughout the day, resulting in the race broadcast being split into three parts. As we all know, technology doesn’t always play nicely when you need it most! But to the crew’s credit, they pushed through the challenges, kept the coverage rolling and delivered another fantastic broadcast that added enormously to the atmosphere and enjoyment of the event. Thank you once again to everyone involved at SimSational TV. Your ongoing support and commitment to showcasing our racing community is very much appreciated.
Lights Out – Let’s Go Racing! The sight of the cars lining up on the grid was something special! It was obvious just how much effort teams had put into preparing their liveries, with some absolutely stunning designs on display. The time and creativity that go into these presentations never go unnoticed, and it’s always fantastic to see teams taking such pride in their appearance. Around 11:15am, the full formation lap got underway, with teams settling into position and preparing themselves for the rolling start. Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for… GREEN, GREEN, GREEN! I’m sure there were a few hearts pounding as the field charged towards Turn 1! With 25 teams all looking to establish themselves early, it could easily have become interesting. Thankfully, everyone made it through cleanly, and the opening lap demonstrated some excellent, respectful driving. It was clear the drivers understood what lay ahead. After all, there were still another six hours of racing to survive! 😊 Six Hours of Strategy, Concentration and Teamwork As the race settled into its rhythm, teams began working through their carefully planned strategies. Driver changes, pit stops, fuel calculations and tyre management all became part of the equation. Some teams elected to double-stint their drivers, while others stuck closely to their original plans, each looking for that little advantage that could make all the difference later in the race.
Behind the scenes, our Live Race Stewards were kept busy reviewing protests and incidents as they came through, while Race Control continued doing what Race Control does best… well, most of the time anyway! 😂 From an event management perspective, everything appeared to be running smoothly, and it was fantastic to watch the race unfold. The weather on the Mountain remained clear, providing ideal racing conditions throughout the day. I’m sure a few teams would have welcomed a little rain to mix things up, or perhaps even a Safety Car to bring the field back together, but neither eventuated. Instead, the race continued uninterrupted, placing the emphasis firmly on consistency, strategy, teamwork and outright pace.
The Final Hour – Anything Could Happen! With the final hour approaching, the intensity was certainly building. Teams were now looking towards their final stints, calculating fuel requirements, reviewing track positions and working out whether they had enough pace left to challenge those ahead. At this stage, nothing could be taken for granted. Even our race leader had a heart-stopping moment, hitting a bump on the circuit that unsettled the car and sent it bouncing slightly into the outside wall!
Your Podium Finish
1st – YNOT Racing Team, Drivers S.Buskovas / J.Griffin
2nd – Insert Team Name Here, Drivers G.Babi / B.Ellis
3rd – Dew Bandits, Drivers D.Bartoletti / M.Richo
🏆 Final Results 2026 ATR1000 Podium and Results
A Huge Thank You to Everyone!
Finally, I want to extend a genuine thank you to every driver and team who participated in this year’s ATR1000. Events of this size require an enormous amount of work behind the scenes, from organising registrations and qualifying sessions through to race control, stewarding, broadcasting and everything else needed to bring the event together. But once the lights go green and the racing gets underway, seeing it all come together makes every bit of that effort worthwhile. I sincerely hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as we enjoyed putting it together. The respect shown on track, the preparation put in by the teams and the support from everyone involved are what make this event something special each year. A special thank you once again to our Live Race Stewards, the SimSational TV crew and everyone who helped make the 2026 ATR1000 possible. Without the teams, drivers, volunteers and supporters, there simply wouldn’t be an ATR1000!
SimSational TV – Another Fantastic Broadcast!
SimSational TV Broadcast – Part 1
SimSational TV Broadcast – Part 2
SimSational TV Broadcast – Part 3
Written By: Gavin Chatt