Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli target Australia's iconic Bathurst 12 Hour race

Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli head a string of F1 stars hoping to take part in Australia's iconic Bathurst 12 Hour race in early 2027.

According to Fox Sports Australia, Verstappen and Antonelli have both expressed interest in competing in the huge GT3 showdown on February 14, 2027 at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales.

The other F1 stars showing interest in appearing are Aston Martin star Lance Stroll and Cadillac's Valtteri Bottas (who has a home in Australia).

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Verstappen set to continue on endurance trail

Verstappen is expected to race at Bathurst with his own Mercedes AMG-backed team Verstappen Racing team after creating massive interest with his spectacular appearances on the Nurburgring's Nordschleife circuit in 2026.

Verstappen came agonisingly close to winning the iconic Nurburgring 24 Hours race in May before a late mechanical failure robbed his team of victory.

Stroll meanwhile made his GT3 debut in April during the GT World Challenge at Paul Ricard. That opportunity arose when the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix being cancelled left F1 stars with a surprise break.

The potential presence of current F1 championship leader Antonelli just adds even more spice to proceedings Down Under.

The 20-year-old Italian prodigy's father Marco runs a GT3 team in the Italian GT championship with Mercedes-AMG, and rumours suggest he is keen to join his son on the Mount Panorama track.

Finnish star Bottas has never taken part in a GT race, but his strong ties to Australia - including Australian partner Tiffany Cromwell as well as that second home - could see him stepping into a Corvette as both Chevrolet and Cadillac are part of the General Motors family.

Bathurst 12 Hour a truly spectacular event

In the 1990s, the Bathurst 12 Hour was held sporadically before finding a permanent spot on the February calendar in 2007.

Since 2011, GT3 cars have been taking on the track, and in 2016 the race joined the Intercontinental GT Challenge - a global GT3 championship which also features 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps.

The event is run on the challenging Mount Panorama, a circuit renowned for its close walls and dramatic elevation changes. GT legend Kévin Estre once compared the track to a blend of the Nordschleife and Macau.

It comes as no surprise that Verstappen is among the drivers hoping to take part - the Dutch superstar has long expressed a desire to compete at Bathurst.

The 2027 race takes place just 10 days before F1 pre-season testing is due to begin in Bahrain.

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