Winterbottom makes 2025 Bathurst commitment
Mark Winterbottom makes 2025 Bathurst commitment
Winterbottom placed 18th in Sunday's Great Race
2013 Bathurst winner determined to return and win next year
"I'll be back here next year, and I'll be trying to win it next year."
That is Mark Winterbottom's commitment to coming back to Bathurst and adding a second Great Race win to his career, amid an uncertain future.
Last weekend's Repco Bathurst 1000 was tough for Team 18, which is preparing a spare chassis for David Reynolds following his heavy qualifying crash.
Winterbottom, who partnered with Michael Caruso, started 22nd and ran as high as 13th in Sunday's race and came home 18th, his lowest classified finish in the Great Race.
“We come here full of hope and dreams of winning the big one, but that was one of the toughest weekends I think we've had here," he said.
"The car, unfortunately, was probably one of the slowest that we've ever had here too.
“Dave and I had the same set up in, so that's promising that we both had the same dramas but at the end of the day that's not good enough for me.”
Should Winterbottom return in 2025, it could be in a co-driving capacity, given Anton De Pasquale's arrival at the team at the expense of the 2015 series champion.
Winterbottom would be a gun co-driver for hire, and at 43, could follow the recent likes of Garth Tander (43 in 2020, 45 in 2022), Steven Richards (46 in 2018), Paul Morris (47 in 2014) and Mark Skaife (43 in 2010) in scoring Bathurst wins into their 40s.
Craig Lowndes was also 41 in 2015 and 44 in 2018 before his full-time retirement.
For now, Winterbottom has two rounds left as a Team 18 full-time driver, but says his next Mountain visit will be driven by victory, regardless of the colours he is wearing.
"I’ve got two rounds to go, going to enjoy my last couple of rounds, but I'll make sure when I come back to Bathurst next year, I'm coming here to win," he said.
"I appreciate the support, I'll be back here next year, and I'll be trying to win it next year."
Winterbottom will resume his 2024 Repco Supercars Championship campaign at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 on October 25-27. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
