Winners, Safety Cars, Finals drama: Five bold Bathurst calls

With so much on the line, we're set to witness a Repco Bathurst 1000 to remember.

Amid the chase for the Peter Brock Trophy, there are still four Finals spots on offer. At The Bend, we saw Dick Johnson Racing return to the top step and, with it, a renewed sense of fight from Ford.

It's the biggest race of the season, and it will be even bigger this year as drivers fight to claim their place in the first ever Repco Supercars Finals Series.

Ahead of a huge week at the Mountain, Supercars.com makes five bold calls for the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000, brought to you by Schick.

There will be another first time winner

54 drivers are set to do battle across 161 laps of Mount Panorama on Sunday, of whom half haven't recorded a single career Supercars victory. Claiming first career wins at Bathurst is far from unprecedented, think Todd Hazelwood last year, Alex Premat in 2019, and Luke Youlden in 2017. Jayden Ojeda, co-driving with Ryan Wood at WAU, could arguably be the prime candidate, whilst Thomas Randle (#55 Tickford), Kai Allen/Dale Wood (#26 Penrite), and Declan Fraser (#8 BJR) could also feasibly find themselves on the top step of the podium.

There will be drama before Sunday for a title contender

With six practice sessions, Boost Mobile Qualifying, Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout and a Warm Up, there are over eight hours of track action for teams and drivers to get through before lights go out on Sunday. We've seen it year after year: drivers wiping out in qualifying, or even practice, as they chase time and set-ups. There are six drivers already locked into The Finals, but we're tipping at least one of them to be bitten by the Mountain before race day.

There will be a first lap Safety Car

Last year's race was largely devoid of any intervention of the Safety Car, which only made the one appearance after 131 laps of flat-out running. However, this year could see plenty more action on track. Expect to see a mix of primary and additional drivers racing against starting the race on Sunday, which could see things boil over on the opening lap. The last time there was a Lap 1 Safety Car was 2022, when Jamie Whincup triggered bedlam down Mountain Straight.

There will be a change to the top 10

12 drivers are still mathematically in contention for Finals berths, with four spots in the post-season up for grabs. Anton De Pasquale (seventh, +191 to the cut-line) and Ryan Wood (eighth, +157 to the cut-line) both look like they'll secure their Finals berths barring disaster. The battle from ninth-13th is the one to keep an eye on for Sunday. Thomas Randle (+99), Kai Allen (+18), Andre Heimgartner (-18), Nick Percat (-37), and Cameron Hill (-51) are all separated by just 132 points. With 300 on the line at Bathurst, anything is possible.

There will be a car outside the top 10 on the podium

Bathurst always brings out the best in everyone, and there's several combinations who are currently outside the top 10 in points who could spring a big surprise. Chief among these contenders is Percat and co-driver Tim Slade, who claimed fifth at The Bend and dragged the former right into the fight for Finals. James Golding and David Russell have always been fast at Bathurst, as have David Reynolds and Lee Holdsworth. Both Erebus entries are also outside the top 10 in points; 12 months ago they were crowned Bathurst champions for the second time. James Courtney would also be desperate to return to the Bathurst podium alongside good mate Jack Perkins, in what could be JC's farewell to the Mountain.