Bathurst Start Time NZ – 2025 Schedule TV Guide

The 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000 marked a significant milestone for New Zealand motorsport fans, with the main race commencing at 11:45am AEDT on Sunday, October 12, translating to 12:45pm NZDT. This represented a notable scheduling shift, with the traditional Bathurst start time pushed 15 minutes later than the 2024 event.

Grove Racing’s Matthew Payne and Garth Tander clinched victory in this endurance classic, with Payne securing his first Bathurst win while Tander claimed his sixth overall and first in a Ford since 2022. The event ran across four days at Mount Panorama-Wahluu in Bathurst, New South Wales, as Race 27 of the Supercars Championship.

For viewers watching from New Zealand, understanding the broadcast schedule, time zone conversions, and viewing options required attention to official sources, as comprehensive NZ-specific television information remained limited in the lead-up to the event.

What is the Bathurst 1000 start time in NZ?

• The 2025 main race started at 11:45am AEDT, fifteen minutes later than the 2024 event.
• New Zealand viewers experienced the race at 12:45pm NZDT due to the one-hour time difference.
• Sky Sport typically provides live Supercars coverage for NZ subscribers.
• The official schedule was confirmed on September 3, 2025, via supercars.com.
• Times on the official site were available in local time or AEDT track time.
• Live timing and results were accessible through the Supercars website throughout the weekend.

Full V8 Supercars Bathurst schedule in NZ time

Thursday and Friday practice sessions

The 2025 Bathurst race weekend spanned four days, beginning on Thursday, October 9. Practice sessions allowed teams to familiarise themselves with track conditions following any late-season vehicle developments. The official schedule, published on supercars.com, offered time options in either local track time (AEDT) or the viewer’s selected timezone.

Saturday qualifying and warm-up

Saturday, October 11, featured critical qualifying sessions that determined the starting grid for Sunday’s main event. Qualifying results directly influenced race positions, with drivers like Nick Percat achieving 10th place with a time of 2:05.4292 in their respective sessions. The morning warm-up session on Sunday provided final preparation opportunities before the race start.

Sunday main race schedule

The 1000km endurance race commenced at 11:45am AEDT (12:45pm NZDT) on Sunday, October 12, at Mount Panorama-Wahluu. This marked the first Bathurst 1000 to start at this later time, a change announced through official Supercars channels ahead of the event. The race distance of 1000km typically requires multiple pit stops and strategy adjustments throughout its duration.

V8 Supercars TV schedule and channels in NZ

Sky Sport broadcast options

Sky Sport has traditionally served as the primary home of Supercars coverage in New Zealand, offering live broadcasts and streaming options for championship events. The platform typically provides comprehensive coverage including practice sessions, qualifying, and the main race broadcast with expert commentary.

Sky Go streaming service

Subscribers to Sky Go could access live and on-demand Supercars content through the streaming platform. However, available search results indicated limited specific 2025 Bathurst 1000 broadcast listings for Sky Go at the time of the event, with available content primarily showing 2026 event listings such as the Super 440 support races.

Free-to-air television coverage

Channel 7 serves as the primary free-to-air broadcaster of V8 Supercars in Australia, though no specific 2025 Bathurst 1000 broadcast details were confirmed for New Zealand free-to-air viewers in available sources. Viewers seeking free-to-air options were advised to verify local listings closer to the event date.

How to watch Bathurst 1000 in New Zealand

Subscription television options

New Zealand residents seeking comprehensive Bathurst coverage had subscription television as the most reliable option. Sky Sport’s dedicated motorsport channel and streaming services typically deliver race broadcasts with local commentary and analysis throughout the endurance event. Viewers can check available packages through sky.co.nz for current subscription options.

Official Supercars platforms

The Supercars website offered live timing features during all track sessions, allowing fans to follow race progress in real-time regardless of their television access. This service proved particularly valuable for viewers unable to access live broadcasts or those seeking additional data such as sector times and position changes.

Social media and supplementary content

The official Supercars Facebook page and other social channels provided race updates and announcements, including notifications about schedule changes or event modifications. These platforms served as secondary information sources rather than primary viewing methods.

2025 Bathurst 1000 race weekend timeline

The four-day event at Mount Panorama-Wahluu followed a structured schedule across October 9-12, with sessions progressing from initial practice through to the main 1000km endurance race.

1. Thursday, October 9: Event opening and initial practice sessions at Mount Panorama-Wahluu.
2. Friday, October 10: Additional practice and support category sessions throughout the day.
3. Saturday, October 11: Qualifying sessions determining the starting grid for Sunday’s race.
4. Sunday, October 12: Warm-up session in the morning, main race at 11:45am AEDT (12:45pm NZDT).

The schedule was published officially on September 3, 2025, with all times available in both AEDT and selectable local time zones through the official Supercars schedule page.

What was confirmed versus uncertain about the 2025 Bathurst start time

The official confirmation of the 11:45am AEDT start time came directly from supercars.com and was further supported by reporting from v8sleuth.com.au. The later start time represented a deliberate change from previous years, with the announcement made through official channels before the event.

About the Repco Bathurst 1000

The Bathurst 1000 stands as one of endurance motorsport’s most prestigious events, attracting drivers and teams from across the Supercars Championship to the challenging Mount Panorama circuit. The 1000km format tests vehicle reliability, strategic decision-making, and driver consistency across an extended race distance.

The 2025 edition marked the 27th and final round of the Supercars Championship calendar. Grove Racing’s victory with Matthew Payne and Garth Tander added to the event’s legacy, with Tander’s sixth win placing him among the most successful drivers in Bathurst history. James Golding’s on-track victory, later demoted to third following a penalty, highlighted the competitive nature and technical scrutiny that characterises top-level Supercars racing.

For New Zealand viewers, the Bathurst 1000 has consistently represented a highlight of the motorsport calendar, combining the spectacle of Australian Supercars with the accessibility provided through regional broadcast arrangements. The event’s position in the spring calendar places it among New Zealand’s accessible motorsport content during the latter months of the racing season. Those interested in additional motorsport analysis can find related coverage in our sports section.

Official sources and announcements

“The 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000 is the first Great Race to start at 11:45am, marking a significant scheduling change for the iconic endurance event.”

— Supercars official announcement via supercars.com

The primary sources for Bathurst start time and schedule information included the official Supercars website (supercars.com), which published the confirmed schedule on September 3, 2025. Additional verification came from motorsport reporting through v8sleuth.com.au and event coverage on Wikipedia’s dedicated 2025 Bathurst 1000 page.

For New Zealand-specific broadcast arrangements, sky.co.nz and skygo.co.nz represented the official channels of the primary NZ broadcaster, though comprehensive 2025 event listings remained limited in available search results.

Key takeaways for NZ viewers

The 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000 delivered a compelling race narrative, with Grove Racing’s Matthew Payne and Garth Tander emerging victorious after a race that saw James Golding lead before receiving a post-race penalty. The event’s 11:45am AEDT start time, confirmed as the first Great Race to commence at this hour, provided New Zealand viewers with a 12:45pm NZDT race start.

Comprehensive NZ television broadcast details remained scarce in available sources, making the official Supercars website and Sky Sport channels the most reliable resources for viewers seeking confirmed scheduling information. For those interested in broader motorsport coverage, exploring related content on Real Sociedad vs Man United – Europa League Round of 16 Breakdown may provide additional sporting context.