Team 18 vows to regroup after late-race heartbreak at Bathurst

Team 18 plans to debrief and regroup following its heartbreaking end to the Bathurst 1000, when Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel on the final lap while leading.

The team had short-filled during their final stop in an effort to preserve their track position, but miscalculated and instead went into the final laps facing the prospect of the car running dry before the finish. A potential lifeline came with five laps to go when Chaz Mostert crashed heavily at Forrest's Elbow, bringing out a safety car and giving De Pasquale the chance to save fuel.

It wasn't enough. The Camaro suddenly slowed halfway along the uphill Mountain Straight on the last lap, allowing DJR's Brodie Kostecki to sweep past in the No.17 Ford Mustang GT and snatch the win.

"I've got no words really," team owner Charlie Schwerkolt said on Supercars' Equip Super Cool Down Lap podcast. "I'm gutted, heartbroken. It's a cruel place. But we didn't get it right. There's some correlation problem, something, I'm not sure. But obviously our drivers did an amazing job. The boys and girls in the team did an amazing job.

"We had the best car probably for the weekend and really proud of everything. But we've got to solve that issue, whatever it is, and sort it out. But I feel for all our partners, fans, everyone."

The team also took the unusual step of issuing an apology to fans and stakeholders in the hours after the race:

"This one hurts," it read. "After all the hard work and effort to put is in the position of leading on the final lap of the Bathurst 1000, only to not deliver the result with the finish so close, it’s hard to find the words.

"To every member of our team: thank you. For the long nights, the sacrifices, the care and the belief you put into this. To Anton and Lee (Holdsworth, co-driver), thank you for giving it everything behind the wheel and we sorry we couldn’t deliver the finish you both deserved.

"We wanted so much to bring this one home for you all. To our partners, families and fans, we are sorry and we thank you for standing with us. We know you’re hurting too.

"The result is heartbreaking, but we are so proud of the people who brought us this close. We’ll look after each other tonight, and face what comes next together."

The DNF comes just three years after the team ran both of its cars ran dry at Bathurst in 2023. That led directly to a shake-up of the team's managerial and engineering staff, however Schwerkolt shrugged away questions about whether the latest disappointment will prompt a similar overhaul.

"No idea," he said. "Can't answer that."