Podium at Bathurst
Hamish Fitzsimmons has delivered a stunning performance at the iconic Mount Panorama circuit, capping off Round 6 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship with a career-best finish of P4 overall for the round. The rookie driver, representing the Jamec Racing / MPC squad, also secured P2 in the highly competitive Porsche Michelin Junior Category, solidifying his status as a major contender in his debut season.
Heading into the unforgiving 6.213km circuit—a place demanding meticulous car control and a ruthless balance of risk versus reward—Fitzsimmons faced his most profound technical test of the calendar. Having previously secured a P2 in the feeder Sprint Challenge series, the focus for the 992-generation Porsche was clear: convert that experience into a vital championship points haul and a top five round finish.
Wet Start for Practice & Qualifying
The weekend began under challenging, wet conditions. Thursday's Practice 1 was heavily affected by rain and a late red flag, which limited running but allowed Fitzsimmons to secure crucial wet laps, ending the session P13.
The drama continued into qualifying, where rain fell just minutes before the session, forcing a frantic change to wet tyres. In the chaotic, greasy conditions that saw even seasoned veterans struggle, Fitzsimmons excelled. He showed progressive improvement throughout the session, navigating multiple red flags to secure an impressive personal-best P10 overall (P10 for Race 1 and P9 for Race 2 grid positions).
“The conditions were absolutely hectic,” Fitzsimmons commented. “It was a real challenge, but I was gaining more and more confidence as the session went on. P10 for Race 1 and P9 for Race 2—a great place to start tomorrow!”
Race Day Progression: P6 to P5
Fitzsimmons converted his strong starting position into powerful race results over the weekend's first two sprints:
- Race 1 (40 minutes): Starting from P10 on a bright, sunny Friday afternoon, Hamish drove a smart, clean opening stint on green tyres to climb to P8. The race climaxed with a full course yellow and a thrilling one-lap flyer restart. Fitzsimmons capitalised, executing a smart, decisive pass and successfully avoiding the last-lap chaos to cross the line in a fantastic P6, his equal best-ever finish in the category.
- Race 2 (25 minutes): Starting from P9, Fitzsimmons launched into the sprint with a stellar start, immediately slicing through the field to gain four positions and settle into P6 before a safety car neutralised the action. On the restart, he kept the pressure on, gaining another vital position when the race leader clipped the wall across the top of the mountain. This heads-up driving secured him an impressive P5 finish.
The final race of the weekend saw Fitzsimmons line up in P4 on the grid thanks to his consistency across the previous two events. Despite an admitted "less than ideal" start, he managed to defend his position through the frantic opening laps. The young Queenslander held strong against established rivals in the final 25-minute sprint.
His consistency and pace across all three races—P6, P5, and P4—culminated in a total championship points haul that secured the young driver P4 overall for Round 6, confirming a personal best for his rookie Carrera Cup season.
“It’s a great feeling to leave the Mount on such a high,” said Fitzsimmons. “The car was fantastic underneath me all weekend. To secure P4 overall for the round is a personal best for me in this category, and taking P2 in the Porsche Michelin Junior Category is a massive bonus. It shows the hard work the team and I are putting in is paying off.”
The result provides a major confidence boost and significant points haul as the Championship heads into its final rounds. Fitzsimmons and the Jamec Racing / MPC team will now carry this strong momentum into the next challenge on the calendar. The Porsche Newsroom confirmed the result, noting that Fitzsimmons "was another to enjoy a career-best weekend" as he fought for a podium finish until the very end.
