Some crashes at Bathurst come from pushing too hard through the Chase. Christopher Mies’ race ended a different way entirely: a wildlife strike at extreme speed that no amount of preparation could have anticipated.
A Collision Nobody Could Have Seen Coming
Mies was driving the #64 HRT Ford Mustang GT3 down the Conrod Straight during the opening stages of the 2026 Bathurst 12 Hour when the car struck a kangaroo at approximately 250 km/h in nighttime conditions. The impact was severe enough to rip the windshield off the Mustang and end his race instantly, with no warning and no time for an experienced GT driver to react.
After climbing from the car, Mies was visibly shaken and took several minutes to compose himself. “I’m glad I’m standing here right now talking to you,” he said afterward. “It was a very big impact at a very high speed, and I’m thankful to be okay.”
Confirmation that the Mustang hit a kangaroo on Conrod Straight. Mies appears shaken – as you would be – but ok.
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— Intercontinental GT Challenge (@IntercontGTC) February 14, 2026
A Real-World Test for the Mustang GT3’s Safety Structure
This Bathurst appearance marked the final outing for the Ford Mustang GT3 in its pre-Evo specification, and the crash turned into one of the most severe real-world safety tests the car has faced. Mies credited Ford Performance and Multimatic for building a chassis capable of protecting its driver under genuinely extreme circumstances, a compliment that carries real weight given how the impact played out.
According to Mies, the kangaroo appeared suddenly on the racing line with no warning flags displayed beforehand, and he believes the animal likely entered the track only moments before impact. At Conrod Straight speeds, there was simply no window to avoid the collision once the animal was in his path.
The Unpleasant Aftermath
The severity of the strike was underscored by debris and animal remains entering the cockpit, covering Mies’ helmet and racing suit. He confirmed all of his driving gear was discarded afterward due to contamination. It’s an unpleasant detail, but given the speed involved, the outcome could easily have been far worse.
The early retirement was a significant disappointment for the HRT squad and Mies’ co-drivers, reigning Supercars champion Broc Feeney and 2019 Intercontinental GT champion Dennis Olsen, who entered the Bathurst 12 Hour with genuine podium expectations before the race ended in one of the stranger ways possible.
Why Mount Panorama Is Unlike Anywhere Else
Despite the fright, Mies made clear his affection for Australia and Mount Panorama hasn’t changed, confirming he plans to return for future events, and joking that his souvenir choices would be more cautious next time around. The circuit’s unusual combination of extreme speed, elevation changes, and proximity to genuine wildlife habitat makes it unlike any other endurance racing venue on the calendar. On this night, modern safety engineering turned what could have been a tragedy into a story about a driver walking away to race again.
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