Auer clocked a 2:01.2760s best four minutes from the end of the 15-minute Pirelli Pole Battle session featuring the 10 fastest cars on combined times from Q1 and Q2.

Craft-Bamboo trio Auer, Maxi Gotz and Australian Jayden Ojeda are aiming to give the Hong Kong-based team a breakthrough Bathurst win, 10 years after its first attack on the race.

“Big thanks to my teammates, my team, Mercedes-AMG for a great car and really looking forward to the race tomorrow,” said Auer, nephew of F1 great Gerhard Berger.

Ojeda, having his first race as a factory Mercedes-AMG driver this weekend, hailed Auer’s effort.

“[It’s his] first time here but you wouldn’t think it, looking at the lap,” he said.

“He drives like a full professional, so it’s really cool. Hopefully we can have a good race.”

Q2 pacesetter Ricardo Feller came closest to Auer in the Pole Battle session, falling 0.1250s short in the Audi R8 LMS he shares with Australians Broc Feeney and Liam Talbot.

Maro Engel put the #888 Team GMR Mercedes third ahead of Sheldon van der Linde (#32 WRT BMW) and Chaz Mostert (#26 Arise Ferrari).

Laurin Heinrich (#91 EMA Porsche) made it five marques in the top six ahead of Luca Stolz (#75 75 Express Mercedes), Scott Andrews (#44 Valmont Audi) and Cam Waters (#222 STM Mercedes).

Tenth placed Lee Holdsworth (#9 Hallmarc Audi) was the only driver not to break into the 2:01s during the session.

The 2025 Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour will get underway at 5:45am on Sunday morning.

Results: Meguiar’s Bathurst 12 Hour Pirelli Pole Battle (Q3)