The first half hour of the race was blighted by two incidents, the first involving the #32 Team WRT BMW M4, which hit a small kangaroo that ricocheted into the #6 Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG.

The second incident was far more spectacular, however, when a roo went through #64 Haupt Racing Team Ford Mustang that showered Christopher Mies in blood.

Speaking after he claimed third place with Augusto Farfus and Raffaele Marciello, Rossi revealed his close encounter.

“I saw a kangaroo, yes, in the second hour and another one in the track,” said Rossi.

“He jumped from the wall and jumped to the second corner and after I came back he was in front of me, yes – but fortunately he’s alive.”

Mies suggested some safety measures were needed for the kangaroo problem, though Rossi said it is a unique aspect of the event that should not change.

“Every year we speak about the kangaroos, a lot, to keep attention, but this year, this year happened,” said Rossi.

“You know, this is a special place, it’s a special track, and they use this track just five times in one year. This is the rule of the game if you come at the Mount Panorama.

“I think that it is difficult to try to fix this problem.

“At the end, he’s very, very lucky,” said Rossi of Mies.

“He’s okay. It was a big crash, and this is a danger that you have if you race here.”

For Rossi, his return to Mount Panorama brought a second straight podium finish, though the win remained elusive.

Though his focus remains on racing in Europe, the Bathurst 12 Hour remains a race he would like to be a regular haunt.

“I think that we had more chance to win last year,” said Rossi.

“This year is more difficult, but, also if we don’t win, I’m very happy to arrive on the podium also because this race, year by year, becomes better.

“The level increases. You have a lot of factory cars, a lot of great, line-ups. So I’m very happy, very proud to be here on the podium and we continue to try – and maybe one year we can do.”

‘Particularly bad’: Mercedes ace recounts unseen kangaroo clash