A Farewell at the Mountain: Williams Give One Last Win To Kanata as 2025 Closes at Bathurst

Mount Panorama, Bathurst, 24 January — The 2025 ARO season came to a close in fittingly dramatic fashion with the Finale 200 Minutes at Bathurst, a marathon event that doubled as Round 3 of the World Tsuyo/Zako Series, Round 10 of the HoloType International Series, and Round 5 of the Japan Tsuyo/Zako Series. Originally scheduled for Sydney Motorsports Park, the finale was relocated to Mount Panorama following confirmation that Sydney’s pit facilities could not support the expanded grid, a late change that only added to the sense of occasion surrounding the season-ending weekend.

The move to Bathurst immediately raised the stakes. The Mountain’s unforgiving nature shaped both strategy and survival across the classes, none more so than in the Tsuyo race, which was ultimately red-flagged after 21 laps following a series of heavy accidents at The Cutting. Despite the shortened distance, points were still awarded, and the results carried championship significance across World and Japan standings.

At the head of the Tsuyo field in the race stood Tyler Williams, driving the #57 Amane Kanata car, who secured victory in what would become one of the most emotional moments in recent ARO history despite recent events. With Amane Kanata’s graduation from Hololive set for December 27, the Bathurst finale marked her final appearance in ARO competition. Williams’ win, achieved amid chaos and stoppages, ensured Kanata bowed out with a victory on one of motorsport’s most iconic circuits, a result that resonated deeply across the paddock and fanbase alike.

Behind Williams, Evelyn Kuromi guided the #53 E. R. Bloodflame entry to second, while Allie Jay brought the #51 Kikirara Vivi car home in third, capitalising on attrition and the early stoppage. Vladislav Domaschnev and Joshua Azurid rounded out the top five, with the latter’s points haul enough to confirm Mori Calliope as the World Tsuyo champion, capping a remarkably consistent campaign that saw Azurid deliver when it mattered most.

The World Zako race, by contrast, ran the full 41-lap distance and produced one of the most complete performances of the season. Jake Martinez, driving the #10 Tokoyami Towa car, mastered the Mountain to take a commanding victory, holding off Kaminari Riba in the #43 Shishiro Botan entry and Misaki Sakura in the #12 AZKi car. The result vaulted Martinez into fourth in the final World Zako standings, while Enzio Ferrari’s consistency across the season was enough to secure Raora Panthera the World Zako title, despite Ferrari finishing sixth at Bathurst.

Further down the order, strong runs from Ryan Kagawa, Mathias Zacarias, and Enzio Ferrari underlined the depth of competition in the combined JP and INT Zako field, while Dag Patterson’s seventh-place finish carried additional significance as Isaki Riona continued to score across both Tsuyo and Zako classifications during the hybrid season format.

In the broader context of the championships, Bathurst served as the final confirmation of several long-running narratives. Joshua Azurid’s World Tsuyo title for Mori Calliope was sealed despite the truncated finale, while Raora Panthera’s World Zako crown reflected a season built on steady accumulation rather than singular dominance, especially in the World Zako. Sukonbu Sammy Ake's 6th place in the World Tsuyo race gave Shirakami Fubuki the JP Tsuyo title, while Misaki Sakura made good on her aim to become champion as the AZKi driver brought home the JP Zako title in the World Zako race. Evelyn Kuromi has also secured an unlikely title for E.R. Bloodflame despite the team missing one race and not having won a single race in HoloType in 2025.

As the sun set over Mount Panorama on Sunday evening, the 2025 season closed with trophies decided and with an era quietly ending.