NATIONALITY // AUSTRALIAN

 

DATE OF BIRTH // 08/03/1995

 

LIVES // CANBERRA, ACT

 

OCCUPATION // RALLY DRIVER / BRAND AMBASSADOR

 

TEAM // TOYOTA GAZOO RACING AUSTRALIA / NEAL BATES MOTORSPORT

 

CO-DRIVER // CORAL TAYLOR

 

HOBBIES // RUNNING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, WATER-SKIING, TENNIS

 

 

Harry Bates is widely regarded as one of Australia's top talents. His speed and versatility have seen him become a force on the stages, in a short period of time. Combined with his professional approach and enthusiasm, Harry's potential goes beyond his achievements to date.

​

Born in to a motorsport family, Harry’s father and 4 times Australian Rally Champion, Neal Bates, introduced him to driving from a very young age. Harry started his driving career as a 12 year old, competing in local motorkhanas on both gravel and tarmac.

 

Aged 18, Harry began competing in rallying, and in only his second ever rally, gained a podium at the 2014 Rally Narooma. During 2015, Harry competed in his first Australian Championship round at his home event, the National Capital Rally, in a standard Toyota Corolla. He and new co-driver, John McCarthy, managed an astonishing third place on debut.

 

For 2016, Harry and co-driver John stepped up to an all-wheel drive Toyota Corolla S2000. Success came immediately, with a heat win at the first round of the Australian Rally Championship and three podiums from five events. The pair fell agonisingly short of being Australian Champions in their first attempt at the series, after a puncture on the final day of the final rally dropped them out of contention.

 

2017 saw Harry claim his first ARC event win, becoming the youngest person in history to win a round of the championship. He backed this up with a second win at his home event, the Netier National Capital Rally.

​

For 2018, Bates and McCarthy debuted an all-new Toyota Yaris AP4 in competition. They claimed two wins in the new Yaris' debut season. 

​

At the 2019 Adelaide Hills Rally, Bates and McCarthy collected their first Australian Rally Championship title, with one round still remaining in the series. This cemented Bates as the youngest Australian Rally Champion in history, and the first ever second-generational winner, with his Dad, Neal, taking the title in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2008.

 

From March 2019 to August 2022, Bates was undefeated in any rally held in Australia. 2022 also saw Bates make his WRC2 debut with support from Pedders Suspension and Brakes, at the 2022 WRC Rally New Zealand. He finished 4th WRC2 and 10th Outright WRC, winning two stages on the way. Bates went on to finish runner-up to his younger brother Lewis in the 2022 ARC, meaning that both his Dad, Neal and brother join him on the list of Australian Rally Champions.

​

2023 saw Harry claim his second Australian Rally Championship title. Harry and co-driver Coral Taylor defeated their teammates Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin by just one point, clinching the title in a nail biting finish that came down to the final EROAD Power Stage of the season.