Harry Bates has established himself as one of Australian motorsport’s most accomplished and versatile motorsport talents, building a remarkable rallying career that has seen him rewrite the record books and cement his place among the country’s best ever.
Today, Harry Bates sits firmly among the benchmark drivers of Australian rallying.
A multiple Australian Rally Championship winner and a key member of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Australia (TGRA), Bates has progressed from one of the sport’s most promising young talents into one of its leading performers.
His partnership with co-driver Coral Taylor has placed him at the forefront of the modern ARC, with the pair continuing to fight for championship honours in 2026. His current form only reinforces that standing.
Bates opened the 2026 ARC season with victory at Rally Queensland before adding another win at the Narooma Forest Rally, where he became the championship’s all-time record holder for Heat victories with his 46th.
The Canberran has also continued to demonstrate his pace on the international stage, making his WRC2 return at Rally Portugal earlier this year.
His continued involvement with TGRA also gives him a prominent role within one of Australia’s most significant manufacturer-backed motorsport programmes.
Motorsport was in Bates’ blood from an early age. The son of four-time Australian Rally Champion Neal Bates, of which Taylor also co-drove for, and brother to fellow national champion Lewis Bates, Harry began driving at just 12 years old, competing in motorkhanas on both gravel and tarmac.
By 18, he had moved into rallying and immediately demonstrated his potential, claiming a podium at only his second rally.
His Australian Rally Championship debut came in 2015 at his home event, the National Capital Rally.
Driving a production Toyota Corolla alongside new co-driver John McCarthy, Bates produced an astonishing third-place finish.
The following season saw the pair step into an all-wheel-drive Toyota Corolla S2000, with success arriving immediately.
Bates claimed a heat win and three podiums across five events, narrowly missing out on the championship after a puncture on the final day of the final rally ended his title hopes.
In 2017, Bates claimed his maiden ARC round victory, becoming the youngest driver in history to win a championship round.
He added another victory at the Netier National Capital Rally before debuting an all-new Australian built Toyota Yaris AP4 in 2018, taking two wins in its first season.
Bates’ breakthrough championship came in 2019. Victory at the Adelaide Hills Rally secured his first Australian Rally Championship title with one round remaining, alongside co-driver John McCarthy, making him the youngest Australian Rally Champion in history and the first second-generation champion.
From March 2019 until August 2022, Bates remained undefeated in Australian rallying.
His international ambitions also grew, with a WRC2 debut at Rally New Zealand in 2022 producing fourth in WRC2 and 10th outright, including two stage wins.
After finishing runner-up to his brother Lewis in the 2022 ARC, Bates reclaimed the title in 2023 by just one point over the defending champions – sealing the championship on the final Power Stage.
Bates then again reclaimed the ARC title alongside Taylor in 2024 to make it his third career championship. Harry’s success also solidified his co-driver to be the most successful Australian of all time, with Coral becoming a six-time Australian Rally Champion Co-Driver.
Bates’ journey of professionalism makes him a worthy subject of the Ryco Racer Report.
