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2025 GT World Challenge Europe

Twelfth season of the GT World Challenge Europe From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2025 GT World Challenge Europe
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The 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS is a motor racing championship for GT3 cars, marking the 12th edition of the GT World Challenge Europe. Organised by the SRO Motorsports Group, it forms the European part of the broader GT World Challenge, which also includes GT World Challenge America, GT World Challenge Australia and GT World Challenge Asia.

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Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts are the current drivers' championship leaders, while Team WRT are the current teams' championship leaders.

The championship splits into the Endurance Cup and the Sprint Cup, each with its respective titles, alongside the overall GT World Challenge Europe championship. The season will take place over ten rounds at various European circuits. The annual season prologue, which acts as the championship's pre-season testing, took place between 10 and 11 March 2025, with testing for the 24 Hours of Spa occurring between 13 and 14 May 2025. Racing commenced in April and will conclude in October.

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Calendar

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All Sprint Cup rounds consist of two one-hour races, totalling 15 races throughout the season, alongside the single 3-hour (Monza, Nürburgring and Barcelona), 6-hour (Paul Ricard), or 24-hour (Spa) races in the Endurance Cup rounds.

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Calendar changes

The 2025 calendar sees Circuit Paul Ricard return to the popular weekend format of a 6-hour endurance race to open the season. The championship used this format between 2015 and 2023, and it will act as the season opener.

Circuit Zandvoort and Circuit Ricardo Tormo also return to the calendar after a one-year absence. Notably, the Jeddah Corniche Circuit will not return in 2025, being replaced by Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the season closer, which reverts to the Endurance Cup. Additionally, Hockenheim will not host a round in 2025.[2]

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Entries

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Sprint Cup

Bronze Cup entries did not compete at the Brands Hatch round and instead began their Sprint Cup season at Misano World Circuit, the second round of the Sprint Cup and the third round of the season.

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Endurance Cup

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Driver and team changes

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Arthur Leclerc, a former Formula 2 driver and current F1 development driver for Scuderia Ferrari, made his championship debut with AF Corse in the Ferrari 296 GT3 at Circuit Paul Ricard.

Mercedes-AMG makes a factory-supported push for the overall championship in 2025, with Team Mann-Filter's Maro Engel and Lucas Auer defending their title in the No. 48 car.[18] Maxime Martin will join Mercedes-AMG, racing the No. 9 for Boutsen VDS throughout the season.[7] AF Corse leads Ferrari’s full-season effort with two Pro cars, featuring Arthur Leclerc as the full-season driver of the No. 50. In the sister No. 51 car, Alessio Rovera and Vincent Abril will compete for the entire season.[20] Rutronik Racing's Patric Niederhauser and Sven Müller return in 2025, leading Porsche's charge for the overall title in the No. 96.[34]

Team WRT is also back with Charles Weerts competing for the overall championship in the No. 32 alongside Kelvin van der Linde, who steps in for series veteran Dries Vanthoor.[16] After sitting out 2024, Lamborghini returns with Grasser Racing for a full season Pro entry with Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler piloting the whole season in the No. 63 car.[5] For McLaren, Garage 59 fields Marvin Kirchhöfer and Benjamin Goethe for the entire season in the No. 59.[22] Lastly, Walkenhorst Motorsport's Henrique Chavez will race the whole season in the No. 34/35 (Endurance/Sprint) Aston Martin.[11]

In the Gold Cup, AlManer Racing by WRT features the No. 777 BMW, driven by Al Faisal Al Zubair and Jens Klingmann.[16] Audi makes a comeback with the No. 88 Tresor Attempto Racing car, driven by Leonardo Moncini and Sebastian Øgaard, competing for the full-season Gold Cup.[24] Garage 59 also fields a full-season Gold Cup entry with their No. 58, piloted by Adam Smalley and Louis Prette.[22]

In the Silver Cup, Barwell Motorsport returns with the No. 76 Lamborghini driven by Christian Bogle for the whole season.[26] Paradine Competition (No. 992) and Team WRT (No. 30) also have full-season BMW entries, the latter fielding Gustav Bergström and Gilles Stadsbader at all races.[16] Comtoyou Racing's No. 21 Aston Martin and Tresor Attempto Racing's No. 99 Audi are also entered as full-season Silver Cup entries.[11][24] Additionally, Boutsen VDS' No. 10 and Grasser Racing's No. 19 join the Silver Cup alongside their overall Pro competitors.[5][6]

In the Bronze Cup, 2024 class champions Tempesta Racing return with Eddie Cheever III continuing as a full-season entry for his seventh consecutive year.[21] Paradine Competition's No. 991, Kessel Racing's No. 74, and Tressor Attempto Racing's No. 66 are all entered as full-season Bronze entries.[16][24][25] Finally, Winward Racing (No. 81) and Comtoyou Racing (No. 270) will also compete in the Bronze Cup alongside their overall Pro entries.[18][44]

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Regulation changes

Technical regulations

Tyre changes

SRO Motorsports Group will adopt Pirelli's new P Zero DHG tyres for GT World Challenge Europe in 2025. These slick racing tyres offer improved performance, faster warm-up, and greater consistency over long distances. They also feature FSC-certified natural rubber. The DHG replaces the DHF, which has been used globally for three years. Pirelli, SRO's exclusive tyre supplier since 2013, will continue its partnership until at least 2028.[70]

Season summary

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Pre-season

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The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R made its championship debut in 2025. Steller Motorsport will enter it in both the Sprint Cup and the Endurance Cup.

The 2025 GT World Challenge Europe includes strong entries for both the Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup, with 59 cars in the Endurance Cup expected to increase during the 24 Hours of Spa. The Sprint Cup anticipates a grid of 41 cars, but the Bronze Cup won't participate in the opening round at Brands Hatch, leading to a 32-car entry. Manufacturer participation has grown to ten brands, with Corvette returning for the first time since 2014. Stéphane Ratel, CEO of SRO Motorsports Group, noted the series’ growth and new team additions, showcasing the appeal of GT3 racing nearing its 20th anniversary.[71]

Opening rounds

In the opening race, BMW won at Circuit Paul Ricard as Team WRT’s No. 32 car advanced from ninth on the grid to clinch the six-hour endurance event. Charles Weerts, Ugo De Wilde, and Kelvin van der Linde shared driving duties, with Van der Linde executing a crucial overtake on the leading No. 96 Rutronik Porsche to secure victory by 4.3 seconds. This marked a successful debut for the new M4 GT3 EVO model. Porsche also performed strongly, achieving a double podium with its No. 96 and No. 22 entries. The top seven included Mercedes-AMG, Aston Martin, another BMW, and McLaren. Class winners were CSA Racing’s No. 111 McLaren in the Gold Cup, Paradine Competition’s No. 992 BMW in the Silver Cup, and Kessel Racing’s No. 74 Ferrari in the Bronze Cup. The race had minimal incidents, with no safety car deployments and only four retirements from a competitive 59-car field.[72]

AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors won the first sprint race at Brands Hatch, where just eight seconds separated the top nine finishers. Alessio Rovera and Vincent Abril triumphed in the No. 51 Ferrari, narrowly beating the No. 59 Garage 59 McLaren by 0.658 seconds, thanks to a superb pit stop. Ferrari excelled throughout the weekend, capturing the Gold Cup with the No. 69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari and the Silver Cup after the No. 52 AF Corse Ferrari was promoted post-race due to the No. 97 Rutronik Porsche's penalty. All 30 cars finished incident-free in a clean, safety car-free race.[73] Maro Engel and Lucas Auer dominated the second sprint, leading from pole in the No. 48 Team Mann-Filter Mercedes-AMG. They maintained their lead, fending off a strong challenge from Weerts in the No. 32 Team WRT BMW, to win by 1.3 seconds. Auer executed a clean restart after two full-course yellow periods. The No. 96 Rutronik Porsche finished third, attributed to a strong pit stop and solid driving from Patric Niederhauser and Sven Müller. The races showcased the intense competitiveness of the season, with various brands and crews on the podium. Gold Cup honours went to AlManar Racing’s No. 777 BMW, while Boutsen VDS’s No. 10 Mercedes-AMG won the Silver Cup.[74]

Niederhauser and Müller won the first Zandvoort race for Rutronik Racing, starting third and executing a flawless strategy. Bastian Buus in the No. 89 Lionspeed GP Porsche led until Niederhauser caught up. A safety car was deployed after collisions involving the No. 64 HRT Ford and No. 14 Emil Frey Ferrari. Niederhauser handed over to Müller early during the pit window, gaining track position as Engel struggled with a 5-second penalty for an unsafe release. Jordan Pepper in the No. 63 Lamborghini finished second after key overtakes, while Engel salvaged third. The No. 25 Saintéloc Racing Audi finished fourth, winning the Gold Cup. The Silver Cup was claimed by the No. 99 Tresor Attempto Audi, which finished tenth overall after a strong drive from Ezequiel Perez Companc. In the Bronze Cup, Buus and Bashar Mardini claimed honors on Lionspeed’s Sprint Cup debut, fending off Darren Leung's late challenge.[75] In Race 2, Team WRT’s Weerts and van der Linde secured victory thanks to a 48.2-second pit stop, propelling their No. 32 BMW from sixth to first. Emil Frey Racing led early with Ben Green (No. 14) and Chris Lulham (No. 69), but both received 10-second penalties for jump starts. Grasser Racing’s No. 63 Lamborghini, driven by Pepper and Luca Engstler, initially looked strong but faltered during the pit window. Van der Linde started ninth, making early progress before passing to Weerts, whose crew executed a game-changing stop. Weerts emerged ahead of the No. 26 Saintéloc Audi, which ran fourth with Lorens Lecertua. Teammate Ivan Klymenko secured second overall and a dominant Silver Cup win. The No. 63 Lamborghini finished third, marking its second podium of the weekend. In the Gold Cup, Thierry Vermeulen and Lulham won in the No. 69 Emil Frey Ferrari, overcoming their penalty with a strong early lead. In the Bronze Cup, Kessel Racing triumphed with Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall, starting from class pole, with Blattner leading before Marschall secured the win.[76]

Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter’s No. 48 crew of Matteo Cairoli, Maro Engel, and Lucas Auer claimed overall victory at the fourth round at Monza, marking the brand’s first-ever Endurance Cup win at the venue. A well-timed pit stop during a full-course yellow proved decisive. The No. 59 Garage 59 entry secured second, earning their first Endurance Cup podium in seven years, while the No. 7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin completed the top three. BMW teams triumphed in the Gold Cup (No. 777 AlManar Racing by WRT) and Silver Cup (No. 42 Century Motorsport), while Rutronik Racing’s No. 97 Porsche took Bronze Cup honours.[77]

24 Hours of Spa

Lamborghini achieved its first-ever victory at the 2025 24 Hours of Spa, with Grasser Racing’s Mirko Bortolotti, Pepper, and Engstler delivering a flawless performance in the No. 63 Huracan GT3 EVO2. In a dramatic finish, they narrowly beat the No. 96 Rutronik Racing Porsche by 8.7 seconds after a tense final stint. Despite a slow final pit stop, Bortolotti managed to resist pressure from Niederhauser, aided by decisive moves through traffic. The No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari rounded off the podium after an incredible comeback from 65th due to early technical issues. In other classes, Verstappen.com Racing’s Aston Martin won the Gold Cup after a late puncture caused the leading McLaren to drop back, Walkenhorst Motorsport took Silver Cup honours, Kessel Racing triumphed in Bronze Cup, and AV Racing by Car Collection secured Pro-Am victory on their emotional debut. The event attracted 128,000 fans over five days, making Lamborghini the sixth different winner in as many years.[78]

Mid-season rounds

Valentino Rossi and Raffaele Marciello won the dramatic first Sprint Cup race at Misano. Racing in the No. 46 BMW, they edged out the No. 51 AF Corse Ferrari after a close contest. The Ferrari, driven by Rovera and Abril, led early from pole, with Rossi initially third after a personal best qualifying. A safety car and yellow didn’t disrupt the front. The crucial moment came at pit stops, where Team WRT gained 0.1 seconds. Marciello then chased Abril under the lights, closing a three-second gap to make a decisive overtake and win — his first Sprint Cup win with BMW and Rossi’s third Misano victory. The Gold Cup Garage 59 McLaren took class victory whilst the No. 99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi took victory in the Silver Cup. In the Bronze Cup, Marschall and Blattner in the No. 74 Kessel Ferrari dominated, winning comfortably over Paradine’s No. 991 BMW. Garage 59 achieved McLaren’s first Sprint Cup win since 2016 with Marvin Kirchhöfer and Benjamin Goethe at Misano. The race saw Kirchhöfer pressured by Marciello, interrupted by a fiery crash that caused a red flag and delay. After the restart, Kirchhöfer held firm, with Goethe rejoining ahead of Rossi. Marciello’s penalty dropped the No. 46 BMW from contention. Auer in the No. 48 Mercedes charged late, almost catching Goethe, who held on by half a second for his first Sprint Cup win, ending McLaren’s nine-year drought. The No. 96 Porsche finished third, ahead of the No. 51 Ferrari and No. 32 WRT BMW of Weerts and van der Linde. Class wins came from the No. 69 Emil Frey Ferrari, No. 21 Comtoyou Aston Martin, and No. 85 Imperiale Lamborghini.

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Results and standings

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Race results

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Scoring system

Championship points are awarded for the first ten positions in each race. The pole-sitter in each class also receives one point and entries are required to complete 75% of the winning car's race distance in order to be classified and earn points. Individual drivers are required to participate for a minimum of 25 minutes in order to earn championship points in any race. In the teams' standings, only the best-placed car for each team is classified.

Sprint Cup points
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Monza, Nürburgring and Barcelona points
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Paul Ricard points
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24 Hours of Spa points

Points are awarded after six hours, after twelve hours and at the finish.

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Additionally, points are awarded to the top 3 in Superpole.

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Drivers' Championship standings

Drivers compete for their respective GT World Challenge Powered by AWS championships which are split into Overall, Gold, Silver and Bronze titles.

Overall Drivers' standings

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Gold Drivers' standings

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Silver Drivers' standings

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Bronze Drivers' standings

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Teams' Championship standings

Teams compete for their respective GT World Challenge Powered by AWS championships which are split into Overall, Gold, Silver and Bronze titles.

Overall Teams' standings

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Gold Teams' standings

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Silver Teams' standings

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Bronze Teams' standings

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See also

Notes

  1. Salikhov is Russian, but he competes under an Armenian licence as Russian national emblems were banned by the FIA following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

References

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