GT4 European Series Season Opener at Circuit Paul Ricard
The GT4 European Series opens its 2023 season this weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard, featuring an impressive entry list of 38 cars representing 22 different nationalities and 10 manufacturers, including Audi, Aston Martin, BMW, Ford, and Porsche.
Grid Breakdown:
- Silver Class: 19 entries
- Pro-Am Class: 15 entries
- Am Class: 3 entries
Reigning Silver champions Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche return in the #1 Team Speedcar Audi R8 LMS GT4, aiming to continue their dominant performance, which includes nine wins and 12 podiums since 2023. Last year, they claimed victory at this venue by just 0.076 seconds, the narrowest margin in series history.
Among their key competitors is 2023 champion Gabriele Piana, now partnered with Thomas Rackl in the #12 Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 Evo. 2023 Pro-Am champion Grégory Guilvert joins Paul Petit in the #8 Team Speedcar Audi, while the #111 Mercedes-AMG from SR Motorsport features GT4 Germany champions Enrico Förderer and Cedric Fuchs.
In the Am class, Max Kronberg, the first back-to-back GT4 title holder, will miss the opening weekend, leaving Daniel Blickle and Moritz Berrenberg to contend for points in the #30 W&S Motorsport Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS CS.
Pro-Am class favorites Joachim Bölting and Hendrik Still, who finished second last season, drive the #31 W&S Porsche, looking to replicate their success from earlier in 2023.
Event Schedule:
- Friday, April 10: Paid testing & Free Practice
- Saturday, April 11: Free Practice 2 & Qualifying
- Sunday, April 12: Two 60-minute races
The combination of returning champions and emerging contenders guarantees a competitive start to the season. Expect high-stakes drama as teams vie for early leadership in the championship standings.
Image: SRO/JEP
