International GT Open: Circuit Paul Ricard Preview
The International GT Open resumes its 2025 season at Circuit Paul Ricard this weekend, featuring a competitive double-header with a 30-car entry list.
Recent Developments
Last weekend, the series celebrated its 300th race in Hungary, where reigning champions Simon Reicher and Christopher Haase secured their first victory of the season in the Eastalent Racing Audi R8 LMS, moving them to the top of the overall standings with 87 points. They lead by a narrow four points over Levente Révész, who remains a strong contender in the Team Motopark Mercedes, now paired with Maximilian Götz at Ricard.
The Elite Motorsport Ferrari 296 duo of Tom Emson and Tom Lebbon notched their first win and currently sit third overall with 65 points. AF Corse drivers Carl Bennett and Tommaso Mosca, having recently achieved their first podium finish, are fifth in the standings.
Key Competitors
British teams representing McLaren are performing notably well, with Michael Porter and Zac Meakin fourth in their Optimum Motorsport 720S, while James Kell and Dean Macdonald return to podium contention in their Greystone GT entry.
Mercedes dominates the class representation, with multiple entries from GetSpeed, Team Motopark, and BDR Grupo Prom, featuring potential podium candidates Anthony Bartone and Fabian Schiller, and Ralf Aron paired with Marcelo Ramírez.
The Oregon Team brings promising Lamborghini Huracans to the fast Paul Ricard, with Artem Petrov and local driver Antoine Doquin.
Pro-Am and Am Class Insights
In Pro-Am, GetSpeed’s Steve Jans and Aaron Walker lead with three victories, holding a slender four-point advantage over Valentin Pierburg and Dominik Baumann of SPS Automotive. The consistently strong ISR Racing Audi and Olimp Racing’s class champions add further competition.
The Am class sees a tight race at the top, with Gino Forgione and Michele Rugolo matching Mark Sansom on 68 points after their double victory in Hungary. The Olimp Racing Ferrari and various Mercedes entries seek to challenge their positions.
Standings Overview
Overall Standings After 7 Rounds:
- Reicher-Haase – 87 points
- Révész – 83 points
- Emson-Lebbon – 65 points
- Porter-Meakin – 59 points
- Bennett-Mosca – 47 points
Pro-Am Standings:
- Jans-Walker – 56 points
- Pierburg-Baumann – 52 points
- Salaquarda-Libota – 41 points
Am Standings:
- Forgione-Rugolo – 68 points
- Sansom – 38 points
- Jedlinski-Korzeniowski – 31 points
Teams Standings:
- Eastalent Racing – 56 points
- Team Motopark – 54 points
- Elite Motorsport – 33 points
Timetable (All times local, CEST-1)
Friday, July 18, 2025
- 10:36 – 11:36: Free Practice 1
- 15:44 – 16:44: Free Practice 2
- 17:48 – 18:28: Bronze Test
Saturday, July 19, 2025
- 11:35 – 12:00: Qualifying 1
- 17:45 – 18:55: Race 1 (70′, Rolling Start)
Sunday, July 20, 2025
- 09:15 – 09:40: Qualifying 2
- 13:30 – 14:30: Race 2 (60′, Rolling Start)
The Circuit Paul Ricard is set for an intense weekend of racing, continuing the battle for the championship as the season heats up.
