GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Preview
The 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup kicks off April 10-11 at Circuit Paul Ricard in France, featuring a competitive 59-car entry list with significant updates and notable driver lineups.
Key Entries and Changes:
- A standout is the #18 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo, which will see rookies Lance Stroll, Roberto Merhi, and Mari Boya take the wheel.
- The 18-car Pro category includes nine manufacturers, highlighted by the European debut of the Lamborghini Temerario GT3, driven by TGI Team by GRT and defending champions Rutronik Racing.
- HRT Ford Racing confirmed Thomas Drouet alongside Arjun Maini and Fabio Scherer in the #64 Mustang GT3 Evo.
Class Structure:
- The Gold Cup features eight cars after Paradine Competition’s #992 BMW M4 GT3 Evo shifted classes. Drivers include four-time BTCC champion Ashley Sutton and rookies Christian Hahn and Robert De Haan.
- The Silver Cup maintains 16 entries with the addition of the #25 Sainteloc Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, which marks the French team’s continued presence in this series for a 15th season.
- The Bronze Cup has seen a reduction to 16 cars following withdrawals from #75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO and #76 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.
Notable Driver Changes:
- Dries Vanthoor will join Darren Leung and James Kellett in the Paradine Competition #991 BMW.
- Tom Wood replaces Lorcan Hanafin in the #56 Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn Aston Martin due to overlapping commitments in the European Le Mans Series.
- Other adjustments include Chandler Hull stepping in for Hunter Abbott in the #60 JMW Motorsport Ferrari.
As the teams prepare for the six-hour endurance race, anticipation mounts for a thrilling season opener that promises to showcase cutting-edge technology and competitive racing.
