International GT Open: AF Corse Claims Maiden Victory in 2025 Season
Paul Ricard, France – In a commanding performance, Carl Bennett and Tommaso Mosca secured their first victory in the 2025 International GT Open, delivering AF Corse’s inaugural overall win this season. Driving the Ferrari 296, the duo led from pole position, finishing ahead of Olimp Motorsport’s McLaren pairing of Michael Porter and Zac Meakin, who took second, while James Kell and Dean Macdonald rounded out the podium in third.
Despite the win, championship leader Levente Révész, partnered with Maxi Götz in a Motopark Mercedes, could only manage a tenth-place finish. Nevertheless, Révész retains a narrow seven-point lead in the standings over Simon Reicher and Christopher Haase, who placed fifth in Race 2.
In the Pro-Am class, Lukas Dunner and Timo Rumpfkeil achieved a noteworthy victory in the Motopark Mercedes #65, finishing ahead of Steve Jans and Aaron Walker from GetSpeed Mercedes, who reclaimed the class lead. The AM category continued to see dominance from AF Corse as Gino Forgione and Michele Rugolo took their sixth victory, solidifying their grip on the championship ahead of the Garage 59 duo of Mark Sansom and Alexander West.
Mosca, starting from pole for the first time in his career, quickly established a lead, extending it to 2.5 seconds by lap four before experiencing a brief challenge when Aron suffered a tire failure. By the end of the driver change window on lap 12, Mosca had a substantial ten-second cushion over the battling trio of Jefferies, Haase, and Porter.
As the race progressed, a series of incidents unfolded in the midfield, including contact among several competitors. By lap 17, Bennett emerged from the pit stops with a nine-second lead over Meakin, and maintained his advantage until the chequered flag, winning comfortably.
The final classification saw Bennett and Mosca triumph, followed by Porter, Kell, and Lebbon, with significant performances from Schiller, Reicher, and Doquin also noted. Götz secured the tenth spot, concluding a competitive race.
Race 2 Results:
- Bennett/Mosca (AF Corse Ferrari)
- Porter/Meakin (Olimp Motorsport McLaren)
- Kell/Macdonald (Olimp Motorsport McLaren)
- Lebbon/Rupfkeil (Motopark Mercedes)
- Schiller (Mercedes)
- Reicher/Haase (Eastalent Racing Audi)
- Doquin (Mercedes)
- Götz (Motopark Mercedes, 10th overall)
In summary, the race at Paul Ricard confirmed the competitive landscape of the International GT Open, with AF Corse demonstrating their prowess, while the championship remains poised for significant battles in the coming rounds.
