Crucial Pole For Pepper Ahead Of Sprint Cup Finale

Pepper Secures Pole Position at Valencia for GT World Challenge Europe Finale

Valencia, Spain – Jordan Pepper has earned a critical pole position for the final race of the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup at Circuit Ricardo Tormo. Driving the #63 GRT – Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo, Pepper clocked a time of 1:31.115, outperforming a highly competitive Group B session marked by a Red Flag interruption.

Kelvin van der Linde, the current championship leader in the #32 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo, initially set the pace with a 1:31.245 before Marvin Kirchhöfer in the #59 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo edged ahead with a time of 1:31.221. However, Pepper’s late qualifying effort secured him his first pole of the season, bringing him within 2.5 points of the championship lead.

“The Red Flag wasn’t easy,” Pepper remarked. “I was fortunate to get in just as it went red with hot tyres. It was the lap of my life.”

Aurelien Panis took the Silver Cup pole in the #10 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo with a time of 1:31.156, and he will start alongside Pepper. Kirchhöfer and van der Linde will occupy the second row, with Sven Müller in the #96 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R qualifying fifth.

In the Gold Cup, Louis Prette of Garage 59 set the fastest time, ending Chris Lulham’s streak of four consecutive poles. Prette’s performance reduced his championship deficit to 3.5 points.

Defending champion Maro Engel faced challenges, qualifying 16th after traffic impacted his first lap.

In the Bronze Cup, Darren Leung claimed his first pole of the season in the #991 Paradine Competition BMW with a time of 1:32.567, a narrow 0.037 seconds ahead of second-place Dustin Blattner in the #74 Kessel Racing Ferrari.

The GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup season finale will take place today at 14:45 CEST.

Key Qualifying Results: