Emil Frey Racing Dominates Final Sprint Cup Race in Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain – Emil Frey Racing scored a decisive victory in the final race of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The #69 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, driven by Ben Green and Thierry Vermeulen, triumphed with a commanding 4.454-second lead, marking the team’s second win in three races after overcoming early-season challenges.
Green, starting from pole position, initially lost the lead to Maro Engel in the #48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO but quickly recovered after a chaotic opening lap that involved multiple collisions. “It’s all down to Emil Frey Racing… they’ve provided a fantastic car for us all weekend,” Green stated post-race.
The incident-packed first lap saw contact between multiple contenders, including Ricardo Feller’s #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche and Andrea Frassineti’s #66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi, which resulted in a reshuffling of the field. Chris Lulham, from sixth on the grid, briefly led but later fell back due to a slow pit stop, allowing the #50 AF Corse Ferrari of Thomas Neubauer to take second place.
Frassineti’s #66 Audi managed to secure third overall and took honors in the Silver Cup category, benefiting from Lulham’s issues to rise up the ranks. “The first lap was carnage. I just had to dodge it and keep the car intact,” said Dempsey, who with teammate Eddie Cheever clinched the Drivers’ and Teams’ titles in the Bronze Cup.
In the championship standings, Arthur Leclerc and Neubauer finished second in the Drivers’ Championship due to their performance, ahead of Daniel Juncadella and the Emil Frey duo. Team WRT clinched its 12th Teams’ Championship in 14 years, despite challenges faced by contenders from Lionspeed GP, who suffered damage early on.
The race concluded with the #3 AMG and #32 BMW M4 rounding out the top five positions, demonstrating the competitive field’s depth. The overall highlights included a fight for third, with the #66 Audi holding off the returning #52 AF Corse Ferrari.
As the season closes, all eyes will now shift toward the Endurance Cup finale at Portimão on October 16-17, 2026. The performance in Barcelona has set a high standard for the final showdown, promising an exciting conclusion to the 2026 season.
