GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Preview
This weekend’s GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup at Circuit Nevers Magny-Cours will feature 40 entries, intensifying title battles as the penultimate event of the season approaches. The entry list is down by three cars from Misano, with significant absences including GRT-Grasser Racing’s #1 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2, which crashed during the previous round.
Key Championship Updates
Team WRT’s Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts lead the drivers’ standings but now hold only a single-point advantage after a subdued performance at Misano. They are tied at 100 points with defending champions Lucas Auer and Maro Engel in the #48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo and Benjamin Goethe and Marvin Kirchhöfer of Garage 59 in the #59 McLaren GT3 Evo, the latter having won Race 2 at Misano.
As a result of tie-break rules, Auer and Engel currently rank ahead due to more fourth-place finishes this season. In the Teams’ Championship, WRT leads Winward by six points.
Sprint Cup Contenders
The Sprint Cup title chase is narrowing to five contenders. Rutronik Racing’s Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser sit in fourth, just 7.5 points adrift, while Vincent Abril and Alessio Rovera are fifth, 8.5 points back. Both teams seek strong performances to remain in contention.
The Grasser Racing duo, Luca Engstler and Jordan Pepper, must remain within 35 points of the lead to keep their title hopes alive following a challenging Misano outing.
Class Highlights
The Gold Cup features Emil Frey Racing’s Chris Lulham and Thierry Vermeulen with a substantial 14-point championship lead. They face competition from Sainteloc Racing’s #25 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, which closed the gap with two second-place finishes in Misano.
In the Silver Cup, Tresor Attempto Racing’s Alex Aka and Ezequiel Perez Companc lead with a nine-point cushion, following their successful run that marked multiple wins in the season.
The Bronze Cup sees Kessel Racing maintaining a narrow lead. Team changes include Rafaele Suzuki’s return and Marvin Dienst stepping in for Gabriele Piana in the #81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG.
Race Weekend Schedule
For the second consecutive year, the Sprint Cup will feature a night race. Race 1 is scheduled for Saturday, August 2, at 20:30 CEST, followed by Race 2 on Sunday at 15:15 CEST.
Conclusion
As teams gear up for the action in Magny-Cours, the upcoming races promise pivotal outcomes for both drivers’ and teams’ championships, with competition set to be fierce across all classes.
For further details, refer to the full entry list and race previews on the official GT World Challenge Europe website.
Images courtesy of SRO/JEP
