Misano Sprint Cup Preview

GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Set for Record-Setting Weekend at Misano

Misano, Italy – This weekend, the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup will feature a record 44-car grid at the Misano World Circuit, surpassing the previous record of 42 set earlier this year at the same venue. This increase includes 15 entries in the Pro class, buoyed by new additions.

Noteworthy entries include Series debutant Simon Birch teaming with Porsche driver Klaus Bachler in the #41 Razoon – more than racing Porsche 911 GT3.R, while BMW M factory drivers Raffaele Marciello and Valentino Rossi make a one-off return in the #46 Team WRT M4 GT3 Evo. Misano has been a stronghold for Rossi, who has secured victories in the last two Sprint Cup events here.

The current standings are led by the Team WRT entry of Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts in the #32 BMW, following their victory at Zandvoort. They enjoy a 4.5-point lead in the Sprint Cup drivers’ championship over Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser’s #96 Porsche, who are merely 0.5 points ahead of defending champions Lucas Auer and Maro Engel in the #48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG.

All contenders have claimed Sprint wins this season, contributing to an unprecedented four different manufacturers taking consecutive victories. The #51 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari drove by Vincent Abril and Alessio Rovera looks to regain momentum after struggling since their opening win at Brands Hatch.

Among potential victors for a fifth different manufacturer, Garage 59’s Benjamin Goethe and Marvin Kirchhöfer in the #59 McLaren GT3 Evo stand out as the season’s most consistent pair, while GRT – Grasser Racing Team’s Luca Engstler and Jordan Pepper aim to build on their recent success from the 24 Hours of Spa.

In the competitive Gold Cup, Emil Frey Racing’s Chris Lulham and Thierry Vermeulen lead with a 18.5-point margin in their #69 Ferrari. The Silver Cup sees a tight contest, with the top three drivers’ scores separated by only 1.5 points, led by Boutsen VDS’ Cesar Gazeau and Aurélien Panis.

This weekend’s round promises excitement as the Bronze Cup also expands, welcoming UNX Racing’s #888 Porsche, while Kessel Racing’s combination of Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall leads in the Bronze classification after a strong season start.

The Misano event runs from July 18-20, with Race 1 starting at 20:15 CEST on Saturday and Race 2 at 14:45 CEST on Sunday.

Summary of Standings as of Zandvoort: