2026 Season Kickoff: ELMS and GT World Challenge Draw Record Crowds
The 2026 motorsports season commenced with remarkable fan engagement, as over 33,000 spectators attended the European Le Mans Series’ (ELMS) 4 Hours of Barcelona and 37,892 fans turned out at Circuit Paul Ricard for the GT World Challenge Europe opener. The latter event set a new single-day attendance record on Saturday.
Amid notable faces, Max Verstappen made a Saturday cameo, observing his #3 Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing AMG GT3 EVO finish ninth overall. High-profile drivers like Nico Varrone and Antonio Garcia were also spotted at the ELMS event, contributing to the weekend’s vibrant atmosphere.
However, the races were overshadowed by the enforcement of blue flag penalties, with a staggering 51 30-second time penalties issued in the six-hour race. Drivers expressed frustrations over the strict regulations, which compelled lapped cars to yield positions. Rinaldi Racing’s David Perel remarked on the automated penalty system triggering notifications for vehicles less than 0.7 seconds ahead for extended durations, while Steller Motorsport’s Dennis Lind described receiving a penalty after lapsing slower cars.
Mercedes-AMG’s Jules Gounon battled through food poisoning on race day, having been assisted to the medical center prior to his stint. Gounon, who competed strongly in the 2 Seas Motorsport-run AMG GT3 EVO, admitted to enduring “one of the hardest” double stints of his career, ultimately collapsing post-race. He expressed gratitude to the medical staff and his team, confirming his participation in the upcoming FIA WEC season opener in Imola.
The newly inaugurated GT3 Revival Series began at Circuit Paul Ricard, with Storic and Race Cars achieving a clean sweep of class victories from their Ferrari entries. Jim Pla and Jean-Luc Beaubelique clinched the inaugural Pro-Am win, with Pla also securing the overall victory shortly before the race’s conclusion. In the second race, Benjamin Ricci triumphed in the overall classification, overtaking Beaubelique in the final minutes.
The GT3 Revival Series will continue its season with its next event from May 22 to 24 during the Spa Classic.
Images courtesy of SRO/JEP and Mathis Jullia/SRO Motorsports Group.
