GT World Challenge Update: Porsche and BMW Tied at the Top
As the GT World Challenge powered by AWS enters its second half, the competition has intensified significantly. Following recent races at Fuji International Speedway, Misano World Circuit, VIRginia International Raceway, and the 24 Hours of Spa, both Porsche and BMW now share the lead in the manufacturer standings, each accumulating 708 points.
Porsche’s resurgence is largely credited to RS1 drivers Alex Sedgwick and Jan Heylen, who achieved a notable double victory at VIR in their #18 Porsche 911 GT3 R. This performance garnered a total of 56 points, marking their first wins of the season and propelling them to second in the Pro class standings in GT World Challenge America.
BMW maintained its position thanks to a perfect performance from Turner Motorsport’s Justin Rothberg and Robby Foley. The duo clinched victories in both races with their #29 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, solidifying their lead in the Pro-Am category and contributing crucial points to BMW’s championship campaign. Additional support for BMW came from Random Vandals Racing, whose drivers Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi secured P2 in Race 1 and P3 in Race 2.
Mercedes-AMG, now 11 points behind the leaders, remains in contention. JMF Motorsports’ Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier earned podium finishes of P3 and P2 in their #34 Mercedes-AMG GT3, keeping the pressure on both Porsche and BMW.
Looking ahead, GT World Challenge Australia will hold rounds 7 and 8 at Sandown this weekend, while the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup heads to Magny-Cours from August 1 to 3. The championship fight in America resumes at Road America from August 15 to 17 for rounds 9 and 10.
With points still up for grabs, the championship race is far from settled, and every race will be crucial as the season progresses.
