GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup: Valencia Season Finale Preview
The 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup culminates this weekend at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, where the drivers’ championship will be fiercely contested among six crews. Team WRT’s Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts enter the final event with a slender lead of 1.5 points.
The #32 BMW M4 GT3 Evo boasts the season’s highest podium finishes with five, including a victory at Zandvoort. Weerts and WRT are the reigning champions of Valencia, having triumphed in the previous year.
Their closest competitors, Benjamin Goethe and Marvin Kirchhöfer in the #59 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo, have hit their stride, claiming two wins in the last three races, marking them as the only repeat winners of the season.
Rutronik Racing’s Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser are third in the standings in the #96 Porsche 911 GT3 R, just 7 points behind Garage 59 and a single point ahead of Lucas Auer and Maro Engel #48 Winward Racing Team Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. Auer and Engel are the defending champions, making the team battle equally tense.
Two additional crews remain mathematically in contention but face significant hurdles. Luca Engstler and Jordan Pepper in the #63 GRT – Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini are 20 points back, while Vincent Abril and Alessio Rovera in the #51 AF Corse – Francorchamps Motors Ferrari trail by 27.5 points with only 35 available.
Both the drivers’ and teams’ championships are under contention, with WRT leading the latter by 6.5 points over Garage 59.
Gold Cup and Other Class Competitions
In the Gold Cup, Chris Lulham and Thierry Vermeulen lead the standings in the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari by 2.5 points. However, the duo has seen diminished performance, securing only one podium in their last four outings. The #25 Sainteloc Racing Audi of Paul Evrard and Gilles Magnus remains a close contender.
In the Silver Cup, Comtoyou Racing’s #21 Aston Martin leads after three consecutive wins, while 2024 runners-up Aurelien Panis and Cesar Gazeau aim to close the gap in the #10 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG.
The field narrows with the withdrawal of the #64 HRT Ford Performance Mustang GT3 due to an accident, leaving a total of 40 entries in the Pro class for the Valencia weekend, along with a 13-car Bronze Cup contingent.
Championship Implications
With key matchups on the line, several championships could see resolution this weekend. The overall drivers’ championship remains tight; Auer and Engel lead Müller/Niederhauser by 4 points and van der Linde/Weerts by 7.5 points. The teams’ championship is equally competitive, with only three points separating Winward, WRT, and Rutronik.
The upcoming races will play an important role in determining also who secures an automatic invitation to the 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours, with Kessel Racing’s #74 Ferrari holding a significant 33-point cushion in the Bronze Cup.
Track Schedule
Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying commence on Friday, September 19, followed by qualifying sessions and races on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 14:15 and 14:45 CEST, respectively.
Images courtesy of SRO/Patrick Hecq Photography and SRO/JEP
