Mercedes-AMG Dominates at Monza in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup
Monza, Italy — Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER secured a commanding victory at the Monza circuit during Round 2 of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup on Sunday, marking a significant achievement for the manufacturer.
The #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, driven by Maro Engel, Matteo Cairoli, and Lucas Auer, initially settled into second place for the first half of the race before seizing the lead during the second round of pit stops. A pivotal Full Course Yellow (FCY) incident allowed the #48 to overtake the #17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed entry, which had started from pole position and led comfortably until issues struck.
Luca Stolz of the #17 entry ultimately had to retire due to a loose front left wheel after his final pit stop, effectively ending any hopes of a comeback. Auer crossed the finish line 16.417 seconds ahead of the #59 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo, driven by Benjamin Goethe, Marvin Kirchhöfer, and Joseph Loake.
“This win at Monza is significant as it’s our first here, and it means we’ve now won at every venue in the GT World Challenge Europe,” commented Auer. He noted the challenges posed by the dirty track, stating, “It was tough; a lot of things were happening, and it was easy to pick up a puncture.”
The three-hour race featured eight FCY interruptions, with a major FCY deployment at the 80-minute mark following separate incidents involving the #64 HRT Ford Performance Mustang GT3 and the #111 CSA Racing McLaren. This strategic caution allowed several teams, including Cairoli and the #007 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage, to gain ground, while the #17 AMG entry dropped to fourth.
By the time Stolz took over, Cairoli had built a 12-second lead. Although Stolz began to close the gap, his retirement handed Auer a comfortable advantage, which Loake managed to reduce to around 15 seconds by race end.
Key Results:
- First Place: #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo – Engel, Cairoli, Auer
- Second Place: #59 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo – Goethe, Kirchhöfer, Loake
- Third Place: #007 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage – Thiim, Sorensen, Drudi
The race also saw noteworthy performances in the Gold Cup, with the #777 AlManar Racing by WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo finishing first in class, a full 36 seconds ahead of its competitors. In the Silver Cup, Century Motorsport dominated with the #42 BMW finishing eighth overall.
Charles Weerts, Ugo De Wilde, and Kelvin van der Linde maintained their drivers’ championship lead after placing fifth, though their advantage has narrowed to just two points over the victorious #48 team.
Only 42 of the 58 starters completed the race, with several teams experiencing retirements due to incidents, leaving many with a sense of disappointment. The next challenge for the GT World Challenge Europe will be the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa, scheduled for June 25-29.
Complete Race Results Available Upon Request.
