The Elite McLaren Artura GT4 started on pole for the first 30-minute sprint on Saturday, and its driver McKenzy Cresswell maintained the lead off the start. On the first lap, Enrico Förderer of SR Motorsport dropped back from third on the grid, and then made contact with the Racing Spirit of Leman Aston Martin at turn 13, sending Baudouin Detout into a spin.
In the early stages of the race, Cresswell was pursued by W&S Motorsport’s Maximilian Schreyer. However, the W&S Porsche Cayman faded, and looked to be slightly imbalanced. After recovering through the order, SR Motorsport’s Enrico Förderer soon moved into second place, and began closing in on the leader. However, just as the SR Mercedes started to lurk in the mirrors of the Elite McLaren, race control handed down a drive-through penalty for Förderer’s involvement in the collision with Detout.
This allowed McKenzy Cresswell to secure yet another win for Elite Motorsport. On the road, it was a McLaren 1-2. However, the RAFA Racing by Race Lab entry of Callum Davies was dropped down to third owing to track limits penalties. Therefore, the second spot was inherited by Benjamin Sylvestersson in the FK Performance BMW M4 GT4.
BWT Mucke Motorsport’s Axel Bengtsson finished fourth, just ahead of the recovering Enrico Förderer.
RAFA Racing McLaren’s Charlie Hart started on pole for race two, alongside Josh Rattican’s similar Elite entry. As the race began, Hart held the lead early on, while SR Motorsport’s Jay Mo Härtling immediately applied pressure to Rattican.
The top three would soon break away, and Härtling split the McLarens ten minutes into the race with a physical move at turn ten. Once he passed Rattican, the SR Motorsport driver set about pressuring Charlie Hart. Hart tried to defend against Härtling, but compromised his run through the first corner covering the inside line, leaving the door open for the Mercedes through turns two and three.
Rattican found his way by the Rafa Racing McLaren too, but was not able to match the pace of Jay Mo Härtling, who claimed the victory. Rattican was followed across the line by Hart, but much like his teammate Callum Davies, he had accrued track limits penalties. Therefore, third overall went to the PRO-AM class winner Peter Terting.
The 60-minute pitstop race was an immense challenge, as rain began to fall on the pre-grid. Most teams switched to wet tyres before the formation laps, but the drivers would still have to fight the cars on their stiffer dry setups.
Elite’s McKenzy Cresswell and W&S Motorsport’s Maximilian Schreyer started on the front row, and immediately broke away at the front. With nearly 15 minutes elapsed, Schreyer saw an opportunity to make a lunge for the lead at turn five, while Cresswell arced to the inside to try and squeeze the W&S Porsche out. The pair met at the apex, colliding and sending the Elite McLaren into a spin. Schreyer took the lead, while Cresswell fell to third behind the RAFA Racing McLaren of Callum Davies.
Schreyer would soon receive a drive-through penalty for the contact, which was ultimately served by his co-driver Alon Gabbay. Less than three minutes before the pit window opened, Callum Davies moved up to the lead after Schreyer drifted wide at turn 10 and 11. Remarkably, the lead pair were now joined in battle by AM driver Joachim Bölting, who drove magnificently in the damp conditions. During the pit window, Bölting would briefly lead, before rejoining the race in second behind the RAFA Racing McLaren, now driven by Charlie Hart. Josh Rattican found a way past Bölting’s Plusline Porsche Cayman for second. Bölting looked set to hold on to third overall, however, a late error at turn one allowed Alon Gabbay to get past on the final lap.
Charlie Hart and Callum Davies won the race for RAFA Racing, ahead of Josh Rattican and McKenzy Cresswell in the Elite McLaren.
16 JAN – 19 JAN ESTORIL /P
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMAO /P
30 JAN – 02 FEB 6h of PORTIMÃO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
13 MAR – 16 MAR 6h of BARCELONA /E
The first 30-minute sprint race of the weekend marked the GT3 racing debut of talented Emirati Keanu Al Azhari, driving a Porsche 992 GT3 R entered by SSR Performance. During qualifying, Al Azhari’s fastest lap time was deleted for failing to slow under yellow flags. His time was good enough for pole position, but instead he would start the race from sixth.
SR Motorsport’s Moritz Wiskirchen inherited pole, holding off fellow front-row starter Jerzy Spinkiewicz, and the fast-starting MZR KTM X-Bow GT2 of Simon Willner. Further back, Al Azhari quickly began dispatching the drivers ahead of him, and had moved up to second after less than ten minutes of green flag racing. By the time Al Azhari passed the Cup 4 leading UNIQ Lamborghini of Jerzy Spinkiewicz, he had an eight-second deficit to make up against leader Moritz Wiskirchen. The green Porsche began to repeatedly set purple sectors, and with eight minutes left to go, Al Azhari had caught the SR Performance Mercedes.
However, the dirty air began to play its part, and Al Azhari had to exercise patience behind Wiskirchen. However, on the penultimate lap, Wiskirchen ran fractionally wide at turn three. This compromised his run through turn four, towards the hairpin. Al Azhari had made several overtakes at turn five during the race, and fittingly, his definitive move for the lead also occurred at that corner.
Al Azhari won the race by just over a second, ahead of Wiskirchen. Cup 4 winner Jerzy Spinkiewicz rounded out the overall podium. In Cup 1, AF Corse’s Cristiano Maciel took the victory after a hard fought battle with Oscar Ryndziewicz of Mertel Motorsport. Ryndziewicz thrived in his first race using a Ferrari 296 Challenge, and the fourth race of his career. On Sunday morning, Al Azhari started from pole position, alongside the identical Razoon – more than racing Porsche of Simon Birch. The two teenage hotshoes made short work of gapping the field, and while Birch was unable to find a way by, he gave Al Azhari no reprieve.
The race concluded with a one-lap dash, after a Safety Car was triggered by an accident between Seweryn Mazur’s GT3 Poland Cup 4 Lamborghini, and the GT3 Mercedes of SPS Automotive’s Dexter Mueller. The Swiss racer had an incident during qualifying that consigned him to starting last. After working his way into the top ten quickly, an ambitious lunge at turn three caught out Mazur, who cut across the Mercedes to take the normal racing line. Courtesy of the late Safety Car, Al Azhari won by just four tenths of a second over Birch, while UNIQ Racing’s Jerzy Spinkiewicz once again finished third overall and won Cup 4.
Rafael Duran, on his first-ever racing weekend, took fifth place overall and the Cup 1 win for AF Corse. He finished behind the KTM X-Bow GT2 of Simon Willner, which was entered into the Cup X class. Sunday afternoon’s 55-minute pitstop race was held in slippery conditions, after rain arrived over the lunch break. Keanu Al Azhari’s SSR Porsche was withdrawn from the race, opening the floodgates for a different winner. From the outside of the first row, SR Motorsport’s Kenneth Heyer swept into an early lead.
The race concluded with a one-lap dash, after a Safety Car was triggered by an accident between Seweryn Mazur’s GT3 Poland Cup 4 Lamborghini, and the GT3 Mercedes of SPS Automotive’s Dexter Mueller. The Swiss racer had an incident during qualifying that consigned him to starting last. After working his way into the top ten quickly, an ambitious lunge at turn three caught out Mazur, who cut across the Mercedes to take the normal racing line. Courtesy of the late Safety Car, Al Azhari won by just four tenths of a second over Birch, while UNIQ Racing’s Jerzy Spinkiewicz once again finished third overall and won Cup 4.
Rafael Duran, on his first-ever racing weekend, took fifth place overall and the Cup 1 win for AF Corse. He finished behind the KTM X-Bow GT2 of Simon Willner, which was entered into the Cup X class. Sunday afternoon’s 55-minute pitstop race was held in slippery conditions, after rain arrived over the lunch break. Keanu Al Azhari’s SSR Porsche was withdrawn from the race, opening the floodgates for a different winner. From the outside of the first row, SR Motorsport’s Kenneth Heyer swept into an early lead.
Through turn two, Andreas Bogh Sorensen made light contact with John Dhillon. Sorensen was sent into a momentary spin, as both drivers shed a wing mirror. At turn five, Heyer drifted wide, and Jerzy Spinkiewicz inherited the race lead. Oscar Ryndziewicz soon found his way into second place, in the Cup 1 Mertel Motorsport Ferrari. However, as the pit window began, Moritz Wiskirchen was handed the SR Motorsport Mercedes early. He immediately began setting fastest laps, and by the time the pitstops were completed, Wiskirchen had inherited the lead. Further back, Matt Griffin (AF Corse) dispatched Oscar Ryndziewicz for the Cup 1 lead, in the Ferrari that Griffin inherited from John Dhillon. Soon after, Spinkiewicz lost second overall to Griffin, and in the wet conditions, all of the Ferrari 296 Challenge entries were moving forward.
Griffin was being chased down by the likes of Sean Hudspeth and Mikkel Mac, and as the final lap began, one last twist came as Moritz Wiskirchen withdrew from the race one lap before the chequered flag. The SR Motorsport Mercedes pulled into the garage, and this allowed Griffin to claim the overall win for himself and Dhillon, ahead of Sean Hudspeth in the car he took over from racing newcomer Rafael Duran. Mikkel Mac rounded out the overall and Cup 1 podium alongside Andreas Bogh Sorensen.
GT3 winners Thomas Andersen and Simon Birch (Razoon Porsche) finished fifth overall, behind Rui Aguas and Cristian Maciel. The Portuguese pairing currently lead the overall championship by ten points over SR Motorsport’s Wiskirchen and Heyer.
16 JAN – 19 JAN ESTORIL /P
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMAO /P
30 JAN – 02 FEB 6h of PORTIMÃO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
13 MAR – 16 MAR 6h of BARCELONA /E
At all seven events of the 2025 GEDLICH Winter Series, teams running Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and 992 GT3 Cup cars will benefit from the presence of Manthey’s support truck. Over 1900 spare parts are available, from the smallest nuts and bolts to brake, suspension and body parts: Even complete engines and gearboxes will be on-site!
On request, Manthey will also be able to offer spare parts for other Porsche racing cars, delivered to the venues (subject to availability and sufficient delivery time).
Manthey, a previous entrant in the GT Winter Series, has been successful at every level of GT racing. Most recently, Manthey-entered Porsches secured a 1-2 finish in the FIA Endurance Trophies for LMGT3 Drivers and Teams, part of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The paddock support of Manthey will prove to be an invaluable asset for Porsche teams during the 2025 GEDLICH Racing Winter Series campaign, across the GT and GT4 Winter Series, as well as the new-for-2025 6h of Portimão and Barcelona events.
16 JAN – 19 JAN ESTORIL /P
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMÃO /P
30 JAN – 02 FEB PORTIMÃO /P (6h of Portimão)
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
13 MAR – 16 MAR BARCELONA /E (6h of Barcelona)
For the first time, FWS will race in Portugal, as the season begins at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal from 30 January to 2 February. After crossing the border to Spain, Valencia will hold the second round from the 13-16 February, followed by a pair of consecutive weekends from 27 February-2 March at Aragon, and the season finale at Barcelona from 6-9 March.
Each race weekend will feature three 30-minute +1 lap races, with over 30 cars expected to compete.
Formula 4 teams from across Europe have proven that there is a market for Winter Series racing in their home continent. And as a result, the 2025 Formula Winter Series was fully-booked by October 2024, with additional teams on the waiting list. The FWS grid will feature entries from teams familiar to the GEDLICH paddock, including AKM Motorsport, US Racing and Jenzer Motorsport.
These teams are joined on the entry list by new competitors such as Hitech GP and Van Amersfoort Racing. The teams of the Formula Winter Series are currently finalising and announcing their drivers, and early indications suggest the potential for the strongest grid in series history.
Teams can expect professional service from Winter Series partners including local Pirelli tyre distributor QF-LDA, and racing fuel specialists Panta. In addition, Formula Winter Series teams are bolstered by a support truck from Tatuus.
For fans, the Formula Winter Series marks an exciting opportunity to see talent from different national F4 competitions go head-to-head for the first time. And, since spectator access is free for the first three rounds of the season, fans can discover potential future superstars and meet them as their career begins.
For teams, competitors and supporters alike, another bonus comes in the form of full-season live-streaming. Every race of the season will be aired live, and based on the action witnessed in 2024, it will be exciting to watch.
Who will join Kazper Sztuka and Griffin Peebles on the list of Formula Winter Series champions? The journey to finding out will be thrilling!
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMÃO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
The outgoing second-generation LMP3 cars will lead the field, while first-generation cars will also be included within their own ‘Gen 1’ class. The 5.0 and 5.6-litre V8 prototypes will bring the roar to Portugal and Spain.
There are two 50-minute races per Prototype Winter Series weekend. There are mandatory pitstops, with the length of time spent in the pits depending on the calibre of the driver line-up. This creates heart-pumping races to the chequered flag whenever the PTWS cars are on-track.
The calendar will begin on 16-19 January at Estoril, followed by a trip to Portimão on the 23-26 January. The series, organised with the blessing of the ACO, will then take a break as the Asian Le Mans Series comes to an end during February. The final two rounds of the season will take place from 27 February-2 March at Aragon, followed by the season finale at Barcelona from 6-9 March.
2024 frontrunners Konrad Motorsport and Rinaldi Racing will be joined by other renowned teams in the world of sportscar racing. This includes CLX Motorsport (Cool Racing), DKR Engineering and Racing Spirit of Leman. The PTWS grid is expected to feature 10 to 15 cars, with a split of Duqueine D08s and Ligier JSP320s running on Michelin rubber.
As is the case with every Winter Series grid, every moment of racing will be broadcast live on YouTube. Experienced voices such as Andy McEwen, Isi Browning, Andy Mather and Adam Weller will provide insight and reaction during the broadcast, produced by Alpha Live.
The 2025 Prototype Winter Series promises to once again deliver action in spades. Exciting driver line-ups will be announced by the teams PTWS in the weeks leading up to the first race.
16 JAN – 19 JAN ESTORIL /P
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMÃO /P
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
As was the case in 2024, there will be PRO, PRO-AM and AM classes for driver line-ups of differing rankings, alongside the Cayman Trophy class for the slightly more production-based Porsche Cayman GT4 CS. These four classes will be joined by the new-for-2025 ‘Club’ class, for older GT4 machinery with expired homologations.
SR Motorsport will once again join the GT4 Winter Series grid, fielding four cars across two categories. As one of the 2024 frontrunners, the Niederzissen-based outfit will be the benchmark for other renowned German teams, including BWT Mücke Motorsport, FK Performance and W&S Motorsport. UK-based teams like SVG Motorsport, Century Motorsport will also be a prominent part of the grid, and the overall feeling of the paddock will be pan-European. The 2025 GT4 Winter Series is expected to have varied grids with 20 to 30 cars depending on the circuit and round.
Three races will be contested on each of the five GT4 Winter Series weekends: Two 30-minute sprint races, in addition to a 60-minute endurance with a mandatory pitstop. Estoril hosts the first round of the season, on 16-19 January. Just one week later, the second round will be held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.
The Spanish leg of the season begins at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo on 13-16 February, followed by a pair of consecutive events held at Aragon (27 February-2 March) and the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Barcelona (6-9 March).
For teams, access to support will be simple. For instance, teams running GT4 or CS-spec Porsche Caymans can call upon Manthey Racing for support, spares and expertise. For Mercedes-AMG and BMW M Motorsport teams, HWA and BMW M support trucks will be on-site to lend a helping hand.
The fan experience is of the utmost importance to GEDLICH Racing, and GT4 Winter Series fans will be able to follow every moment of the action live. Every race will be streamed on the Winter Series YouTube channel in collaboration with broadcast experts Alpha Live, with familiar presenting and commentating talent including Isi Browning, Andrew Mather, Andy McEwen and Adam Weller.
In addition, access to the circuit during Winter Series weekends is typically free, with the only exception being the final events at Barcelona. Whether you are in the grandstands, watching at home or looking to take part, the GT4 Winter Series promises to be a perfect kick-off to the 2025 season!
16 JAN – 19 JAN ESTORIL /P
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMÃO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
Now entering its sixth season, GEDLICH Racing’s GT Winter Series caters for the fastest cars in modern GT racing. GT2 and GT3 compete at the sharp end of the field, with Balance of Performance provided by SRO Motorsports Group. For the first time, GT3 cars will be split into two classes: ‘GT3’ for teams with at least one bronze driver in its line-up, and ‘GT3 Pro’ for teams exclusively comprised of drivers graded Silver or above, allowing teams and drivers to get up to speed during the winter in a relevant classification.
Additionally, there are four Cup classes, catering for Ferrari Challenge, Porsche Carrera Cup, McLaren Artura Trophy and Lamborghini Super Trofeo machinery. For the first time, all cars in the GT Winter Series will compete on Pirelli rubber.
Promotor GEDLICH Racing is seeing the grid of the 2025 GT Winter Series fill-up fast, with a great variety of GT machinery. Each weekend of the GT Winter Series is projected to feature between 25 and 40 cars, but there is still capacity and time for new teams to join. Stefan Lehner, Racing Series Coordinator of the GEDLICH Racing Winter Series, said: “Racing teams and drivers can make a last-minute decision, and register for either one racing weekend or a full-season just days prior to the events. We strive to be as dynamic as possible“.
Racing teams from all over the world have already joined. In GT3 and GT3 Pro, confirmed teams include SSR Motorsport with a Porsche 992 GT3 R, Olimp Racing and its Ferrari 296 GT3s, Pellin Racing with their Ferrari 488 GT3 and a hand full of AMG GT3 Evos, fielded by CBRX by SPS Performance, BDR Competition by Grupoprom and last year’s team- and championship winners Schnitzelalm Racing by SR Motorsport.
Racing teams like PTT Racing, Plusline Racing Team and MS Racing will be seen fielding Porsche 992 GT3 Cup machinery in Cup 2, alongside Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo cars from teams like UNIQ Racing in Cup 4. Renowned teams like Greystone GT and MS Racing will enter McLaren Artura Trophy cars in Cup 3.
Three races will be contested on each of the five GT Winter Series weekends: Two 30-minute sprint races, in addition to a 55-minute endurance with a mandatory pitstop. The first weekend of action will take place at the Circuito Estoril on 16-19 January. Just one week later, the second round will be held at the Autódromo Portimão.
The Spanish leg of the season begins at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo on 13-16 February, followed by a pair of consecutive events at Aragon (27 February-2 March) and Barcelona. The season finale at the Spanish Grand Prix host venue will take place from 6-9 March.
For teams, access to support will be simple. For instance, Porsche squads can call upon specialised assistance and spares from Manthey Racing. For Mercedes-AMG and BMW M Motorsport teams, HWA and BMW M support trucks will be on-site in the paddock too.
GT racing fans will be able to follow every moment of the action live, as every race will be streamed on the Winter Series YouTube channel. In addition, access to the circuit during Winter Series weekends is typically free, with the only exception being the final events at Barcelona.
Whether you are trackside, watching at home or looking to take part, the GT Winter Series promises to be a thrilling way to start 2025.
16 JAN – 19 JAN ESTORIL /P
23 JAN – 26 JAN PORTIMÃO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
In addition, BMW M2 CS Racing, BMW M240i and Ligier JS2R cars are permitted, alongside other cars in the performance window outlined above. Racing teams can field cars with up to four drivers in each of the thrilling six-hour endurance races. Both races will take place on the Sunday of the racing weekends. Lights will go out at 12:00 and the finish flag will be waved at 18:00.
The race at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve will take place from 31 January-2 February, and marks the first full-scale endurance event organised by GEDLICH Racing. On this weekend, the 6h of Portimão will be joined by the Formula Winter Series for its first round of 2025. From the 14-16 March, a six-hour race will be held at the famed Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in addition to a pair of races for a new GEDLICH racing category: GT3 All-Stars for 2006-2014 GT3-spec racing machinery.
The grids for the 6h races look promising, as endurance racing veterans Equipe Vitesse, Lionspeed GP and SR Motorsport will join the pack. Interest is also coming in from Scandinavian, Spanish and UK-based teams. Plenty of exciting GT3-Spec cars, Porsche Cup and GT4 machinery will be seen racing on both 4.6 km circuits.
As with the GT and GT4 Winter Series, Pirelli tyres will be exclusively used by the field during these six-hour events.
The 6h of Portimao and 6h of Barcelona will be a great experience for new and decorated endurance racing teams, and every moment of the racing action will be broadcast live on YouTube. The thrilling pair of six-hour events will be twin highlights of the 2025 GEDLICH Racing Winter Series calendar.
31 JAN – 02 FEB PORTIMÃO /P
14 MAR – 16 MAR BARCELONA /E
The Driver’s Market is designed to simplify the search for drivers eager to take on the Winter Series, offering a user-friendly experience that opens the doors to a broad selection of available race cars across multiple disciplines. With this innovative platform, drivers can now explore available seats from a variety of top racing teams, and find options that suit a wide range of skill levels, driving preferences, and budgets.
“We’re excited to make this season’s selection process easier and more accessible for drivers around the world,” said Jann Jöge, Race test organisation and sales representative at GEDLICH Racing. “Our goal is to make it a lot easier for racing drivers to find a seat for the 2025 Winter Series season. In our eyes, it should be much easier for racing drivers to find-, and connect with suitable racing teams and find so-called race car seats.”
The Driver’s Market will not only showcase GT-, GT4, and Sports cars, but also includes options for drivers interested in testing their limits in the new endurance races introduced this season. Whether an experienced racer, gentleman driver or a passionate newcomer, every driver will find the right fit among the many seats available.
Teams like Proton Huber Competition, Elite Motorsport or Konrad Motorsport are equally enthusiastic, as the Driver’s Market provides a streamlined overview for those who are looking of a spot in the rapidly growing winter racing series.
With this innovative solution, GEDLICH Racing continues its commitment to supporting driver development and providing unforgettable experiences on the track, bringing drivers and teams together more effectively.
The Driver’s Market on winter-series.com is live now, ready for drivers worldwide to explore opportunities for the 2025 season and take their racing careers to the next level. Are you a racing driver and looking for a seat in the 2025 Winter Series season? Then make sure to check out winter-series.com/drivers-market/.
The team is preparing to announce its full driver line-up, with four Tatuus T421 chassis set to be deployed by Hitech for the third season of FWS.
Founded in 2015 by Oliver Oakes, who has since gone on to become Alpine F1 Team Principal, Hitech competes in a number of international and national single-seater categories, including Formula 2, Formula 3, GB3 and Formula 4.
Over two of the last three seasons, the winning driver in the British F4 Championship has been run by Hitech, with the Silverstone-based outfit also topping the 2024 Teams’ standings.
Hitech will compete against a strong class of the best European single-seater teams, in what promises to be a compelling Formula Winter Series season.
The 2025 Formula Winter Series will begin at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, joining Gedlich Racing’s inaugural Portimão 6H race weekend from 30th January-2nd February and will be broadcasted live on YouTube. Don’t want to miss any of the action? Then subscribe to the Winter Series YouTube channel:
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30 JAN – 2 FEB PORTIMAO /P
13 FEB – 16 FEB VALENCIA /E
27 FEB – 2 MAR ARAGÓN /E
6 MAR – 9 MAR BARCELONA /E
