The ‘defending champions’ from GEDLICH’s 6H of Portimão in February would face stern competition, including the BDR by Grupoprom Mercedes of Alfredo Hernandez, Michael Dörrbecker and Amaury Bonduel. Additionally, the GT3 class would feature the Thai outfit Star Performance, with driving duties performed by Milos Pavlovic, Sandro Mur, Aniwat Lommahadthai and Sanporn Jao-Javanil.
However, all eyes were placed firmly on the Milwaukee-backed Razoon Porsche 992 GT3 R, which was put on pole position by Thomas Andersen And Simon Birch.
As the race got underway, the Rossocorsa Ferrari 296 Challenge of Niccolo Schiro moved up from fourth to the lead, using the superior straight-line speed of his car to pass the GT3s.
Razoon’s Thomas Andersen followed him through in second place. And, as the early stages of the race unfolded, Schiro built a lead at the front. Meanwhile, Andersen found himself fighting with fellow GT3 class entrant Aniwat Lommahadthai (Star Performance Lamborghini), as well as the CMR Lamborghini Super Trofeo of Stephane Lemeret.
Lemeret, the Belgian veteran, navigated himself into second place at the expense of the GT3s, leaving Andersen in third.
It was a difficult first hour for SR Motorsport in the GT4 class. Their #111 entry, a relatively late addition to the grid, pulled in after just two laps with engine problems. Meanwhile, the #11 Mercedes led the GT4 category early on with Kenneth Heyer at the wheel. The experienced German had a great fight with Daniel Drexel and Guillaume Aso, which Drexel came out on top of in the Razoon – more than racing Porsche Cayman.
Meanwhile, spent the rest of his stint fighting NM Racing Team’s Aso for second, and came out on top of the battle. However, on the car’s first visit to the refuelling area, the crew could not get fuel into the car, as the valve was blocked. This cost the team over a dozen laps.
The Razoon Porsche 992 GT3 R was the first front-running car into the pits, and Andersen handed his car over to Simon Birch.
Immediately, Birch began setting his signature searing pace. During the pitstop cycle, he moved into a comfortable lead. However, the second hour did not pass by without incident. The PCR Sport Mercedes GT4 of Josep Parera approached turn 14 slower than Birch anticipated, which resulted in Parera being hooked into a spin.
This triggered the first safety car of the race, and the #14 was given a drive-through penalty for its role in the collision.
Shortly thereafter, a second Safety Car would also be caused by issues for the #4 PCR Mercedes. Vicente Dasi returned the car to the circuit after it was recovered from the turn 14 gravel. It was significantly wounded, missing much of the rear bodywork, including the diffuser.
Unfortunately, Dasi compounded a tough race for the team, spinning at turn 7, and hitting the wall front-first. The driver was okay, however, the car would go no further.
The race entered a familiar pattern during the middle phase of the race, with Birch and Andersen putting themselves into a strong position just as they had at the 6H of Portimão in February. The Austrian team did not lead for much of the race, however, the team was working towards burning away the 35 minutes of pitstop time mandated in the race’s regulations; in reality, it was clear that the team’s net advantage was measured in laps rather than minutes by the end of the fourth hour. The 35 minutes in the pits had to be completed before the final half-hour began, and Razoon’s GT3 rivals would have to serve long final stops.
The battle for second overall was considerably less clear than the lead as Amaury Bonduel (BDR by Grupoprom Mercedes) entered the final hour just eight seconds ahead of Milos Pavlovic from Star Performance. Both drivers had served their final pitstops, and were fuelled to the finish. However, with less than half an hour to go, the heavens opened.
Initially, the rainfall as gradual, and teams were largely hesitant to move to wet tyres. Pavlovic was among the first to visit the pits for treaded rubber in the Lamborghini, and this looked like it may backfire in the following laps. Initially, Pavlovic was only two seconds per lap faster on the greasy track, and the laptimes between the Serbian and the slick-shod Bonduel were soon even as the rain briefly subsided.
However, the rain quickly returned with greater intensity. Bonduel peeled in for wet tyres, and returned to the track ten seconds behind Pavlovic. The Belgian soon began closing in the gap, however, time would ultimately run out for the #28 BDR by Grupoprom team.
At the front, Simon Birch was two laps clear, and eased off to greet the GT4 Razoon entry, which was on its route to an even more dominant victory within its class. It was a perfect photograph for the Austrian team, as Simon Birch took the overall win side-by-side with Denny Berndt in the GT4 winner.
Pavlovic held onto second overall by just three seconds, alongside Aniwat Lommahadthai, Sanporn Jao-Javanil and Sandro Mur. Bonduel, Michael Dörrbecker and Alfredo Hernandez were still happy with third position overall, while the Cup 4 CMR Lamborghini of Lemeret, Rodrigue Gillion and Wilfried Cazalbon came fourth.
The MTech Competition Porsche 992 GT3 Cup of Gustav Soderberg Krogh, Thomas Karlsson and Mattias Astrand has a quiet final hour of the race, taking fifth overall and winning the Cup 2 class. The Swedish team has been having a compelling battle with GP Elite’s Peter and Koen Munnichs. However, the father-and-son duo’s Porsche had a driveshaft problem late in the race.
Rossocorsa’s Ferrari 296 Challenge finished sixth overall, despite suspension issues just after half-distance.
Razoon – more than racing’s Gregor Schneider, Denny Berndt and Daniel Drexel performed flawlessly in the GT4 class, ultimately winning by five laps. Late in the race, second place changed hands, as the recovering #11 SR Motorsport Mercedes closed in on the #15 NM Racing entry. Guillaume Aso was passed by Jay Mo Härtling with just five minutes left on the clock.
During the team’s earlier refuelling issues, Härtling was acting as a mechanic, and was one of the first team members investigating the problem under the bootlid.
With a clean sweep of overall victories at GEDLICH Racing’s inaugural six-hour races at Portimão and Barcelona, Razoon – more than racing, Simon Birch and Thomas Andersen have once again proved themselves to be endurance specialists. For Birch, who has been taking his first steps in a GT3 car in the GEDLICH Racing paddock, the future looks particularly bright. The young Dane set the fastest-ever GT3 race lap of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during his last stint, a 1:40.695.
GEDLICH Racing’s 6H races have been a resounding success in 2025, and will be an eagerly-anticipated part of the Winter Series tour in 2026. Barcelona and Portimão will once again play host to six-hour endurance racing from the GEDLICH organisation, next year.
Saturday’s 50-minute race saw a familiar pattern for Soufi, as he started the Ligier JSP320 from pole position, and led the early stages of the race. High Class Racing’s Phillip Lindberg settled into second place, ahead of CLX Motorsport’s Quentin Joseph.
Meanwhile, DKR Engineering’s Jon Brownson had a difficult stint. After spinning at turn one on the first lap, the American veteran closed in on Racing Experience’s Wolfgang Payr. The pair collided at turn 16, sending Payr into a spin just prior to the pit window.
A communication issue between High Class Racing and Lindberg cost the Danish team a podium, as they missed the pit window and received a penalty as a result. Before eventually heading to the pitlane, Lindberg found himself just ahead of Danny Soufi, and nearly caught out the American at turn three, as he braked harder than anticipated on corner entry. The pair barely managed to avoid contact, as Soufi locked the front axle.
After the pit window, Matthias Jakobsen found himself just ahead of DKR Engineering’s Laurents Hörr. The teenager performed magnificently, holding off the experienced prototype racer to secure the first podium of the season for Racing Experience.
CLX Motorsport’s David Droux brought the #87 Ligier home in second place after taking over from Quentin Joseph. Soufi took yet another win, further extending his championship lead over the CLX pair to 41 points.
Race 2:
The second race of the weekend was contested in slippery conditions on Sunday morning. DKR Engineering’s Laurents Hörr would drive solo, as Jon Brownson elected to sit out the race with illness.
David Droux started from pole position in the CLX Ligier, and led the first moments of the race despite pressure from Danny Soufi. As everyone struggled for traction, Laurents Hörr was making progress. He quickly found his way past Soufi, and dispatched Droux for the lead.
Hörr built his lead during the first stint, appearing perfectly in-tune with his Duqueine despite the treacherous weather.
Owing to the pitstop handicap system, the Gold-rated driver’s visit to pitlane was a few seconds longer than his rivals, but he still returned to the circuit in a strong position, just a few seconds behind Quentin Joseph. The CLX driver led the race momentarily, before Hörr and Soufi both powered by.
Despite the best efforts of Soufi, Hörr’s lead of a dozen seconds remained in-tact for the last phase of the race. The German took the chequered flag for DKR Engineering, marking the first victory for the team in the Prototype Winter Series. Danny Soufi finished second in his Konrad Ligier, extending his points lead over the CLX Motorsport pairing of Quentin Joseph and David Droux. Joseph drove the car home in third.
Phillip Lindberg came home in fourth for High Class Racing, ahead of Wolfgang Payr and Matthias Bjerre Jakobsen of Racing Experience.
Barcelona: Additional competition for the closer
With a 44-point advantage and just 50 left to score, Danny Soufi is in an immensely strong position heading into the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The Konrad Motorsport driver’s closest rivals, Joseph and Droux of CLX Motorsport, will need to rely on misfortune for Soufi to secure the championship.
The pairing will also need a strong weekend to stay ahead of DKR Engineering in the points standings, after Laurents Hörr’s victory. The team remains optimistic that Jon Brownson will feel able to race again at Barcelona.
A second Konrad Motorsport car is set to take the start at Barcelona, while SPV Racing are also due to make an appearance for the last two races of the 2025 season.
For the first race of the weekend, SR Motorsport’s Moritz Wiskirchen led the race in the early stages, from pole position. Further back, Konrad Motorsport’s Carrie Schreiner and Juta Racing’s Eimantas Navikauskas collided, damaging the right-rear of Navikauskas’ Audi. Moments later, at turn 10, the Lithuanian racer spun on his own, seemingly because of damage including bodywork rubbing on the tyre.
At the front of the field, Moritz Wiskirchen led the way for SR Motorsport, while Jonas Karklys followed in second position for Liqui Moly Team Engstler. Charles Dawson was running in third for AKM Motorsport, making his GT3 debut in the team’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.
Behind them, a fabulous battle for fourth took place between two GT3 cars – Thomas Andersen’s Razoon Porsche and Simon Orange’s JMH McLaren – and a pair of Cup 4 Lamborghinis. After plenty of dicing in the early stages, the Super Trofeo-spec Lamborghinis of Shota Abkhazava and Jerzy Spinkiewicz broke away from the GT3 cars, having a great tit-for-tat scrap for the class lead.
Eventually Spinkiewicz found his way past, and a couple of laps later, a late-braking Andersen collided with Abkhazava. The ART-Line driver would continue, but the chance to mount a further challenge to Spinkiewicz had passed. Andersen had to retired the 992 GT3 R due to suspension damage.
Charles Dawson challenged for second place towards the end of the race, however, an error at turn one on the final lap released Karklys from his clutches.
Wiskirchen crossed the line to win by nine seconds, scoring a maximum score of 20 points as the team looked to salvage its overall title defence. Karklys finished second ahead of Dawson, with Spinkiewicz finishing fourth and first within Cup 4 for UNIQ Racing. The Cup 1-winning Ferrari of Cristiano Maciel finished fifth overall, while Calle Bergman won the Cup 2 class for Porsche Cup machinery.
Race 2:
The second race of the weekend was held in the early afternoon of Sunday, and unfortunately, one car would not make it to the pre-grid. An issue with the right-front brake left Luca Engstler stranded on the sighting lap, and the Engstler Motorsport Lamborghini would have to wait until the pitstop race for more action.
This left the stage open for pole-sitter Simon Birch, who dominated proceedings from lights-to-flag. He eventually won the race by 22 seconds over Juta Racing’s Jonas Gelzinis, who celebrated his birthday with a visit to the overall podium. Cup 4’s victor Jerzy Spinkiewicz finished third overall.
The circuit was slippery after overnight rain, and while the top three had clean races, the same couldn’t be said for others. Ryan James had a moment under braking for turn 16, spinning and collecting Przemyslaw Bienkowski’s PTT Racing’s Porsche 992 GT3 Cup. Both cars suffered major damage, but the drivers walked away.
Cristiano Maciel won the Cup 1 class once more, while A-Workx Motorsport’s Ahmed Arif Alkhoori won the Cup 2 class. The Emirati driver was in the midst of his inaugural weekend in racing, meaning he had taken class honours in his second-ever motor race.
Race 3:
The 55-minute pitstop race was shortened to 50 minutes owing to timetable constraints, and Razoon – More than racing’s Thomas Andersen lined-up on pole position. The GT3 Pro class Engstler Lamborghini of Jonas Karklys lined-up second, and was this time able to take the start.
As the field ran towards the first corner on the opening lap, Cristiano Maciel mis-judged his braking. The Ferrari 296 Challenge made contact with Charles Dawson’s AKM Mercedes, damaging both cars and ending the race for both parties. The safety car was deployed to retrieve the Maciel Ferrari.
After the race restart, Karklys took the lead, and set about building a gap at the front.
As the race neared half-distance, it began to drizzle around the circuit. As tyre changes can’t be made during the mandatory stop, and a tyre swap must be part of a two-minute visit to the pits, it was not a straightforward decision to move to wets. Many of the cars on slicks struggled, barring Marcus Clutton, who took over the Orange by JMH McLaren and began lapping quicker than anyone else on the dry weather rubber. Soon, Clutton led the race.
Many, including the Engstler Motorsport team, elected to pit for wets. However, as the race entered its final minutes, the rain had stopped, and the slicks had once again become the tyre of choice. Clutton’s dominant drive allowed he and Simon Orange to secure the victory overall, ahead of Cup 1 winners Andreas Sorsensen and Mikkel Mac. Alessio Ruffini and Milos Pavlovic finished third overall and took the Cup 4 win, after an impressive final stint from Pavlovic.
Barcelona: Title to be decided as a deluxe field takes the start
At the finale, four teams from four classes enter the weekend with a significant opportunity to fight for the title. On 158 points, AF Corse’s Cristiano Maciel and Rui Aguas lead the overall standings from the Cup 1 class. With three Cup 4 podium finishes at Motorland, Auto Sport Racing’s Alessio Ruffini and Milos Pavlovic are in a strong second overall in the points on 150.
Defending champions SR Motorsport sit third overall on 144 points, and will hope for strong GT3 class results for Moritz Wiskirchen and Kenneth Heyer at Barcelona. Wileco Motorsport’s Calle Bergman and Manz Thalin, the Cup 2 leaders, are just two points adrift in fourth.
The likes of Schubert Motorsport, PROsport Racing and NM Racing Team join the grid, BDR Grupoprom and Araujo Competiciao will return, and the AF Corse ranks will once again expand in the Cup 1 and Cup 5 classes. Barcelona will – as always – be an unmissable weekend of GT Winter Series action on 8-9 March.
The primary goal for Elite Motorsport and overall points leader McKenzy Cresswell was increasing the championship advantage.
In the first race, the opposite occurred, as the SR Motorsport team claimed the first P1. Enrico Forderer drove a magnificent race in the Mercedes-AMG GT4, winning by just a second over McKenzy Cresswell. A 32-point deficit between the pair was now down to just 25.
The overall rostrum was rounded out by Baudouin Detout, as Racing Spirit of Leman finally claimed its first podium of the season in the Aston Martin Vantage AMR Evo.
Joachim Bolting won the PRO-AM class, as the eccentric German moved up from AM by dint of sharing with Plusline Racing Team’s Peter Terting. Michael Sander took the win in Cayman Trophy.
Race 2:
Race two was a markedly different race than the first, thanks in no small part to the heavens opening overnight above Motorland Aragon.
With a shift in conditions came a shift in the pecking order, as the SR Motorsport Mercedes looked far less compliant in the hands of Jay Mo Hartling. The opposite could be said for the W&S Motorsport Porsche Cayman of Alon Gabbay, who made short work of ascending from sixth on the grid to the race lead. Gabbay set about building a lead, driving away from all-comers including second-placed Tom Lebbon in the Elite McLaren Artura.
A late safety car was triggered to collect the AM class W&S Motorsport entry driven by Daniel Blickle. Thankfully, this did not cause an issue for Gabbay, who still secured his first win of the season. Tom Lebbon finished second ahead of Jay Mo Hartling, clawing back three points of the championship lead cushion for Elite.
SVG Motorsport’s Owen Hizzey thrived in the rain once again to take the PRO-AM win and fourth overall. He finished just ahead of Cedric Fuchs, who also used the tricky conditions to his advantage in the Cayman Trophy class.
Race 3:
In the 60-minute pitstop race, Elite Motorsport’s Cresswell and Lebbon started from pole position. Cresswell performed the opening stint, and despite an early challenge from RAFA Racing by Race Lab’s Callum Davies, he would soon drive away at the front.
Enrico Forderer, who shared the front row with Cresswell, found himself as low as sixth at the end of the first lap. With the conditions still somewhat greasy, and low ambient temperatures, the Mercedes appeared to struggle for grip early on. He would soon begin moving up the order, and handed the car over to Hartling in fourth place, behind the Race Lab McLaren of Charlie Hart, and second-placed Baudouin Detout (Racing Spirit of Leman).
The three would battle for much of the second stint. Shortly after losing two positions in the fight, Detout had a spin courtesy of what looked to be a small issue with the brakes. However, he gathered up the car and continued, finishing fourth.
Hart would settle for third after an intense sparring match with Hartling, who finished in second. At the front, Cresswell and Lebbon eventually held a 15-second lead, dominating the third race and extending Cresswell’s points advantage to 35.
Marc Elman and Owen Hizzey secured the PRO-AM victory after Joachim Bolting and Peter Terting amassed 45 seconds of track limit penalties, while Luisa Kahler claimed the Cayman Trophy win for herself and Michael Sander. Kahler fought throughout the final half of the race with fellow SR Motorsport driver Cedric Fuchs for the class win.
Barcelona: Largest entry of the season for the GT4s, as the title is decided
In the GT4 Winter Series, only SR Motorsport can dethrone Elite’s McKenzy Cresswell in the overall title fight. Forderer and Hartling will need a strong weekend, and a dip in fortunes for Cresswell and Elite, who are yet to finish off the podium this season.
Schubert Motorsport, PROsport Racing, NM Racing Team and Razoon – more than racing are among those joining the GT4 grid on 8-9 March, as over 25 cars will take the start at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya!
The grid for race one was led by a pair of US Racing cars; championship leader Gomez started from pole position, with Kabir Anurag behind him. In his second full season in the Formula Winter Series, the Singaporean had yet to finish on the podium, and finished fourth in all three races at Valencia.
As the race started, Gomez succeeded in retaining his lead, and Anurag remained hot on his heels.
Behind the front row starters, several cars ended up with damage and missing front wings. Leo Robinson, who started in in seventh, glanced the rear of his Hitech teammate Fionn McLaughlin at the first turn, and ripped the front wing from his car in the process.
At turn five, US Racing’s Maxim Rehm moved around the outside for third position, at the expense of his second row neighbour Bart Harrison (Jenzer). However, Harrison clipped the rear-left tyre of Rehm as they exited the left-hander, puncturing Rehm’s tyre and dislodging Harrison’s front wing. By the end of the first lap, Dante Vinci had also lost his front wing, while Simon Schranz missed his braking point at the turn 16 hairpin. The Renauer driver collected Chloe Chambers and Sebastian Bach in the ensuing collision.
At the first corner on lap two, Anurag managed to find his way past Gomez. Despite immediate attempts from the Brazilian to find his way back past, Anurag did not offer up an opportunity for his teammate, and soon began building a lead.
By the race’s end, Anurag was three seconds clear of Gomez, and secured his first victory in the Formula Winter Series. Fionn McLaughlin finished in a well-earned third overall, while also taking Rookie Trophy honours. The Irishman in his Red Bull-liveried Hitech machine spent the entire race under scrutiny from Maximilian Popov, with Andrija Kostic also close behind.
Nina Gademan once again took her Hitech machine into the overall points, finishing ninth and securing the Female Trophy award.
Race 2:
After overnight rain, Sunday morning’s race would be held in greasy conditions. Gabriel Gomez and Kabir Anurag once again formed the front row of the grid, however, it was their US Racing teammate Maxim Rehm who got the best start from third. By the first corner, Rehm was in the lead, while Anurag moved into second place.
Rehm, who expressed confidence in his wet weather abilities prior to the race on the broadcast, fought valiantly against Anurag. The Singaporean made his intentions clear with a dive to the inside at turn 16 on the second lap. However, Anurag went deep into the corner, allowing Rehm to cut back to the lead. Just a lap later, Anurag again saw an opportunity to lunge, and the second attempt was successful.
As Anurag and Rehm fought, Gomez brought himself into contention. And, while the three US Racing drivers began to squabble among themselves, Hitech’s Fionn McLaughlin was closing in. Soon, McLaughlin began picking up podium spots. With just over 20 minutes left in the 30-minute +1 lap race, he eased past Rehm at the turn 16 hairpin. Less than a lap later, Gomez also fell behind the #5 car.
In order to challenge for the lead, McLaughlin had to erode a 2.7-second deficit to the race leader. In clean air, McLaughlin soon began setting fastest laps, and with ten minutes of the race left to go, Anurag was now under immense pressure from his Irish adversary. A good run out of turn 15 bore fruit for McLaughlin, as the inside beckoned at the end of the long back straight, and he moved into the lead.
A late safety car was triggered by contact between Mathilda Paatz (AS Motorsport) and Payton Westcott (Van Amersfoort Racing). The race would eventually resume with just one lap left to go. McLaughlin was fast out of the blocks, and ensured a victory with a measured final tour, ahead of Kabir Anurag and Gabriel Gomez, who continued to extend his championship lead over Leo Robinson. The Anglo-Algerian driver was classified sixth, after a five-second penalty for Maxim Rehm dropped the #71 car to seventh.
Nina Gademan once again won the Female Trophy, her seventh triumph in the category during 2025.
Race 3:
As the third and final race drew closer, the circuit had dried out, and almost all teams opted for slicks. However, moments before the formation lap, rain started to fall around the circuit. The rainfall was heavy enough for three drivers to head to the pitlane rather than their grid slots; Jenzer Motorsport’s Artem Severiukhin and Bart Harrison, and Van Amersfoort’s Payton Westcott.
Meanwhile, the lights went out and the race began. Once again, Maxim Rehm had a magnificent launch, this time from fifth on the grid. Pole-sitter Kabir Anurag and fellow front row starter Thomas Bearman both had a tough time getting the power down, allowing both Rehm and Fionn McLaughlin to streak by.
Rehm took a wide approach to the first corner, and struggled to turn in on the slippery paint, allowing McLaughlin to assume an early race lead as the entire field searched for grip to little success. At turn seven, Rehm found the inside line and took first position back, while Simon Schranz of Renauer Motorsport was ascending rapidly through the pack. Renauer had been the only team to send a car to the grid with wet tyres on, and Schranz moved from 20th on the grid to sixth position on the first lap alone.
Less than a lap later, Schranz had moved into the race lead, taking full advantage of the superior grip from his wet tyres. However, this lead was to be short-lived, as Schranz had a spin at the first corner at the start of lap three. This dropped him down to fifth; critically, Bart Harrison was now ahead of the Austrian, having started from the pits after switching to wets post-formation lap. As the slick-shod drivers continued to struggle and lose time, Harrison and Schranz completed the third lap in first and second place.
Gradually, many teams and drivers elected to pit for wet tyres. However, some stayed committed to negotiating the greasy circuit on slicks. Among them was Hitech’s Fionn McLaughlin. By half-distance, McLaughlin was running third, leading those on the slick tyres, but running 24 seconds back from Bart Harrison.
However, McLaughlin began matching and then surpassing the lap times of the two cars ahead, as the circuit continued drying and the pendulum swung away from those with wet tyres. Soon, McLaughlin began pumping in fastest laps, and made short work of Simon Schranz. And, within ten minutes, the near half-minute gap between the leader and McLaughlin disappeared; with six minutes left to go, McLaughlin breezed past Harrison on the exit of turn seven to take the lead.
McLaughlin held the top spot for the remainder of the race, performing a sweep of Sunday at Motorland Aragon, and taking his third victory of the season. Maxim Rehm’s impressive start proved to be a little too fast, as he was handed a five-second jump start penalty. However, due to the spread out nature of the race, he remained second in the final results. Championship leader Gabriel Gomez kept his 100 per cent podium record alive in third, ahead of Maksimilian Popov and Kabir Anurag. Eventually, everyone in the top five remained on slicks throughout the race. Having led the middle portion of the race, Bart Harrison eventually had to settle for sixth place on his wet tyres.
Payton Westcott won the Female Trophy in 13th overall, having fought within the top ten following Van Amersfoort Racing’s decision to call the American in for wets before the race start.
Barcelona: A finale likely to yield glory for Gomez
Gabriel Gomez’s stunning consistency has put him in a strong position heading into the Formula Winter Series season finale at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
With 182 points to his name, Gomez holds a 68-point advantage over his closest competitor. And, while Leo Robinson had often looked like the strongest adversary for Gomez, it is now Fionn McLaughlin who sits second in the standings. However, with just 82 points left to score, any title aspirations for Hitech’s Red Bull Junior come attached to remarkably long odds.
Leo Robinson scored just eight points at Aragon, which leaves him third in the points on 106. He is now mathematically out of contention for the overall title, but could still regain second position from McLaughlin on 114.
Kabir Anurag sits fourth in the standings on 97 points.
Fionn McLaughlin also leads the Rookie Trophy by an impressive 80 points. His closest competition in the class comes in the form of Thomas Bearman, who sits 11th in the overall standings on 34 points. A score of just two points will sew up the season-long Rookie accolade for McLaughlin.
New drivers and determined full-season entrants will clash in Barcelona, as the Formula Winter Series will end on a high on 8-9 March at the home of the Spanish Grand Prix.
The first-ever six-hour race organised by GEDLICH featured a 35-minute minimum combined pitstop time in the first five hours and 30 minutes, across at least five pitstops. Teams took unique approaches to serving the minimum time, and the race proved to be strategically compelling throughout.
As the race began at 11:30am local time, the pole-sitting Razoon Porsche held the early lead with Thomas Andersen at the wheel. However, just minutes into the race, Greystone GT’s Oliver Webb arrived in the Porsche’s wing mirrors, and quickly found a way by. Webb proceeded to fortify an early lead in the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo. Meanwhile, Andersen was being hounded by the Landgraf Mercedes of Jörg Viebahn, the similar car driven by AKM Motorsport’s Marco Antonelli, and the Cup 2-leading A-Workx Porsche 992 GT3 Cup driven by Nico Menzel.
As the race approached the conclusion of the first half-hour, Antonelli started to move forward rapidly. The AKM team boss dispatched both Viebahn and Andersen, only to pit two laps later. The Mercedes idled past its garage and into the refuelling area at the end of the pits, marking the first of what would prove to be several shorter, more frequent pitstops.
For the first two hours, AKM’s Mercedes would pit approximately every 30 minutes, while most other teams would pit closer to the end of the hour. Oliver Webb was one of the last to make his first pitstop, handing over to Andrey Borodin with just over an hour and ten minutes in the books.
With Borodin at the wheel, the Greystone GT team’s lead was quickly eroded and nullified by Simon Birch, who had taken over the Razoon Porsche. Soon, the McLaren would be demoted to third, after a spin for Borodin. Tom Kalendar had taken over the Landgraf Mercedes, and charged by Borodin shortly after recovering from the moment.
With that, the story of the race lead was established. Over the next several hours, Landgraf’s pairing would match Birch and Andersen, but the gap remained at roughly a minute throughout the race. This distance was established in the second hour, after Viebahn remained in the car for longer than Andersen, and Birch took full advantage in the Razoon Porsche.
Andersen and Birch would ultimately win by one minute and 23 seconds, after the Landgraf Mercedes received 20 seconds worth of track limits penalties. Viebahn and Kalendar finished second, while the AKM Motorsport entry rounded out the overall podium. Antonelli, along with Raffaele Giammaria and Aaron Farhadi, drove a trouble-free race, and were able to beat the Greystone GT McLaren to the podium thanks to greater consistency.
In the Cup 2 class for Porsche 992 Cup cars, the A-Workx team controlled much of the race, courtesy of particularly rapid stints from Nico Menzel, and faultless running from Rodriguez Menzl. The Mtech Competition team from Sweden put in a good effort, with particular heroics from Gustav Soderberg Krogh during his stints.
A-Workx ultimately won the class, taking fifth overall and finishing a lap clear of the Mtech car. Steiner Racing rounded out the Cup 2 podium.
Lionspeed GP were victorious in the GT4 category, despite a race that started with a brief visit to the pits. The line-up of Damian Freda, Steven Berndtson and Patrick Kolb were only 35 seconds clear of the NM Racing Team Mercedes at the end of the race, but this was extended by 20 seconds after late track limits penalties accrued by NM’s Ian loggie. The Spanish team had the strongest pace in the GT4 class, but a slew of bad luck befell the AMG GT4. This included a shock absorber failure in the first hour and a puncture in hour four.
Monteiros Competições finished tenth overall, and won the TCX class. Henrique Oliveira started the F82-spec BMW M4 GT4, and led all of the newer GT4 machines in the overall standings during the first hour.
The Team MJC Bentley failed to finish, after a late driveshaft failure put paid to Matthew Graham and Witt Gamski’s progress in the final hour. The East Racing Motorsport Porsche Cayman GT4 RS CS also fell by the wayside late in the race, due to a toe-link failure. The car had been crabbing for several hours, after contact with the Lionspeed Porsche, and sadly the team’s effort to persevere did not allow them to reach the flag.
14-16 March: The 6H Barcelona will conclude the GEDLICH Racing Winter Series
The first-ever GEDLICH Racing Portimão 6H was well-received by its competitors, with many expected to return for the 6H Barcelona at the famed Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
From the 14-16 March, endurance racing teams from across Europe will look to become the first to etch their names into the 6H Barcelona record books, and greater competition is expected across the classes.
As with the 6H Portimão, GT2, GT3 and GT4 cars are eligible, alongside single-make machines from Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren in the Cup classes. The Cup X and TCX classes will be deployed for cars that do not fit within the boundaries of those categories, but match the performance window of the event.
The 6H Barcelona will be streamed live on the Winter Series YouTube channel, and act as a fitting conclusion to GEDLICH Racing’s biggest ever winter racing calendar.
30 JAN – 02 FEB 6h of PORTIMÃO /P
13 MAR – 16 MAR 6h of BARCELONA /E
Race 1:
For the first race, Gabriel Gomez started from pole position, alongside his US Racing teammate Edu Robinson.
As the lights went out, both front row starters struggled for traction off the line, allowing Hitech TGR’s Leo Robinson to immediately challenge for the lead from the second row. Gomez went defensive into the first corner, compromising his run towards turn three. As the cars passed through the first sector split, it was Leo Robinson in the lead, with Gomez and Edu Robinson in pursuit.
Behind, Maximilian Popov of Van Amersfoort Racing tagged Thomas Bearman’s Hitech entry at turn one, sending both drivers down the order. Bearman’s glasses were briefly unseated in the collision, while Popov accidentally engaged his pit limiter.
For much of the race, Leo Robinson retained the lead, seemingly managing the race well and keeping control of his gap.
However, in the final minutes of the race, the safety car was deployed. Sebastian Bach (AS Motorsport) had tagged Jenzer’s Enea Frey at the exit of turn three, sending Frey onto the grass, where he would remain stricken.
By the time the Safety Car lights were extinguished, the clock had already reached zero, meaning just one lap remained for Leo Robinson to hold off Gabriel Gomez at the front.
Unfortunately for the Hitech driver in the lead, it was clear that he was under pressure, and lacking speed through the first corners. Sure enough, at turn five, Gomez capitalised on a strong run to make the definitive move for victory. Leo Robinson finished second, ahead of his unrelated namesake Edu Robinson.
Red Bull Junior Team driver Fionn McLaughlin made his first start in car racing, and impressed by staying with the leading pack and comfortably winning the Rookie Trophy category in his Hitech entry.
Hitech also secured the win in the well-supported Female Trophy, courtesy of Nina Gademan, who finished sixth overall.
Race 2:
The second race began in much the same way as the first, as Gabriel Gomez and Edu Robinson once again started from the front row.
At the second time of asking, both US Racing drivers got better starts, but Leo Robinson was fast out of the blocks again. The Hitech driver tried to drive around the outside of turn one, becoming airborne on the exit kerb and losing out to both front row starters.
Then, on the exit of turn three, there was contact between Leo Robinson’s rear right tyre and the front wing endplate of his teammate Fionn McLaughlin. Unfortunately, this ended the race for Robinson, while McLaughlin’s front wing would gradually dislodge, eventually requiring a replacement before the chequered flag and dropping the Irishman to a 23rd-place finish.
Gabriel Gomez held the lead in spite of two safety car periods, and pressure from Edu Robinson.
The first Safety Car was caused by a collision at turn one between Female Trophy rivals Rafaela Ferreira and Mathilda Paatz. Ferreira was able to recover her car back to the pits, while Paatz’s AS Motorsport entry had to be recovered.
Mere moments after the race returned to green flag conditions, a collision between Aleksander Ruta (CRAM) and Maffi Racing’s Teo Borenstein at turn four forced a further pause. Ruta was beached in the gravel.
Once racing resumed for the final time, Gabriel Gomez set about creating enough of a cushion to comfortably drive the car home, 1.498 seconds clear of Edu Robinson. Maksimilian Popov rounded out the podium for Van Amersfoort Racing.
Luka Sammalisto finished fourth overall for US Racing, ahead of Thomas Bearman, who claimed the Rookie Trophy win. Bearman’s Hitech teammate Nina Gademan took Female Trophy honours once more, finishing tenth.
Race 3:
The third race of the weekend was held on Sunday morning, and greasy conditions greeted the drivers. Opinions on how to tackle the circuit were mixed, with many electing to start on slicks in anticipation of the surface drying out.
The front row once again featured US Racing’s Edu Robinson and Gabriel Gomez, albeit with the former starting from pole position. Both had slick tyres on their cars. The second row, consisting of Leo Robinson and Maxim Rehm, elected for wets.
The cars lined-up on the grid without issue, however, the gantry lights failed halfway through the starting procedure. This led to a heavily botched start, and many drivers falling through the field, while wet-shod Bart Harrison (Jenzer) moved from tenth to the lead with a good start, and a committed run through the opening corners.
However, after half a lap, the red flags flew as a result of the starting procedure issues.
The cars returned to pitlane, and were reorganised into their original qualifying order. During this time, a majority of drivers that had started on slicks retreated onto wet tyres, with only Maximilian Popov (Van Amersfoort Racing) and US Racing’s Andrija Kostic sticking to their guns. Unfortunately, this would not pay off for either driver as they ultimately finished a lap down.
After a pair of laps behind the safety car, the race finally resumed with a single-file restart, and 22 minutes on the clock.
Polesitter Edu Robinson struggled in the wet conditions, gradually slipping to the fringe of the top-ten. Hitech’s Fionn McLaughlin, who started fifth, clearly felt comfortable in the slippery conditions, and found himself in the lead after less than a lap.
McLaughlin managed the race wonderfully from the front of the order, doing enough to retain a comfortable buffer over Leo Robinson, who also picked his way forward early on. The pair remained in their positions, and netted a 1-2 finish for Hitech.
For McLaughlin, it was the perfect conclusion to his first weekend in single-seater racing, as he won both the overall and rookie trophy classification. McLaughlin reacted to his win on the live broadcast, saying: “It feels amazing! I’m so happy to be on the top step of the podium in F4, and to do it on my second day is just amazing. The track was drying out, so the tyres were burning out. I had to manage as soon as I had a big gap. […] It’s amazing to get a win for the [Hitech] boys, they’re just the best to be a part of, and I’m thankful to be in such an amazing family.”
Maxim Rehm finished third on the road for US Racing. However, in scrutineering, it was discovered that the brakes of the #71 car did not comply with the technical regulations. The car was therefore disqualified from all three races, which promoted Gabriel Gomez to third in race three, and cost Rehm 35 championship points.
Nina Gademan once again won the Female Trophy class, ahead of Alisha Palmowski (Campos), who fought well from a 28th starting position enforced by technical issues in qualifying. The pair of confirmed 2025 F1 Academy competitors finished 11th and 12th respectively.
Valencia hosts round two
In less than two weeks, the Formula Winter Series returns to Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
Gabriel Gomez has placed himself into a strong position in the championships courtesy of his victories, sitting on 69 points. The Brazilian driver is followed in by the standings by Edu and Leo Robinson, who are tied on 36 points, and Rookie Trophy points leader Fionn McLaughlin on 35.
The driver line-ups will remain broadly similar for the second of the season. However, Chloe Chambers is set to make her first Formula Winter Series start, replacing Raffaela Ferreira at Campos.
After missing the first round of the season, Guy Albag is anticipated to make his debut in the #11 AKM Motorsport entry.
Spectator access to the 13-16 February Valencia event is free, and also features the GT and GT4 Winter Series. Fans around the world can watch all of the action live on the Winter Series YouTube channel.
30 JAN – 02 FEB FWS & 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
New teams have arrived this year, including Hitech TGR, Van Amersfoort Racing and Renauer Motorsport. The new additions, alongside returning teams such as US Racing, Campos Racing and Jenzer Motorsport, have ensured an impressive paddock once again in 2025.
Who will be at the top?
Narrowing down the potential protagonists for this year’s championship battle is no mean feat.
Drivers such as Kabir Anurag, Maxim Rehm (US Racing) and Enea Frey (Jenzer Motorsport) benefit from prior appearances in the Formula Winter Series, and the track knowledge gained at the three returning Spanish venues.
Leo Robinson (Hitech) is likely to be among the favourites, as a three-time race winner during the 2024 British F4 season. The Anglo-Algerian will be finding his feet with a new team during the Formula Winter Series, but the proven success of both he and the Hitech squad marks the #6 entry as one to watch.
Luka Sammalisto (US Racing) had a promising season in 2024, registering well over 30 F4 races in 2024 across the Middle East and Europe. With significant experience under his belt, as well as a new alliance with 2023 Formula Winter Series-winning team US Racing, the Finnish racer will have high hopes.
Sebastian Bach will make his first appearances in the current-generation F4 car at Portimão this weekend. The Nordic 4 rookie champion, aged 16, will be a part of AS Motorsport’s three-car line-up. The Danish driver has proven to be quick and consistent so far in his single seater tenure, and there is certainly potential for him to perform well this season.
Maksimilian Popov secured four top-ten finishes in his final seven Italian F4 races last year, and now joins the ever-competitive Van Amersfoort Racing team for his second season in cars. With the 16-year-old just hitting his stride, the new alliance could be a particularly strong one.
Simon Schranz has competed in a little over a dozen races in single-seater machinery, but has already netted four top-five finishes in the F4 CEZ Championship. The sole entry from Renauer Motorsport could prove to be a spoiler among the larger fleets from other teams in FWS. Speaking of the Central European grid, 2024 vice-champion and six-time race winner Kirill Kutskov will be one to watch, as the 16-year-old continues his partnership with Maffi Racing.
Rookie Trophy: The newcomer’s class set to feature overall contenders
The 2024 Rookie Trophy within Formula Winter Series was vastly populated. Class champion Maciej Gładysz proved that drivers new to single-seater competition can be a force in the overall standings, finishing third. The Rookies entered for this season suggest that we could see the same thing happen in 2025.
The Rookie Trophy class is for drivers with nine races or fewer in single seaters. With eight races on his resume, Thomas Bearman (Hitech) qualifies to compete in this category as well as the overall standings. Bearman has the advantage of already competing with his 2025 team at the tail-end of the 2024 British F4 season, scoring two podiums within the rookie class. The brother of 2025 Haas F1 signee Oliver, Thomas will be looking to thrive in F4 just like his elder sibling, who won the 2021 Italian and ADAC F4 championships.
17-year-old Fionn McLoughlin, also with Hitech, will make his single-seater racing debut in the Formula Winter Series. The Irishman’s debut in cars has been hotly anticipated, as he has been a front-runner on the international and World Championship karting stage in recent years.
Despite only debuting in karts during 2021, Andrea Dupe (AS Motorsport) claimed vice-championship status in the 2023 Italian OK Karting Championship. The 16-year-old prepared for his single-seater debut during the 2024 season, in addition to his karting campaign. He is expected to develop well in a 2025 schedule spread across three championships.
Both Jenzer Motorsport and Van Amersfoort Racing will join Hitech in entering multiple rookies. Jenzer will field 2025 F1 Academy driver Alba Hurup Larsen and Artem Severiukhin within the class, while Dante Vinci and Payton Westcott will fly the flag for VAR.
Teo Borenstein (Maffi Racing) rounds out the rookie class for the first round of the season.
Female Trophy: Exciting names join the field
The Female Trophy class is set for its strongest season yet in 2025, with nine drivers registered for the first round in Portimão.
Campos Racing will enter two cars in the category, set to be rotated among its Red Bull-backed 2025 F1 Academy drivers. For the first round of the season, GB4 vice-champion and race winner Alisha Palmowski will be joined by three-time F4 Brazilian Championship race-winner Rafaela Ferreira.
Chloe Chambers, who won in F1 Academy last year at Barcelona, will make her first appearance at Valencia. While each of the Campos drivers will only compete in two rounds of Formula Winter Series, their racing CVs mean there will be high expectations in the class standings as well as the overall results.
Joanne Ciconte (AKM Motorsport) has impressed so far in her limited car racing experience, securing top-five finishes in F4 CEZ, and also performing well in Spain and her native Australia. Fellow Aussie Avia Anagnostiadis (CRAM) is not set for a full-season, but consistent points scoring and a top-five finish in F4 India suggests she may disrupt the full-season competitors at Portimão.
Kornelia Olkucka continues her partnership with Maffi Racing, established ahead of the 2024 F4 CEZ season. Mathilda Paatz, who competed in French F4 throughout 2024, will join AS Motorsport for a full-season bid for the Female Trophy.
Nina Gademan is yet another driver who has previously competed in F1 Academy, and finished fourth on her series debut as the wildcard entrant at Zandvoort. She will compete in the first three rounds of the season for Hitech.
Aforementioned Rookie drivers Alba Hurup Larsen and Payton Westcott will also score points in the Female Trophy.
Watch the first round live as Formula Winter Series begins the European single-seater year!
The Formula Winter Series season opener will be streamed live on the Winter Series YouTube channel this weekend, alongside GEDLICH Racing’s inaugural 6H Portimão. Race one begins at 11:40AM local time on Saturday 1 February, followed by race two at 15:30PM.
The third race will be held at 09:15AM on Sunday 2 February.
30 JAN – 02 FEB FWS & 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 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
