championship points
This weekend straddling the months of September/October, I went to the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit for "le Festival de la Velocidad" which hosted the final of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup.
In PRO two crews are still in the running for the title Raffaele Marciello, Jules Gounon and Timur Boguslavskiy in the #88 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO from Akkodis ASP Team have 94 points, compared to 76 for Philipp Eng, Marco Wittmann and Nicholas Yelloly on the BMW M4 GT3 from Rowe Racing.
Only the Pro-AM title was already awarded to Ivan Jacoma, Alex Fontana and Niki Leutwiler on the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) #24 of Car Collection Motorsport.
Four crews can still compete for the Bronze crown. Eddie Cheever, Chris Froggatt and Jonathan Hui, McLaren 720S GT3 EVO #93 Sky Tempesta Racing, total 84 points, Arjun Maini, Hubert Haupt and Sebastien Baud, Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO #79 Haupt Racing Team, have 77 points, Alfred & Robert Renauer and Ralf Bohn, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) #91 Herberth Motorsport, 70 points, Aliaksandr Malykhin, Joel Sturm and Klaus Bachler, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) #911 Pure Rxcing, 69 points.
Nicolas Baert and Maxime Soulet, Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II #21 Comtoyou Racing, lead the Gold class with a 24-point lead, Sam De Haan, Charles Fagg and Dean Macdonald, McLaren 720S GT3 EVO #5 Optimum Motorsport, are tied with David Schumacher, Marius Zug and Miklas Born Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO #157 Winward Racing, with 70 points.
The Silver cup remains undecided, Clemens Schmid, Glenn van Berlo and Benjamin Hites, Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 #85 GRT - Grasser Racing Team, have 97 points, 5 more than Loris Hezemans, Sam Dejonghe and Finlay Hutchison, Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II #12 Comtoyou Racing. Lorenzo Patrese, Pietro Delli Guanti and Alex Aka, Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II #99 Tresor Attempto Racing, have 77 points.
Free practice
After the two private test sessions, the free practice session on Saturday morning saw the domination of Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde and Charles Weerts in the No. 32 BMW M4 GT3 - Team WRT.
Dries Vanthoor with a time of 1'39"888 (only under 1'40") placed the Munich car at the top of the hierarchy.
Pre Qualifying
Luca Stolz, associated with Fabian Schiller and Maro Engel, placed the #777 - Mercedes-AMG Team Al-Manar at the top of the timesheet in 1'41"075.
First Pro-AM and 6th overall the Porsche 911 GTS R (992) #24 from Car Collection Motorsport Ivan Jacoma/Alex Fontana/Niki Leutwiler.
James Kell/Anders Buchardt/Ben Green places the #35 Walkenhorst Motorsport BMW M4 GTS first in bronze in 1:41.551.
Just ahead of the #99 Trésor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II of the trio Lorenzo Patrese/Pietro Delli Guanti/Alex Aka, best time in the silver category.
In 11th we find the first Gold with the #21 ComToYou Racing Audi R8 LMS GTS EVO II of Maxime Soulet/Nicolas Baert/Max Hofer.
Qualifying Combined
With an average of 1:39.454 AF Corse Francorchamps Motors places the #51 Ferrari 296 GT3 of Alessio Rovera/Robert Shwartzman/Nicklas Nielsen in pole position for this final round of the 2023 Endurance Cup, ahead of the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2 #63 of Iron Lynx from the crew Mirko Bortolotti/Andrea Caldarelli/Jordan Peppe.
The second Ferrari 296 GT3 #71 - AF Corse-Francorchamps Motors de Antonio Fuoco/Daniel Serra/Davide Rigon takes third place.
Pole in the Gold Cup went to the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 #19 - Iron Lynx of Pierre-Louis Chovet/Michele Beretta/Leonardo Pulcini, when Joel Sturm/Alex Malykhin/Klaus Bachler took pole in the Bronze Cup with the Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) #911 - Pure Rxcing.
Silver Cup leaders Glenn van Berlo/Clemens Schmid/Benjamin Hites take pole in the class with the #85 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 - GRT - Grasser Racing Team.
Samantha Tan/Isaac Tutumlu Lopez/Lorcan Hanafin will start at the front in Pro-Am with the #38 Ferrari 296 GT3 - ST Racing with Rinaldi.
The race
What to tell you about this race, that it lasted 3 hours run under a blazing sun.
Tell you about the Ferrari AF Corse -Francorchamps Motors double which places these two Ferrari 296 GT3s on the highest step of the podium, the #51 of Alessio Rovera/Robert Shwartzman/Nicklas Nielsen ahead of the #71 of Antonio Fuoco/Daniel Serra/Davide Rigon for 0.422 Seconds.
The podium was completed by the Porsche 911GT3 R(992) #96 Rutronik Racing of the Thomas Preinîng/Laurin Heiniich/Dennis Olsen crew.
Shortly before the end of the race, the #777 Mercedes-AMG Team Al-Manar, Luca Stolz/Fabian Schiller/Maro Engel, then in second position, was penalized by 5" on its race time for having caused contact with the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2 #63 of Iron Lynx from the crew Mirko Bortolotti/Andrea Caldarelli/Jordan Peppe at turn #4 in the first round.
Alberto di Folco/Aurélien Panis/Adam Eteki impose the Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II #9 - Boutsen VDS in the Gold Cup ahead of the Mercedes-AMG - Winward Racing #157 of Miklas Born/David Schumacher/Marius Zug and #57 of Russell Ward/Philip Ellis/Indy Dontje.
In the Silver Cup, Grasser Racing Team scored a double with the #58 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 of Gerhard Tweraser/Sam Neary/Fabrizio Crestani and Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 #85 - Glenn van Berlo/Clemens Schmid/Benjamin Hites, the latter being crowned in the class.
The #188 McLaren 720S GT3 EVO - Garage59 of Louis Prette/Miguel Ramos/Henrique Chaves wins the Bronze Cup, ahead of the #91 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) - Herberth Motorsport of Alfred Renauer/Robert Renauer/Ralf Bohn and the #44 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) - CLRT by Frédéric Makowiecki/Clément Mateu/Steven Palette
In Pro-Am the class victory goes to the Ferrari #38 - ST Racing with Rinaldi of Samantha Tan/Isaac Tutumlu Lopez/Lorcan Hanafin.
The 2023 Endurance Cup champions
Drivers
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Overall
1 : Timur Boguslavskiy/Jules Gounon/Raffaele Marciello 104 Pts
2 : Nick Yelloly/Philipp Eng/Marco Wittmann 77 Pts
3 : Maro Engel 61 Pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Bronze
1 : Eddie Cheever/Chris Froggatt/Jonathan Hui 92 Pts
2 : Arjun Maini/Hubert Haupt/Sébastien Baud 89 Pts
3 : Robert Renauer/Ralf Bohn 88 Pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Gold
1 : Nicolas Baert/Maxime Soulet 104 pts
2 : Max Hofer 94 Pts
3 : David Schumacher/Marius Zug/Miklas Born 88 Pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Pro-AM
1 : Ivan Jacoma/Niki Leutwiler/Alex Fontana 102 Pts
2 : Dennis Lind/Rob Collard 72 Pts
3 : Samantha Tan/Isaac Tutumlu Lopez 69 Pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Silver
1 : Glenn Van Berlo/Clemens Schmid/Benjamin Hites 116 Pts
2 : Loris Hezemans/Finlay Hutchison/Sam Dejonghe 100 Pts
3 : Lorenzo Patrese/Pietro Delli Guanti/Alex Aka 87 Pts
Team
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Overall
1 : Akkodis ASP Team/Mercedes-AMG GT3 108 Pts
2 : Rowe Racing/BMW M4 GT3 85 Pts
3 : GetSpeed/Mercedes-AMG GT3 65 pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Bronze
1 : SKY - Tempesta Racing/McLaren 720S GT3 EVO 96 pts
2 : Haupt Racing Team/Mercedes-AMG GT3 92 Pts
3 : Herberth Motorsport/Porsche 911 GT3 R 90 pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Gold
1 : ComToYou Racing/Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II 106 Pts
2 : Winward Racing/Mercedes-AMG GT3 106 Pts
3 : Boutsen VDS/Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II 83 pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Pro-AM
1 : Car Collection Motorsport/Porsche 911 GT3 R 109 Pts
2 : Barwell Motorsport/Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 82 Pts
3 : ST Racing with Rinaldi/Ferrari 488 GT3 78 pts
Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup Silver
1 : GRT-Grasser Racing Team/Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 138 Pts
2 : ComToYou Racing/Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II 106 Pts
3 : Tresor Attempto Racing/Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II 92 pts
To finish, some images from the meeting, with in particular a tribute to the work of the marshals.
A Valentino Rossi in communion with these fans despite leaving the track during his relay.
The Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS Endurance Cup season ends with this Spanish meeting, to be seen in 2024 with the Paul Ricard tests.
Based on Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS press report.