GT World Challenge Europe returns to action next weekend (23-25 August), when the Sprint Cup takes on its penultimate round of the 2024 season at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.
The event will feature a packed programme totalling over nine hours of racing; it comes five weeks after the Sprint Cup’s previous outing at Hockenheim and will see the usual pair of one-hour races on Saturday and Sunday.
With 33 cars split across four competitive classes, it promises to be a crucial weekend in the fight for this year’s title.
#14 Emil Frey Racing, Ferrari 296 GT3: Konsta Lappalainen, Ben Green
Photo by: SRO
PRO: no favourites, title in critical phase
Magny-Cours marks the resumption of what has already been an epic battle between two heavyweight crews. Three-time series champions Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (#32 Team WRT BMW) have a slim lead over Maro Engel and Lucas Auer (#48 Winward Racing Team Mann-Filter Mercedes-AMG), with just two points separating the former from the latter heading into the French leg.
Emil Frey Racing has every intention of making this a three-way race. The #14 Ferrari of Ben Green and Konsta Lappalainen took a win at Hockenheim, edging out the #32 BMW and #48 Mercedes-AMG to secure a spot on the top step.
The #69 Ferrari of Giacomo Altoè and Thierry Vermeulen is also a potential winner and could be a crucial factor in the Swiss team’s championship aspirations.
These three teams took the top spot in the standings, although there were also some top-level performances among the other Pro competitors.
Benjamin Goethe and Tom Gamble have put together an excellent run of results in the #159 Garage 59 McLaren, scoring points in every race this season. They will be confident of their chances at Magny-Cours, which has been a happy hunting ground for the British manufacturer in the past.
In contrast, Tresor Attempto Racing has struggled to deliver results, despite often showing top speed with its #99 Audi. While the title seems out of reach, the team can still aim for podiums and race wins with its crew of Ricardo Feller and Alex Aka.
A second R8 will race in the Pro class at Magny-Cours, with Eastalent Racing making its first Sprint Cup outing since the previous Endurance round at the Nürburgring. Simon Reicher will partner the highly experienced Christopher Haase in the #84 Audi.
Comtoyou Racing achieved its best Sprint Cup result of the season at Hockenheim, thanks to the qualifying speed of Mattia Drudi and the racing ability shown by Nicolas Baert in the #7 Aston Martin.
Rutronik Racing has yet to produce a standout performance in a Sprint event, although the team’s recent Endurance Cup pole at the Nürburgring will be a boost to the #96 Porsche crew of Patric Niederhauser and Sven Müller.
The Pro field is completed by Boutsen VDS, who showed a strong pace with his crew of Jules Gounon and Maximilian Götz. Indeed, an increase in qualifying speed could make the #9 Mercedes-AMG a serious contender for victory at Magny-Cours.
Cars in pit lane
Photo by: SRO
BRONZE CUP: Century in control after Hockenheim
Century Motorsport has established itself as favourite for the Bronze Cup crown with an impressive double victory at Hockenheim. With reigning British GT champions Darren Leung and Dan Harper sharing the #991 BMW, the team has a winning combination.
The first rival is Sky Tempesta Racing, who have already managed to conquer the top step of the podium in the past. Jonathan Hui took two Pro-Am wins the last time he raced at Magny-Cours in 2020 and will hope to repeat that alongside Eddie Cheever III in the #93 Ferrari.
Barwell Motorsport is still in contention for the Bronze Cup title with the #78 Lamborghini, after Rob Collard and Sandy Mitchell secured a string of second-place finishes at Hockenheim. This trio of crews has pulled away from the pack, although there are plenty of other potential winners on the grid.
A second Barwell Motorsport Huracan sees Gabriel Rindone and Patrick Kujala share the #72 Lamborghini, while Imperiale Racing will field the same make of car for Dmitry Gvazava and Ugo De Wilde.
Tresor Attempto Racing will aim for its first Sprint Cup podium after the one achieved in Race 1 at Misano with Andrey Mukovoz and Dylan Pereira sharing the #66 Audi.
Rutronik Racing heads to France in high spirits after taking victory in the Bronze Cup at the last Endurance race at the Nürburgring. Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall will share the team’s #97 Porsche, while Schumacher CLRT will also field the 911 GT3 R of Frenchmen Stéphane Denoual and Steven Palette.
Garage 59 completes the Bronze Cup line-up with Miguel Ramos and Louis Prette sharing the #188 McLaren. The British squad has been fast all season but has yet to secure a class podium, something they will hope to do at a circuit where Ramos has twice celebrated Pro-Am victories.
#71 AF Corse, Ferrari 296 GT3: Eliseo Donno, Thomas Fleming
Photo by: SRO
All wide open in Gold Cup, WRT eyes Silver title
The battle for the Gold Cup title remains in the balance. Liqui-Moly Team Engstler by OneGroup took the lead with a commanding victory in Race 1, with Luca Engstler and Max Hofer also on the podium in Race 2. After racing a Lamborghini at Hockenheim, the German squad returns to Audi for this weekend’s event.
Engstler and Hofer have a narrow lead over Paul Evrard and Gilles Magnus, who will be hoping to extend Saintéloc Racing’s excellent record on French soil with the #25 Audi.
CSA Racing is also chasing a home win with its #111 Audi and can count on Simon Gachet – who triumphed at Magny-Cours in 2020 – and Lucas Légeret.
Tresor Attempto Racing entered the Gold Cup with the #88 Audi and secured the class win in Race 2 at Hockenheim with Lorenzo Patrese and Lorenzo Ferrari. They are not in the title fight, but the Italian duo could still play a role in the outcome.
Comtoyou Racing maintains its two-car assault on the Gold Cup, with Aston Martin works driver David Pittard sharing the #21 with Matisse Lismont, while James Jakes is joined by Sprint Cup newcomer Sebastian Øgaard in the #11.
In each of the title battles discussed so far, there is little to choose between the main contenders. However, that is not the case in the Silver Cup, where the #30 Team WRT outfit has taken a clear lead. Calan Williams and Sam De Haan have a 29.5-point advantage and a chance to take the class crown at Magny-Cours in their BMW.
Boutsen VDS is second after returning to the podium at Hockenheim. In addition, the #10 Mercedes-AMG duo of Cesar Gazeau and Aurélien Panis are well placed to take the class title this year.
The AF Corse Ferrari #71 of Eliseo Donno and Thomas Fleming demonstrated impressive speed, while the sister #52 of Jef Machiels and Sean Hudspeth was always among the protagonists.
Saintéloc Racing is the only other team to have scored multiple podiums in this period. The French squad should be in contention for more success with the #26 Audi, which remains in the hands of Ivan Klymenko and Marcus Paverud, while Comtoyou Racing will field the #12 Aston Martin of Lorens Lecertua and Dante Rappange.
Winward Racing has entered the #57 Mercedes-AMG for Reece Barr with a teammate to be confirmed, while Madpanda Motorsport will run an AMG GT3 for its return to the Silver Cup. The Argentine outfit will partner the experienced Ezequiel Perez Companc with recent Endurance debutant Tom Kalender to complete a competitive 33-car grid for the GTWC Europe trip to Magny-Cours.
#88 Tresor Attempto Racing, Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II: Lorenzo Ferrari, Lorenzo Patrese
Photo by: SRO
THE PROGRAM
Thursday, August 22nd
Test: 13;20 – 16;20
Friday 23rd August
Free Practice: 13;10 – 14;50
Pre-Qualifications: 20;25 – 21;25
Saturday 24th August
Qualifying 1: 14;25 – 14;35
Race 1: 20;15 – 21;15
Sunday 25th August
Qualifying 2: 9;10 – 9;20
Race 2: 14:45 – 15:45
#GTWC #Sprint #Cup #penultimate #MagnyCours
