A total of twenty rounds have elapsed across the global GT World Challenge series, and the Manufacturers Championship has been more intense than ever. The latest events in Zandvoort and Sebring saw the points battle reach new heights.
While BMW consistently held the top spot throughout each weekend, the double header saw Mercedes-AMG close the gap, and now both are tied at 465 points apiece. While the American branch heads into their summer break before returning in July, a string of major races across Europe, Asia, and Australia, could see the tables turn. Additionally, with Porsche following in third at 427 points, they remain well within striking distance to the leaders, and everything could change in the blink of an eye.
With powerhouse events such the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa just around the corner, teams, drivers, and manufacturers alike all know that there’s a lot on the line.
BMW and Mercedes-AMG
The fight between the two German manufacturers has been utterly thrilling, and with both brands sitting on equal points, there is no room for error on either side. Sebring International Raceway proved to be an exceptionally strong venue for BMW in particular.
Random Vandals Racing were the stars of the show, with Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi sweeping the weekend in the Pro class with the No. 99 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. In Race 1, they were also joined on the podium by fellow RVR teammates Varun Choksey and Bill Auberlen in the sister No. 51 entry.
Additionally, in the Pro-Am class, Turner Motorsport also had a strong weekend, with Justin Rothberg and Robby Foley co-driving their No. 51 machine to third place in Race 1, and followed it up with a victory in Race 2.
In total, BMW scored 77 points across the Sebring event, in comparison to 45 points for Mercedes-AMG. Regulator Racing were the main contributors to this points haul, as Jeff Burton and Philip Ellis earned back-to-back second place results in the Pro-Am class on board the No. 91 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Meanwhile, JMF Motorsports’ Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier completed the podium in Race 2 in the Pro class.
Porsche
Porsche has also joined the fight with the frontrunners, narrowing the gap to 38 points in the global championship.
RS1’s Alex Sedgwick and Jan Heylen have shown their consistency, powering the No. 18 Porsche 992 GT3 R to two consecutive second place finishes in the Pro category, greatly contributing to the total of 46 points scored by the manufacturer in Florida.
Up Next
The battles will continue across Europe, Asia, and Australia:
- Round 4, GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, Monza, Italy: May 30th - June 1st
- Rounds 5 & 6 GT World Challenge Asia, Chang International Circuit, Thailand: May 30th - June 1st
- Rounds 5 & 6 GT World Challenge Australia, Queensland Raceway: May 30th - June 1st
- CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium: June 25th - 29th
- Rounds 7 & 8 GT World Challenge Asia, Fuji International Speedway, Japan: July 11th - 13th
On the American front, the GT World Challenge America championship fight will resume at VIRginia International Raceway from July 18th to 20th for rounds 7 and 8 of the season.