We are now thirty-three rounds into the global GT World Challenge season, and the Manufacturers Championship has seen yet another plot twist. Following pivotal events at Fuji International Speedway, Misano World Circuit, VIRginia International Raceway, and of course the marquee CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, the leaderboard has been turned on its head once again.
With the second half of the year now underway, the momentum has shifted dramatically. Porsche has surged forward to tie BMW at the top of the global standings, both manufacturers sitting on 708 points apiece. After holding a steady lead through much of the season, BMW now finds itself in a deadlock with the resurgent Stuttgart marque. Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG remains well within striking distance, just 11 points adrift in third, underscoring just how little separates the world’s premier GT3 brands.
This year’s battle proves that every race counts and there is no room for error. With plenty of points still up for grabs across all continents, the final outcome is far from settled.
Porsche & BMW
Porsche’s charge to the top was fueled by a dominant weekend at VIR. After chipping away at it all season long, RS1’s Alex Sedgwick and Jan Heylen delivered a double victory in their No. 18 Porsche 911 GT3 R, marking their first wins and sweep of the year and collecting a massive 56-point haul for the manufacturer. The pair’s performance not only elevated Porsche in the global standings but also launched them to second in the Pro class title fight in GT World Challenge America.
BMW kept pace thanks to a flawless weekend from Turner Motorsport’s Justin Rothberg and Robby Foley, who also went two-for-two at VIR in the No. 29 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Their perfect performance extended Turner’s lead in the Pro-Am standings and delivered another vital boost to BMW’s championship campaign.
Additional points came from Random Vandals Racing, with Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi securing podiums in both races: P2 in Race 1 and P3 in Race 2 in the No. 99 BMW.
Mercedes-AMG
Though Mercedes-AMG slipped to third, the gap remains razor-thin. JMF Motorsports carried the flag for the brand in North America, with Michai Stephens and Mikael Grenier earning a pair of podium finishes in the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT3. Their Race 1 P3 and Race 2 P2 efforts kept Mercedes within 11 points of the leaders, maintaining pressure on the frontrunners.
Up Next
The battles will continue in Australia and Europe next, as GT World Challenge Australia makes its way to Sandown for rounds 7 and 8 from July 25th to 27th, while round 7 of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup championship is set to take place in Magny-Cours, France from August 1st to 3rd.
On the American front, the GT World Challenge America championship fight will resume at Road America from August 15th to 17th for rounds 9 and 10 of the season.