GT World Challenge Sprint Valencia 2025: Weerts and Van Der Linde, Champions

For the fourth time in its history, the GT World Challenge returned to the Levantine circuit after its absence in 2024, always in sprint format, having decided the title in 2022. For this year, Valencia closed the season, although there is one more event in Barcelona, albeit in Endurance Cup format.

All titles in all categories were decided at Ricardo Tormo. But focusing on the overall, up to six teams arrived with options to be crowned champions. The leaders with 72 points were Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Linde with their BMW M4 GT3 EVO from Team WRT, thanks to their victory in Zandvoort and four more podiums.

But just one and a half points behind were Marvin Kirchhöfer and Benjamin Goethe with their McLaren 720S GT3 from Garage 59, being the only ones with multiple victories in the year (Misano and Magny-Cours). With 63.5 points, in third place, were Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser with their Porsche 911 GT3R from Rutronik Racing, with the reigning champions Maro Engel and Lucas Auer just one point behind with their Mercedes-AMG GT4 EVO from Winward Racing.

Finally, with fewer options, Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler arrived with their Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 from Grasser Racing 20 points behind the leaders, while Alessio Rovera and Vincent Abril with their Ferrari 296 GT3 from AF Corse-Francorchamps Motors arrived with 27.5 points of difference from the leaders.

Obviously, the team champions title was also at stake, along with those of the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cup, which made Valencia a great festive finale on all fronts. In fact, with certain combinations, the title could be decided on Saturday in many cases.

On their part, in the GT2 European Series there was still the Barcelona event, but with certain results, the title could also be resolved in Valencia. The leaders, Bronek Formanek and Stefan Rosina with their Lamborghini Huracan Supertrofeo GT2 arrived with a 46-point lead over Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia in their Maserati GT2, which opened a door to resolution with two races left to run.

These were the main dishes of the weekend, but on track, the Porsche Carrera Cup France also joined, arriving very tight in its penultimate event, with Marcus Amand leading by eleven points over Paul Cauhaupe, followed by Mathys Jaubert, Marvin Klein, Louis Perrot, or Keegan Masters, usual names from the Supercup.

The Clio Series Cup would hold its antepenultimate event in Cheste, along with the Roow event, which combined concerts, track sessions, exhibitions, and drift, making the activity at Ricardo Tormo frantic throughout the weekend.

Saturday

Saturday opened, in the morning, with the qualifications of all competitions, giving way in the afternoon to the first races of each of them. And the activity was opened by the GTs at 9 in the morning with their two short sessions by groups.

After the two sessions, the pole was for the Ferrari 296 GT3 driven by Dennis Marschall, paired with Dustin Blattner, with a time of 1'30'9883, leaving the Porsche 911 GT3 driven by Bastian Buus in second place, 0'263 seconds behind, preventing the first Ferrari line, with the 296 GT3 of Eddie Cheever in third place, and Alessio Rovera fourth.

At 14:15, with the stands full and the temperature still very high summer, the first race of the weekend of the GT World Challenge Europe began. The poleman managed to maintain the first position, but chaos erupted behind.

Several crashes on the way to the second corner, a pile-up in the middle of the corner, and another in corner three of the circuit, caused the safety car to make an appearance. The most affected were the BMW of Charles Weerts#32 from Team WRT and the McLaren of Benjamin Goethe, both eliminated in different incidents.

After several laps, the race was restarted, with Marschall firm in first position and opening a gap with his pursuers. However, the obligation for bronze drivers to stop longer meant that the overall victory was decided further back. Of the different teams, which were running very close together, one came out ahead.

After the driver change stops, it was the Ferrari 296 GT3 from Emil Frey team with Max Verstappen at the wheel that took the lead with Chris Lulham behind the wheel. In fact, not only did he maintain the position, but he also increased his lead over the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Luca Engstler and Jordan Pepper, with the McLaren 720 GT3 Evo of Thomas Fleming and Louis Prette.

The race would end like this, with a resounding victory on track. However, midway through the race, there had been a 'full course yellow' period, during which the leader and other drivers did not maintain the established pace. This caused a penalty that relegated them to fourth place, giving the victory to Engstler and Pepper, and the podium to the Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO of Lucas Auer and Maro Engel.

In the case of the GT2 European Series, the pole position went to Philippe Prette's Maserati GT2, accompanied in the front row by Petr Lisa in his Mercedes-AMG. In the second qualification, the pole was for the other Maserati of Mauro Calamia and Roberto Pampanini.

The first race, at an hour like the GT World Challenge, took place at 16:50. Although the Mercedes tried to attack, the Maserati maintained the position. In fact, that attack caused the other Maserati to move into second, establishing a double for the trident brand.

Although Prette drove alone throughout the race, he maintained the position despite the progressive reduction of his lead after the other Maserati changed drivers, with Calamia at the wheel. But the victory was well secured, with the KTM of Homola and Mraz completing the podium.

The Porsche Carrera Cup France held its two qualifications for the two races. Both poles went to Mathys Jaubert, third in the championship, with leader Marcus Amand second and third in each session.

The first race was at 15:45, with a very clean race except for some touches at the start. Jaubert started perfectly and showed his best pace on the Valencia track, winning convincingly over Amand, who could not threaten him, and with Benjamin Paque in third place.

The day was closed by the Clio Cup Series at 18:20. The start was not very chaotic, but there were several touches and incidents during the race, typical of this promotional cup. The victory went to Anthony Jurado ahead of David Pouget and Gael Castelli.

Sunday

After the intense heat of Saturday and the large influx of public, everything was ready for Sunday to decide the overall champion of the GT World Challenge Sprint Cup at Ricardo Tormo. Again, at 9 in the morning, the category held the qualification for its race.

This time Jordan Pepper took the pole with his Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO with a 1'31'115, paired with Luca Engstler. This meant they depended on themselves to win the title: they just needed to finish first.

Two of their rivals were in the second row, with Marvin Kirchhöfer third in McLaren #59 and Kelvin van der Linde's BMW in fourth place, which left the race full of emotions and uncertainties. Not every day is there such an open championship.

At 14:45, between clouds and sun, with strong heat, the race started. Jordan Pepper maintained the advantage from the pole, while his title rival, Marvin Kirchhöfer, placed the McLaren in second position. Van der Linde, however, was running fourth.

An incident with the Ferrari of Lapplainen and Green in the second corner of the first lap caused the safety car. But in the restart, everything remained stable. Except that Van der Linde's BMW began to climb.

First to Panis's Mercedes, and then he approached the McLaren, in a three-way battle for the title. Pepper took advantage and opened a slight gap until the BMW got rid of the McLaren in the first corner. The goal was not only the lead but the championship.

The two South Africans, Pepper and Van der Linde, came together. And although it seemed that it would be decided in the pit stop, the BMW did not want to wait and passed just before the Lamborghini. After the pit stop, both maintained the same positions.

But little by little the BMW gained a slight cushion, just enough advantage. Enough to control the race and the championship, now with Weerts at the wheel. The Lamborghini, with Engstler at the controls, tried, but it was in vain.

As the hour passed, the pair formed by Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Linde won and achieved the Sprint championship of the GT World Challenge, with Engstler and Pepper in second place less than a second behind, and with Eddie Cheever and Marco Pulcini's Ferrari 296 completing the podium.

Prior to this excitement, there was also another opening the day at 10:25, with the GT2 Europe, which could also decide the championship. Philippe Prette, despite starting in fifth position on the grid, was going to star in a progressive comeback during the race.

At the start, it was the other Maserati of Calamia and Pampanini who took the lead, but they would end up retiring due to an accident while leading. This cleared the way for Pepper, who was already leading before the stop. No one bothered him, and with that, he won the race.

After him came Pirri in an Audi and Lisa and Rokos in a Mercedes. Pity for the Spanish pair, Nil Montserrat and De Martin, who ran on the podium for a good part of the race but ended up fourth.

On their part, in an agonizing finish due to mechanical problems, the Formanek-Rosina pair, in a Lamborghini, finished two laps behind the winner, last, but with that secured the Pro-Am title of the category.

After the GT2, it was the turn of the Porsche Carrera Cup France at 11:55. However, just before it started to rain, which caused the start to be delayed. In the confusion, and despite being light rain, wet tires were put on.

After two laps with the safety car, some stopped for slicks realizing that the track was not wet. The biggest beneficiary of this was the championship leader, Marcus Amand, who won decisively and widened his lead in the championship.

Closing the day at 16:15, the Clio Cup Series once again offered a great spectacle that saw Puccetti win over Milan and Castelli.

More than twenty thousand people passed through Cheste during the weekend to see Weerts achieve his fourth title of the Sprint Cup, and Van der Linde his first, while the WRT team won its eleventh title of the Sprint Cup. Now the Endurance championship remains to be resolved in Barcelona from October 10 to 12.

Fotos: Motor.es / José Miguel Vinuesa