Mercedes-AMG, McLaren and Aston Martin at Monza

SRO

Jun 2

The BoP looks rather good for round three of the GT World Challenge Europe – Endurance Cup season as four different manufacturers are in the top four of the second round at Monza with Mercedes-AMG win, McLaren in P2, Aston Martin in P3 and BMW in P4. The Ferrari 296 GT3s it’ll need a new setting as the first Ferrari was lacking of speed in the long straights.

📷 © Courtesy of SRO. 3 Hours of Monza overall podium with Auer-Cairoli-Engel (center), Kirchhöfer-Loake-Goethe (left), Sorensen-Drudi-Thiim (right)

The #48 Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO of Winward Racing Team MANN-Filter triumphs with Matteo Cairoli, Lucas Auer and Maro Engel. Behind the iconic “Mamba” Marvin Kirchhöfer/Joseph Loake/Benjamin Goethe in the #59 McLaren of Garage 59 and Nicki in the #7 Aston Martin of ComToYou Racing complete the podium.

Mercedes-AMG win

First race win for Mercedes-AMG since 13 years of racing at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza for Mateo Cairoli’s birthday who drove the #48 Mann-Filter Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Lucas Auer and Maro Engel with a 16 seconds margin.

Starting from pole with Jules Gounon (GetSpeed #17) lead the pack with Mirko Bortolotti and the Lamborghini of GRT – Grasser Racing Team #163 overtaking Maro Engel (Winward Team MANN-Filter Mercedes #48). At the end of the first stint, everyone rushed to the pits with the Mercedes #17 leadingf the AMG GT3 EVO #48 and the McLaren #58 Garage 59.

📷 © Courtesy of SRO. Jules Gounon leads the pack ahead of turn 1.

Matteo Cairoli, at the wheel of the #48 Mercedes, took advantage of a caution to take the lead from the #17, preceding the #7 Aston Martin of ComToYou Racing of Marco Sørensen. #17 had to retire after a wheel was not correctly fixed during the last pit stop enabling Luca Auer to take the lead and control a 16 seconds margin over Joseph Loake and the #59 McLaren of Garage 59 until the checkered flag.

📷 © Courtesy of SRO. Winning Winward Racing #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3

McLaren of Garage 59 and Comtoyou Aston Martin on podium

McLaren finished as runner-up, securing an overall Endurance Cup podium for the first time in seven years thanks to the #59 Garage 59 line-up of Kirchhöfer/Goethe/Loake. Aston Martin made it two British brands in the top three with defending CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa winners Drudi/Sørensen/Thiim in the #7 Comtoyou Racing car.

📷 © Courtesy of SRO. Left: #59 McLaren of Garage 59 second and #007 Comtoyou Aston Martin Vantage GT3 third.

BMW fourth and fifth overall with two class wins

Fourth overall and Gold Cup for AlManar Racing by WRT

BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann, alongside Al Faisal Al Zubair and Ben Tuck, triumphed in the Gold Cup.

Klingmann, Al Faisal Al Zubair, and Tuck started the three-hour Monza race from seventh place in the Gold Cup. A strong strategy brought the #777 BMW M4 GT3 EVO into the lead after about an hour and a half, a position the trio never relinquished. Klingmann secured fourth place overall and a commanding class victory – a reason to celebrate once again after his overall win last year. For AlManar Racing by WRT, this marked their second podium finish in as many Endurance Cup races; the trio finished third in the Le Castellet season opener

Weerts - van der Linde with Team WRT fourth in Pro Cup maintain overall lead in both the drivers' and team standings.

Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Linde, together with Ugo de Wilde for Team WRT, finished fourth in the Pro Cup, maintaining their overall lead in both the drivers' and team standings. Weerts, van der Linde, and de Wilde fought their way from eleventh on the grid to fifth overall despite two five-second time penalties. With fourth place in the Pro Cup, the trio also collected important points for the overall standings. In addition to the drivers' standings for Weerts and van der Linde, Team WRT, which won the season opener at Le Castellet, also defended its lead in the team standings.

Ugo de Wilde (#32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, 4th place Pro Cup): "I think we achieved the maximum possible for us today with a trouble-free race. The goal was to score as many points as possible for the overall standings, and we succeeded. But both we as a team and I personally still have room for improvement. That’s good news as we look ahead to the season highlight at Spa-Francorchamps."

BMW M4 GT3 1-2 in Silver Cup

In the Silver Cup, Century Motorsport and Team WRT delivered a thrilling battle for the class victory in the final stages at Monza. In the internal BMW M Motorsport duel, Jarrod Waberski, William Moore, and Mex Jansen in the #42 BMW M4 GT3 EVO ultimately came out on top. Behind them, Etienne Cheli, Gustav Bergström, and Gilles Stadsbader in the #30 BMW M4 GT3 EVO completed the one-two finish.

Mex Jansen (#42 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Century Motorsport, 1st place Silver Cup): "I think that was the most intense race of my career. It was incredibly hot in the car, but I’m glad I could bring the winner’s trophy home for the team. Many thanks to Century Motorsport and my co-drivers. A fantastic day!" Source: BMW Group

Porsche 6th overall and Bronze class win

#22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) driven by Ayhancan Güven, Morris Schuring and Larry ten Voorde ends sixth overall.

Loek Hartog made it two exhausted Dutch drivers after combining with Antares Au to secure the Bronze Cup win for Rutronik Racing, the two-driver crew finishing a fantastic 11th overall "This is my first time at Monza and my first season in GT World Challenge Europe," said a delighted Au. "I have a great team and a great co-driver."