GTWC – Victory for Rowe Racing’s #998 BMW M4 GT3 at Paul Ricard

Four different manufacturers in the top four positions, five of the top six, the opening round of the 2024 GT World Challenge Europe season was fiercely contested, but the No. The 998 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 still dominated its field thanks to Max Hesse, Dan. Harper and Augusto Farfus.

In the end, McLaren is the only manufacturer involved and is not in the top ten, which is tied with No. 64 Ford Mustang of Proton Racing, which we did not expect to have such a celebration.

With the return of the GT World Challenge Europe round in the 3-hour format in Var, many spectators present were not disappointed with the spectacle provided on the track. The 2024 Paul Ricard marks BMW’s 11th victory in the series, 1 more than Audi and 2 more than Porsche and Mercedes.

We knew that Max Hesse and Dan Harper were strong and powerful as ROWE Racing. Finally, it is Neil Verhagen, a regular partner in the tandem in recent years who will have regrets, who rode this year in the United States. At 40, Augusto Farfus opens his account in the series.

Starting from pole, the Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2/Iron Lynx of Mirko Bortolotti, Andrea Caldarelli and Matteo Cairoli had a good chance to play but the #63 trio could do nothing against the BMW’s burst of speed. Under the checkerboard, the gap is 13.5s. After a difficult year in 2023, Lamborghini is back in business.

The podium is completed by the Mercedes-AMG GT3/GetSpeed​​​​ of Jules Gounon, Luca Stolz and Fabian Schiller. Here too, the vmax of the AMG GT3 on the track did not help in trying to do it again after the success of 2023 for the Akkodis ASP.

In the WRT camp, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 of Maxime Martin, Raffael Marciello and Valentino Rossi failed to reach the podium. This 4th place is the best Endurance for the old bike rider. The #32 of Weerts, van der Linde and Vanthoor was quickly retired following contact with the #51 Ferrari 296 GT3/AF Corse.

The top 5 is completed by the Porsche 911 GT3 R/Rutronik Racing of Julien Andlauer, Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser.

In terms of good performances, we can mention the Audi R8 LMS GT3/Tresor Attempto Racing of Haase, Aka and Feller, starting 35th, and 6th down the scoreboard. What can we say about the Aston Martin Vantage GT3/Comtoyou Racing of Drudi, Sorensen and Thiim, which finished in a very good 7th place, ahead of the Porsche 911 GT3 R/Pure Rxcing driving the Bronze category driver.

The best classified Ferrari 296 GT3 is the #51 of AF Corse, 9th, the one shared by Pier Guidi, Rigon and Rovera, author of the best start to the race.

The exclusive Ford Mustang GT3 could have expected a first-time hit in the series, but the trio of Vervisch, Olsen and Mies did better than hold their own by earning a place in the top 10.

Apart from the #32 BMW M4 GT3/WRT crew, the other three can bite their toes. First there is the Lamborghini Huracan GT3/GRT of Perera, Mapelli and Engelhart who were caught on the first lap, and who eventually finished 11th. Another BMW M4 GT3/ROWE, #98 of Yelloly, Wittmann and Eng, which could have played for victory, suffered a refueling problem in its final stint, resulting in an extra pit stop and a 12th place finish. Let’s not forget the Porsche 911 GT3 R/Schumacher CLRT of Güven, Boccolacci and Heinrich, which was fighting for the win, but had to stop to clear a stuck cable on the #22 that finished 14th. The French team was there for its first Pro Endurance race.

The only brand stuck in this first meeting of 2024 is therefore McLaren with a best result of 38th place with the #188 of Smalley, Cottingham and Prette.

The Gold Cup victory went to the Audi R8 LMS GT3/Saintéloc Racing of Paul Evrard, Jim Pla and Gilles Magnus after a very good race (13th overall). The #25 trio finished ahead of the Mercedes-AMG GT3/AlManar and GetSpeed ​​​​​​​​and the Audi R8 LMS GT3/CSA Racing of Rougier, Carton and Eteki.

Winward Racing continues its winning streak in 2024 with victory in the Silver Cup for the #57 of Sathienthirakul, Arrow and Caresani, ahead of the Mercedes/Boutsen VDS of Panis, Gazeau and Meyuhas. Third place for Madpanda Motorsport, which gives us a hat-trick for Mercedes-AMG in the Silver Cup.

As for the Bronze Cup, Kessel Racing’s victory is thanks to the Ferrari 296 GT3 of Nicolo Schiro, Nicolo Rosi and David Fumanelli, ahead of another Ferrari, that of AF Corse driven by Bertolini, the father and son of Machiels. Comtoyou Racing starts its campaign with Aston Martin with the class podium of van Uitert, Pauwels and John De Wilde.

The race was abandoned four times, twice for dirt on the track, once for problems with a bridge fire and once for a hot start in the #34 Aston Martin/Walkenhorst.

The next Endurance meeting will be the 24 Hours of Spa at the end of June with 70 GT3s expected for the centenary edition.

Race classification is HERE