The first titles of the season in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS have been awarded – and BMW M Motorsport drivers played the leading roles. At the Sprint Cup season finale at Barcelona, Calan Williams and Team WRT celebrated winning the title in the Silver Cup with the #30 BMW M4 GT3. In the Bronze Cup, the title went to BMW M works driver Dan Harper and Darren Leung in the Paradine Competition #991 BMW M4 GT3 entered by Century Motorsport. Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts battled in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 for the crown in the Pro-Cup standings of the Sprint Cup but ultimately had to settle for second place. However, the duo defended their lead in the overall GT World Challenge Europe standings from the Sprint and Endurance Cup.
Vanthoor and Weerts, like all BMW M Motorsport teams and drivers, struggled throughout the weekend on the Barcelona track. On Saturday, heavy rain made a regular race almost impossible. Only a few minutes were driven, but Team WRT still managed to significantly advance its two vehicles thanks to great pit stops. Weerts and Vanthoor finished ninth overall, while Williams and Sean Gelael, who replaced Sam de Haan in Barcelona, took fifth place in the Silver Cup. On Sunday, the #32 BMW M4 GT3 finished seventh, while Williams and Gelael were able to celebrate second place on the Silver Cup podium, thus securing the drivers' title for Williams and the team title for WRT. The Pit Stop Challenge title also went to Team WRT – for the eighth time in eleven years.
In the Bronze Cup, the drivers' and team titles went to Harper, Leung, and Paradine Competition after finishing second and third in the two Barcelona races. The same combination won the title in the British GT Championship the previous year.
Following the conclusion of the Sprint Cup season, the grand finale of the Endurance Cup in Jeddah is scheduled for the last weekend in November. There, Vanthoor, Weerts, and Team WRT will battle for the title in the overall GT World Challenge Europe standings from the Sprint and Endurance Cup. After the races at Barcelona, their lead over the Sprint Cup champions Maro Engel and Lucas Auer is seven points.
We fought until the end with car #32 but unfortunately we ended up second in the championship. But that is the game. I am very happy for car #30, although I am very sad for Sam for not being with us and celebrate this championship in Silver Class alongside Calan. But I am very happy about the teamwork over this weekend, which was a really difficult one.
Driver statements:
Charles Weerts (#32 BMW M4 GT3, Team WRT): “It has been a difficult weekend overall. To come here with a two point lead and leave with a ten point deficit is not what we were expecting. As soon as we drove on Friday we knew it would be a tough weekend. We didn’t really have a chance to fight for the title which is a big shame but the weekend shouldn’t overshadow a great season overall by the whole crew, by BMW M Motorsport and Dries. I would like to thank them for an overall amazing season. And congratulations to the #48 crew of Mercedes for the great effort and for the good fight they gave us until Barcelona. And now we move on, we learn and try again our best in the next race.“
Calan Williams (#30 BMW M4 GT3, Team WRT): “It is a really great way to end the weekend. Obviously taking the Silver Cup drivers and teams championship is exactly what we came here to do this weekend. Sean did a mega job, coming here last minute and keeping a train of competing cars behind in the second stint. That was exactly what we needed him to do. A massive thanks to Sean for stepping up. Obviously, we are all thinking of Sam and wishing him and his family all the best. I am sure he would have performed just as well if he was here. And a huge thank you to the whole team for a mega season.“
Dan Harper (#991 BMW M4 GT3, Paradine Competition): “To be back-to-back champions, last year in the British GT and now in the Sprint Cup, we are over the moon for the whole team. It is amazing for everybody. I am just so happy. It has been a tough year, the Bronze Class has been so strong. It has not been easy. But we gathered up the points when we needed to. And now we are champions and that is brilliant.”