Sprint cup title fight will go to the wire: WRT and Winward win at Magny-Cours
Text: Rick Kiewiet
Images: SRO
The 2024 Sprint cup title will be decided during the final race at Catalunya mid-October. Only two points split leaders. Saturday's winners Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts lead the championship in the #32 WRT BMW with 101,5 points, with Sunday's winners Maro Engel and Lucas Auer in the #48 Winward Mercedes only 2 points behind.
Race 1
The opening race of the weekend at Magny-Cours saw Team WRT’s #32 BMW M4 GT3 emerge as the victor, capitalizing on a post-race penalty awarded to Rutronik Racing’s #96 Porsche. Initially crossing the line in first, the Porsche, driven by Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser, was penalized for an unsafe release during their mid-race pit stop, which ultimately dropped it to third place.
The race unfolded under the night sky, with the #14 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari starting from pole position. Ben Green led the charge but quickly came under pressure from Dan Harper in the #991 Century Motorsport BMW. Vanthoor, starting in sixth, made an impressive move early on, swiftly advancing to third place.
As the race progressed, Vanthoor overtook Harper and set his sights on Green. With 20 minutes remaining, Vanthoor seized the lead after an intense battle, despite Green's efforts to defend. Unfortunately for Green, contact with Harper sent him into the gravel, effectively ending his podium hopes.
Vanthoor’s early pit stop allowed Charles Weerts to maintain the lead as the second half of the race unfolded. However, Niederhauser soon found his rhythm and mounted a challenge for the lead. Weerts fended off initial attempts but ultimately lost the position after a well-executed move by Niederhauser.
In the final classification, WRT was declared the winner after the penalty reshuffle, with Winward Racing’s #48 Mercedes-AMG securing second place. The podium was rounded out by the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari in fourth.
Race 2
The second race on Sunday proved equally thrilling, with Winward Racing Team Mann-Filter taking the overall victory. The #48 Mercedes-AMG, driven by Lucas Auer and Maro Engel, finished just half a second ahead of the #32 BMW shared by Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts, narrowing the championship gap to a mere two points ahead of the season finale.
The 60-minute contest kicked off with pole-sitter Jules Gounon in the #9 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG leading the pack. However, an early incident involving the #6 Liqui-Moly Team Engstler by OneGroup Audi and the #14 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari necessitated a Safety Car deployment. Gounon maintained control during the restart, while Weerts held fourth position.
Auer and Engel strategically pitted early, enabling them to leap ahead. Auer swiftly closed the gap to Maxi Götz in the #9 Mercedes-AMG and launched an attack for the lead, successfully taking it after a fierce battle.
As the race neared its conclusion, Vanthoor pressed Auer hard, setting the fastest lap in pursuit of the Mercedes-AMG. Despite his efforts, Auer managed to extend his lead slightly and took the chequered flag to claim his third Sprint Cup victory of the season.
Tresor Attempto Racing clinched a commendable fourth place overall, securing their fourth consecutive Gold Cup win. The #88 Audi, driven by Lorenzo Patrese and Lorenzo Ferrari, showcased impressive performance, while AF Corse’s Ferrari won the Silver Cup.
The #97 Rutronik Racing Porsche captured the Bronze Cup victory, demonstrating strong teamwork and strategy.
With both races at Magny-Cours highlighting the intense competition in the championship, all eyes are now set on the decisive finale at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where the title fight will reach its climax on October 11-13.
