Victories for BMW and Mercedes at Brands Hatch
Text: Rick Kiewiet
Images: SRO
The 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe delivered thrilling races across two venues this weekend. At Brands Hatch, Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts kicked off their Sprint Cup campaign with a victory, while the second race saw Lucas Auer and Maro Engel secure a win for Winward Racing Team MANN-FILTER. The championship battle reached its peak at Zandvoort, where the Tresor Orange1 Audi team triumphed under dramatic conditions to claim the Sprint Cup title.
Race 1
Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts began their quest for a fourth Sprint Cup title in exceptional fashion with a flawless victory in the opening race at Brands Hatch. The #32 Team WRT BMW duo secured their 14th career win, showcasing a robust opening stint from Vanthoor, a rapid pit stop, and a composed finish from Weerts.
Their primary competition came from the #14 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari, which started from pole with Ben Green at the wheel. Green made a strong start and built an early lead, with Vanthoor initially struggling to pass second-place starter Mattia Drudi (#7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin). Vanthoor eventually overtook Drudi, but the battle for position remained intense until the pit stops. The #32 BMW emerged ahead after Team WRT executed the fastest stop of the race, granting Weerts crucial track position.
Weerts then fended off Konsta Lappalainen in the closing stages, navigating two safety car periods caused by incidents involving Comtoyou Racing. The first involved Nicolas Baert, who struck an advertising board, and the second was due to Mattise Lismont’s spin. Despite the interruptions, Weerts secured victory, with Lappalainen and Lucas Auer (#48 Winward Racing Team MANN-FILTER Mercedes-AMG) rounding out the podium.
Race 2
In the second race, Lucas Auer and Maro Engel secured a lights-to-flag win for the #48 Winward Racing Team MANN-FILTER Mercedes-AMG. Auer, who had previously secured pole just ahead of Gounon in the #9 Boutsen VDS Mercedes, built a significant gap early on, and Engel maintained the lead after the pit stops.
The race saw numerous close battles for positions, particularly for sixth place, where Valentino Rossi (#46 Team WRT BMW) and Tom Gamble (#159 Garage 59 McLaren) fought hard. Rossi ultimately retired due to a steering issue, but not before putting up a strong defense. Engel crossed the finish line 2.5 seconds ahead of Giacomo Altoè in the #69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari, with Maximilian Götz completing the podium for Boutsen VDS.
コメント