Preview: Endurance cup finale at Catalunya

Text: Rick Kiewiet

Images: SRO

The 2025 GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS season concludes next weekend with a three-hour Endurance Cup race at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, bringing the curtain down on a 10-round campaign that began six months ago at Circuit Paul Ricard. A record 60-car field will contest the final, the biggest grid the series has ever brought to the Spanish track since the event’s debut in 2016, with titles across all classes and full-season honours still up for grabs.

Pro: Three-way showdown for overall and Endurance Cup glory

Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter arrives in Spain as the Pro class leader, with Maro Engel, Lucas Auer and Mauro Cairoli holding a slender advantage following a win at Monza and second place at the Nürburgring. Their rivals are close behind: the Rutronik Racing Porsche crew of Patric Niederhauser, Sven Müller and Michael Picariello sit five points back, buoyed by three podiums this season including second at Spa, while Team WRT’s BMW trio of Charles Weerts, Kelvin van der Linde and Dries Van de Wilde remain in contention, 17 points off the lead.

Outside shots include Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler in the #63 Grasser Racing Lamborghini, aiming to add Barcelona glory to their Spa 24 Hours triumph, with Mirko Bortolotti supporting the bid. Beyond the title protagonists, the Pro field features 17 competitive entries, including ROWE Racing’s BMW, HRT Ford Performance, multiple Mercedes-AMGs from Boutsen VDS, GetSpeed and Nordique Racing, Aston Martins from Comtoyou and Walkenhorst, Garage 59’s McLaren, a VSR Lamborghini, and AF Corse with two Ferraris. Notably, the #51 296 GT3 will be piloted by factory Ferrari driver Yifei Ye, winner of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, replacing Alessandro Pier Guidi for the finale alongside Vincent Abril and Alessio Rovera. Ye’s experience in the 296 GT3 and Le Mans-winning pedigree make him a potential game-changer in the battle for Pro honours.

Gold: Verstappen.com Racing looking to close the deal

After a post-race penalty at the Nürburgring denied victory, Verstappen.com Racing still leads the Gold Cup heading into Barcelona, 16 points clear. Thierry Vermeulen, Chris Lulham and Max King will aim to finish what they started, but they will face pressure from #777 AlManar Racing by WRT (Al Zubair/Klingmann/Tuck) and CSA Racing’s #111 McLaren crew (Simon Gachet, Alexis Rougier, Sean Kell). Optimum Motorsport, Team RJN, Garage 59, Tresor Attempto Racing and Paul Motorsport complete the Gold Cup line-up, ensuring a tightly contested class battle in Spain.

Silver: Century Motorsport on the brink of title glory

The Silver Cup title could well be decided in the 3 Hours of Barcelona, with Century Motorsport’s trio of Benjamin Jansen, Matthew Moore and Florian Waberski 18 points ahead of the #10 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG of Aurélien Panis, Cesar Gazeau and Simon Cabirou. Paradine Competition (#992 BMW) retains a long-shot opportunity but faces a 21-point deficit. The class will feature a record 19-car grid, matching the largest Silver Cup field in series history, including entries from BMW, Mercedes-AMG, McLaren, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Audi, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford and Porsche, plus Greystone GT making its series debut in the #77 McLaren. The depth of the field ensures a fiercely competitive finale, with both class honours and full-season titles at stake.

Bronze: Kessel Racing aiming to complete a clean sweep

Kessel Racing enters Barcelona with a 21-point advantage in the Bronze Cup and a chance to cap a remarkable 2025 by securing the Sprint Cup, full-season and Endurance Cup titles. Dustin Blattner, Dennis Marschall and Conrad Laursen will defend their lead, while the #81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG (Salikhov/Piana/Dienst) remain the only realistic threat, requiring a victory in Spain to stay in contention. Other Bronze Cup challengers include additional Ferraris from Kessel and Ziggo Sport Tempesta, Porsche squads including UNX Racing fortified by Bastian Buus, a trio of Audis, BMW entries, Comtoyou Racing’s Aston Martin and 2 Seas Motorsport with its Mercedes-AMG. The class promises tight, strategic racing as the championship finale unfolds.