The season finale of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS was not for the faint-hearted. In the 6-hour Endurance Cup race in Jeddah (KSA), BMW M Team WRT narrowly missed the podium with both BMW M4 GT3s. The #32 car crossed the finish line under the floodlights in fourth place, closely followed by the #46 in fifth. In the team championship standings, BMW M Team WRT is crowned champion. In the Bronze Cup, the team secured a podium finish with the #30 BMW M4 GT3, taking second place after strong comebacks from a challenging qualifying session.
Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL), and Charles Weerts (BEL) had to fight their way forward from 24th on the grid in the #32 BMW M4 GT3. Thanks to a perfect strategy, the car was running in third place with 20 minutes remaining. However, the finish was highly turbulent following a restart after a safety car period. In the battle for the podium, debris got in front of the radiator, and Vanthoor ultimately dropped back. In the drivers’ standings of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, Vanthoor and Weerts finished the season in second place, just 2.5 points behind the leaders.
In the #46 BMW M4 GT3, Maxime Martin (BEL), Valentino Rossi (ITA), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) started from 23rd and, through clever strategy by BMW M Team WRT, even briefly took the lead. From there, they were in the mix for podium contention, ultimately finishing in fifth place after the dramatic closing stages.
The ROWE Racing #998 BMW M4 GT3, which had qualified best among the BMWs with 11th place, was also performing well in the race. The trio of Augusto Farfus (BRA), Max Hesse (GER), and Dan Harper (GBR) were in a strong position until Harper was hit heavily in the rear during a full course yellow period. Although Harper managed to bring the BMW M4 GT3, featuring the livery of BMW M Motorsport partner MultiBank Group, back to the pits, a damage in the chassis area meant a bitter, premature end to their race.
In the drivers’ standings of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, Vanthoor and Weerts finished the combined sprint and endurance season in second place, just 2.5 points behind the leaders. The team title decision remains pending as the results of a previous race have yet to be officially confirmed.
In the Bronze Cup, Jens Klingmann (GER), Ahmad Al Harthy (OMA), and Sam De Haan (GBR) also staged a comeback in the #30 BMW M4 GT3, starting from eighth place and finishing second on the podium after six thrilling hours of racing. Unfortunately, the Paradine Competition #991 BMW M4 GT3 from Century Motorsport retired after just one hour due to a technical defect while being driven by Toby Sowery (GBR). Sowery and his teammates Jake Dennis and Darren Leung (both GBR) had qualified third in the Bronze category. Leung, Harper and Paradine Competition had previously won the drivers’ and team titles in the Bronze category at the Barcelona (ESP) sprint finale.
Successes in the GT4 European Series.
At the GT4 European Series finale, also held in Jeddah over the weekend, BMW M Motorsport teams again had reasons to celebrate. Ricardo van der Ende (NED) and Benjamin Lessenes (BEL) claimed second place overall and in the Silver class in the second of two races with the #17 BMW M4 GT4 from L’Espace Bienvenue. They finished third in the final Silver class championship standings. Pedro Carvalho Ebrahim (BRA) from Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport earned the “Rookie of the Year” award. In the Am category, Antoni de Barn and Jean-Mathieu Leandri (both FRA) drove the #317 BMW M4 GT4 from Team Chazel Technologie Course to second place in their class in both races.
