- Eight Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars in the Endurance Cup and four in the Sprint Cup
- Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing aims to defend six titles
- Stefan Wendl: “We are competing to be on the top in the end.”
Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing is entering the twelfth season of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS with a first-class team and driver line-up. The opening race will once again take place at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France, from 11 to 13 April.
A total of eight Mercedes-AMG GT3s, entered by four customer sports teams, will be represented in the six-hour race. The season comprises five Endurance Cup races and five Sprint Cup races. For Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, the aim is to defend at least six titles.
| No. | Team | Driver | Class |
| 3 | GetSpeed | Anthony Bartone (USA) Karol Basz (POL) Yannick Mettler (SUI) | Silver |
| 6 | GetSpeed | Colin Caresani (NED) Tanart Sathienthirakul (THA) Aaron Walker (GBR) | Silver |
| 9 | Boutsen VDS | Maximilian Götz (GER) Mikaël Grenier (CAN) Maxime Martin (BEL) | Pro |
| 10 | Boutsen VDS | Loris Cabirou (FRA) Cesar Gazeau (FRA) Aurélien Panis (FRA) | Silver |
| 17 | Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed | Jules Gounon (FRA) Fabian Schiller (GER) Luca Stolz (GER) | Pro |
| 48 | Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER | Lucas Auer (AUT) Matteo Cairoli (ITA) Maro Engel (GER) | Pro |
| 81 | Winward Racing | Marvin Dienst (GER) Rinat Salikhov (FIA) Gabriele Piana (ITA) | Bronze |
| 611 | Nordique Racing | Edoardo Liberati (ITA) Yuichi Nakayama (JPN) Kazuto Kotaka (JPN) | Pro |
Subject to changes at short notice
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup
The first round of the Sprint Cup will take place on 3 and 4 May at Brands Hatch. The 3.9-kilometre track south-east of London was also the first stop of the Sprint Cup in 2024. A total of four Mercedes-AMG GT3s from two different teams – Boutsen VDS and Winward Racing – will be on the grid. Further races will take place at Zandvoort (16 to 18 May), Misano (18 to 20 July), Magny-Cours (1 to 3 August) and Valencia (19 to 21 September). Lucas Auer and Maro Engel from Team Winward Racing will be aiming to defend their Sprint Cup title.
| No. | Team | Driver | Class |
| 9 | Boutsen VDS | Maxime Martin (BEL) Luca Stolz (GER) | Pro |
| 10 | Boutsen VDS | Cesar Gazeau (FRA) Aurélien Panis (FRA) | Silver |
| 48 | Winward Racing Team MANN-FILTER | Lucas Auer (AUT) Maro Engel (GER) | Pro |
| 81 | Winward Racing | Gabriele Piana (FIA) Rinat Salikhov (ITA) | Bronze |
Subject to changes at short notice
Figures, Data, Facts
| Information Circuit Paul Ricard:- Opening: 1970 – Track length: 5.771 km – Track characteristics: 13 corners (5 left, 8 right) |
| Successes GT World Challenge Europe 2024 – Overall drivers’ standings: 1st place Lucas Auer, Maro Engel – Drivers’ standings Overall Sprint Cup: 1st place Lucas Auer, Maro Engel – Silver Overall Drivers’ Championship: 1st place Cesar Gazeau, Aurélien Panis – Team classification Silver Overall: 1st place Boutsen VDS – Silver Endurance Cup drivers’ standings: 1st place Colin Caresani, Daan Arrow, Tanart Sathienthirakul – Silver Endurance Cup team classification: 1st place Winward Racing |
| Lucas Auer made his debut in the GT World Challenge in 2024 and won two titles straight away |
| Matteo Cairoli (ITA) will drive a Mercedes-AMG GT3 in a championship for the first time in 2025 |
| This is Jules Gounon’s tenth year in the GT World Challenge |
| Mercedes-AMG record at Paul Ricard in the GT World Challenge: 7 victories (1x Pro Cup, 4x Silver Cup, 2x Pro-Am Cup) |
| Paul Ricard kicks off the GT World Challenge Europe season for the second time in a row |
| In 2024, the season opener was a three-hour race, whereas in 2023 it was also a six-hour race |
| Paul Ricard 2024 three-hour race: Best-placed Mercedes-AMG GT3 in third place with Jules Gounon, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz |
Intercontinental GT World Challenge classification
For Mercedes-AMG, it is also about continuing the winning streak in the intercontinental GT World Challenge manufacturers’ championship. This classification comprises the race results of the GT World Challenge Europe as well as the GT World Challenge America, the GT World Challenge Asia and the GT World Challenge Australia. Mercedes-AMG has been able to bring this title to Affalterbach every year since the brand classification was introduced in 2019.
The foundation stone for the current season was laid last weekend in the GT World Challenge America: Mikaël Grenier (CAN) and Michai Stephens (USA) from Team JMF Motorsports won the first race in Sonoma, while Jeff Burton (USA) and Philip Ellis (SUI) from Team Regulator Racing won the second race. The GT World Challenge Australia kicks off next weekend in Phillip Island. The GT World Challenge Asia starts from 11 to 13 April at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
“We have once again been able to put together a very strong driver and team line-up for the GT World Challenge this year. I’m proud of that and the goal is clear: we want to give our customer teams the best possible support and at least defend the six titles we won last year. That will certainly not be easy in this highly competitive series. But at the end of the day, we are competing to be at the top.”
Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing
“I’m looking forward to the GT World Challenge races with Boutsen VDS. Our paths have crossed again and again for 19 years. We want to fight for victories and podium places together – everyone works very hard to achieve this. I am allowed to compete with the team in both championships. I think and hope that this is an advantage. The highlight is, of course, the 24-hour race at Spa. It’s the biggest GT race in the world, it’s the biggest race in the championship and it’s a Belgian race. As a Belgian driver with a Belgian team, I really want to win the race again.”
Maxime Martin, Boutsen VDS #9
“The Circuit Paul Ricard is only two hours away from my home. Every year, many family members, friends and fans come to this race to support me. The GT World Challenge is a great championship where the competition is really strong. 2025 is my tenth year in a row and it’s always great to be part of it. Fabi Schiller, Luca Stolz and I have a very good team spirit. We had a tough last year. But Team GetSpeed has put a lot of effort into preparing for the new season and I can’t wait to put it all into practice and finally see where we stand.”
Jules Gounon, Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed #17
“I’m really looking forward to my second full season in the GT World Challenge. We were a really strong team last year and delivered with the Overall and Sprint Cup titles. Nevertheless, we used the winter intensively, studied and analysed data and want to top it all again in 2025. With Matteo Cairoli, we have gained a top driver in the Endurance Cup and we are all really looking forward to the new season.”
Lucas Auer, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #48
“It’s a great feeling to start the season as defending champion. Nevertheless, all the points will be reset to zero and the competition for titles and trophies will start all over again. We will approach the whole thing down to earth again, with hard work and determination. The level in the GT World Challenge is once again extremely high, but we also have a very strong driver line-up. We want to compete for the title in all three competitions again this year. The Endurance Cup has the greatest potential for improvement.”
Maro Engel, Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER #4
