The Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS grid is taking shape after several teams confirmed their driver line-ups for the 2021 campaign.
The majority of this season's challengers are currently at Circuit Paul Ricard preparing for the year ahead. Entry lists for the Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup were released on Thursday, prompting a number of entrants to reveal their plans.
Toksport WRT has expanded its efforts for what will be the German squad's second season in the series, with two cars confirmed for the Sprint Cup and another undertaking an Endurance programme.
The #7 Mercedes-AMG will run the full schedule in the Silver Cup class. Oscar Tunjo is retained following a number of impressive showings in 2020 and will once again pair up with Juuso Puhakka at Sprint Cup events. In the Endurance Cup, the Colombian will share with Paul Petit and Marvin Dienst.
Toksport WRT will also field a Pro car in the Sprint Cup, with Mercedes-AMG factory drivers Maro Engel and Luca Stolz sharing the wheel of the #6 machine. The German duo have already committed to an Endurance campaign with rival squad HRT and, with their additional Sprint Cup duties, will be contending for the overall series title with two different teams.
Aston Martin squad Garage 59 announced its driver plans on Friday morning, revealing a full-season programme with two cars. Alexander West and Jonny Adam will anchor the #188 Pro-Am crew at Sprint and Endurance rounds. They will be joined for the Endurance Cup by Chris Goodwin, maintaining the line-up that led Garage 59 to last year's class title.
The British outfit will also field a full-season Silver Cup car. Nicolai Kjærgaard will contest all 10 events in the #188 Aston Martin after making the switch from Team Parker's Bentley programme. He will be joined at Sprint Cup events Tuomas Tujula, who brings considerable experience from his spells in Lamborghini Super Trofeo and Italian GT.
In the Endurance Cup, the Silver crew will see Kjærgaard joined by established Garage 59 driver Valentin Hasse-Clot and newcomer Alex MacDowall. The latter is the reigning Silver champion in the Endurance Cup, having triumphed as part of the Barwell Motorsports squad last term.
Allied-Racing will make its Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS debut this year with a Porsche 911 GT3-R. Team boss Jan Kasperlik will be joined by youngster Nicolas Schöll in a full-season Pro-Am entry, with Julien Apothéloz completing their crew at Endurance Cup events. Kasperlik and his team will graduate to GT3 competition after taking last year's GT4 European Series title in the Pro-Am class and are one of two squads that will compete full-time with Porsche machinery this year.
Saintéloc Racing revealed its full plans on the eve of the test days. The long-standing Audi squad will field a pair of Pro entries at all 10 events with a variety of drivers sharing the wheel, including established Audi stars Christopher Haase, Frédéric Vervisch and Markus Winkelhock.
Walkenhorst confirmed its plans to return to the Endurance Cup during the opening day of running. The BMW squad will field factory drivers Sheldon van der Linde and Marco Wittmann alongside David Pittard in the #34 M6 GT3, while Timo Glock and Martin Tomczyk will be joined by rising star Thomas Neubauer in the #35 machine.
The official test days continue today (Friday 26 March), concluding at 17.00 CET. The 2021 season begins at Monza, which stages the Endurance Cup season opener on 16-18 April.