Team WRT has confirmed its full line-up for the 2023 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS season, adding two more BMW M4 GT3 entries to contest the 10-round championship.
Having announced its #32 and #46 crews in December, the Belgian squad has now finalised the composition of its #30 and #31 machines. Team WRT will therefore launch a four-car assault in its first season competing with BMW.
The #30 car will contest the full championship in the Gold Cup class. Niklas Krütten and Calan Williams will share driving duties in the Fanatec GT Sprint Cup, while Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer completes their trio at Endurance events.
Krütten and Williams are both set for their series debuts, though the former has experience with the M4 GT3 in the NLS and ADAC GT Masters. Williams is new to GT racing, graduating from three years on the F1 support package in FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3.
Simmenauer remains with Team WRT after earning Silver class honours at last year's CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and in the Fanatec GT Endurance Cup. The Frenchman will also contest this season's Fanatec GT Sprint Cup, shifting to the #31 car alongside fellow countryman Thomas Neubauer.
Neubauer enters his second season with Team WRT after a breakout 2022 in which he secured two Silver class titles and CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa glory. The Frenchman is no stranger to BMW machinery having run the 2021 Fanatec GT Endurance Cup with ROWE Racing, albeit in the Bavarian marque's M6 model.
The #31 is set for a split programme this term, with its Fanatec GT Endurance Cup line-up consisting of Tim Whale, Lewis Proctor and Adam Carroll. The British trio will compete for Bronze Cup honours in a Gettrx branded entry.
Proctor remains with the team after running the Endurance schedule last term, while Whale and Carroll step up from the GT4 European Series. Carroll comes with vast experience across a wide variety of series and will return to Team WRT more than a decade after subbing for Stéphane Ortelli in an FIA GT Championship race at Donington Park in 2012.
“I am very happy to add two great line-ups to Team WRT’s entry for Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS. We will be fighting in different classes, which is great, and we are ready to take up the challenge against very strong competition," commented team principal Vincent Vosse.
"As always, we have mixed youth and experience, with talent as a common denominator. I’m happy to welcome to the team Calan and Niklas, whose experience with the BMW M4 GT3 gathered last year will be very helpful. I am also very happy to see Thomas and Jean-Baptiste continuing with us and going into the Pro class.
"Equally nice is to have Lewis staying and to welcome Tim and Adam, who have done a great job in GT4 together. Tim has already successfully debuted with us in Dubai and probably few remember that also Adam, who did one fruitful appearance with Team WRT in the past."
Team WRT will join its rivals at the official Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS test days, which take place next week at Circuit Paul Ricard (7-8 March). The Endurance season launches at Monza on 21-23 April, while the Sprint campaign gets under way at Brands Hatch on 13-14 May.
Full line-ups
#30 – Niklas Krütten & Calan Williams (full season) & Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (Endurance)
#31 – Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer & Thomas Neubauer (Sprint) & Tim Whale, Lewis Proctor & Adam Carroll (Endurance)
#32 – Dries Vanthoor & Charles Weerts (full season) & Sheldon van der Linde (Endurance)
#46 – Valentino Rossi & Maxime Martin (full season) & Augusto Farfus (Endurance)