Mercedes-AMG factory drivers Jules Gounon and Maxi Götz will join Boutsen VDS for the 2024 Fanatec GT Europe Sprint Cup campaign, while the team's full-season Silver class crew has also been confirmed as Aurélien Panis, Cesar Gazeau and Roee Meyuhas.
The new Pro line-up follows the Belgian squad's switch from Audi to Mercedes-AMG, which has seen the Affalterbach marque place two of its leading talents with Boutsen VDS to share its #9 machine.
Widely considered to be among the best GT racers in the sport, Gounon has won the past two Fanatec GT Europe Endurance Cup titles in Mercedes-AMG machinery run by Akkodis ASP. The French-Andorran's stacked C.V. also includes two outright victories at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa and three at the REPCO Bathurst 12 Hour.
Götz was the Sprint Cup champion in 2014 and has also earned an outright win at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa (2013) and captured the DTM title (2021). This is set to be the German driver's first full Sprint campaign since he landed the title a decade ago. The all-factory pairing will be among the pre-season favourites, rivalling those already announced by Team WRT BMW and Rutronik Racing Porsche.
In the sister #10 Mercedes-AMG, Boutsen VDS has retained Panis, Gazeau and Meyuhas from its 2023 programme. They will contest the Silver Cup class in both Sprint and Endurance, with the French drivers teaming up for the full campaign and Meyuhas joining for the long-distance races.
Panis has been a Fanatec GT Europe regular since 2019 when he made his debut with the Tech1 Lexus squad. He subsequently drove Audi machinery for Saintéloc Racing and Boutsen VDS and will now get his first taste of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO.
Gazeau was the 2020 FFSA GT Am champion and made his Fanatec GT Europe bow with Saintéloc in 2022. The Frenchman scored a trio of Gold class podiums last term with Boutsen VDS. Meyuhas won the 2022 GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club title before and graduating to Fanatec GT Europe with Boutsen VDS.
The team will also field its #9 Mercedes-AMG in the Pro class of the Endurance Cup. Drivers for this programme are set to be announced shortly.
Photos courtesy of Curbstone