• Superb 30-car grid confirmed for opening Sprint Cup encounter of 2025
• More variety than ever with 10 different brands represented
• Three classes to contest opening event, Bronze Cup set to join at Zandvoort
ENTRY LIST: BRANDS HATCH
The GT World Challenge powered by AWS Sprint Cup begins a new season of competition next weekend (3/4 May) when a 30-car field will take the plunge into Paddock Hill Bend for the opening round at Brands Hatch.
The popular British venue will play host to 10 distinguished brands, establishing a new record for the Sprint Cup, while the 30-car grid will be the biggest seen at the Kent circuit since 2017. This is despite the Bronze Cup class skipping the event due to limited space, instead beginning its campaign next time out at Zandvoort.
The Brands Hatch entry list looks more competitive than ever, with Pro crews featuring some of the world’s leading sportscar racers and a host of talented drivers competing in the Gold Cup and Silver Cup classes. Fans watching at the circuit and at home have plenty to look forward to, with a pair of 60-minute contests on Sunday launching the new Sprint season.
PRO: Old rivals and new challengers among stacked Pro field
The battle for overall Sprint Cup glory looks set to be fiercely contested this year. The line-up to beat is Maro Engel and Lucas Auer, who delivered a near-perfect 2024 season and will defend their drivers' title aboard the #48 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG. Boutsen VDS will also field the same car as it looks to build upon an impressive 2024 campaign, pairing Maximilian Götz with Maxime Martin in the #9 machine.
Team WRT is the defending teams' champion and among the leading candidates to secure more success in 2025. The flagship #32 BMW has a new line-up for the first time since 2019, with Kelvin van der Linde joining three-time Sprint Cup champion Charles Weerts. Victory in the opening Endurance Cup round at Circuit Paul Ricard should ensure even greater confidence within the ranks.
Ferrari has never won an overall Sprint Cup crown, but it has a fantastic chance this year as AF Corse Francorchamps Motors enters two Pro cars. The #50 will be shared by Arthur Leclerc and Thomas Neubauer, while the #51 combines 2015 Sprint Cup champion Vincent Abril with reigning Endurance champion Alessio Rovera. Emil Frey Racing will also field a Pro line-up aboard its #14 Ferrari as Ben Green and Konsta Lappalainen look to follow up their excellent 2024 campaign.
Rutronik Racing brings another stable line-up as Porsche works drivers Patric Niederhauser and Sven Müller return aboard the #96 machine (below). Grasser Racing has launched its first Pro campaign in Sprint since 2019 and should be a contender with Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler sharing the #63 Lamborghini, while Barwell Motorsport will also field a Huracán for British duo Sandy Mitchell and Hugo Cook.
Garage 59 regular Benjamin Goethe has a third teammate in as many seasons as Marvin Kirchhöfer joins the programme, forming a duo that could give McLaren its first overall win in Sprint since 2016. CSA Racing will also field a 720S GT3 Evo for the French duo of Simon Gachet and Jim Pla, both of whom have excellent pedigree in the series.
HRT Ford Performance will field the Blue Oval's new factory driver, Jusuf Owega, alongside young French racer Romain Andriiolo, while Walkenhorst Motorsport completes the Pro field with its #35 Aston Martin. Henrique Chaves brings significant experience, while rising star Mateo Villagomez demonstrated his potential by winning last year's FFSA French GT Championship.
GOLD & SILVER: Bigger grids and more competition in store
The Gold Cup went to the wire in 2024 and looks set to be just as competitive this term. Last year's runner-up Saintéloc Racing returns with an unchanged line-up of Paul Evrard and Gilles Magnus sharing the #25 Audi, while Tresor Attempto Racing will also field an R8 for Sebastian Øgaard and Leonardo Moncini. Emil Frey Racing brings the #69 Ferrari, which is backed by Verstappen.com Racing and combines the experience of Thierry Vermeulen with the raw talent of Chris Lulham.
CSA Racing adds the #112 McLaren for Arthur Rougier and James Kell, who secured class victory at Circuit Paul Ricard. Garage 59 should also be a threat with the duo of Louis Prette and Adam Smalley sharing the #58 McLaren, which led overall at the French track before suffering reliability problems. AlManar Racing by WRT completes the Gold Cup field with the accomplished duo of Al Faisal Al Zubair and Jens Klingmann sharing the #777 BMW.
Seven brands are represented on the Silver Cup grid, which expands to 11 cars for the opening round of 2025. Team WRT narrowly sealed both titles in 2024 and returns with an all-new line-up of Gustav Bergström and Gilles Stadsbader aboard its #30 BMW. The Belgian squad's chief rival last term was Boutsen VDS, which has an unchanged pairing of Aurélien Panis and Cesar Gazeau sharing the #10 Mercedes-AMG.
AF Corse Francorchamps Motors continues in Silver with a Ferrari for Jef Machiels and series newcomer Marcos Siebert. Grasser Racing will field a Lamborghini for Baptiste Moulin and Ivan Ekelchik (below), while Barwell Motorsport brings the same car for North American duo of Christian Bogle and Daniel Ali.
Rutronik Racing has launched its first Silver Cup assault this term and will field Loek Hartog alongside newcomer Eshan Pieris aboard the #97 Porsche. British squad Paradine Competition has an all-Dutch crew aboard its #992 BMW as Maxime Oosten links up with Mex Jansen. Comtoyou Racing should be a factor with its Aston Martin, which combines young talents Kobe Pauwels and Jamie Day, while Steller Motorsport makes its Sprint Cup debut on home soil with Matisse Lismont and Jesse Salmenautio sharing its #24 Corvette.
A pair of Audi squads complete the field, both of which should be serious challengers for Silver Cup honours. Saintéloc Racing retains Ivan Klymenko and adds Lorens Lecertua, while Tresor Attempto Racing combines Alex Aka with Ezequiel Perez Companc for a line-up that boasts speed and experience, both of which will be necessary to prevail in this fiercely contested class.
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TIMETABLE
SATURDAY 3 MAY
Free Practice: 09:25–10:25 LIVE TV
Pre- Qualifying: 12:15–13:15 LIVE TV
Qualifying: 16:35-17:05 LIVE TV
SUNDAY 4 MAY
Race 1: 11:00–12:00 LIVE TV
Race 2: 15:45–16:45 LIVE TV
ALSO RACING
McLaren Trophy Europe (2x 50-minute races)
Equipe Libre (2x 40-minute races)
Mini 7s/Miglias (2x 20-minute races)
TICKET INFO
Tickets for this and other GT World Challenge events can be purchased here.
HOW TO WATCH
Extensive live coverage will be available on the GT World YouTube channel. This is free to view around the globe and includes start-to-finish action from every GT World Challenge race. Click here for more information.