GT World Challenge Europe: Mercedes-AMG Motorsport celebrates podium and early drivers’ championship victory at the Nürburgring

 #6 GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros

• Jules Gounon (AND), Daniel Juncadella (ESP), and Christopher Lulham (GBR) secured third place for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing in the three-hour race of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup. The team had started from fifth on the grid. Having started the race from seventh, Lucas Auer (AUT), Maro Engel, and Luca Stolz (both GER) of Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER secured fourth place, thereby clinching the drivers’ championship in the Endurance Cup ahead of the season finale.
• Lucas Auer initially crossed the line in sixth place. As penalties were imposed on two rivals at the end of the race, the #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 moved up to fourth place. With a 27-point lead, the three Mercedes-AMG Performance Drivers have therefore been confirmed as champions even before the last race. They are the first drivers in the series’ history to secure the Endurance Cup title ahead of schedule.
• For Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, this is their second drivers’ title in the endurance standings of the European continental series, following their victory in 2018. Lucas Auer is celebrating his first title in the Endurance Cup, having already won the overall and sprint class championships alongside Maro Engel in 2024.
• The Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed had a run of bad luck. In qualifying on Sunday morning, the #17 secured the best starting position of all eight Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars. Maximilian Götz (GER), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Fabian Schiller (GER) started the race from second on the grid. During the second pit stop, the team lost second place when the engine failed to start straight away. The #17 Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished in fifth place. “I feel sorry for the team. They put in a very strong performance, secured a good starting position in qualifying and were unlucky during the second pit stop when the engine didn’t start straight away. That set the team back and robbed them of the chance of a possible victory,” said Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport.
• A number of incidents led to repeated neutralisations throughout the race, meaning that the outcome was ultimately decided by strategy. The three Mercedes-AMG Performance cars initially crossed the finish line in fifth (#3), sixth (#48), and seventh (#17) places. In the final standings, they finished third, fourth, and fifth.
• In the Bronze Cup, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams secured a one-two finish. Reece Barr (IRL), Charles Dawson, and Kiern Jewiss (both GBR) from 2 Seas Motorsport had already secured pole position in their class and went on to take the race win. Marvin Dienst (GER), Gabriele Piana (ITA), and Rinat Salikhov (FIA) claimed second place for Winward Racing. The #177 from Grupo Prom Racing Team finished the race in eleventh place in the Bronze category.
• The GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros celebrated another podium finish in the Silver Cup. Anthony Bartone (USA), César Gazeau, and Aurélien Panis (both FRA) took third place in their category in the #6 Mercedes-AMG GT3. 
• In the Bronze Cup, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams secured a one-two finish. Reece Barr (IRL), Charles Dawson, and Kiern Jewiss (both GBR) from 2 Seas Motorsport had already secured pole position in their class and went on to take the race win. Marvin Dienst (GER), Gabriele Piana (ITA), and Rinat Salikhov (FIA) claimed second place for Winward Racing. The #177 from Grupo Prom Racing Team finished the race in eleventh place in the Bronze category.
• A number of incidents led to repeated neutralization's throughout the race, meaning that the outcome was ultimately decided by strategy. The three Mercedes-AMG Performance cars initially crossed the finish line in fifth (#3), sixth (#48), and seventh (#17) places. In the final standings, they finished third, fourth, and fifth.
• “We put in a fantastic performance as Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Every single result contributed to this great team effort. And it was anything but easy: already in qualifying, we saw just how close the field was and that strategy and tyre management would be crucial. To have all three Pro cars in the top-five is fantastic. Each of them would have deserved a place on the podium. Congratulations to Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing on their first Endurance Cup podium, to 2 Seas Motorsport and Winward Racing on their one-two in the Bronze Cup, and to GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros on their class podium in the Silver Cup. I would also like to congratulate Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER on securing the championship early. The team has done an incredible job in the three races so far.”
  Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport