Well for the first time in 2026 we get to say it is RACE WEEK for Formula 1 and the first time in the new regulation set! We do have some sportscar news in terms of driver rosters and team announcements to go through and then we can nerd out about F1 next week after Melbourne is wrapped up.
Let’s start with the GT World Challenge Europe - there are 10 Mercedes-AMG cars entered in the 2026 endurance championship and 6 in the sprint. For the endurance cup in the Pro category, Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing will run the #3 car with Jules Gounon, Daniel Junicadella and Chris Lulham behind the wheel. Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed and Team Mann-Filter will run the #17 with Maxi Götz, Maxime Martin and Fabian Schiller and the #48 with Lucas Auer, Maro Engel and Luca Stolz respectively. In the Silver category, just one team with GetSpeed Team Bartone Brothers will run the #6 with Anthony Bartone, Cesar Gazeau and Aurelien Panis behind the wheel. In the bronze category, Mercedes-AMG sees Getspeed and GetSpeed Team Noble Racing field the #12 with Mikaël Grenier, Will Martin and Gabriel Rindone and then the #67 with Philip Ellis, Jason Hart and Scott Noble respectively. The 75 Express brings the #75 with Dominik Baumann, Hadrien David and Kenny Habul and they are joined in Bronze by Winward Racing’s #87 manned by Marvin Dienst, Gabriele Piana and Rinat Salikhov. Grupo Prom Racing Team takes the track in Bronze as well in the #177 with Ralf Aron, Alfredo Hernandez and Stephane Tribaudini and British GT aces 2 Seas Motorsports joins with the #222 with Reece Barr, Charles Dawson and Kiern Jewiss.
Woah, that was a lot, and that’s one of the strongest manufacturer lineups of teams and drivers we've seen. In the sprint cup, the Verstappen #3 has Lulham and Juncadella, the Mann-Filter has the #48 of Engel and Auer, the GetSpeed Bartone Bros #6 entry has Bartone and Panis, the #12 GetSpeed has Rindone and Schiller, The Winward #87 is manned by Dienst and Salikhov and lastly the #222 from 2 Seas Motorsports of Jewiss and Dawson.
We also had a podium scored by Lone Star Racing in the VP Sportscar Challenge over the weekend in GT4 over the NASCAR weekend at the Circuit of the Americas. We will see you next week!