Team MZR on the brink of Pro-Am title success after winning run
Ultra-tight Am class top three separated by just 18 points heading to Italy
DINAMIC Motorsport, Bosi Race Tech join packed grid for fifth event of the season
The Fanatec GT2 European Series Powered by Pirelli grid travels to Monza next weekend (20-22 September) for the penultimate contest of an already-thrilling season.
A trip to Italy marks the fifth of this year’s six double-header events and could prove pivotal in the title race for both classes. A strong weekend for the Pro-Am leaders may crown them champions, while everything is still to play for in a hugely competitive Am category.
Four manufacturers and 17 crews will descend on the Temple of Speed for two 50-minute contests around the historic 5.793km circuit, which will also host Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS and the GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club.
Pro-Am: Team MZR on the cusp of title glory after Hockenheim heroics
July’s trip to Hockenheim was certainly one to remember for Team MZR’s Reinhard Kofler and Martin Koch. Two victories for the #812 KTM X-BOW GT2 duo helped extend their Pro-Am lead to 44 points ahead of the final four races. Should that cushion grown to 53 or more, they could seal the Fanatec GT2 crown during the category’s latest visit to Monza.
Closest to spoiling the party is LP Racing’s #1 Maserati GT2 crew of Leonardo Gorini and Carlo Tamburini, who have claimed three wins so far this term. A difficult run in Germany might have put a stop to their winning streak but the all-Italian crew will be carrying home support at Monza as they seek to chase down their Austrian rivals.
Impressive rookie outfit Razoon - More Than Racing will also keep the pressure on until the bitter end. Thomas Andersen and Simon Birch sit third in the standings, a further 12 points adrift. Having achieved five podiums so far, the pair are hunting down a first Pro-Am triumph for the #80 KTM machine.
Competition will also come from LP Racing’s two Audi R8 LMS GT2 crews. The #18 entry is chasing its first win, with double pole-sitter Pierre Kaffer competing alongside Michael Doppelmayr. Meanwhile, the #88 crew again combines Stéphane Ratel and Stefan Rosina, who celebrated a class podium in Germany.
Making a welcome return are Jan Krabec and Erik Janis in the Circuit Paul Ricard-winning #89 RTR Projects KTM, plus the True Racing #17 X-BOW duo of Hubert Trunkenpolz and Laura Kraihamer. Father and son duo Mauro and Benjamin Ricci will also aim for silverware following their frontrunning display in the #61 Akkodis ASP Mercedes-AMG GT2 at Hockenheim.
Maserati’s attack expands as DINAMIC Motorsport joins the field for a Fanatec GT2 debut. The #67 entry will be spearheaded by Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia, who previously formed a winning partnership in the gruelling Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Bosi Race Tech are also series debutants. Its #81 Mercedes-AMG will be piloted by Dutchman Wim de Pundert, with a second driver to be confirmed in the coming week.
Am: Little to split the top three after Hockenheim mix-up
The Am class championship battle has been gripping all season, as it remains with fewer than 20 points covering the top three protagonists. A third win for Akkodis ASP at Hockenheim projected the #87 Mercedes-AMG pairing of Jean-Luc Beaubelique and Gilles Vannelet to the top of the table, but by a slender five points.
Last time out, they shared Am spoils with LP Racing’s Philippe Prette (#2 Maserati).The Italian will want to add to his year’s tally of four wins to grab back the advantage on home soil. TFT Racing’s Alexandre Leroy follows closely in another Maserati thanks to six class podiums, although the Belgian rookie has 18 points to recover after a non-finish last time out.
Akkodis ASP also has in-form French duo Christophe Bourret and Pascal Gibon to count on in the #53 Mercedes-AMG, while the ever-improving Stéphane Perrin and Jörg Viebahn aim to kick on from their first podium at Hockenheim in the similar #888 NM Racing entry.
A double dose of KTM opposition comes from True Racing’s Klaus Angerhofer and Sehdi Sarmini in the #16 X-BOW, plus the returning #90 Razoon - More Than Racing pairing of Dominik Olbert and Denis Liebl.
Five crews chasing Iron Cup honours
Open to driver line-ups with a combined age of 100 and over, the Iron Cup will be disputed by five crews at Monza. The #87 Mercedes-AMG duo of Beaubelique/Vannelet were successful at Spa and Hockenheim, while the sister #53 Akkodis ASP car of Bourret/Gibon is also eligible for honours. Competition will come from the experienced pairings of Doppelmayr/Kaffer (#18 Audi), Angerhofer/Sarmini (#16 KTM) and Perrin/Viebahn (#888 Mercedes-AMG).
How to watch
The fifth round gets underway on Friday 20 September, with Free Practice (9:00) and Pre-Qualifying (12:30) building up to a crucial Qualifying session at 16:30. The first of the weekend's 50-minute contests is scheduled for 13:10 on Saturday afternoon, before Sunday hosts the second race from 11:10. Qualifying and both races will be streamed live and free of charge on the GT World YouTube channel and on the series’ official website.
