Ahead of deciding doubleheader
• Points deficit closes during September and October
• Just two rounds left to run at Mount Panorama and Jeddah Corniche Circuit
There's everything to play for as the GT4 Manufacturer Ranking heads into its deciding pair of events, with BMW holding a narrow advantage over Porsche in the battle for the inaugural crown.
The margin stands at 631 points following a strong sequence of results for Porsche's customer teams around the world. Indeed, the gap has halved during the past two months of competition, which have included season-ending events in five of the eight GT4 Manufacturer Ranking series. With the Japan Cup campaign having concluded in late August, just two championships remain undecided.
Autumn's run of races began on 7/8 September when British GT staged its penultimate round at Donington Park, the series' second visit to the Leicestershire venue in 2024. Whereas the previous outing in May saw Aston Martin emerge on top, the September meeting brought big scores for Germany's powerhouse brands.
Mercedes-AMG was the best of them despite not securing a win, finishing as runner-up in Pro-Am and Silver thanks to Team Parker Racing and RAM Racing respectively. BMW was a close second, triumphing in Pro-Am with Century Motorsport, while Ford also enjoyed a successful weekend with a Silver win for Academy Motorsport. Porsche, meanwhile, did not score strongly by its own high standards.
But the Weissach marque could count on better things across the Atlantic. On the same weekend, Pirelli GT4 America and GT America Powered by AWS were in action amid the country club surroundings of Barber Motorsports Park. In the latter, Rotek Racing driver Isaac Sherman secured his fourth weekend sweep of the campaign to wrap up the title with a round to spare – and give Porsche the biggest points tally.
In Pirelli GT4 America, BMW swept the Silver class courtesy of AutoTechnic and Random Vandals, helping the Bavarian brand to a big haul of points at the Alabama venue. Aston Martin (Heart of Racing Team) and Mercedes-AMG (RENNtech Motorsports) shared the Pro-Am wins, though Porsche was the second-highest scorer thanks to a consistent set of results.
On 14/15 September, Championnat de France FFSA GT ran its penultimate event at Dijon-Prenois. This produced another points swing in Porsche's favour, aided by an Am victory for AV Racing. Mercedes-AMG scored very well thanks to a brace of Pro-Am wins for Vic'Team, while BMW secured an Am triumph with VSF Sports. Aston Martin was also celebrating, with a Silver win for Racing Spirit of Léman drivers Victor Weyrich and Mateo Villagomez putting their class title beyond doubt with a round to spare.
One week later, the GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club travelled to northern Italy to stage its penultimate meeting at historic Monza. This proved an outstanding weekend for Audi, which swept the highly competitive Silver class thanks to Team Speedcar. Aston Martin also scored a big haul of points, including a Pro-Am win for Mirage Racing. Porsche secured the other Pro-Am victory courtesy of W&S Motorsport, while Mercedes-AMG (NM Racing) picked up an Am win.
On September 28/29, British GT brought the curtain down on its season at Brands Hatch. The event produced another close result in terms of GT4 Manufacturer Ranking points, with Mercedes-AMG edging BMW and McLaren at the Kent venue. The latter took Silver class honours courtesy of Optimum Motorsport, which was crowned British GT4 champion in the process. Mercedes-AMG was also celebrating after Team Parker Racing collected the Pro-Am title with a P3 finish, while BMW came home second in the same class with Century Motorsport to pick up a good haul of points.
ADAC GT4 Germany was in action on the same weekend, contesting its only away day of the season at the Red Bull Ring. The Austrian venue provided another shot in the arm for Porsche's title aspirations, with W&S Motorsport heading a podium lockout in Race 1. Aston Martin prevailed in the second contest courtesy of Zakspeed ESM, while BMW endured its first ADAC GT4 meeting of the year without a podium finish.
FFSA GT decamped to Circuit Paul Ricard on 5/6 October for its traditional season-ending event. Having already sealed the Silver title, Racing Spirit of Léman's Weyrich and Villagomez gave Aston Matin a celebratory sign-off by winning both 60-minute contests. But in terms of points it was Porsche that emerged strongest from the French finale, aided by an Am class win for AV Racing, while Audi earned the other Am victory courtesy of Saintéloc Racing.
Meanwhile, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the curtain fell on GT America Powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America. They raced as part of a busy weekend at the Brickyard, headlined by globe-trotting GT3 series Intercontinental GT Challenge. In the single-driver GT America Powered by AWS, champion Isaac Sherman again swept the board with his Rotek-run Porsche, capping a remarkable year in which he secured 13 wins from a possible 16.
In Pirelli GT4 America, Toyota enjoyed one of its strongest weekends yet thanks to a brace of wins for Smooge Racing (Silver) and Precision Racing (Pro-Am). But it was narrowly beaten on points by Porsche, which earned an Am victory with Rotek Racing. BMW also picked up wins with AutoTechnic Racing (Silver) and BimmerWorld (Am) while Mercedes-AMG captured a Pro-Am triumph with RENNtech.
Monochrome GT4 Australia travelled to Sydney Motorsport Park on 19/20 October for its penultimate round. The 3.9km circuit in Eastern Creek proved an especially happy hunting ground for McLaren. The Artura GT4 swept the Silver class courtesy of Method Motorsport, which also bagged an Am win, while Zagame Autosport added yet more success in Pro-Am. BMW was not far behind with an Am triumph for Randall Racing, while Porsche scored a Pro-Am win thanks to TekworkX Motorsport.
In Germany, the ADAC GT4 season came to a dramatic conclusion at Hockenheim. Aston Martin won the opening encounter courtesy of the guesting Prosport Racing entry, while Porsche squad Razoon – More Than Racing took the second outing to ensure that the Weissach marque topped the weekend. What’s more, in a major turnaround from the early-season results W&S Motorsport snatched the title away from BMW squad Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport.
Nevertheless, BMW retains the advantage at the top of the GT4 Manufacturer Ranking table with 27,148 points, a little over 600 clear of Porsche. There is a significant gap to third-placed Aston Martin, which holds an equally comfortable advantage over Mercedes-AMG. McLaren and Toyota are vying for fifth place, followed by Audi and Ford.
The final standings will be settled by two events. Monochrome GT4 Australia will be at Mount Panorama this weekend (9/10 November) to close the 2024 season, which marks its first as a standalone category. Three weeks later, the GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club breaks new ground by competing at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia. With the latter representing the biggest grid – and therefore the best scoring opportunity – the destination of the GT4 Manufacturer Ranking crown will not be known until the final race of the season.
