GT World Challenge Europe: Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts crowned 2025 Champions.

Barcelona. What a spectacular season finale for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS in Barcelona (ESP)! The three-hour race at the Circuit de Catalunya concluded with a shower of titles and two podium finishes for the BMW M Motorsport teams. Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) and Charles Weerts (BEL) capped off a fantastic comeback by winning the drivers' title in the overall standings. At the same time, the overall team title went to Team WRT. Vincent Vosse's squad also celebrated winning the team championship in the GOLD Cup. In the SILVER category, Century Motorsport triumphed in the drivers' standings of the Endurance Cup. In the race itself, AlManar Racing by WRT and ROWE Racing secured second and third places on the podium.

After a disappointing qualifying session for all BMW M Motorsport teams, the day initially didn’t seem destined for celebration. However, over the course of the three-hour race, all crews made significant progress. The #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO started from 31st position after a penalty, but Weerts, van der Linde, and Ugo de Wilde (BEL) fought their way up to sixth place, earning enough points to crown van der Linde and Weerts as the new overall champions in the combined Sprint and Endurance Cup standings. The duo had also secured the Sprint Cup title just a few weeks earlier. Over the 2025 season, the #32 car achieved three victories and four additional podium finishes, which also secured the overall team title for Team WRT.

Another title for Team WRT was clinched by Jens Klingmann (GER), Al Faisal Al Zubair (OMA), and Ben Tuck (GBR) with an impressive second-place finish in the race. The overall podium for the #777 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of AlManar Racing by WRT also secured the team title in the GOLD Cup. Third place on the podium in Barcelona went to Augusto Farfus (BRA), Jesse Krohn (FIN), and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) in the #98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of ROWE Racing.

Despite a challenging race that included an early, unavoidable spin, Jarrod Waberski (RSA), Mex Jansen (NED), and William Moore (GBR) still had reason to celebrate as the trio won the drivers' title in the SILVER category of the Endurance Cup with the #42 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Century Motorsport.

Comments after the race:

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): "What a season finale in the GT World Challenge Europe! Congratulations to Kelvin van der Linde, Charles Weerts, and Team WRT on winning the overall titles. This triumph highlights the impressive consistency of the team and drivers in both Sprint and Endurance races, which present completely different challenges. To crown this strong season with such a spectacular comeback of 25 positions today is fantastic. My heartfelt congratulations also go to the champions in the GOLD and SILVER Cups. AlManar Racing by WRT and Century Motorsport delivered outstanding performances throughout the season and represented BMW M Motorsport more than worthily in this highly competitive racing series. Looking at the race itself, congratulations to AlManar Racing by WRT and ROWE Racing for their podium finishes after equally impressive comebacks. A big thank you to everyone at BMW M Motorsport and to the teams who contributed to this extremely successful GT World Challenge Europe season!"

Vincent Vosse (Team Principal, WRT): "I’m incredibly happy that we were able to finish the season like this. Winning the overall titles was the big goal after the Sprint Cup titles. It didn’t look like it after qualifying, but huge thanks to the team for the spot-on strategic call in the first stint, which brought us forward. Congratulations to the #777 crew for their podium and the team title in the GOLD Cup. I want to sincerely thank everyone in the team whose hard work made such a successful season possible."

Kelvin van der Linde (#32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, Champion): "It has been a fantastic season, crowned with the overall championship. Of course, our race pace today wasn’t particularly strong. We need to learn from this during the break to improve for next year. But looking at the entire season, we were probably the most consistent team – and that’s the reward. I’m very proud of the entire Team WRT, Charles, and Ugo. It’s the perfect conclusion to my first GT World Challenge season with BMW M Motorsport. I’m very proud."

Charles Weerts (#32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, Champion): "It was a very good season. Sprint Cup winners and overall champions – that’s everything we could have wished for at the start of the year. We made almost no mistakes and got the best out of every situation. The only regret is Spa, as it’s the biggest race, and we could have put ourselves in an even better position for the Endurance Cup there. But overall, we can be very proud of the season. A big thank you to BMW M Motorsport for providing us with an incredibly strong car. Thanks also to Team WRT, Kelvin, and Ugo for a great season we shared together."

Jens Klingmann (#777 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, AlManar Racing by WRT, 2nd place): "What an incredible race! At the start of the weekend, we didn’t feel like we had the fastest car, so we focused on long-run performance with the setup. During the race, a brilliant strategic decision in the first stint moved us far forward, and Ben was even able to work his way almost to the front. For me, it got tight at the end due to the late safety car, but I’m super happy with second place and winning the team title in the GOLD Cup. Once again, we’ve shown what can be achieved through perfect teamwork."

Raffaele Marciello (#98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing, 3rd place): "We had a strong final race. At the start, we had some luck with the safety car and benefitted from a good strategy. I had a very good stint with some overtakes. Without the issue at Paul Ricard and the retirement in Monza, we could have been in the championship fight. Overall, though, we can be satisfied with our season – and we’ll try to come back even stronger next year."

Jarrod Waberski (#42 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Century Motorsport, SILVER Champion Endurance Cup): "This season was spectacular. From the first race, we were able to score points consistently, won at Monza, and stood on the podium at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. Here in Barcelona, after the spin in the first lap, we thought the title might slip away from us, but we stuck together as a team, fought back, and ultimately brought the title home. Many thanks to Century Motorsport and BMW M Motorsport for this amazing year."