The 2026 season of the GT2 European Championship closed with a spectacular weekend in Portimão, where Maserati vehicles dominated the competition, achieving pole positions, victories and podium places in both races held on Sunday.
The duo of SR Motorsport by SchnitzelAlm took the top step of the podium during the first race, while Ethan Gialdini and Mikkel Njor secured the overall champions title. Additionally, David Thilenius and Jay Mo Hartling clinched the title of the PRO/AM class despite an incident in the final laps of the race.
Race 1
With the GT World Challenge held on Saturday afternoon, the two final races of the GT2 season took place on Sunday. The Algarve circuit witnessed an intense first race in the morning, which ended with a dramatic victory for Wilhelm Kuhne and Moritz Wiskirchen.
The SR Motorsport tandem surprised everyone with the entry of the safety car midway through the race, when Lawrence Tomlinson stopped his Ginetta due to a transmission failure. Until that moment, Maserati was leading the race authoritatively, with Antoine Potty at the wheel of car #6 and a standout start from pole position.
After a series of pit stops, the safety car made its presence felt again, complicating the situation for Potty, who had maintained a clear leadership position. Wiskirchen seized the opportunity to recover ground and crossed the finish line in first place, accompanied by a win in the PRO/AM class.
Race 2
The second and final race of the weekend and the season started in the afternoon, with the Maserati of the Prette family taking center stage. Louis Prette, who started the race from pole, built a wide lead before handing the reins over to his father Philippe, who maintained the top position during the pit stops.
The first part of the race was calm, but the second brought thrilling moments and another safety car intervention when Max Grip had an incident with Ondrej Rokos. On the final restart, Philippe Prette managed the last charges to secure victory and close the season gloriously.
Drivers Rosina and Pirri celebrated victory in the SILVER class, while Gialdini and Njor, needing to finish in the top five with their Ginetta, also secured the overall title with a respectable third place in the SILVER class.
With such high-level competition, this weekend in Portimão has been a great example of the intensity and excitement that the GT2 European Championship offers, leaving fans with a good taste and a promise for what is to come in future editions.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
