+ Packed 50-car entry list revealed for the opening round in Southern France
+ 10 brands represented, with all eight GT4 Manufacturer Ranking competitors present for the first time
+ Three ultra-competitive classes, Silver, Pro-Am and Am, guarantee action up and down the field
+ Circuit Paul Ricard – Provisional Entry List
The GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club continues to go from strength to strength, with a huge 50-car grid assembled for the start of the 2024 campaign at Circuit Paul Ricard next weekend (April 5-7).
This year promises to be one of the hardest fought, and most diverse championships in the history of the GT4 European Series, with what is expected to be 100 drivers from over 20 different nations set to fight it out across the three classes. In addition, a total of 10 different world-class brands will be represented on the grid, the most since 2020, and for the first time all eight registered GT4 Manufacturer Ranking competitors will go head-to-head to score global points.
Once again, the GT4 European Series title fights will be played out across three classes, Silver, Pro-Am and Am, with entries evenly split across the categories.
Title fight wide open in Silver
It’s all change in the Silver category for 2024, with reigning champions Michael Schrey and Gabriele Piana ending their successful partnership this season. Only one of the title-winning duo returns, with Piana jumping ship to join Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, partnering the promising Berkay Besler in a BMW that will surely be in the title fight.
There will be a total of 23 other crews hoping to beat the blue BMW though, with last year’s runners-up Robert Consani and Benjamin Lariche perhaps in prime position. The pair scored a single race win and seven podium finishes in their Team Speedcar Audi R8 LMS last year on their way to second in the points and will be aiming to go one higher this time around.
There are some high-profile new entries, including both the Matmut Évolution Toyota team and Academy Motorsport’s twin Ford Mustangs. Jérôme Policand’s Matmut team knows how to win championships and is bringing reigning French GT4 champions Etienne Cheli and Enzo Joulié to lead its attack. The pair of rumbling new-generation Mustangs will be shared by British drivers Matt Nicoll-Jones/Will Moore, and reigning British GT4 champion Erik Evans alongside Canadian Marco Signoretti.
Add in last year’s Spa-winning L’Espace Bienvenue pairing Ricardo van der Ende/Benjamin Lessennes, Elite Motorsport’s twin McLaren Arturas (Josh Rattican/Tom Lebbon, Alex Denning/Tom Emson), two Mercedes-AMGs from leading Spanish squad NM Racing Team, Allied-Racing’s usual showcase of rising stars in its Porsches, Mahiki Racing’s new Lotus Emira GT4s, and a host of other new and returning teams, and picking a winner is a tough ask.
Strong Pro-Am field shows longevity
With 16 cars entered, the Pro-Am category is again set to shine this year, pairing amateur drivers alongside rising stars and established professionals. Like in Silver, only one of the reigning champions returns, with Gregory Guilvert switching from a Saintéloc Audi to a Chazel Technologie Course BMW M4 to partner newcomer Antoni de Barn.
Last season’s third-place finisher Max Kronberg returns in a W&S Motorsport Porsche with German Finn Zulauf alongside him, while the RAFA Racing Team will make its championship debut with Rafael Martinez and Jon Lancaster in its Pro-Am McLaren Artura.
Others to watch include Teichmann Continental Racing’s Toyota pairing of Vasily Vladykin and 2022 Am champion Andrey Solukovtsev, reigning Alpine Cup champion Lorens Lecertua in a Chazel Alpine with Jean-Mathieu Leandri, JSB Competition’s new Porsche for Julien Briche and Jean-Laurent Navarro, plus the all-female Matmut Évolution Toyota crew of Gabriela Jilková and Cindy Gudet.
Am appeals with international entry
The all-amateur class continues to be an exciting place for gentlemen drivers to test themselves in the world’s biggest GT4 championship, and this season boasts an interesting mix of machinery.
The new Schumacher CLRT team has an Alpine for Laurent Hurgon and Pascal Huteau, while GPA Racing’s Aston Martin shared by Florent Grizaud and Kévin Jimenez will be one to watch, as will Team Speedcar’s twin Audis for Nicolas Markiewicz/Adrien Paviot and former rally drivers Philippe Thalamy/Julien Ripert. Toyota Gazoo Racing Sweden fields father and son Mikael and Christoffer Brunnhagen, while JSB’s purple Porsche will be eye-catching driven by Mathieu Casalonga.
The opening round of the GT4 European Series Powered by RAFA Racing Club gets underway with Free Practice and Pre-Qualifying on Friday, April 5. Qualifying and Race One take place on Saturday, with race two on Sunday. All sessions will feature live timing through the official championship website, with a live stream for qualifying and the races on the GT World YouTube channel.