Fanatec GT2 field heads for Portimão debut

The Fanatec GT2 European Series breaks new ground in Portugal this weekend, 22-23 July, with the fourth round of the 2023 series to be staged at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve – more commonly known as Portimão Circuit.

The GT2 field heads to Portugal off the back of round three in Dijon, France three weeks ago. The double-header event produced two more new class victors in Martin Koch and Reinhard Kofler (Pro-Am, True Racing KTM) and Leonardo Gorini (Am, Ebimotors Porsche). 

Peter Guelinckx and Stienes Longin, meanwhile, became the only Pro-Am pairing to take more than one win in the six races in the PK Carsport Audi, while Jan Krabec earned his fourth Am honours this term aboard the RTR Projects KTM.

Heading into the second half of the season, both class title fights are still too close to call. Seven points is all that separates the top two in Pro-Am, while 20 points – less than the value of a class win – divide the Am title protagonists heading to Portimão.

Built in 2008, Portimão is one of the youngest FIA Grade 1 circuits in Europe yet has the hallmarks of an old-school track. The 4.653km undulating circuit sweeps through elevation changes of up to 30-metres, while the 965-metre long and 18-metre-long start/finish straight make for plenty of overtaking opportunities. 

Home to the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix in 2020 and 2021, the circuit is now set to host the Fanatec GT2 European Series for the first time. This weekend will also mark the championship’s annual get together with its British cousin, the Intelligent Money British GT Championship, promising a superb three days of GT2, GT3 and GT4 action in the Algarve.

15 points cover four crews and Pro-Am top three 

Three different brands and five different driver pairings have shared the six Pro-Am race honours so far this term, leaving just 15 points separating the top three slots in the standings.

Heading the title fight is the True Racing KTM duo of Nicolas Saelens and Stefan Rosina. Despite a weekend of mixed fortune last time out in France, the #15 pairing still managed to pull out a seven-point advantage thanks to third and fifth-place finishes. 

They lie just ahead of Reinhard Kofler, who jumps up the order following race one victory and an additional second-place finish at Dijon, in the #17 True Racing KTM he shares with Hubert Trunkenpolz.

Only eight points further back, the LP Racing and PK Carsport Audis are tied for third. Both crews were forced to record non-finishes in the first race in France but bounced back to points-paying results in race two. Henry Hassid and Anthony Beltoise earned a hard-fought fourth place, while Guelinckx and Longin took their second win of the season.

Things are even closer in the fight for fourth in the standings. The sister LP Racing Audi of Pierre Kaffer and Michael Doppelmayr head that battle by just two points from the Akkodis ASP Mercedes-AMG pairing of Mauro and Benjamin Ricci. The third LP Racing entry of Stephane Ratel and Mattia di Giusto are also looking to join that party with a return to the podium in Portugal.

Porsche pushing to catch Am-leading KTMs

KTM also head the Am class title fight at the halfway mark, with RTR Projects’ Jan Krabec leading True Racing’s Klaus Angerhofer by 20 points after another win and second place finish in Dijon. 

Moving up fast on the title fight, however, is Ebimotors’ Leonardo Gorini who was on blistering form aboard his #911 Porsche in France. Earning both class pole positions, the Swiss driver went on to take his first win of the season and a further second-place finish to jump to third and sit 28 points adrift of Krabec.

While there’s nothing to choose between the top three, Aurelijus Rusteika and Mantas Janavicius have no intention of letting them slip away. Impressive consistency from the sister Ebimotors entry means they sit strong in fourth, just ahead of Angerhofer’s teammate – Sehdi Sarmini – who is playing catch up having missed the first rounds of the season in Monza.

Joining the grid in Portugal will be Akkodis ASP who add another Mercedes-AMG GT2 to the Am field this weekend. The team can already lay claim to a first Fanatec GT2 European Series Pro-Am win, gained on their series debut at the Red Bull Ring. Jean Luc Beaubelique and Christophe Bourret will be aiming to achieve the same on their Am-class debut aboard the #87 Mercedes-AMG at Portimão.

Action for the fourth round of the season starts with free practice on Friday

afternoon and Saturday morning. Then it’s time for the first qualifying session of the weekend at 14.10, which will set the grid for the first 50-minute race at 16.40 on Saturday afternoon. The Fanatec GT2 European Series action continues at 09.00 Sunday morning, with the second qualifying session to decide the grid for the final race of the weekend, taking place at 10.55.