Sprint Cup reaches crucial juncture as racing resumes at Magny-Cours

Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS is back in action next weekend (23–25 August) when the Sprint Cup stages its penultimate round of the season at Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours.

The returning event will feature a packed schedule totalling more than nine hours of racing, with Fanatec GT Europe joining the FFSA French GT Championship and FFSA French Touring Car Championship among the headline acts.

It comes five weeks after the previous Sprint Cup outing at Hockenheim and will see the usual pair of one-hour races staged across Saturday and Sunday. With a field of 33 cars spread across four competitive classes, it promises to be a crucial weekend in this year’s title battles.

PRO: No clear favourite as overall title battle reaches critical phase

Magny-Cours marks the resumption of what has already been an epic tussle between a pair of heavyweight crews. Three-time series champions Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts (#32 Team WRT BMW) hold a slender advantage over Maro Engel and Lucas Auer (#48 Winward Racing Team Mann-Filter Mercedes-AMG), with just two points separating first from second ahead of the trip to France.

Emil Frey Racing has every intention of making this a three-horse race. The #14 Ferrari of Ben Green and Konsta Lappalainen scored a breakthrough victory last time out at Hockenheim, overcoming both #32 BMW and the #48 Mercedes-AMG to secure a place on the top step. The sister #69 Ferrari of Giacomo Altoè and Thierry Vermeulen is also a potential race winner and could be a crucial factor in the Swiss squad's championship aspirations.

These three teams have pulled clear at the top of the standings, though there have been impressive performances elsewhere among the Pro contenders. Benjamin Goethe and Tom Gamble have put together an excellent run of results aboard the #159 Garage 59 McLaren, scoring points in every race this term. They will feel bullish about their chances at Magny-Cours, which has previously been a happy hunting ground for the British constructor.

In contrast, Tresor Attempto Racing has struggled for results despite often showing front-running speed with its #99 Audi. Though the title appears beyond its reach, the team can nevertheless aim for podiums and race wins with its crew of Ricardo Feller and Alex Aka. A second R8 will run in the Pro class at Magny-Cours, with Eastalent Racing tackling its maiden Sprint Cup outing after contesting the previous Endurance round at the Nürburgring. Simon Reicher will partner the vastly experienced Christopher Haase aboard the #84 Audi.

Comtoyou Racing earned its best Sprint Cup result of the season at Hockenheim, aided by the qualifying speed of Mattia Drudi and the developing race craft shown by Nicolas Baert in the #7 Aston Martin. Rutronik Racing is yet to produce a breakthrough performance at a Sprint event, though the team's recent Endurance Cup pole at the Nürburgring will provide encouragement for its #96 Porsche crew of Patric Niederhauser and Sven Müller.

The Pro field is completed by Boutsen VDS, which has shown excellent race pace with its crew of Jules Gounon and Maximilian Götz. Indeed, an upturn in qualifying speed could make the #9 Mercedes-AMG a serious victory contender at Magny-Cours.

BRONZE: Century Motorsport in control after perfect Hockenheim performance

Century Motorsport established itself as favourite for the Bronze Cup crown by taking an impressive double victory at Hockenheim. With reigning British GT champions Darren Leung and Dan Harper sharing the #991 BMW, the team can count on a winning combination. Its closest challenger is Sky Tempesta Racing, which also knows its way to the top step of the podium. Jonathan Hui swept to a brace of Pro-Am wins last time he raced at Magny-Cours in 2020 and will hope for a repeat performance alongside Eddie Cheever III in the #93 Ferrari.

Barwell Motorsport is still very much in the hunt for the Bronze Cup title with its #78 Lamborghini after Rob Collard and Sandy Mitchell secured a brace of runner-up finishes at Hockenheim. This trio of crews has edged away from the pack, though there are plenty more potential winners on the grid. A second Barwell Motorsport entry sees Gabriel Rindone and Patrick Kujala sharing the #72 Lamborghini, while series newcomer Imperiale Racing will field the same brand of car for Dmitry Gvazava and Ugo De Wilde.

CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa class winner Tresor Attempto Racing will aim for its first Sprint Cup podium since the opening race at Misano with Andrey Mukovoz and Dylan Pereira sharing the #66 Audi. Rutronik Racing heads to France on a high after sealing Bronze Cup victory in the most recent Endurance round at the Nürburgring. Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall will share the squad’s #97 Porsche, while Schumacher CLRT will also field the 911 GT3 R for French drivers Stéphane Denoual and Steven Palette.

Garage 59 completes the Bronze Cup field with Miguel Ramos and Louis Prette sharing its #188 McLaren. The British squad has been fast all season but is yet to secure a class podium, something it will hope to put right at a circuit where Ramos has twice celebrated Pro-Am victory.

GOLD & SILVER: All to play for in Gold as Team WRT closes on Silver crown

The battle for the Gold Cup title remains finely poised. Liqui-Moly Team Engstler by OneGroup seized the advantage last time out thanks to a commanding Race 1 victory, while Luca Engstler and Max Hofer maintained a perfect run of podiums in Race 2. Having run a Lamborghini at Hockenheim, the German squad reverts to Audi machinery for this weekend's event.

Engstler and Hofer hold a narrow lead over Paul Evrard and Gilles Magnus, who will hope to extend Saintéloc Racing's excellent record on French soil with the #25 Audi. CSA Racing is also chasing a home victory with its #111 Audi and can rely on Simon Gachet – who triumphed overall at Magny-Cours in 2020 – alongside Lucas Légeret.

Tresor Attempto Racing joined the Gold Cup field last time out with its #88 Audi and secured class victory in Race 2 thanks to Lorenzo Patrese and Lorenzo Ferrari. They're not in the title fight, but the Italian duo could still play a role in its outcome. Comtoyou Racing retains its two-car Gold Cup assault, with Aston Martin factory driver David Pittard sharing the #21 with Matisse Lismont, while James Jakes is joined by Sprint Cup newcomer Sebastian Øgaard in the #11 machine.

In each of the title battles discussed thus far, there is little to choose between the leading contenders. That’s not the case in the Silver Cup, however, as the #30 Team WRT BMW line-up has established a clear advantage. Indeed, Calan Williams and Sam De Haan are 29.5 points clear at the top and have a chance to capture the class crown at Magny-Cours.

Boutsen VDS lies second after returning to the podium at Hockenheim. What’s more, the Belgian outfit’s #10 Mercedes-AMG duo of Cesar Gazeau and Aurélien Panis is well placed to earn this year’s combined class title. The #71 AF Corse Ferrari of Eliseo Donno and Thomas Fleming has shown impressive speed, while the sister #52 of Jef Machiels and Sean Hudspeth has also been a regular frontrunner.

Saintéloc Racing is the only other squad to score multiple podiums this term. The French outfit should be in the mix for more silverware with its #26 Audi, which remains in the hands of Ivan Klymenko and Marcus Paverud, while Comtoyou Racing will field the #12 Aston Martin for Lorens Lecertua and Dante Rappange.

Winward Racing will field the #57 Mercedes-AMG for Reece Barr and a to-be-confirmed teammate, while Madpanda Motorsport will also run an AMG GT3 for its return to the Silver Cup. The Argentine outfit will combine the experienced Ezequiel Perez Companc with recent Endurance debutant Tom Kalender to complete a competitive 33-car grid for Fanatec GT Europe’s trip to Magny-Cours.

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