New names join established contenders to launch 2025 season at Circuit Paul Ricard

The GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli travels to Circuit Paul Ricard next weekend (12/13 April) to launch its 2025 season with a pair of 60-minute races. 

Machinery from Maserati, Lamborghini, Mercedes-AMG and KTM will be on-track at the French venue, which retains its status as the only ever-present stop on the GT2 Europe calendar. It forms part of an action-packed event in the south of France, which also features GT World Challenge powered by AWS, the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club, and Lamborghini Super Trofeo.

In a change from previous seasons, the duration of GT2 Europe races has been extended to 60 minutes, providing an even sterner challenge for the drivers. Both of this weekend’s contests take place on Sunday, with the opening encounter getting underway at 09:00 before a second outing at 14:55. As ever, they will be streamed live on the GT World YouTube channel, kicking off another year of full coverage for the series.

PRO-AM: New champions must emerge 

The battle to succeed Team MZR duo Martin Koch and Reinhard Kofler as Pro-Am champions begins in earnest at Circuit Paul Ricard. Maserati is represented by three title-chasing teams, each of which knows how to win in GT2 Europe. 

LP Racing will field the #8 machine for Anik Patel and Eddie Cheever, both of whom make their series debuts at the French track. Patel has gained experience in the United States, while Cheever is a GT World Challenge stalwart who has earned a clutch of titles in the Pro-Am and Bronze Cup classes.

DINAMIC Motorsport will field the #7 Maserati GT2 for its established pairing of Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia. The Swiss drivers contested the final two events of 2024 and secured a maiden victory at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Having already opened their account in the series, the DINAMIC duo will have title aspirations this term.

The third Maserati comes from French outfit TFT Racing, which switches to Pro-Am after a strong debut campaign in the Am class. Patrick Charlaix and Jordan Boisson will share the wheel of the #28 machine, both making their series debuts having previously represented the TFT squad in other series.

With the benefit of an unchanged driver line-up aboard its #80 KTM X-BOW GT2, Razoon - more than racing looks set to be a serious player in 2025. The Danish double-act of Thomas Andersen and Simon Birch finished third in the standings last term, bagging five podiums along the way. Their first target is a maiden GT2 Europe win, after which a title challenge could well be on the cards.

Micanek Motorsport powered by Buggyra represents a new addition to the grid, fielding a Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 for series debutant Bronek Formanek. Both team and driver will draw upon the significant experience of Stefan Rosina, who is among the most successful drivers in series history with six Pro-Am wins.

RTR Projects completes the Pro-Am field with a KTM for experienced campaigners Laura Kraihamer and Mato Homola. The latter was victorious last year at Circuit Paul Ricard and will hope to repeat the trick alongside fellow KTM expert Kraihamer. 

AM: Prette plots title defence after dramatic 2024 triumph

Philippe Prette earned the 2024 Am class title in remarkable style, overcoming a 23-point deficit heading into the final race to prevail by just two points. For those watching it was a thrilling conclusion to the season, though Prette will no doubt wish to earn a second successive title in more commanding fashion. Once again, he will drive the #2 LP Racing Maserati.

Prette is one of two Am class entrants who will run solo at Circuit Paul Ricard, tackling both 60-minute races in full. The returning Oliver Freymuth will also go it alone at the wheel of an AKF Motorsport Lamborghini. The German was victorious in a one-off appearance at Hockenheim in 2021 and will now launch a full-scale assault with his Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2.

RTR Projects founder Tomas Miniberger makes his GT2 Europe debut aboard the team’s #789 KTM. Though new to the series he's no stranger to international racing, having driven for his squad in a variety of competitive categories. He will partner Viktor Mraz, who made his GT2 Europe debut with RTR in last season’s Monza round.

RTR will field a second Am class entry – in this case a Mercedes-AMG GT2 – for the Slovak pairing of Ondrej Rokos and Petr Lisa. The former began his racing career in 2024 and makes his GT2 Europe debut alongside Lisa, who earned a podium finish last term in his single appearance at Spa-Francorchamps.

Leading international squad Akkodis ASP continues its GT2 Europe adventure. It will field the #53 Mercedes-AMG for the unchanged duo of Christophe Bourret and Pascal Gibon. Finally, having made its series debut last year, NM Racing Team will embark upon a full campaign with the #115 Mercedes-AMG. Alberto de Martin has previously competed for the team in the FFSA French GT Championship, while his co-driver also has plenty of experience with the Spanish squad.

Full entry list is HERE