The historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza is always one of the most-awaited rounds, and the only track, together with Barcelona, that has always been on the calendar of the International GT Open since its inception. It even hosted the inaugural race of the series on 1st April 2006.
As usual in Monza, the entry list is full of interesting novelties among the 16-car GT3 field.
In the overall standings, Frederik Schandorff and Michele Beretta,after 4 wins with their VSR Lambo, have a 24-point margin that gives them some breathing space but little more. The Lechner Racing Porsche of Andy Soucek-Al Faisal Al Zubair (2 wins) is ready to fight back after a somewhat disappointing home race weekend in Austria.
Vincenzo Sospiri Racing has its second car of Yuki Nemoto-Baptiste Moulin in third position and aiming at claiming its first win. The Italian team will field a third car for a stellar pair of former GT Open champions: Federico Leo, crowned in 2012, and Giacomo Altoè, winner in 2019.
Rinaldi Racing is making its come-back to the series, with a Ferrari 488. The German squad also fields a former Champion (in 2016), Fabrizio Crestani alongside Benjamín Hites, who will be the first-ever Chilean to race in the GT Open.
Another Ferrari 488 is entered in Pro by Kessel Racing, in its second appearance of the year, with US driver Michael Dinan driving solo.
Also back to the series after some years is Leipert Motorsport, always faithful to Lamborghini, with a pair of debuting drivers, Brendon Leitch from New Zealand and Tyler Cooke from the US.
Reno Racing, which shines in Pro-Am, enters (in Pro) a second Honda NSX with the support of JAS Motorsport for 18-year-old Jacopo Guidetti, a recruit of the JAS Driver Development Programme, and Marco Bonanomi.
Last but not least, British-Bahraini squad 2 Seas Motorsport will make its GT Open debut with a Mercedes AMG entrusted to young Canadian Ethan Simioni and GT Open returnee Martin Kodrić.
Things are similarly interesting in the Pro-Am class, where the fight at the top sees the Inception Racing McLaren of Brendan Iribe-Ollie Millroy leading by 17 points the Reno Racing Honda NSX of Jens Reno Møller-Marcus Påverud, both having clinched two race wins. The fight will go on at Monza, with the other Inception McLaren of Nick Moss-Joe Osborne (also 2 wins) as the third contender.
In Italy, AKM Motorsport by Antonelli will certainly want to shine with their Mercedes, entrusted to local racer Loris Spinelli (who has clinched one class and one overall win so far) and reigning Am Champion Florian Scholze.
Kessel Racing is fielding its second Ferrari in this class, with Zimbabwe’s Axcil Jefferies alongside a gentleman-driver yet to be disclosed.
Lamborghini will be represented in the class by championship regulars Gerhard Tweraser-Jan Seyffert in the HP Racing International Huracan.
A third Honda NSX will be on the grid, marking the return to the series of Italian squad Nova Race Event, which fields the gentleman-driver pair composed of team principal Luca Magnoni and Alberto Lippi.
At Monza, the GT Cup Open Europe cars will again share the grid with the GT Open, a 27 car combined grid will start the weekend.
