Three Car, Three Class AMG Effort For NM GT4 European Series
NM Racing Team will fight for glory in all three classes of the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club after unveiling its three-car squad for the 2025 season.
The Spanish team will continue its ultra-successful partnership with Mercedes-AMG and will run a car in each of the Silver, Pro-Am and Am categories.
Race-winners Lluc Ibañez and Alex Papadopulos will reignite their challenge for the Silver title aboard the familiar #15 car, having enjoyed an impressive 2024 season. Spaniard Ibañez has been a championship mainstay and has achieved multiple successes since his GT4 Europe debut back in 2019, highlighted by finishing second overall in the 2022 championship.
American Papadopulos, who made his championship debut in 2021, enjoyed a breakout season last year, scoring his first GT4 Europe race win alongside Ibañez at Misano. Together the pair scored three more podium finishes on their way to fourth in last season’s Silver standings.
In Pro-Am the team will welcome back Andy Cantu together with new team-mate Miguel Cristóvão. American driver Cantu proved a star in the Am class for much of last season, scoring two race wins and securing third in the points before moving up to Pro-Am for the last round, taking victory at the first attempt during the season finale in Jeddah.
Portuguese Cristóvão has competed in the European Le Mans Series most recently, last year being a race-winner in the LMP3 division. He also won the Ultimate Cup Series twice in 2020-21 and was champion in the 2019 GT4 South European Series (now known as Iberian Supercars)
The team’s Am class entry features two brand-new drivers who will be making their GT4 Europe debuts having impressed as a partnership in Iberian Supercars last season – Igor Sorokin and Keith Gatehouse.
Sorokin, from the UAE, raced in the Radical Gulf Cup before moving into GT4, and together with Gatehouse dominated the Am class of Iberian Supercars, winning four of the eight rounds last season. American driver Gatehouse has experience of racing GT4 cars in both the Middle East and 24H Series in Europe prior to joining NM Racing Team for his first full season last year.
NM Racing Team founder Nil Montserrat says: “We are excited for this new season with three cars confirmed with three strong line-ups. To have one car in each category is just amazing. Lluc and Alex will undoubtedly fight for top results in the Siver Cup, while it’s great to welcome Miguel to the team, completing a strong Pro-Am entry together with Andy, who demonstrated his talent last season on what was his series debut. Keith and Igor will both be making their GT4 Europe debuts in the Am class and this will be a full year of learning for them, but we are convinced they can fight for good results along the way. We’re all really looking forward to starting the season in Paul Ricard.”
AV Racing Field Porsche
AV Racing will be back on the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club grid this year, with Fabian Duffieux and Mathieu Detry sharing its first Porsche 718 Cayman RS CS GT4.
The French team will once again run a multi-car programme in the championship this year, with Belgian duo Duffieux and Detry completing its Pro-Am entry. AV Racing’s Porsches enjoyed a strong 2024 season, with the team finishing third in the Pro-Am championship, and all eyes are on improving on that result in 2025.
Both Duffieux and Detry made their GT4 European Series debuts during a one-off appearance at Spa-Francorchamps last year in a BMW, but are now back for a full-season attack. Much of Duffieux’s racing experience comes from both the 24H Series and competing in both GT and touring cars in the UAE.
Detry has enjoyed a long racing career that includes experience in championships such as TCR Benelux, the 24H Series, Ligier European Series and the Porsche 992 Endurance Cup. He made an instant impact at Spa last year by setting the fastest Pro-Am lap of the second race.
AV will also run a second Cayman GT4 this season aimed at the Silver class, with its second set of drivers to be announced soon.
AV Racing team manager Romain Vozniak says: “Our goal for this season is to be focused on fighting for the teams’ and drivers’ championships in both the Pro-Am and Silver classes. We really want to continue to be one of the best teams in Pro-Am, like we were last season, and I believe that Fabian and Mathieu are going to be one of the best line-ups in the class.
“Regarding the Silver entry, we will have a very strong line-up that will be fighting for the podium. We have been working hard all winter with all of the team to improve on our errors and be ready for 2025.”
Ginetta Make Full Season Return
The Ginetta brand will return to the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club full-time this year with brothers Hugo and Thibaut Mogica stepping up with the CMR team.
French squad CMR has formed a strong partnership with British brand Ginetta, and will this year feature two rising talents in GT4 racing, competing in the Pro-Am class.
Hugo Mogica has been a regular driver for CMR, claiming three Championnat de France FFSA GT wins on his way to sixth in the points last year. The 23-year-old made his GT4 Europe debut with the team during a one-off at Spa-Francorchamps last year.
Elder brother Thibaut, 30, began his racing career in the French Mitjet championship in 2022 and enjoyed a breakout season in Championnat de France FFSA Tourisme last year, winning nine races on his way to second in the GT Academy points aboard a CMR-run Ginetta.
CMR made a one-off GT4 Europe appearance at Spa-Francorchamps last year running three of Ginetta’s new G56 GT4 Evo cars and made an instant impact with Loris Cabirou going fastest in Pre-Qualifying to put a Ginetta top of the timesheets for the first time since 2018. This will be the first season since 2019 where Ginetta has been represented regularly in GT4 Europe.
CMR team founder Charles-Antoine ‘Charly’ Bourachot says: “The CMR team is very proud to be racing with the Mogica family this year – this adventure will not lack spectacle and good humour. We cannot wait to get started.”
Chazel Enter Evo BMWs
Jean-Mathieu Leandri and Antoni de Barn will team-up full time in a CHAZEL Technologie Course BMW to target the Am class title in this year’s GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club.
The French duo was the first entry confirmed by the CHAZEL team, which will again run a multi-car operation in the championship.
Leandri and de Barn first teamed up for last year’s season finale in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, scoring both a pole position and two second-place finishes from their first two races as a pairing. This had led the drivers to sign up for a full attack on the class this season in CHAZEL’s new BMW M4 GT4 Evo.
Leandri took a total of four podium finishes in the championship last season, capping an impressive second season in GT4 Europe. Prior to joining the series in 2023, Leandri raced regularly in both the Championnat de France FFSA GT and TC series.
De Barn also enjoyed a strong GT4 Europe season last year, scoring a race win and two podium finishes in the Pro-Am class alongside Gregory Guilvert. With Guilvert skipping the final round, de Barn instead partnered with Leandri in the BMW in the Am class for Jeddah.
CHAZEL Technologie Course team boss Louis Chazel says: “Jean-Mathieu and Antoni will race together in the Am category this year with a serious opportunity to fight for the championship. They raced together in Jeddah last season and already scored two podium finishes in the BMW, and this year they will use the new BMW M4 GT4 Evo, which will only make them even stronger.
“As a team we will enter two cars this season, with a second brand-new M4 GT4 Evo.”
The second car is also now confirmed with Lucas Sugliano and Lucas Cartelle will share its second BMW M4 GT4 Evo.
Both drivers will be making their GT4 Europe debuts and will share Chazel’s second M4 in the Pro-Am class, joining the previously announced Am class entry of Jean-Mathieu Leandri and Antoni de Barn.
Frenchman Sugliano, 30, only began his racing career three years ago but has gained strong experience from competing in first the Ultimate Cup Series and last season the 24H Series where he became a race winner using a Vortex sportscar. This will be his first season competing in GT4.
Belgian Cartelle, 17, will be one of the youngest drivers on the grid this year and graduates into GT4 racing having gained experience in selected rounds of the Renault Clio Cup Europe last season. He also has a background in off-road motorsport, and was a gold medal Cross-Car Junior winner in the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games in Valencia.
Chazel Technologie Course team manager Louis Chazel says: “I’m very happy to announce the crew of our second BMW M4! The two Lucas will drive the brand-new M4 GT4 Evo and we have already started work with a test in Le Castellet, and we have more running planned for Barcelona to get the drivers as ready as they can be for the start of the season. This second car will be entered into Pro-Am, and even though it will be the first season of GT4 Europe for the drivers, we should keep an eye on these two who promise to be a very strong pairing.”
Mirage Confirm 2025 Plans
Mirage Racing will return to the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club this season, with Ruben del Sarte and Roberto Faria the first drivers confirmed for its Aston Martin Vantage GT4s.
The French team has been a regular in the championship since its debut in 2021, often operating multiple Aston Martins. For this year the team will continue its long-running partnership with Dutchman del Sarte and he will be paired with Brazilian Faria, who switches across from the Racing Spirit of Léman team.
Del Sarte has a long history in the GT4 European Series, having first joined the championship with Mirage back in 2021. Still just 23, he began his career in the Ginetta Junior Championship in the UK before progressing through British GT and into GT4 Europe.
Faria, 21, is entering his second GT4 Europe season having made the switch to GT racing last year. He shared a Racing Spirit of Léman Vantage GT4 with Baudouin Detout last term. Before that he was a race-winner in the GB3 single-seater series in the UK and had also competed in FIA Formula 3 and British Formula 4.
Last season Mirage ran two Vantage GT4s, with the drivers of its #7 car Aleksandr Vaintrub and Stanislav Safronov fighting for the Pro-Am title until the final race of the season in Jeddah.
And that pairing will return to the Mirage Racing squad to take on the Pro-Am title battle.
Vaintrub and Safronov have been familiar names in GT4 Europe across the last few seasons having made their championship debuts together back in 2022. After being race-winners in the Am class that year they moved up to the Pro-Am ranks in 2023.
The pair enjoyed their strongest season yet last year, joining Mirage and taking two race wins and five class podium finishes on their way to second in the championship, fighting for the title until the very final race of the season.
This year the drivers will be hoping it will be third time lucky for their Pro-Am title hopes.
Mirage Racing team manager Guillaume Bruot says: “I am thrilled that we will be able to fight for the GT4 European Series Pro-Am title again this season. Starting again with the same crew as last season is a real asset: they know the car and the circuits inside out, which allows us to approach this new season with great ambitions. The goal is clear: to win the title!”
Matmut Évolution Supras Aim To Turn Heads
The Matmut Évolution team will come out fighting across two classes in this year’s GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club season after unveiling its twin Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 entries.
Jérôme Policand’s team will again run in both the Silver and Pro-Am categories this year, with Hadrien David and Jan Duran teaming up in the Silver class entry, while the all-female crew of Cindy Gudet and Gabriela Jilkova continues for a second season in Pro-Am.
Both of the team’s Silver-graded drivers will be new to GT4 Europe this term. Single-seater graduate David, 21, will be one to watch given his achievements in formula racing. The Frenchman became the youngest-ever Formula 4 champion when he claimed the 2019 French F4 title, and then went on to be a race winner in Formula Regional Europe and Asia. He moved into sportscar racing last year, finishing second in the Le Mans Cup LMP3 standings at the first attempt.
Spaniard Duran, 17, has already made his mark in the GT4 world, winning both the Iberian Supercars and Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade titles in his maiden season last year after graduating to GT4 straight from karting. He took both championships driving a Toyota GR Supra GT4 Evo, so should be an ideal fit for the Matmut team.
In Pro-Am, Gudet and Jilkova return for a second shot at the championship having enjoyed an impressive first season together in 2024. Podium finishers of their GT4 Europe debut at Circuit Paul Ricard, they would go on to finish sixth in the class points, and enjoyed their strongest event yet during last year’s finale in Jeddah, adding a second class podium and establishing themselves as regulars within the top five.
Gudet was a six-time French Hillclimb champion before switching to GT4 last year, while Jilkova will be entering her fourth GT4 Europe season, having made her championship debut back in 2021.
The all-female driver crew continues Matmut Évolution’s commitment to the ‘Volant Matmut 100% Féminin’ programme of improving women’s representation in motorsport.
Dad and Lad BMW Returns
The family-run W&D Racing Team will be back on the grid for this year’s GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club, with father-and-son Paolo and Davide Meloni going for glory in the Pro-Am class.
This year the San Marino-based team celebrates its 38th anniversary in the sport, and will field its BMW M4 GT4 Evo in the full championship schedule.
Paolo is a hugely experienced driver, and a regular name in GT4 Europe having made his championship debut back in 2016. Prior to that he has competed in the Italian Touring Car Championship, Superstars Series and Formula Renault.
Son Davide first joined forced with his father in GT4 Europe in late 2023 before the pair embarked on their first full campaign together last season. With his own single-seater background in British Formula Ford, Davide has proven himself in GT4, with he and Paolo scoring four Am class podiums from their first four races together in 2023. The pair competed in Pro-Am last season, celebrating a second-place finish at Spa on their way to eighth in the championship standings.
In what will be their second full championship campaign together, the pair are aiming higher for the coming season.
Paolo Meloni says: “We are a small family-run team and we have gone from a crew categorised Am up into the Pro-Am category. Considering the number of the cars in this class, for us an ambitious goal will be to arrive in the top five at the end of the championship. We are structuring ourselves internally to try to achieve this goal. I also would like to congratulate the entire of SRO for organising a very nice championship across the years.”
