A pair of races supporting the Spa 24 Hours saw just nine GT2 cars entered over the weekend. News later this week of the incoming Ginetta GT2 project, success for that car is badly needed, as is a plan to grow the European Series grid with no shortage of GT2 spec cars in circulation, but with precious few of their owners opting to commit to racing them!
Time will tell whether the newly announced ‘Silver’ class for 2026 will make the desired impact.
Race 1
Bronek Formanek and Stefan Rosina claimed a fourth Pro-Am win of the season in this afternoon’s GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli race at Spa-Francorchamps to further extend their advantage at the top of the standings.
The #11 Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra Lamborghini started from pole with Formanek at the wheel and held the lead as the cars made their initial run through La Source and down into Eau Rouge. He was chased by Philippe Prette, who occupied his familiar position at the head of the Am class field aboard the #1 LP Racing Maserati.
The Lamborghini remained in control throughout the opening stint, which was made tricky by light but persistent rainfall. Mičánek appeared comfortable until the car dipped under its minimum pit stop time, which included a seven-second success penalty carried over from Zandvoort. Rosina returned to the track comfortably ahead of his nearest rival but was soon hit with a 13-second penalty for the infraction.
Once the stops had played out Rosina was 17 seconds clear of Prette and 20 seconds ahead of his closest Pro-Am contender, the #7 DINAMIC Motorsport Maserati of Mauro Calamia. This effectively gave Rosina a seven-second cushion, but with the track becoming ever more slippery, the Slovakian had to keep his focus.
Calamia was able to reduce the advantage to a little over three seconds with the penalty taken into account, but it was not enough to prevent Rosina from securing his and Formanek’s fourth win from five races. The #7 Maserati was second thanks to the efforts of Calamia and his co-driver Roberto Pampanini.
A last-lap pass moved Mato Homola (#89 RTR Projects KTM) into the final podium position, ahead of Daniele Cazzaniga (#88 LP Racing Audi) who defended hard having taken over from Gianluca Giorgi. This gave Homola’s new co-driver Davit Kajaia a piece of silverware on his series debut.
Prette secured his fourth Am class win from five races and a third in succession, coming home comfortably clear of Oliver Freymuth (#24 AKF Motorsport Lamborghini). The #53 Akkodis ASP Mercedes-AMG of Pascal Gibon and Christophe Bourret was third, extending the French drivers’ run of successive podium finishes to five.
Race 2
Bronek Formanek and Stefan Rosina scored their fifth Pro-Am win from a possible six in Sunday morning’s GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli contest at Spa-Francorchamps, while Petr Lisa and Viktor Mraz earned a dramatic Am class victory.
The #11 Mičánek Motorsport powered by Buggyra Lamborghini started from pole for the fourth race in succession and Rosina made a clean getaway, leading the #7 DINAMIC Motorsport Maserati of Mauro Calamia. The Slovakian began to edge away, but before he had time to build a gap the #11 crew was hit with a five-second penalty for not following the race director’s instructions during the formation lap.
For the second time in as many races, the Mičánek squad would have to overcome adversity to take the win. Rosina did just enough over the opening stint, pulling five seconds clear of the chasing Maserati and the third-placed #89 RTR Projects KTM.
But, in addition to its penalty, the Lamborghini would also have to serve an extra 10 seconds in the pits due to its victory in yesterday’s opening race. As such, the outcome of the pit stops was that Davit Kajaia’s KTM emerged in the lead, followed by Roberto Pampanini in the Maserati and then the Lamborghini with Formanek at the wheel.
The Czech racer took a few laps to make his way past Pampanini and was more than five seconds adrift of leader Kajaia with a little over 10 minutes remaining. But having passed the Maserati the Czech driver took full advantage of clean air. With five minutes remaining Formanek was all over Kajaia and he made the decisive move into Les Combes.
Just a few minutes later he was met by the chequered flag, scoring a fifth win from six races and further extending the points advantage that he and Rosina enjoy over their rivals. The #89 KTM of Kajaia and Mato Homola scored its best result of the season in P2, followed by the #7 Maserati.
The Am class was also running to form during the first half of the race as Philippe Prette led comfortably in his #1 LP Racing Maserati. But the defending champion was forced to make a lengthy pit stop due to rear bodywork damage, costing him any chance of victory.
This set the scene for a brilliant battle between the #53 Akkodis ASP Mercedes-AMG driven by Pascal Gibon alongside Christophe Bourret, and Petr Lisa in the #789 RTR Projects KTM. The two swapped positions back and forth, but it seemed that Gibon had done enough to hold on to top spot.
Then, with a minute left on the clock, the Frenchman made a small mistake at the final chicane, opening the door for Lisa to seal his and Viktor Mraz’s maiden series victory. Oliver Freymuth completed the podium in his AKF Motorsport Lamborghini, while Prette recovered to fourth.
The GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli will be back in action in three weeks’ time at Misano on 18–20 July.
Pics SRO/ JEP
