Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing was fastest in today’s Free Practice ahead of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup round at Monza.
Jules Gounon topped FP1 in the 2 Seas Motorsport-run #3 AMG GT3 EVO effort, after setting a 1:46.081 on his final flying lap of the session. This time held on to be the best of the day, with warmer temperatures limiting the pace in the afternoon FP2 session.
“This morning is closer to the temperature we will face in qualifying, so we tried different things with the team, and the car feels so good,” Gounon said.
FP1 didn’t go perfectly to plan for Verstappen Racing, however, after Gounon’s co-driver Chris Lulham overtook under yellow flags, and as such the #3 Mercedes-AMG has been awarded a five-place grid penalty for tomorrow’s three-hour race.
Second in FP1 was the #24 Steller Motorsport Corvette Z06 GT3 R, with Dennis Lind only 0.028 seconds off Gounon’s time in the lead Gold Cup entry.
“You’ve got to catch a tow at the right time here,” Lind explained. “It’s Monza, so top speed matters, and I got really lucky. If you get the right tows at the right time, and you put a decent enough lap together through the chicanes, then you’re alright.”
Third went to the Silver Cup-entered #9 Pure Rxcing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) of Aliaksandr Malykhin, ahead of the #17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed AMG, #34 Walkenhorst Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo and #51 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo.
Sven Müller was quickest in the Bronze Cup aboard Rutronik Racing’s #97 Porsche, in seventh overall, with the Friday test-topping #48 Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER AMG eighth, and the #64 HRT Ford Racing Mustang GT3 Evo and #66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II completing the top 10.
The 90-minute session was interrupted by a pair of Red Flags, with gravel being pulled onto the circuit proving to be a major issue. The first stoppage was caused by a spin at Ascari for the #60 JMW Motorsport Ferrari of Rolf Ineichen, whilst the second was for a general track clean up.
Also in trouble were the #59 Garage 59 McLaren GT3 Evo and #80 Lionspeed GP Porsche, both of which lost wheels out on circuit and therefore had to miss the opening 10 minutes of FP2 due to being released from the pits in an unsafe condition.
FP2 was topped by the #23 Team RJN McLaren, following an early 1:46.315 from Ben Dörr aboard his Silver Cup-entered machine.
Second once again went to the #24 Steller Motorsport Corvette, with Lind 0.025 seconds off the fastest time on this occasion to complete a strong day from the British squad.
In a promising step forward for the Lamborghini Temerario GT3, Mirko Bortolotti was the most significant improver in the latter stages of the 90-minute session, as he placed the #63 TGI Team by GRT entry third overall and best of the Pro runners.
A pair of Tresor Attempto Racing Audis came next, with the #66 besting the sister #99, ahead of the #5 Optimum Motorsport Mclaren, #51 AF Corse Ferrari, #98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo, #71 Selected Car Racing Ferrari and #10 Boutsen VDS Porsche.
In the Bronze Cup, the #87 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG of Gabriele Piana was fastest in 11th overall, with a remarkable 54 cars covered by under one second.
FP2 was interrupted by a single red flag, when the #914 Razoon – more than racing Porsche went off at Roggia in the hands of Stelios Kolovos. Almost simultaneously, Max Hofer stopped the similar #9 Pure Rxcing Porsche at pit exit.
“There was a pop coming from the front bonnet, and immediately there was fire noticeable,” Hofer stated.
Qualifying for the second round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup will take place at 9:35 CEST tomorrow, with the race following suit at 15:30 CEST.
Images courtesy of SRO/JEP
