British Touring Car Championship race winner Daryl De Leon will make his GT3 debut this weekend in the final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve.
De Leon will race Paradine Competition’s #992 BMW M4 GT3 Evo in the Silver Cup class, alongside team regulars Christian Hahn and Josh Rowledge, who will be looking to build off their best finish of the season at the previous event at the Nürburgring.
The 21-year-old is the third BTCC star to pilot the #992 BMW this season, following on from Ashley Sutton at Circuit Paul Ricard and Bobby Thompson at Monza and the Nürburgring.
“I am thrilled to make my GT3 debut this weekend at Portimão, competing in GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS in the #992 Paradine Competition BMW M4 GT3 Evo,” De Leon said.
“I have got a great memory at this track from a podium in Radical Cup in 2021. However, going wheel-to-wheel with the world’s best drivers like Max Verstappen is a huge achievement for myself. I can’t wait to get on the track. I am ready to give it my all. Thank you to Paradine Competition and everyone supporting me for this surreal opportunity.”
Paradine Competition has also completed the crew of its Bronze Cup-entered #991 BMW, which is contending for multiple championships this weekend. Full-season Endurance Cup drivers Darren Leung and James Kellett will be joined by Robert De Haan, who previously raced for the team at Monza.
“I’m massively looking forward to sharing the car with Darren and James again this weekend,” De Haan said.
“It’s the final weekend of GT World Challenge Europe and it’s shaping up to be a special one, looking at the entry with Max Verstappen joining. I think it’s going to be a fun and interesting weekend. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of the BMW M4 GT3 Evo and do my best. Hopefully we can secure a podium and end the season on a strong note.”
The final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season will take place at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal on 16th to 17th October 2026.
Image courtesy of SRO/JEP
