Winward Racing has won its appeal against the disqualification of its #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO from Race 2 of July’s GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup round.
The Lucas Auer and Maro Engel-driven machine finished third on the road in the Sunday race at the Adriatic coast, but was later disqualified for a non-compliant wheel bearing.
In a hearing ahead of the Nürburgring Endurance Cup round at the end of August, Winward Racing agreed with the Stewards that the sealing lips on the wheel bearing fitted to the car were cut on both sides, but disputed that this violated the regulations.
The Stewards disagreed, disqualifying the #48 Mercedes-AMG, but the American outfit elected to appeal this decision.
Its appeal was heard by the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium’s National Court of Appeal earlier this week, with the court ordering that the decision to disqualify the #48 Mercedes-AMG is “annulled and revoked”.
With a potential loss of 9.5 points no longer looming over them, Auer and Engel can now celebrate winning the full-season Drivers’ Championship. It is the pair’s second title in the past three years, with them having also triumphed in 2024.
The Teams’ Championship remains undecided, with Team WRT leading Winward Racing by five points with only this weekend’s Endurance Cup round at Portimão remaining.
Image courtesy of SRO/JEP
