The GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe Endurance Cup field returned to action at the Nürburgring on Friday, with Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed’s Fabian Schiller and series debutant Constantin Dressler setting the benchmark across the day’s two testing sessions.
More than 50 cars took part in the two-hour Paid Test, which ran in wet conditions, before the Bronze Cup runners returned to a dry circuit later in the afternoon for their dedicated one-hour session. Close margins defined both tests, with just 0.028s separating the top three in the opening session and only 0.059s deciding the Bronze Test.
Schiller leads incredibly tight Paid Test
Fabian Schiller put the #17 Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed entry at the top of the timesheets during the two-hour Paid Test, setting a 1:55.550 to lead an extremely close fight at the front. The German’s effort proved just 0.019s quicker than James Kellett in the #991 Paradine Competition BMW M4 GT3 EVO. Kellett’s 1:55.569 also made the Paradine car the fastest Bronze Cup entry of the session.
Nico Menzel completed the overall top three for Boutsen VDS. Making his first appearance with the team this weekend, Menzel took the #10 Porsche 911 GT3 R EVO to a 1:55.578, just nine thousandths of a second behind Kellett. His performance also placed the Boutsen VDS entry at the head of the Gold Cup runners.
The narrow gaps continued behind them. Rinat Salikhov’s #87 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG finished fourth, 0.125s away from Schiller’s benchmark, while the #84 Eastalent Racing Audi completed the top five with a 1:55.775. Charles Dawson put the #222 2Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG sixth overall and third among the Bronze Cup entries.
WRT inside the top 10 as Menzel leads Gold Cup
Team WRT occupied seventh and eighth with its two Pro-class BMWs. The #46 car shared by Dan Harper, Max Hesse and Valentino Rossi ended the test ahead of the sister #32 entry of Kelvin van der Linde, Jordan Pepper and Charles Weerts.
Garage 59’s #58 McLaren ranked ninth overall and second in the Gold Cup, while the #98 Rowe Racing BMW rounded out the overall top 10. Aurélien Panis set the fastest Silver Cup time in the #6 GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros Mercedes-AMG, which finished 18th overall with a 1:56.609.
The session began with a wet circuit and included one Full Course Yellow period. Of the 54 cars that started the test, 53 set a classified time. The #24 Steller Motorsport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R was the only entry not classified.
Debutant Dressler tops the Bronze Test
Conditions improved before the dedicated Bronze Test, with all 13 eligible cars taking to a dry Nürburgring circuit for the one-hour session. Constantin Dressler immediately made an impression on his GT World Challenge Europe debut. Standing in for Dustin Blattner in the #74 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO, the German recorded a 1:55.174 to claim the fastest time of the afternoon. Dressler held an advantage of around half a second for much of the session, but Charles Dawson reduced the margin significantly during the closing stages. The #222 2Seas Motorsport Mercedes-AMG driver eventually posted a 1:55.233, leaving him just 0.059s short of Dressler when the chequered flag fell.
Rinat Salikhov followed in third for Winward Racing with a 1:55.902, while Darren Leung placed the Paradine Competition BMW fourth on a 1:56.103. Gabriel Rindone completed the top five aboard the #12 GetSpeed Team Dubai Mercedes-AMG. Samuele Tribaudini put the #177 Grupo Prom Racing Team Mercedes-AMG sixth, followed by the #91 Herberth Motorsport Porsche and the #88 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi. Oman Racing by Century Motorsport and Ziggo Sport Tempesta Racing completed the top 10. Dressler’s 1:55.174 also stood as the quickest lap recorded across Friday’s two tests, beating Schiller’s Paid Test benchmark by 0.376s, although the significant change from wet to dry conditions makes a direct comparison between the sessions of limited value.
Friday’s Testing gave teams their first opportunity to prepare for the GTWC Europe Nürburgring Endurance Cup weekend before the competitive programme begins with Saturday’s practice sessions.
