Round 6 of the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup brought the series to Misano, where a packed weekend of testing, qualifying, and racing produced fireworks under the lights. Valentino Rossi and Raffaele Marciello gave Team WRT a landmark home victory in Race 1 of the GTWC Europe round in Misano. While Garage 59 returned to the top step with a commanding Race 2 performance from Marvin Kirchhöfer and Benjamin Goethe.
Boutsen VDS sets the tone
The weekend began with strong pace from Boutsen VDS. Luca Stolz, back in the #9 Mercedes-AMG alongside Maxime Martin, edged Raffaele Marciello’s WRT BMW by just 0.011s. Ferrari and Porsche also showed early promise, with Emil Frey Racing’s Konsta Lappalainen and Rutronik Racing’s Sven Müller both inside the top five. The close margins set the stage for an intense weekend.
Ferrari leads the way
AF Corse struck back in free practice. Alessio Rovera topped the session in the #51 Ferrari, followed closely by teammate Arthur Leclerc. Valentino Rossi, racing at home, gave fans reason to cheer with a top-three run in the #46 BMW. The session confirmed Ferrari’s pace but also underlined the strength of WRT and Winward Racing’s Mercedes-AMG duo Engel and Auer.
Grasser Lamborghini on top
Pre-qualifying produced another shift. Jordan Pepper and Luca Engstler put the GRT Lamborghini #63 on top, narrowly ahead of CSA Racing’s McLaren. Rutronik, Emil Frey, and AF Corse remained within striking distance, ensuring the top ten was separated by less than half a second. The session highlighted Lamborghini’s ability to perform in longer stints, a factor that would carry weight in the races.
Ferrari 1-2, Rossi Stars
Qualifying for Race 1 turned into a Ferrari showcase. Rovera took pole in the #51 AF Corse machine, leading a front-row lockout with Arthur Leclerc in the sister #50 entry. Behind them, Rossi and Marciello powered the #46 WRT BMW into third, drawing loud cheers from the Misano crowd. Weerts and Van der Linde secured fourth in the #32 BMW, while Winward’s Engel and Auer completed the top five.
The performance underlined Ferrari’s raw pace, but it was Rossi’s flying laps — consistently inside the top three — that electrified the circuit.
Rossi and Marciello deliver under the lights in Race 1 of the GTWC Europe in Misano
The opening sprint race produced one of the season’s most memorable moments. Leclerc initially led in the #50 Ferrari, but contact forced an early retirement, leaving Rovera and Abril to carry AF Corse’s challenge.
Rossi took over the #46 BMW from Marciello at mid-distance and emerged just behind the Ferrari. With relentless pressure, Rossi found a way through and stormed to victory on home soil. The win, shared with Marciello, was a landmark triumph for WRT and BMW.
Behind them, Rovera and Abril salvaged second in the #51 Ferrari, with Weerts and Van der Linde completing the podium in the #32 BMW. Winward Racing and Garage 59 rounded out the top five. Tresor Attempto’s #99 Audi claimed Silver Cup victory, while Garage 59’s #58 McLaren secured Gold Cup honors.
Kirchhöfer puts McLaren on Pole
Sunday qualifying belonged to Marvin Kirchhöfer. The German delivered a blistering lap in the #59 Garage 59 McLaren, edging Marciello’s WRT BMW by less than a tenth. Winward Racing again impressed with the #48 Mercedes-AMG in third, while Rutronik’s #96 Porsche and AF Corse’s #51 Ferrari completed the top five.
The tight session suggested another intense battle, with McLaren, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, and Ferrari all lined up at the front.
Garage 59 strikes back during Race 2 of the GTWC Europe in Misano
The second race confirmed McLaren’s resurgence. Kirchhöfer controlled the opening stint before handing the #59 over to Goethe, who held his nerve in the closing laps. Winward Racing’s Auer and Engel finished just half a second behind after a race-long fight, while Rutronik Racing scored a strong third place with Müller and Niederhauser.
AF Corse kept themselves in the championship picture with Rovera and Abril in fourth, while Weerts and Van der Linde brought the #32 BMW home fifth. Boutsen VDS secured sixth with Martin and Stolz, while Emil Frey Racing’s #69 Ferrari won the Gold Cup.
Comtoyou Racing’s Aston Martin #21 triumphed in Silver Cup after resisting pressure from Boutsen VDS and Team WRT, while Imperiale Racing’s Lamborghini and Kessel Racing’s Ferrari battled hard in Bronze Cup.
Rossi’s glory and McLaren’s response at the GTWC Europe Misano Round
Misano delivered two very different but equally important stories. For Rossi, winning at home with Marciello under the lights was a career-defining moment that electrified the crowd and showed WRT’s title credentials. For McLaren, the Garage 59 duo of Kirchhöfer and Goethe restored momentum with a decisive Race 2 win, proving the team’s endurance pace translates into Sprint Cup success.
With Misano complete, the championship picture remains wide open. WRT, AF Corse, Garage 59, Winward, and Rutronik all left Misano with strong results, setting up a thrilling run into the summer rounds of the 2025 GTWC Europe.
