Mercedes-AMG leads early 2026 GTWC global standings after four events across four continents

Spread the love

The 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) powered by AWS season has opened with a tightly contested and highly competitive first phase across four continental series. Mercedes-AMG currently leads the global standings after early success in Europe and America, but Porsche has quickly emerged as its closest challenger thanks to a dominant showing in Asia.

Across the opening events in Australia, America, Asia and Europe, four different manufacturers have already claimed victories. Consequently, the championship has developed into an early multi-way fight, with momentum shifting between brands depending on region and race format.

Strong start across Australia and America

The season began on 27–28 March with simultaneous action at Phillip Island in Australia and Sonoma Raceway in the United States. Audi once again demonstrated its strong regional form in Australia, continuing a trend from previous seasons.

At Phillip Island, defending champions Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher secured victory for MPC in Race 1 after a closely fought contest involving Mercedes-AMG and Audi entries. In Race 2, Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti recovered from an early setback to take victory following multiple safety car interventions, while Ferrari and Audi completed the podium.

In America, GT World Challenge America introduced a new endurance-focused format with a three-hour race at Sonoma Raceway. The extended distance awarded double points and immediately increased competitive stakes. Mercedes-AMG capitalised on the opportunity, with Michaï Stephens and Mikaël Grenier taking victory for JMF Motorsports. Ferrari finished second through AF Corse USA, while Porsche secured third via GMG Racing.

Early standings shift after Asia round

Following the opening weekend, Mercedes-AMG led the global standings, followed by Audi and Ferrari. However, the balance of power shifted significantly when GT World Challenge Asia began at Sepang.

Porsche, which had already shown strong form in the previous season, dominated the Asian opening round. In Race 1, Huang Ruohan and Alessandro Ghiretti delivered victory for Absolute Racing, while Race 2 saw Lu Wei and Alessio Picariello secure another win for Origine Motorsport. Porsche also completed a rare podium sweep across its entries, becoming the first manufacturer to do so in 2026.

As a result, Porsche surged to the top of the global standings after Sepang.

European season brings Mercedes-AMG back to the front

The European campaign began at Circuit Paul Ricard on 11 April with a six-hour endurance race. Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter controlled much of the event, leading until the final stages.

However, a late safety car reshuffled the order, allowing Aston Martin’s Nicki Thiim in the #7 Comtoyou Racing entry to take victory. McLaren secured second place through Garage 59, while BMW followed with a strong overall team performance.

Porsche endured a difficult outing in France, with its #80 Lionspeed GP entry retiring from a strong position. Despite this setback, Mercedes-AMG regained the top spot in the global standings.

Tight fight at the top of the championship

After four of 29 events, the global GTWC standings remain closely contested. Mercedes-AMG leads Porsche by a narrow margin, while Ferrari, BMW and Audi remain firmly in contention. With multiple manufacturers already taking wins, the title fight is expected to evolve significantly as the season progresses.

The championship resumes after a short break with a packed schedule across all four series. America heads to Circuit of the Americas on 25–26 April, while Europe and Asia resume on 2–3 May at Brands Hatch and Mandalika respectively. A further double-header follows on 9–10 May with The Bend hosting Australia and Sebring International Raceway staging the American round.