The 2026 International GT Open heads to Misano this weekend with attention split between a historic new venue and several increasingly close championship battles.
The third round of the 2026 season marks the series’ first visit to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. However, while the new location brings added anticipation, the competitive focus remains firmly on the standings after a dramatic GT Open 500 endurance race at Spa-Francorchamps.
With 29 cars entered across the field, Misano promises both depth and variety. The Pro, Pro-Am and Am classes all arrive with significant storylines, while new entries and returning names add further interest to a weekend that could reshape the early title picture.
Pro battle brings four brands into focus
The Pro class will feature 10 cars at Misano, with four different brands represented across the top four in the standings. That variety has already given the class a strong competitive shape, and the Italian round should continue that trend.
Christian Mansell and Maxi Götz arrive as the clear championship leaders after their Spa success. The Motopark Mercedes-AMG pairing made the most of the double points available in Belgium, adding that victory to two second-place finishes from the season opener.
As a result, Mansell and Götz hold a 12-point advantage in the standings. Their combination of consistency and race-winning pace has made them the early benchmark in the Pro class.
However, Tom Emson and Tom Lebbon remain firmly in pursuit. The young British duo sits second in the Elite Motorsport Ferrari 296 and continues to chase its first victory of the season. Misano could therefore offer an important chance to reduce the gap before the championship moves deeper into the campaign.
Returning names add intrigue to the Pro grid
The Pro field also gains two significant additions at Misano, with familiar names returning to the International GT Open.
Oman’s Al Manar Racing joins the grid in technical partnership with Dragon Racing. The team will enter a Ferrari 296 for former Vice Champion Al Faisal Al Zubair and Italian driver David Fumanelli. Their Misano appearance marks the first of three planned outings this season.
GetSpeed also returns for a one-off entry with a Mercedes. The team will field Anthony Bartone and Fabian Schiller, with Schiller arriving fresh from victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
These additions should strengthen the Pro field and create another layer of competition at the front. Both entries bring experienced drivers and proven machinery, meaning they could influence the class fight even without full-season championship stakes.
Fach Auto Tech eyes Pro-Am opportunity
The Pro-Am class remains one of the most competitive parts of the GT Open grid, and Misano will feature 11 cars representing six different brands.
Alexander Fach leads the standings in Fach Auto Tech’s Porsche after already taking two race wins this season. At Misano, he will share the car with Lucas Wolf, who previously competed for the Swiss team at Spa in its other entry.
The round also offers Fach Auto Tech a major opportunity. The Blackthorn Aston Martin, which sits level on points in the standings, will miss the Misano event. Therefore, Fach and Wolf have a clear chance to score heavily and move ahead in the Pro-Am title fight.
However, the class remains far from straightforward. Saintéloc Racing’s Audi R8 LMS ultra, driven by Michaël Blanchemain and Jim Pla, sits third in the standings and has already established itself as one of the strongest challengers. ISR Racing will also represent Audi with Libor Milota and Filip Salaquarda.
Six brands create Pro-Am depth
Ferrari will have the largest Pro-Am presence at Misano. AF Corse brings two entries, with Laurent de Meeus and Vincent Abril in one car and Norikazu Shibata and Charlie Fagg in the other. Olimp Racing continues with its regular Marcin Jedlinski and Karol Basz pairing, while Into Africa Racing by Dragon enters Xolile Letlaka and Axcil Jefferies.
Mercedes-AMG also remains in contention through Dexter Müller and Yannick Mettler in the CBRX by SPS entry. Meanwhile, McLaren has two representatives, with Andrei Borodin and Oliver Webb racing for Greystone GT and Darren and James Kell carrying the Track Focused colours.
PTT Racing adds another point of interest after its impressive debut at Spa. The Polish outfit will aim to build on that performance with its BMW M4 Evo, driven by Hubert Darmetko and Fabian Dybionka.
With so many brands and strong pairings involved, Pro-Am could produce one of the closest fights of the weekend.
Am class arrives with a tie at the top
The Am class also arrives at Misano with an extremely tight championship picture. Eight cars will contest the category, and the lead is currently shared between Porsche and Ferrari entries.
Joel Monegro leads jointly on 32 points in the Fach Auto Tech Porsche. He is tied with AF Corse’s Brazilian pairing of Marcelo Hahn and Galid Osman, who also sits on 32 points.
Both entries have already taken victories this season. Monegro won at Spa, while Hahn and Osman claimed victory at the Algarve. Their equal points total sets up a direct fight for the championship lead at Misano.
Just behind them, Andrzej and Adrian Lewandowski remain firmly in contention. The father-and-son pairing sits only two points back in the Baron Motorsport Ferrari and also already has a race win to its name.
That three-way fight gives the Am class one of the strongest storylines of the weekend. With only two points covering the top three championship contenders, every position at Misano could have a meaningful impact.
Misano set for a decisive weekend
The International GT Open’s first visit to Misano already carries historic weight, but the championship context makes the weekend even more significant.
In Pro, Mansell and Götz have created a useful gap, yet Emson and Lebbon remain close enough to respond. Meanwhile, in Pro-Am, Fach Auto Tech has a chance to take advantage of Blackthorn’s absence, although Audi, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren and BMW entries all add pressure. Finally, in Am, the tied lead between Fach Auto Tech and AF Corse creates an immediate focal point.
As a result, Misano offers more than a new venue for the GT Open paddock. It brings a 29-car field, returning teams, experienced names and title fights that remain active across every class.
With the championship now at full speed after Spa, the Adriatic round could prove one of the most important early turning points of the 2026 season.
