52 Cars for 3H Monza

Fifty-two cars are set to contest the penultimate round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup at Monza, with the grid featuring a number of significant lineup changes as the result of a clash with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The three-hour race at Autodromo Internazionale di Monza falls on the same weekend as the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has affected a number of teams up and down the grid.

Notably, Iron Lynx has had to significantly overhaul the lineup for the No. 63 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, with Andrea Caldarelli and Matteo Cairoli both set to race as part of the brand’s WeatherTech Championship GTP effort at Indianapolis.

As a result, FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar driver Edoardo Mortara has been tapped for his first GT3 start in Lamborghini machinery, driving alongside Leonardo Pulcini and Mirko Bortolotti.

Similarly, Kevin Estre will replace Laurin Heinrich aboard the No. 22 Schumacher CLRT Porsche 911 GT3 R to team up with Ayhancan Guven and Dorian Boccolacci.

Heinrich is set to defend his GTD Pro championship lead with AO Racing, while Estre is notably set for his first Fanatec GT Europe appearance outside of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa since his 2015 season with Von Ryan Racing and McLaren.

Elsewhere, Walkenhorst Motorsport and Al Manar Racing by GetSpeed have called up Valentin Hasse-Clot and Broc Feeney to replace Ross Gunn and Mikael Grenier, respectively.

Additionally, with Porsche Carrera Cup North America forming part of the support package at Indianapolis, points leader Loek Hartog has vacated his seat aboard the No. 97 Rutronik Racing Porsche to be replaced by Alexander Fach.

Notably, Winward Racing’s Daniel Morad will race at Monza instead of the Michelin Pilot Challenge, remaining part of the lineup of the No. 48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo alongside Maro Engel and Lucas Auer. He will be replaced at Indianapolis by Philip Ellis.

A question mark remains over the lineup of the No. 98 ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3, with Philipp Eng and Nick Yelloly listed alongside Marco Wittmann on the entry list despite having clashing commitments with the BMW M Team RLL GTP effort.

Sergio Sette Camara will make his GT3 debut aboard the No. 9 Boutsen VDS Racing Mercedes-AMG, teaming with Thomas Drouet and Maximilian Goetz.

Other driver changes include Baptiste Moulin and Artem Petrov replacing Haytham Qarajouli and Loris Cabirou aboard the No. 19 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini, while Guilherme Olivera and Theo Nouet step into the lineup for the No. 55 Dinamic GT Porsche.

Four cars that were not on the grid at the most recent Nürburgring round have joined at Monza, with the No. 8 and No. 74 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3s and No. 27 Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 Evo all returning for the first time since the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.

They all compete in Bronze Cup, where they are joined by a one-off entry for BMW Italia Ceccato Racing, which fields the No. 15 BMW for Marco Cassara, Philippe Denes and Felice Jelmini.

Two cars that competed at Nürburgring at Monza, with Eastalent Racing’s No. 84 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II not returning and Madpanda Motorsport confirming the end of its Endurance Cup effort last week.