Weerts: IGTC Title Crown on “Complete Season”

Charles Weerts described winning the Intercontinental GT Challenge drivers’ title in Saturday’s Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS as “the accomplishment of what has been a great season overall” as he became the first BMW driver to take the crown since 2020.

Weerts sealed the championship by winning the eight-hour season finale in the No. 31 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 driving alongside Dries Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde.

The Belgian arrived at The Brickyard needing to overturn a seven-point deficit to Porsche driver Ayhancan Guven, but was put on track for the title early on when Guven’s No. 32 GMG Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R suffered a puncture and later retired with steering issues.

WRT subsequently went on to win the race due to a five-second penalty for Wright Motorsports, while Weerts added to previous podium finishes at the Nürburgring 24 and CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa to take the title.

“It’s the title I was for sure chasing,” Weerts told Sportscar365.

“It’s a very, very nice one to have since we drive on the best tracks in the world and it’s a championship I was missing on my record.

“I’m just very happy I think it’s the accomplishment of what has been a great season overall.

“We had a bit of a disappointing result in Bathurst but for the rest, we had a very good race at the Nürburgring, very good race at Spa and here.

“Obviously with different teams, with Team RMG, who provided me with an amazing car. With different teammates, obviously Dries and Sheldon and Max [Hesse] and Dan [Harper] at the Nordschleife.

“So overall it’s been a complete season and I’m very happy to be able to finish this off with a victory.”

Despite coming into the event on the back foot in the points standings, Weerts entered the title decider with a notable advantage due to the fact that Guven had been placed in a Pro-Am entry at Indianapolis.

“Obviously the fact that Porsche was not coming with a full Pro lineup made the task easier for us, because when we see the pace they had this weekend it was quite clear that it would have been a very difficult one for us,” Weerts said.

“But nevertheless, the competition is still very strong and to be champion still first of all you need to finish the race. So I’m very, very happy about it.

“I just took it like a normal race where you just simply want to do the best and you simply want to make no mistakes and that’s what we did.

“I’m very happy to first of all get the championship but especially to get the championship by winning this race.”

Vanthoor “Gave it Everything” Chasing Heinrich in Closing Stint

While Weerts’ position in the drivers’ standings was secure regardless of the outcome of the late-race battle between WRT and Wright Motorsports, the Belgian squad came out on top as co-driver Vanthoor was able to bring down the gap to Laurin Heinrich to less than five seconds.

This ensured WRT was classified ahead of the No. 120 Porsche despite finishing behind in the race as Wright was given a penalty for a pit procedure infringement.

In a tense finale, Vanthoor chipped away at Heinrich’s lead while simultaneously saving fuel, describing the last stint as ‘great but difficult.’

“I was hitting fuel numbers as I got asked,” Vanthoor told Sportscar365.

“It was difficult to hit them, especially in the beginning. I felt like I needed to save more than the Porsche, but then I got different numbers and then I could manage to get into a rhythm and understand where to save and where not.

“As soon as I got into that flow, I started to catch him. I just got better at it and over the stint. I think that that just helped me out.

“But it was difficult. I gave it everything we had. The car was difficult to drive at the end, but it was fast but difficult to drive.

“Super happy to be a back to back Indy winner. It’s pretty cool. Yeah. Just a great last stint.

“It was so difficult and so rewarding now for everyone to get that win. It’s just very, very nice for everyone.”