Mercedes-AMG Leads Global GTWC as All Four Series Launch

Mercedes-AMG tops the global standings after the opening quartet of GT World Challenge powered by AWS events, but Porsche has already emerged as a serious pretender to the throne thanks to a standout weekend at Sepang.

The new season began on March 27-28 with a double helping of GT World Challenge action in Australia (Phillip Island) and America (Sonoma Raceway).

Last year saw Audi score six of its seven global victories ‘Down Under’ and the R8 LMS GT3 Evo II remained the car to beat in this year’s opener.

Defending champions Broc Feeney and Brad Schumacher took Race 1 spoils for MPC, edging the Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG and Team BRM’s Audi.

Jayden Ojeda and Paul Lucchitti were eliminated on the opening lap of Race 1 but made amends in the second contest, surviving multiple safety car restarts to bag the win.

ARGT was second with its Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, while Audi picked up another podium in P3 courtesy of Wolfbrook Motorsport.

GT World Challenge America began a new era at Sonoma, which staged the series’ first three-hour race.

The new format means double points are on offer in the U.S. series and Mercedes-AMG cashed in by winning from pole in California’s wine country.

Michaï Stephens and AMG factory ace Mikael Grenier scored a narrow victory in their JMF Motorsports machine, while Ferrari kicked off its American campaign by finishing as runner-up thanks to AF Corse USA.

GMG Racing rounded out the podium for Porsche.

With the opening weekend complete the points table had a familiar look: Mercedes-AMG on top, followed by Audi and Ferrari. But that would all change one week later when GT World Challenge Asia opened at Sepang.

Porsche was dominant in Asia last term, banking eight victories and comfortably topping the continental table. This trend continued into the new season as a brace of wins vaulted the Stuttgart marque to the top of the standings.

Absolute Racing duo Huang Ruohan and Alessandro Ghiretti claimed victory in the opener, beating the sister car – in this case a Lamborghini Huracán – and FAW/Phantom’s Audi. This was a good result for Porsche, but Race 2 would be even better.

Lu Wei scored his seventh career victory – a new series record – alongside Alessio Picariello in the Origine Motorsport entry.

With Phantom Global in second and the Absolute-run Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo finishing third, Porsche became the first brand this season to lock out a GT World Challenge podium and vaulted to the top of the global standings.

The final continental series launched at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 11 with a six-hour race kicking off the European season.

The upshot was that Mercedes-AMG returned to the top of the standings, though it was a bittersweet event for the German giant.

Mercedes-AMG Team Mann-Filter comprehensively dominated the race, leading from pole until just ten minutes before the checkered flag.

A late safety car bunched up the pack and allowed a charging Nicki Thiim to strike in the No. 7 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, giving the British marque its first win of the season – and a big haul of points.

McLaren completed the podium with the best of the Garage 59 entries, while BMW also scored well by finishing fourth and sixth.

In contrast, erstwhile points leader Porsche suffered a bad night in France: its No. 80 Lionspeed GP machine looked to be in contention for at least a podium but retired from second spot at half distance.

Despite losing the win, Mercedes-AMG is back in familiar territory.

The Affalterbach brand leads the global standings on 175 points followed by Porsche (152), Ferrari (111), BMW (99) and Audi (93). McLaren, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ford, and Corvette make up the table.

All four series will be in action again across the following three weekends.

GTWC America will visit Circuit of The Americas this weekend, while Europe and Asia return on May 2-3 at Brands Hatch and Mandalika respectively.

There’s another doubleheader on May 9-10 with Australia racing at The Bend, while America takes on Sebring International Raceway.