Mies to Miss Barcelona Sprint Title Fight

Christopher Mies will not defend his Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup points lead in the Barcelona season finale next month, due to a clash with ADAC GT Masters, a championship which he also currently leads.

The German driver, who along with Belgian Audi Club Team WRT co-driver Enzo Ide, came out of the penultimate round at Hungaroring with a 17-point lead over Maxi Buhk and Dominik Baumann (HTP Mercedes), with 34 points still up for grabs in Barcelona.

However, due to a clash with the GT Masters, the Audi GT factory ace will be absent in Spain and instead race his Land Motorsport Audi R8 LMS with Connor De Phillippi in Hockenheim.

Mies and De Phillippi currently hold a tight a two-point advantage in GT Masters over Daniel Keilwitz and Jules Gounon in the No. 77 Callaway Competition Corvette C7 GT3-R.

“We tried everything to do both at the same time but it just didn’t work out,” Mies wrote on his Facebook page.

“I’m mega gutted for Enzo and WRT that we can’t win it together! Especially Enzo has become one of the best non factory drivers in paddock and deserves the title more than anyone else!”

Speaking with Sportscar365 last week, Mies indicated his Blancpain GT commitments would get priority over his ADAC GT Masters program, but plans have apparently changed.

Thus far, Mies and Ide have won two Blancpain Sprint Qualifying Races, at Nürburgring and Hungaroring, and the Main Race at Brands Hatch.

It is not been confirmed yet who will replace Mies in the No. 33 WRT Audi at Barcelona.

Mies and De Phillippi, meanwhile, will join WRT for the Blancpain GT Endurance Cup finale at Nürburgring this weekend, teaming with Will Stevens in the No. 28 Audi.