SOLID SPRINT CUP START: VICTORY IN GOLD CLASS AND OVERALL PODIUM FOR TEAM WRT AT BRANDS HATCH

Brands Hatch, UK – May 4th, 2025 – Following their win in the Endurance Cup opener at Paul Ricard, Team WRT carried their strong form into the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe season, kicking off the Sprint Cup campaign with a three-car entry at Brands Hatch. Despite a challenging weekend on a demanding and narrow British circuit, the team came away with an overall podium finish, P2 for the #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO and a Gold Cup class victory for the #777 AlManar Racing by WRT, thanks to precise execution and outstanding pit work.

Race Highlights

  • The weekend was marked by tight margins and high track position stakes, making pit strategy and execution more crucial than ever. All three WRT cars demonstrated resilience across both one-hour races, collecting valuable points in Pro, Gold, and Silver classes.
  • Race 1 proved challenging:
    • The #30 in Silver Cup suffered an electrical issue before the start, forcing Gustav Bergström and Gilles Stadsbader to begin from the pitlane, eventually climbing to P6 in class.
    • The #32, driven by Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Linde, finished P7 overall, managing to stay clear of trouble and take track positions each time it was possible.
    • In Gold Cup, Al Faisal Al Zubair and Jens Klingmann, #777, finished P5 in class, setting the stage for a stronger second race.
  • In Race 2, WRT turned things around:
    • The #32 gained six places after a stellar pitstop and strong stints from van der Linde and Weerts to secure P2 overall, collecting the team’s first Sprint Cup podium of 2025.
    • The #777 climbed through the field, finishing 8th overall and taking Gold Cup victory, after a near-perfect race execution by Klingmann and Al Zubair.
    • The #30 closed out the weekend with a solid P5 in Silver Cup, continuing to build consistency for the season ahead.
  • WRT’s mechanics once again shone in the pitlane:
    • The #32 crew won the Pitstop Challenge
    • The WRT entered cars clocked the three fastest stops of the weekend, proving once again that every second counts.

Looking ahead: Back to WEC on home soil

With a class win, an overall podium, and another Pitstop Challenge victory, Team WRT continues to show strength across both Sprint and Endurance formats. The team now shifts focus to the next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, returning home to Belgium for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, set to take place this Saturday, May 10th. After a difficult edition last year, WRT will be aiming to fight at the front in both Hypercar and LMGT3 as they did in the opening rounds of the FIA WEC championship.

QUALIFYING 1 RESULTSQUALIFYING 2 RESULTSRACE 1 RESULTSRACE 2 RESULTS

FIGURES

  • Number of cars on the grid: 30 (13 Pro, 6 Gold, 11 Silver)
  • Manufacturers: 10
  • Number of WRT cars: 3 (1 Pro, 1 Gold, 1 Silver)
  • 42 laps in Race 1, 37 laps in Race 2

FACTS

Qualifying 1 for Race 1:

#30 P26 overall, P9 in class (Gustav Bergström)

#32 P9 overall, P7 in class (Charles Weerts)

#777 P23 overall, P6 in class (Al Faisal Al Zubair)

Qualifying 2 for Race 2:

#30 P22 overall, P6 in class (Gilles Stadsbader)

#32 P7 overall, P6 in class (Kelvin van der Linde)

#777 P19 overall, P5 in class (Jens Klingmann)

Starting drivers Race 1:

#30 Gustav Bergström

#32 Charles Weerts

#777 Al Faisal Al Zubair

Starting drivers Race 2:

#30 Gilles Stadsbader

#32 Kelvin van der Linde

#777 Jens Klingmann

 

RACE 1 RESULTS:

PRO

1/ Abril - Rovera (Ferrari 296 GT3) 42 laps

2/ Goethe - Kirchhöfer (McLaren 720S GT3 EVO) + 0.658s

3/ Lulham - Vermeulen (Ferrari 296 GT3) + 1.976s

4/ Green - Lappalainen (Ferrari 296 GT3) + 2.566s

5/ Leclerc - Neubauer (Ferrari 296 GT3) + 3.837s

6/ van der Linde - Weerts (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) + 5.013s

 

GOLD

1/ Lulham - Vermeulen (Ferrari 296 GT3) 42 laps

2/ Prette - Smalley (McLaren 720S GT3 EVO) + 5.541s

3/ Moncini - Ogaard (Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II) + 29.316s

4/ Evrard - Magnus (Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II) + 34.148s

5/ Al Zubair - Klingmann (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) + 37.423s

 

SILVER

1/ Machiels - Siebert (Ferrari 296 GT3) 42 laps

2/ Jansen - Oosten (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) + 0.306s

3/ Gazeau - Panis (Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO) + 2.538s

4/ Hartog - Pieris (Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)) + 3.393s

5/ Klymenko - Lecertua (Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II) + 7.402s

6/ Bergström - Stadsbader (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) + 15.880s

 

RACE 2 PROVISIONAL RESULTS:

PRO

1/ Auer - Engel (Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO) 37 laps

2/ van der Linde - Weerts (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) + 1.308s

3/ Müller - Niederhauser (Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)) + 3.646s

4/ Leclerc - Neubauer (Ferrari 296 GT3) + 4.332s

5/ Green - Lappalainen (Ferrari 296 GT3) + 4.820s

 

GOLD

1/ Al Zubair - Klingmann (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) 37 laps

2/ Lulham - Vermeulen (Ferrari 296 GT3) + 2.956s

3/ Moncini - Ogaard (Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II) + 4.559s

4/ Prette - Smalley (McLaren 720S GT3 EVO) + 6.241s

5/ Kell – Rougier (McLaren 720S GT3 EVO) + 17.544s

 

SILVER

1/ Gazeau - Panis (Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO) 37 laps

2/ Aka - Companc (Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II) + 0.676s

3/ Klymenko - Lecertua (Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II) + 1.825s

4/ Day - Pauwels (Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EVO) + 2.299s

5/ Bergström - Stadsbader (BMW M4 GT3 EVO) + 7.728s

Vincent VOSSE, Team Principal Team WRT: “Great way to finish the weekend with a P2 overall in Race 2 and a P1 in the Gold Cup. The mechanics did an incredible job, delivering the fastest pitstops in the Pitstop Challenge (1-2-3). Unfortunately, our pace in qualifying at the start of the weekend left us with limited opportunities, as we saw in Race 1. Overtaking is tough here, and qualifying plays a big role, but we didn’t have the pace to fight from the back. Despite that, it's been a strong weekend with some important points and another win in the bag! It's great for the championship and a perfect way to head into Spa WEC”.
Gustav BERGSTRÖM, driver #30:“It was a challenging weekend for both Gilles and me, especially since it was our first time racing at Brands Hatch. Gilles did a great job, but I struggled a bit more. Unfortunately, we faced some bad luck with an electrical issue in Race 1. That said, let’s focus on the positives: we avoided track limit penalties and didn’t make any mistakes! Now let’s focus on Zandvoort!”
Charles WEERTS, driver #32:“Wrapped up a challenging weekend at Brands Hatch, where we didn’t expect to score points after struggling in qualifying. However, we managed to execute two clean races, working with the package we had and maximising it. A podium wasn’t in our sights, but thanks to the incredible work from the pitstop crew, we made it happen! They made the biggest part of the job, and I want to thank them for the amazing preparation they put in over the winter, as well as the whole team, BMW, and my teammate Kelvin!”
Kelvin VAN DER LINDE, driver #32: “This podium finish is definitely down to the team’s incredible work, especially in the pitstops. For Team WRT to take the top 3 quickest pitstops, out of all the teams in the championship, is very impressive. It's about executing everything perfectly, as we know how to do, and these pitstops will be crucial in this championship. They’ll be key to staying in the fight until the very end”.
Jens KLINGMANN, driver #777: “I’m absolutely thrilled and relieved to have won the Gold Cup! It was a crazy race where we didn’t have the pace to win outright, but it just goes to show that teamwork makes the dream work. The team did an incredible job and made all the difference in the pitlane. We found ourselves in the lead and managed to control the race from there, keeping up the pace and managing what we had. It’s fantastic to see everyone working together as one, with a great vibe across the whole team and all three cars. I’m so happy to end the weekend on this high and can’t wait for the next race. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going!”
Al Faisal AL ZUBAIR, driver #777:“My first ever Sprint weekend ended on a high note! I had to adapt to a new format with two qualifying sessions and two races. Pitstops are vital in this type of racing, especially at Brands Hatch where overtaking is challenging. We had a rough start with the first qualifying session and race, which put us on the back foot. However, thanks to the magic of Team WRT and their flawless pitstops, we went from P16 to P8 overall and P1 in class in Race 2. Winning the Gold Cup and finishing 8th overall in our first Sprint weekend is something we can all be proud of! Huge thanks to WRT”

Find more pictures by clicking on the Media Gallery below.

Media gallery: GT WORLD - BRANDS HATCH
38 images - Credits: Michele Scuderio
W RACING TEAM
Luna de Wilde

Luna de Wilde

Press Officer, W RACING TEAM

Share

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About W RACING TEAM

Team WRT is a leading global racing team established in 2010 that has won 64 international titles and prestigious races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Spa. In 2025 it competes in the FIA WEC as the official works’ team for BMW M Motorsport in both the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. It also represents the German manufacturer in the GT World Challenge and Intercontinental GT Challenge. Through its manufacturing division WRT Manufacturing, Team WRT is also a race car chassis manufacturer, producing and assembling over 100 units a year for external customers.

Team WRT is part of Weerts Group, a family-owned and diversified investment group established in Liège, Belgium, and operating in the Benelux, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Hungary and Romania. In addition to Motorsport, its main activities include Logistics, Real Estate and Renewable Energy. For more information, visit www.weerts-group.com.

Since June 2024, WRT has been honored with the prestigious FIA 3-Star Environmental Accreditation, the highest Environmental certification offered by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). This distinction rewards the team's environmental management and commitment to sustainability. The FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme is aimed at helping motorsport and mobility stakeholders worldwide to measure and enhance their environmental performance. By introducing clear and consistent environmental management into motor sport and mobillity, it provides stakeholders with a three-level framework against which to accredit their activities. For more information about Team WRT’s ESG activities: https://w-racingteam.com/esgs.

For all WRT press releases, please visit https://team-wrt.prezly.com/. To keep up to date with all Weerts Group news, please visit www.weertsgroup.prezly.com.

Contact

Chemin de Fexhe 3 4460 Grace-Hollogne Belgium

0032471914237

luna.dewilde@w-racingteam.com

w-racingteam.com