The GT World Challenge Manufacturers Championship is heating up following an action-packed weekend at Sonoma Raceway for the opening rounds of the season within the American branch of the global series.
BMW has surged ahead in the standings, capitalizing on impressive performances across multiple entries. Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG remains within striking distance, bolstered by a historic first win for JMF Motorsports, while Porsche holds onto third place by a razor-thin margin. As the championship heads toward its next rounds in Australia and Texas, the fight for manufacturer dominance is far from over.
BMW
BMW is currently leading the charge with a total of 252 points, having recently accumulated an additional 70 points at Sonoma Raceway. This significant haul was aided by strong results from multiple teams, most notably wins and podiums from both Turner Motorsport and Random Vandals Racing.
In Race 1, Justin Rothberg and Robby Foley secured the Pro-Am class win on board their new No. 29 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO, and followed it up with a second-place finish the following day.
Alternatively, for Random Vandals Racing, they placed second in the Pro class in Race 1, but Kenton Koch and Connor De Phillippi delivered a stellar drive in Race 2 in the No. 99 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, pulling off the winning overtake for the lead in the final two minutes of the race.
The sister No. 51 Random Vandals Racing also achieved a podium finish of their own, with Varun Choksey and Bill Auberlen finishing third in Race 1, also in the Pro class.
Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes-AMG sits in second with 196 points, with contributions coming from three different teams who stepped on to the podium in California.
It was a milestone moment for JMF Motorsports, as new teammate pairing Michai Stephen and Mikaël Grenier drove to victory in Race 1 in the Pro class, scoring the team’s first-ever win in GT3 machinery in their debut event. This was also Stephens’ first race in GT3 machinery, proving that he was able to get up to speed with the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT3 very quickly.
Regulator Racing made their alternative strategy approach work in their favor once again, with Philip Ellis and Jeff Burton bringing the No. 91 Mercedes-AMG GT3 to victory lane in the Pro-Am class in the opening race of the season.
CrowdStrike by Riley took home two back-to-back P2 finishes in the Pro-Am class, with longtime teammates George Kurtz and Colin Braun further adding to their trophy collection with the No. 04 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Porsche
Porsche caps off the top 3 with 194 points, just two points behind Mercedes-AMG.
Newcomer Alex Sedgwick and experienced competitor Jan Heylen proved themselves as a driver pairing to watch, fighting for victory in only their second outing together as a duo. Although they ultimately finished second in the No. 18 RS1 Porsche 992 GT3 R behind Random Vandals Racing, they showcased that they won’t back down without a good fight.
Up Next
On the American front, the championship fight will take a trip to Austin, Texas next for the third and fourth rounds of the GT World Challenge America season at Circuit of The Americas from April 25th to 27th.