- Circuit Dijon-Prenois hosts the Fanatec GT2 European Series for the very first time
- Audi, KTM, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche joined by new Lamborghini Huracan entry from Team CMR
- First Porsche GT2 RS CS Evo joins the Pro-Am title fight with Manthey Racing
The Fanatec GT2 European Series heads to the French countryside for an exciting new challenge this weekend, 16-17 June, and the third-round championship battles at Circuit Dijon-Prenois.
Although new to the GT2 calendar this season, the circuit hosted the Formula One French Grand Prix five times and the Swiss Grand Prix in 1982. Located in the Burgundy region of eastern France, the 3.888km circuit of fast, sweeping corners and elevation changes promises to produce close racing amongst the Fanatec GT2 ranks.
The field heads to France fresh from the Red Bull Ring just two weeks ago, which proved historic on two fronts. Qualifying produced the closest session in the series’ short history, where 0.194 seconds separated the likes of Audi, KTM and Mercedes-AMG. The first-ever international race win for the new Mercedes-AMG GT2 followed, Mauro and Benjamin Ricci seizing the spoils on debut with the Akkodis ASP Team.
Porsche now also joins the fiercely competitive Pro-Am title fight in France thanks to Manthey Racing, while Lamborghini rejoins the Am grid this weekend courtesy of series newcomers CMR.
KTM also had a weekend to remember at home in Austria by claiming the three remaining class victories. For True Racing, Nicolas Saelens and Stefan Rosina claimed outright race two honours, while teammates Klaus Angerhofer and Sehdi Sarmini took the first Am victory. RTR Projects’ Jan Krabec secured his third win to maintain the Am lead.
Tight at the top of Pro-Am
That race two win for Saelens and Rosina in Austria was just enough to upset the Pro-Am order heading towards the halfway point of the season. The #15 KTM X-BOW duo have scored an impressive three out of a possible four podiums, to give them the class lead by just three points.
Hot on their heels are Henry Hassid and Anthony Beltoise in the #67 Audi R8 LMS GT2. The LP Racing pair lost points due to a penalty at the Red Bull Ring but bounced back to take their third podium this term. They will be keen to retake the top spot on Beltoise’s home event.
Another Audi entry lies 15 points behind, with PK Carsport’s Peter Guelinckx and Stienes Longin sitting third. Although Longin lost out on the three-wide fight for second place in race one in Austria, the duo got the job done in race two to ensure they remain a serious threat for the Pro-Am title.
The fight for fourth is even closer, with a single point separating LP Racing’s Michael Doppelmayr and Pierre Kaffer in the #18 Audi, and the Team True Racing KTM duo of Reinhard Kofler and Hubert Trunkenpolz. With the latter skipping this round, Martin Koch will make his series debut this weekend.
In terms of debuts, you don’t get much stronger than earning an entry into the history books of Mercedes-AMG. The Ricci father and son duo achieved just that and a fourth-place finish for Akkodis ASP in Austria to establish themselves as serious Pro-Am contenders.
Stéphane Ratel and Mattia di Giusto’s clear pace has so far gone unrewarded this season, but the LP Racing duo will be hunting for a strong result on Ratel’s home round in France.
Manthey Racing also returns to the GT2 fold in France, this time bringing the first Porsche GT2 RS CS Evo to the Pro-Am grid. After a promising Am outing at Monza, Christoph Breuer is back with a new Pro teammate yet to be confirmed.
Porsche and Lamborghini aim to break KTM’s Am-class dominance
It’s been the tale of two KTMs in the Am class title fight so far thanks to an outstanding debut season from RTR Projects’ Krabec, who is being chased all the way by True Racing’s Angerhofer and Sarmini.
Four points separate the KTM crews heading into round three. Krabec’s trio of class wins places him top of the order on 76 points, but retirement in race one in Austria was all the invitation Angerhofer and Sarmini needed to make gains and claim victory on home ground.
Angerhofer’s subsequent monster move from fifth to claim points for third also cut into Krabec’s advantage, meaning there’s everything to race for in France.
All the while, the two Ebimotors Porsche entries have been waiting for the chance to take the upper hand. The inter-team fight for third is down to just three points between Aurelijus Rusteika and Mantas Janavicius in the #5 Porsche, and Leonardo Gorini in the #911 sister car.
Series newcomers, CMR are ready to bring the Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo Evo to the Am class fight with Georges Cabanne set for his series debut in France.
The Fanatec GT2 European Series action gets underway at Circuit Dijon-Prenois with two hours of free practice on Friday, 16 June, ahead of qualifying at 16:30. The first race of the weekend is scheduled for 12:00 on Saturday, followed by the second 50-minute encounter at 17:25 CEST.
How to follow and watch:
Live timing, available across all sessions: https://www.gt2europeanseries.com/watch-live#live-timing
Watch both Fanatec GT2 European Series races from France live via GTWorld on YouTube:
Race 1: https://youtube.com/live/X3ldXrRI9-Y?feature=share
Race 2: https://youtube.com/live/FDfwbI9tpdY?feature=share
Event Information:
Entry List
Timetable