With a strong performance, the GRT Grasser Racing Team achieved another top finish in the penultimate race of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup. The driver trio of Mirko Bortolotti, Luca Engstler, and Jordan Pepper drove the #63 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 from 13th on the grid to fifth place in the three-hour race of this high-class racing series. In a turbulent qualifying session under difficult weather conditions, the winners of the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in car number 63 initially qualified for 13th place on the grid. Reigning DTM champion Mirko Bortolotti took the start of the three-hour endurance race on the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit. A total of 61 GT3 cars competed for championship points in this race. Right from the first laps, Bortolotti gained several positions and moved up into the top 10. At the end of his stint, Bortolotti handed over the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 in seventh position during the pit stop. Luca Engstler, now at the wheel of the #63 car, fought for the top positions throughout his stint. After the final stop, the team initially fell back a few positions due to a full-course yellow phase. Final driver Jordan Pepper showed all his skills in the final phase of this eventful race and moved up to sixth place. At the end of the race, the trio benefited from a time penalty against a competitor and was ultimately classified in fifth place overall. This puts the GRT Grasser Racing Team and its drivers in fifth place overall in both the GT World Challenge Europe standings and the Endurance Cup ahead of the final races, with the opportunity to improve further with good results. The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 #19 with Ivan Ekelchik, Baptiste Moulin, and Dante Rappange had less luck in the race. After a mixed qualifying session, the trio, competing in the Silver Cup, entered the race from 57th position on the grid. Although Rappange initially made up more than ten positions in the overall standings as the starting driver, a puncture caused the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo2 #19 to fall back to the end of the field in the final stages of the race. As a result, the team failed to score championship points in the Silver Cup in this race. The final race weekends of the GT World Challenge Europe will start on September 19-21 in Valencia, where the last championship points in the Sprint Cup will be awarded. From October 10-13, the final decisions in this highly competitive racing series will be made at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with the Endurance Cup finale.

Mirko Bortolotti (ITA) / Luca Engstler (GER) / Jordan Pepper (RSA)

#63 GRT Grasser-Racing-Team

PRO CUP

Qualifying: P13 – Race: P5

Mirko Bortolotti: “It was a difficult and tough weekend. We struggled to find the right balance during

the practice sessions, but in the end we were able to make the most of it with a fantastic performance in the race. Despite an extremely chaotic and unfortunate qualifying session, the team and my teammates did an excellent job, and I am very happy with the start and the first stint, where we were able to make up a lot of positions.”

Luca Engstler: “Yes, an emotional weekend has come to an end. I am, of course, very happy that we kept coming back as a team, stuck together, and did a great job, moving up from P13 to P5. My stint was massively compromised by the full-course yellow phase at the end, which cost us five or six positions. I think we had a good chance of finishing on the podium, which the team really deserved. But that’s racing. I think we did a good job and showed strong pace—that’s the most important thing. We can build on that for the next races. We’re still fighting for the podium in the championship, and that has to be our goal.”

Jordan Pepper: “P5 today feels like a little victory given the circumstances. Unfortunately, a difficult qualifying session due to some factors outside our control put us in a difficult position. After some incredible performances by everyone involved, we found ourselves in contention for the podium, but a poorly timed FCY knocked us out of the top 10. I enjoyed the last 45 minutes, in which we fought our way back to fifth place by the checkered flag, and I think we got the maximum out of today. As always, a big thank you to the entire team for their work. We made the most of our package, which we can be very proud of, and of course to our partners for their support.”

Dante Rappange (NED) / Ivan Ekelchik / Baptiste Moulin (FRA)

#19 GRT Grasser-Racing-Team

SILVER CUP

Qualifying: P17 – Race: P14

Ivan Ekelchik: “It was a tough race, but I feel that we have made progress and are moving in the right direction to be successful. After three really difficult races, I am feeling more confident again and believe that we can finish the season very well.”

Gottfried Grasser, Team Principal GRT: “We can be very happy with the result. The team did a great job and moved the car up from P13 to P5. Unfortunately, the car classification made it very difficult for us to find the right balance and, as a result, the pace we needed. The full-course yellow phase during the last pit stop window completely ruined our strategy, as it did for many others – otherwise, a podium finish might have been possible. Unfortunately, our guys in the Silver Cup didn’t have a good weekend. They struggled, which was a shame. But we’ll keep our heads up and look ahead. Soon, it’s on to the Sprint Cup final in Valencia, which we’re really looking forward to.”