Endurance Weekly: 12th - 17th September
- DIVEBOMB Endurance Team
- 40 minutes ago
- 9 min read
This week on Endurance Weekly, the DIVEBOMB endurance team looks ahead to the GT World Challenge Europe (GTWC EU) Sprint Cup round at Valencia and the IMSA Endurance Cup round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). The team also looks back at the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie 7 and 8 (NLS) and the European Le Mans Series' (ELMS') 4 Hours of Silverstone, and recaps all of the news stories you may have missed during the week.
NLS 7 & 8 - Review
On a weekend where it looked almost inevitable that Falken Motorsports were going to sweep the top two spots in both races, there was plenty of action in the NLS.
While they did reach that feat in Saturday's NLS 7, a puncture for the No.4 and a late crash for Julien Andlauer in the No.3 gave the victory to the No.6 Ford Mustang on Sunday.
Read more about both races here.
While there were battles up the front, all of the headlines contained one name, Max Verstappen. The four-time world champion took to the NLS grid on Saturday entered in two Porsche Cayman GT4s, in an effort to get his GT3 racing license.
The rules state that to earn an A-permit, a driver needs to complete 14 racing laps without incident across two race finishes. Entering two cars covered the latter part, so the Formula One champion just needed to get his laps in.
However in qualifying for the race, the car was crashed and couldn't make the track start. This meant that he didn't meet the requirements. But the people in charge of the permits did grant an exception, due to the fact that the second car could not race, and the Red Bull driver did all of the required laps.
Verstappen is expected to return to the Nordschlife on Saturday the 27th of September for NLS 9, where he will make his GT3 racing debut.
ELMS 4 Hours of Silverstone - Review
The European Le Mans Series (ELMS) returned to Silverstone last weekend after a six-year absence. With rain on the horizon, the race organisers started the race an hour earlier than scheduled at 11:00 BST.
On Saturday, Iron Dames started the proceedings by qualifying on pole, beating Iron Lynx in LMGT3. There was a thrilling battle in LMP3, but it was the No.12 WTM by Rinaldi that took pole. No.99 AO by TF and the No.48 VDS Panis Racing took pole in LMP2 Pro/Am and LMP2, respectively.
The race started under a dry but ominous sky, and it was immediately chaotic. Several cars fell victim to incidents, and an early Virtual Safety Car (VSC) was deployed not long after, before the safety car itself was sent to the track.
Penalties began to be dished out not long after, with several drivers receiving a 10-second time penalty. The No.37 CLX-Pure Rxcing collided with the No.63 Iron Lynx-Mercedes and sent it crashing into the barriers. Owing to the debris, the race directors decided to wave the red flag.
When the race resumed, another barrage of penalties was imposed, with an additional 10-second time penalty to the next stop and a drive-through. The No.12 WTM by Rinaldi pulled over at the end of the Hamilton Straight.
At the Hangar Straight, the No.83 AF Corse attempted to avoid the No.15 RLR M Sport, but it sent the latter into the path of the No.77 Proton Competition car, and both cars collided. The safety car was deployed once more before the second red flag was declared.
Battles continued in the second hour in each class, before the conditions were declared "wet" at the start of the third hour. The worsening conditions did not seem to hinder drivers' spirits, as many battles were taking place.
At the final hour, the No.18 IDEC Sport car decided to undercut the No.43 Inter Europol Competition car and led the race when the latter pitted. Dani Juncadella in the former car continued to extend his lead nearing the end of the race.
However, with nine minutes remaining, the race directors decided to put an end to the race early with a red flag. The No.18 IDEC Sport was crowned as the LMP2 winner, followed by the No.20 Algarve Pro Racing (APR) (LMP2 Pro/Am), the No.17 CLX Motorsport (LMP3) and the No.50 AF Corse (LMGT3).
With victory in hand, the No.18 IDEC Sport remained in LMP2 championship contention for the 4 Hours of Portimão finale as they trail the No.48 car by six points. The No.17 CLX Motorsport already took the championship title in LMP3, but it is still all to play for in LMP2 Pro/Am and LMGT3.
Read DIVEBOMB's full report here.
IMSA Battle of the Bricks - Preview
The penultimate round of the 2025 IMSA Championship, the Indy Battle on the Bricks, is set for this weekend at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For the second time, Indy will host a six-hour IMSA endurance race after returning to the IMSA calendar in 2023.
Qualifying is set to start on Saturday, September 20 3:15 pm track time. The six-hour IMSA Battle on the Bricks race will begin at 11:40 am track time on Sunday, September 21.
All four classes will race this weekend – GTP, LMP2, GTD and GTD PRO – for a total of 53 entries. 12 entries in the GTP class, notably missing the No. 5 Proton Competition Porsche, whose chassis sustained too much damage at the Six Hours of Watkins Glen in June to participate at Indianapolis. 12 LMP2 entries, missing the No. 61 Team Tonis car that debuted last time out. 11 GTD PRO entries, and 18 GTD to finish out the Indy entry list.
The Michelin Endurance Cup races are a whole different animal within the IMSA calendar. Some teams that have found success in the longer format this season are the No. 7 Porsche Penske in GTP, the No. 22 United Autosports USA in LMP2, the No. 1 Paul Miller BMW in GTD PRO, and the No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin in GTD.
In GTP, the No. 7 and No.6 Porsche Penske cars have had immensely successful endurance outings so far this season. The No. 7 car leads the Endurance Cup standings by five points over the No. 60 Meyer Shank Acura, and 7 points to the No. 6 in third place. The No. 7 vitally reached the three hour points threshold before retiring at Watkins Glen with an hour and 20 minutes remaining.
In LMP2, the No. 22 United Autosports USA and No. 43 Inter Europol Competition cars are tied for the lead in the Endurance Cup championship. The No. 22 inherited the win from P2 at Daytona and won at Watkins Glen, while the No. 43 won in Sebring. Alongside Sebring, the Inter Europol team had a great P2 finish at Road America, but has otherwise had some poor luck this season. The United Autosports team has been almost pitch perfect all season, other than their unfortunate first lap incident at Road America that knocked them out of contention for the win.
In GTD PRO, the two Paul Miller BMW cars lead the Endurance Cup standings with the No.1 just four points in front of the No. 48. The No. 1 car has not dominated the endurance races final results, with their best result being P3 at Sebring. However, their consistent front-of-the-pack pace through the middle stages of the races has been their greatest strength.
In GTD there is a three-way tie for the lead of the Michelin Endurance Cup standings. The No. 27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, the No. 70 Inception Racing Ferrari, and the No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari are all tied with 27 points. The No. 70 and the No. 21 have –similar to the No. 1– benefitted greatly from mid-race pace points, whereas the No. 27 has consistently finished in the top three of all three endurance races, with a win at Watkins Glen from pole.
As always, IMSA endurance races are full of surprises and with a chance of rain on Sunday, there will be all to play for at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The race will be available to watch on Peacock, NBC, IMSA TV, IMSA’s official Youtube channel, and IMSARadio.com.
GTWC EU Sprint Cup at Valencia - Preview
The 2025 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup will conclude at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia from 19th–21st September. The Spanish circuit, with its tight corners and short straights, has become known for tense racing and strategic battles since joining the calendar in 2021.
This will be the fourth visit to Valencia. The 2021 round was the only time the Sprint Cup title has been decided with a race to spare. A year later, the No.32 WRT Audi created one of the most memorable moments in series history, switching to slick tyres on a drying track to win on the final lap. In 2023, the circuit produced another close contest, underlining its reputation as a venue where strategy often makes the difference.
Mercedes-AMG has the best record at Valencia with three wins. Audi, BMW and Ferrari each have one victory, proving that no brand has been able to dominate the Spanish track.
A season full of variety
The 2025 Sprint Cup has been one of the most competitive seasons to date. There have been seven different winners across eight races, a new record for the championship. Six different manufacturers remain in contention for the overall crown, showing how closely matched the field has been.
No team or driver has been able to pull away at the top. Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Audi and McLaren have all won races, leaving the title fight wide open heading into Valencia.
Overall title contenders
The closest and most exciting fight is in the Sprint Cup overall drivers’ standings. At the top of the table, Charles Weerts and Kelvin van der Linde (No. 32 BMW Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Evo) hold the lead with 72 points. They have been quick and consistent all season, and their experience in sprint racing makes them very difficult to beat.
Just behind them, only 1.5 points back, are Marvin Kirchhöfer and Benjamin Goethe (No. 59 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo) on 70.5 points. The McLaren duo have been one of the biggest surprises of the season, showing both speed and resilience to stay in the title fight until the very end.
In third place, Sven Müller and Patric Niederhauser (No. 96 Rutronik Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R 992) sit on 63.5 points. While the gap to the top is slightly bigger, they are still very much in the fight. One strong result in Valencia could change the entire picture. With so few points separating the leading crews, every lap in the final round could be decisive.
In the teams’ standings, it is a very similar story. BMW Team WRT leads, but the pressure from Garage 59 and Rutronik Racing means the championship will only be settled in the final race. The margin is small enough that one mistake or one bold strategy call could turn everything upside down
Gold Cup still alive
The Gold Cup was expected to be decided early, but instead it has become even more competitive as the season has progressed. Thierry Vermeulen and Chris Lulham (No. 69 Emil Frey Racing Ferrari 296 GT3) are still on top with 90 points. They have been strong all year, but their lead is not as safe as it once looked.
Closing in are Gilles Magnus and Paul Evrard (No. 25 Saintéloc Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II), who have consistently brought home points and are now right in the title picture. Their performances have made the Gold Cup battle far more intense than many expected earlier in the season.
Also in the mix is Louis Prette (No. 58 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo). After a brilliant weekend in France, Prette is back in contention. He will once again team up with Tom Fleming, a pairing that has already delivered strong results together. With this momentum, they could be the surprise package in Valencia
Silver Cup wide open
The Silver Cup has seen plenty of changes at the top this season, but Jamie Day and Kobe Pauwels (No. 21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin) have taken control in recent rounds. Three wins in a row have given the young duo a six-point lead heading into the finale.
Their main rivals are Aurélien Panis and Cesar Gazeau (No. 10 Boutsen VDS Mercedes-AMG), who finished runners-up last year and have scored six podiums this season. Alex Aka (No. 99 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi), joined by Alexey Nesov, is also in the hunt just 13.5 points off the leaders.
Bronze Cup down to two
The Bronze Cup has been a season-long duel. Dustin Blattner and Dennis Marschall (No. 74 Kessel Racing Ferrari) hold a narrow lead, but Bashar Mardini and Bastian Buus are only 6.5 points behind after matching them with two wins each.
Sitting third is Rinat Salikhov (No. 81 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG), who remains an outside contender. With the top two so close, the Valencia finale will decide who comes out on top.
A fitting finale
Valencia has a reputation for producing drama, and the ingredients are there for another memorable weekend. The circuit’s tight layout, limited overtaking spots and high tyre wear make strategy crucial. Teams will need to balance speed with caution, knowing that one small error could decide a championship.
Whether it is Weerts and van der Linde bringing the Sprint Cup crown to BMW Team WRT, Kirchhöfer and Goethe making history for McLaren with Garage 59, or Müller and Niederhauser delivering for Porsche and Rutronik Racing, the fight remains wide open. With the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cups also undecided, Valencia is set for a finale that perfectly captures the unpredictable and competitive spirit of the 2025 season.
News Recap
WEC
Genesis Magma Racing announce Jaubert and Juncadella as 2026 drivers
On Thursday morning, Genesis Magma Racing announced that Mathys Jaubert and Daniel Juncadella would join Andre Lotterer and Pipo Derani as the 2026 drivers for the brands WEC debut.
The pair have led the ELMS charge in the No.18 IDEC Sport with GMR LMP2 alongside Jamie Chadwick, and currently sit second in the title fight with three wins to their name.
