• Dutch event marks 10th appearance on GT World calendar in style
• Garage 59 McLaren and Emil Frey Racing Ferrari secure first overall wins of 2026
• Big crowd treated to plenty of activities including pit walk, autographs, and Pixa Racer
• Six action-packed support races complete epic weekend on the coast
FINAL RESULTS: Zandvoort Race 1 | Zandvoort Race 2
More than 26,000 spectators descended on Zandvoort this weekend as GT World delivered a weekend of thrills and spills at the legendary seaside circuit. Headlined by the GT World Challenge powered by AWS Sprint Cup, It was a suitably spectacular 10th edition of the Dutch event.
The crowd was treated to one of the most unpredictable Sprint Cup encounters in recent memory. Many of the usual front-runners struggled for one-lap pace in qualifying, placing them on the back foot and allowing a pair of popular teams to secure their breakthrough overall victories of 2026.
Race 1 saw Garage 59 triumph with its #58 McLaren, which became the first Gold Cup runner to score an overall win in the Sprint Cup. Tom Fleming seized the advantage at the start and never looked back, handing over to Louis Prette to seal a statement result.
Sunday's contest saw Emil Frey Racing return to the front in brilliant style. The race was fought between the Swiss squad’s Ferrari crews and effectively settled by a full-course yellow period. Konsta Lappalainen led from teammate Ben Green, but the latter lived up to his name by reacting first when the green flags were shown. Without hesitation the British driver floored the throttle and charged past his teammate. He handed over to Thierry Vermeulen, who became the first Dutch driver to win overall at home since 2014.
This has set up a titanic Sprint Cup finale at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where no fewer than eight crews will fight for the series title. Porsche squad Lionspeed GP holds the advantage after Bastian Buus and Ricardo Feller finished second in Race 2, but the fight remains on a knife-edge heading to Spain.
There were also plenty of twists and turns in the fight for class honours. Garage 59 looked to be on the rise after its Race 1 victory, but AF Corse duo Tommaso Mosca and Matias Zagazeta struck back in Race 2, winning aboard their Ferrari while the #58 McLaren fell down the order due to a penalty for contact. The Ferrari duo will therefore take a healthy points lead to Barcelona.
The Silver Cup has already been settled. Team WRT duo Matisse Lismont and Ignacio Montenegro triumphed in Race 1 aboard the #30 BMW to put the combined class title beyond doubt; then, in Race 2, they wrapped up the Sprint Cup by finishing second to Oliver Söderström and Arthur Dorison, who secured a first win of 2026 in their #21 Comtoyou Racing Aston Martin.
Zandvoort could prove to be pivotal in the fight for the Bronze Cup. Appropriately, it was the Ziggo Sport Tempesta Porsche – competing in its unmistakable orange and white livery – that stood out from the crowd, taking a brace of class wins thanks to Peter Dempsey and Eddie Cheever. They lead the way into the deciding race next month.
In a series that is defined by speed, pit stops are crucial. Team WRT reiterated its prowess in this area by winning the Pit Stop Challenge with its #46 crew of Adria Gracia and Evan Guillot, whose car completed a time of 48.2 seconds front pit-in to pit-out Race 2.
The track action was by no means limited to GT World Challenge. Fans were treated to six more races, two each for the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli, the GT4 European Series, and Porsche Carrera Cup France. In total, the event delivered more than seven hours of GT racing on one of the most challenging circuits on the calendar.
Spectators had plenty more to see and do. There were pit walks on Saturday and Sunday as well as two separate autograph sessions featuring the GT World Challenge and GT4 European Series drivers. The open paddock included a fan zone with merchandise, food and drinks and more.
And, for the first time, the new Pixa Racer concept was present at a GT World weekend. This innovative blend of real and virtual motorsport allowed participants to test their skills by driving radio-controlled cars via a sim rig, experiencing real force feedback and evolving track conditions.
This weekend's event marked the 10th time that GT World visited Zandvoort. It was also the final official engagement for Erik Weijers, who will retire on Sunday evening following 32 years working at the circuit. Erik bows out as the Dutch venue's Chief Sporting Officer and has worked closely with SRO over many years, helping to ensure the current success of GT racing at the track.
He was also the original promoter of the Dutch GT Championship, which ultimately became today's GT4 European Series. SRO Motorsports Group wishes Erik a long and happy retirement and hopes he will be back next year, as a very distinguished spectator, to enjoy the GT World event on 17–19 September.
Two rounds remain on the 2026 GT World Challenge powered by AWS calendar. Barcelona hosts the deciding Sprint Cup event on 2–4 October, while the Portimão circuit in Portugal will be the stage for the final act of the season on 16–18 October. There are still plenty more twists and turns to come before the final chequered flag falls.
