Philippe Prette captured the Masters title in the GT2 European Series at Zandvoort, driving a dominant Ginetta‑filled field through both races.
Masters Triumph at Zandvoort
Prette, a three‑time LP Racing Maserati champion, took two victories in the Masters category, clinching the championship with a single race to spare. His performance, featuring a clear podium finish in the opening race and a decisive overtake of Viktor Mraz in the closing laps, cemented his status as the reigning champion of the series.
Ginetta’s Supremacy in Qualifying and Racing
The CMR‑prepared G56, piloted by Ethan Gialdini and Mikkel Njor, secured pole and shared the overall victory in Race One. The duo also topped the Silver Class thanks to a flawless partnership that left no room for opposition. In Race Two, Gialdini and Njor moved from a sixth‑grid start to victory after a return to form, after Kofler and Simpson initially led.
Pro‑Am and Other Class Highlights
In the Pro‑Am championship, the Ginetta pair of Mike Simpson and Lawrence Tomlinson claimed the series lead, edging past the LP Racing Audi to finish a close second overall. Meanwhile, the KTM entry from RTR Project posted a class win in Race One, and the Maserati squad from LP Racing and Dinamic Motorsport returned to the podium in all races.
Incidents and Penalties Shaping Results
Late‑race drama began when the #62 G56 re‑started from the pits with an external battery, triggering a 34‑second stop‑go penalty that dropped the team from second to seventh overall. A penalty also corrected the final classification after a pit‑stop restart violation. Additionally, a drive‑through penalty for Oliver Freymuth’s Lamborghini reduced him to last place, while a gearbox failure prevented the #85 Iron Dames Maserati from starting Race One.
Key Standings and Performance Notes
Across the top ten, the Ginetta and Maserati teams dominated the overall order, with the Pro‑Am standings largely populated by Ginettas and the Silver Class led by Gialdini and Njor. The Master’s podium saw Prette, Mraz, and the #898 KTM-MZR pair from Grip/Russel, while the Pro‑Am panel featured the #78 rather than a dash due to replacement drivers. Final finishes for the Mercedes and KTM entries illustrated resilience, with the #119 KTM‑MZR securing Pro‑Am victory after being launched from a spin early in Race Two.
Driver Reflections
After the season finale, Prette praised the LP Racing team and Maserati’s engineering, citing the windy conditions that added complexity to the races. “The final lap was a thrilling moment for me,” he said, emphasizing the challenge of maintaining control under gusty conditions.
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