The GT4 European Series is a sports car championship featuring production-based GT4 vehicles, organised by the SRO Motorsports Group. It is a Pro/Am series and serves as a primary support series for the GT World Challenge Europe.
History The GT4 European Series, organized by SRO Motorsports Group, is a sports car championship launched in 2007 as an affordable, amateur-oriented alternative to GT3 racing. Since its inception, it has undergone several format changes and rebrandings, and now serves as a prominent support series for the GT World Challenge Europe.
Founded by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation (SRO), the GT4 category debuted with the GT4 European Cup in 2007, aiming to create a competitive platform for true amateur drivers. The series features production-based GT cars with tightly regulated specifications, managed through a Balance of Performance (BoP) system to control costs and ensure parity.
Between 2008 and 2013, the GT4 class was incorporated into various national championships, including the British GT Championship. In 2013, after an expansion effort, the original GT4 European Cup evolved into the GT4 European Trophy, integrating several rounds from existing European series. The following year, the Trophy merged with the Dutch GT4 Championship, resulting in the current GT4 European Series.
Growing interest prompted SRO to split the series into the GT4 European Series Northern Cup and Southern Cup in 2017, the latter aligned with the FFSA GT Championship. This period also saw the introduction of the Silver Cup, Pro-Am, and Am classes to better categorize competitors. By 2018, the Northern Cup was consolidated back into a single GT4 European Series, while the Southern Cup continued as FFSA GT – GT4 France.
Since 2019, the GT4 European Series has seen significant growth in grid sizes and manufacturer involvement, running alongside the GT World Challenge Europe events. It has become a key development path for aspiring GT3 drivers. From the 2025 season, the series is officially named the GT4 European Series powered by RAFA Racing Club. The championship continues to focus on amateur (Bronze) and semi-professional (Silver) participants, with strict entry criteria. Cars, such as the BMW M4 GT4, Ford Mustang GT4, and Audi R8 LMS GT4, are production-based and subject to a rigorous Balance of Performance process to maintain fair competition. Race weekends typically include two one-hour races, often as support events for major fixtures like the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.
Format The GT4 European Series features two 60-minute sprint races per event, each requiring a mandatory mid-race driver change and a regulated pit stop. The championship spans six race weekends annually, mainly supporting the GT World Challenge Europe.
Each weekend includes two qualifying sessions—Q1 and Q2—to set the grids for Races 1 and 2. Driver 1 competes in Q1 and starts Race 1, while Driver 2 takes part in Q2 and begins Race 2. Races are typically held on separate days, with a compulsory pit stop in each race for a driver swap within a designated time window. Pit stop durations are strictly controlled (for example, 98 seconds pit-in to pit-out), with penalties for non-compliance to maintain competitive balance. All races use a rolling start format.
Organized by SRO Motorsport Group, the series is a pro/am championship for emerging talent and amateur racers. Competition is divided into three main categories: Silver Cup (both drivers classified as 'Silver' by the FIA, usually young professionals or semi-pros), Pro-Am Cup (pairings of a higher-graded driver—Gold or Silver—with a lower-graded Bronze driver), and Am Cup (exclusively for Bronze-graded amateurs).
To ensure fair racing among the diverse range of eligible GT4 cars—including those from Audi, BMW, Ford, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, and Toyota—the SRO enforces a Balance of Performance (BoP) system that regulates speed and technical parameters across manufacturers.
Champions
Drivers Year GT4 Light Supersport 2007 Eric De Doncker Not awarded Not awarded 2008 Eric De Doncker Christopher Haase 2009 Joe Osborne Not awarded Augustin Eder 2010 Paul Meijer Gianni Giudici 2011 Ricardo van der Ende Gianni Giudici Year Silver Cup Pro Am 2013 Not awarded Ricardo van der Ende Jörg Viehbahn 2014 Bernhard van Oranje Ricardo van der Ende André Grammatico 2015 Jelle Beelen Marcel Nooren Daniel Uckermann 2016 Peter Terting Jörg Viebahn Jérôme DemayYearSilver CupPro-Am CupAm Cup 2017 Ricardo van der Ende Max Koebolt Luc Braams Duncan Huisman Giuseppe Ghezzi 2018 Milan Dontje Nicolaj Møller Madsen Markus Lungstrass Niki Leutwiler 2019 Simon Knap Alec Udell Marcus Påverud Luca Trefz Pascal Bachmann Clément Seyler 2020 Valentin Hasse-Clot Théo Nouet Bastian Buus Jan Kasperlik Nicolas Gomar Gilles Vannelet 2021 Charlie Fagg Bailey Voisin Grégory Guilvert Fabien Michal Michael Blanchemain Christophe Hamon2022 Roee Meyuhas Erwan Bastard Jean-Luc Beaubelique Jim PlaMikhail LobodaAndrey Solukvtsev2023 Michael Schrey Gabriele Piana Grégory Guilvert Christophe Hamon Alban Varutti2024 Tom Lebbon Josh Rattican Max Kronberg Finn Zulauf Pascal Huteau Laurent Hurgon2025 Robert Consani Benjamin Lariche Stanislav Safronov Aleksandr Vaintrub Daniel Blickle Max Kronberg
Teams Year Overall 2007 Not awarded 2008 Motorsport98 2009 RJN Motorsport 2010 Rhesus Racing 2011 Ekris BMW/Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport 2013 Ekris Motorsport 2014 Racing Team Holland by Ekris Motorsport 2015 V8 Racing 2016 PROsport Performance Year Silver Cup Pro-Am Cup Am Cup 2017 Ekris Motorsport Las Moras Racing Autorlando Sport 2018 Phoenix Racing Racing One TFT Racing 2019 MDM Motorsport Street Art Racing Year Overall 2018 Racing One 2019 2020 AGS Events Year Silver Cup Pro-Am Cup Am Cup 2021 United Autosports Saintéloc Racing Team Fullmotorsport2022 Saintéloc Racing AKKodis ASP Team AKKodis ASP Team2023 Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport Saintéloc Junior Team AVR-Avvatar2024 Elite Motorsport with Entire RE W&S Motorsport Schumacher CLRT2025 Team Speedcar Mirage Racing W&S Motorsport
Circuits
Bold denotes a circuit is used in the 2026 season. Italic denotes a circuit will be used in the 2027 season.
Circuit Location Country Last length used Season(s) Races heldAdria International RacewayVeneto Italy20091Algarve International CircuitPortimão Portugal2009–2010, 20263Anderstorp RacewayAnderstorp Sweden20131Brands HatchKent United Kingdom2017–20193Brno CircuitBrno Czech Republic20081Circuit de Barcelona-CatalunyaMontmeló Spain2021–2023, 2025, 20274Circuit de Nevers Magny-CoursMagny-Cours France2007, 20102Circuit de Pau-VillePau France20161Circuit de Spa-FrancorchampsStavelot Belgium2007–2011, 2013–2016, 2018, 2020–202617Circuit Paul ArmagnacNogaro France2007–2008, 20153Circuit Paul RicardLe Castellet France2010, 2014, 2019–202610Circuit Ricardo TormoValencia Spain2022–20232Circuit ZandvoortZandvoort Netherlands2011, 2013–2017, 2019–2021, 2025—202611Circuit ZolderHeusden-Zolder Belgium2009, 2011, 20183HockenheimringHockenheim Germany2022–20243HungaroringMogyoród Hungary2016, 20182Imola CircuitEmilia-Romagna Italy2020, 2022, 20272Jeddah Corniche CircuitJeddah Saudi Arabia20241Misano World CircuitMisano Adriatico Italy2014–2015, 2017–2020, 2022–202611Monza CircuitMonza Italy2008, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2023–2024, 20268Motorsport Arena OscherslebenOschersleben Germany2007–20093NürburgringNürburg Germany2010, 2014–2015, 2017–2021, 20259Red Bull RingSpielberg Austria2015, 20172Silverstone CircuitSilverstone United Kingdom2007–2011, 2013, 20167Slovakia RingOrechová Potôň Slovakia20171TT Circuit AssenAssen Netherlands2011, 20132
References
External links Official website