GT: MARTINS AND STILL CAME ON TOP

The Autódromo do Estoril hosted two intense and highly revealing qualifying sessions for the GT grid of Supercars Endurance, on a weekend in which the titles of the Iberian Supercars and the Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade will be decided. With minimal margins and several direct contenders for the crowns in the spotlight, the sessions made it clear that the outcome of the season will be disputed right to the fall of the chequered flag.

Qualifying 1 – Mathieu Martins sets the standard

Mathieu Martins was the fastest at the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 of Racar Motorsport, also securing the best time among the GT4 Pro drivers, underlining his determination to fight for the titles at stake.

Close behind, just 0.038s adrift, came reigning champion César Machado in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Speedy Motorsport, confirming his status as a contender for both the Iberian and national titles and ensuring that two of the season’s leading protagonists would share the front row.

Third quickest was José Cautela in the McLaren Artura GT4 of SMC Motorsport, completing the session’s top three and establishing himself as the best of the GT4 Pro-Bronze competitors, confirming the recent upturn in form of the Spanish team’s British machinery.

Series newcomer Luís Tavares, driving the Porsche Cayman CS RS for Speedy Motorsport, continued to display the speed he has shown throughout the second half of the season, finishing fourth overall and third in the division, while José Carlos Pires, in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Speedy Motorsport, rounded out the top five.

Missing from the top five was Francisco Abreu, one of the title contenders in the Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal Supra GT4 EVO2, who could do no better than eighth, seeing all his direct rivals ahead of him.

Gonzalo de Andrés confirmed the rising competitiveness of SMC Motorsport’s McLaren Artura GT4s, topping the GT4 Bronze class with an impressive sixth overall. His main rival in the fight for the division title, Ricardo Costa, in the Mercedes-AMG GT4 of NM Racing Team, also performed strongly, setting the ninth fastest time.

In GT4 Am, Rúben Vaquinhas, at the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 of Gianfranco Motorsport, once again took command of the division. Although he is already the virtual CPV's GT4 Am division winner, he remains focused on the Iberian crown, outperforming Javier Macias.

Qualifying 2 – Still surprises the contenders

The second qualifying session brought a fresh dynamic and again highlighted the remarkable competitiveness within the field. The newcomer, yet highly experienced, Hendrik Still set the fastest time, placing the Porsche Cayman CS RS of Veloso Motorsport at the top of the timesheets, also registering the best lap among the GT4 Pro-Bronze drivers.

The German outpaced local ace Francisco Mora in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal, who nevertheless produced an excellent session for the championship by finishing second overall with the quickest time in the division.

Filip Vava, in the Mercedes-AMG GT4 of NM Racing Team, delivered a brilliant performance to secure third overall and second in GT4 Pro-Bronze, reinforcing his position as one of the division’s title favourites alongside his teammate, Guillermo Aso.

His main rival for the title, Alexandre Areia, in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Gianfranco Motorsport, finished fourth overall and second in his class, losing only two thousandths of a second to his direct adversary in the German car.

Tomás Guedes placed the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Speedy Motorsport fifth in the session, maintaining, alongside teammate José Carlos Pires, a firm challenge for the title.

Henrique Ventura Oliveira—aiming to support Mathieu Martins in the title battle—struggled and could do no better than eleventh in the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. Worse still was the result for Adrián Ferrer, whose goal is to assist César Machado in defending the title; he finished only thirteenth in the Speedy Motorsport Toyota.

Colombian driver Andrés Pietro, partnering Ricardo Costa in the Mercedes-AMG GT4 of NM Racing Team, was in excellent form, topping the GT4 Bronze class ahead of Francisco Carvalho, in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4 EVO prepared by Racar Motorsport, and Álvaro Lobera in the McLaren of SMC Motorsport—his rivals for the division title.

In GT4 Am, Pedro Bastos Rezende, at the wheel of the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 run by Gianfranco Motorsport, set the fastest time of the division, beating Smörg in the BMW M4 GT4 EVO of Promotion Motorsport.