GT4: SUPERCARS ESPAÑA TITLE DECIDED IN THE FINAL MOMENTS

The races at the Jerez round of the Supercars Endurance were emotional and unpredictable, with several outcomes decided right at the chequered flag — results that not only influenced the fight for the Supercars España titles, but will also play a key role in determining the Iberian Supercars and Campeonato de Portugal de Velocidade (CPV) crowns.

RACE 1: Abreu and Mora Triumph in a Thrilling Battle

The GT4 race at Jerez in the Supercars Endurance delivered a thrilling spectacle marked by intense pace, strategy and drama right to the chequered flag. With championship titles on the line, the Spanish round produced multiple lead changes and once again showcased the fierce competitiveness that has defined the season.

Mathieu Martins, this time sharing driving duties with Henrique Ventura Oliveira in the Racar Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, dominated the opening half of the morning race. Starting from pole position, the Portuguese-French driver quickly built a comfortable lead, maintaining a strong and consistent rhythm.

However, a Safety Car early in the second half turned the race on its head. The bunching of the field and heavy traffic during lapping proved costly for the Racar Motorsport pairing, who lost two positions in the closing laps. Even so, third place kept Mathieu Martins in a strong position to fight for the GT category title of Supercars España in Race 2.

Victory went to Francisco Abreu and Francisco Mora in the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal, who started from third on the grid. The Portuguese duo executed a perfectly judged race: Abreu managed the opening stint with strategic precision, while Mora attacked in the latter stages, making the most of the Safety Car period to seize the lead and secure a vital win.

Finishing second were César Machado and Adrián Ferrer, also driving a Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 for Speedy Motorsport. Starting from the front row, the Portuguese-Spanish pairing remained among the fastest throughout the race, combining consistency and pace to secure another valuable podium. Just missing out on the GT4 Pro podium were Luís Tavares and João Aguiar-Branco, who claimed a strong fifth overall in the Speedy Motorsport Porsche Cayman RS CS.

In GT4 Pro-Am, José Cautela and Lourenço Monteiro, in the McLaren Artura GT4 of McLaren Barcelona – SMC Motorsport, once again showed their competitiveness, finishing sixth overall and dominating their class. They were followed by Guillermo Aso and Filip Vava, who extended their points lead in the division, and by Miguel Cristóvão and Patrick Cunha, who completed the class podium in a Porsche Cayman CS RS.

Among the GT4 Bronze contenders, victory went to Gonzalo de Andrés and Álvaro Lobera in the second McLaren Artura GT4 of McLaren Barcelona – SMC Motorsport. The Spanish duo started fourth overall and delivered a faultless performance, underlining the strong pace of the Woking-built cars throughout the weekend. Kyam Potez returned to the GT4 Bronze podium with his Lema Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4, finishing second, while Borja Hormigos and Héctor Hernández celebrated their first podium with the Autoworks Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 EVO.

In GT4 Am, victory went to Rúben Vaquinhas and Pedro Bastos Rezende in the Gianfranco Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4. The Portuguese duo kept themselves firmly in contention for the Supercars España Am division title, although the Spanish pairing of Smorg and Javier Macías, driving a Promotion Motorsport BMW M4 GT4 EVO, continued to lead heading into the final race. Vicente Dasí and Josep Perera completed the podium in their PCR Sport Mercedes-AMG GT4.

RACE 2: Drama until the last lap

The second GT4 race at Jerez delivered a high-tension finale to the Supercars Endurance weekend. The fight for the Supercars España GT4 Pro title went right down to the wire, with strategy, traffic and a late Safety Car completely reshuffling the order in a thrilling and unpredictable contest.

Francisco Mora and Francisco Abreu, driving the Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 of Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal, set the early pace. Despite their 10-second handicap, they remained firmly in control during the opening half. Meanwhile, Henrique Ventura Oliveira, starting fourth in the Racar Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, dropped three places at the start — a scenario that initially favoured the Toyota pairing in their quest for the title.

After the driver changes, things looked set for the Toyota duo’s coronation: Abreu rejoined in second place behind José Carlos Pires in the Speedy Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2, a position more than enough to secure the championship, even with Mathieu Martins recovering to fourth behind César Machado’s Toyota.

Tension escalated when a heavy crash involving the Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4 of Francisco Carvalho and Vasco Oliveira — caused by brake failure — triggered a Safety Car in the closing laps. On the restart, Abreu launched an attack on Pires, but contact between the two Toyotas forced the Toyota Gazoo Racing Caetano Portugal car into retirement. The title fortunes turned in that instant, with Mathieu Martins and Henrique Ventura Oliveira clinching both the GT4 Pro and GT category titles of Supercars España in their Racar Motorsport Aston Martin.

Victory on the road went to José Carlos Pires and Tomás Guedes, who guided the Speedy Motorsport Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 from fifth on the grid to the top step of the podium. The Pedro Salvador-led team celebrated a 1–2 finish, with César Machado and Adrián Ferrer claiming second after a perfectly executed race. The podium was completed by Mathieu Martins and Henrique Ventura Oliveira.

In GT4 Pro-Am, Portuguese duo José Cautela and Lourenço Monteiro overcame a heavy handicap to deliver a superb performance, taking fourth overall and class victory in the McLaren Artura GT4 of McLaren Barcelona – SMC Motorsport — their best result of the season. However, it was Filip Vava and Guillermo Aso, in the NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG GT4, who secured the Supercars España GT4 Pro-Am crown with a fourth-place class finish. Bruno Pires and Slovenian talent Mark Kastelic (Lema Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4) took second, while Valencia winners Alexandre Areia and Nuno Afonso completed the class podium.

Among the GT4 Bronze contenders, victory went to Andrés Prieto and Ricardo Costa, who steered the NM Racing Team Mercedes-AMG GT4 to 11th overall, with Costa also sealing the class title. Portuguese duo Luís Calheiros and Paulo Macedo finished second, ahead of Andrius Zemaitis in third.

Taking advantage of the early retirement of Smorg and Javier Macías, Rúben Vaquinhas and Pedro Bastos Rezende claimed victory in GT4 Am aboard the Gianfranco Motorsport Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT4, securing both the Supercars España and CPV Am titles. Vicente Dasí and Josep Perera finished runners-up.

The Supercars Endurance now heads to the Autódromo do Estoril from 28–30 December, where the champions of the Iberian Supercars and CPV will finally be decided.