Supercars Endurance’s GTC and Touring Car categories show strong vitality

Supercars Endurance returns to the track next weekend at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, with a particularly strong entry list in the GTC and Touring Car categories. Twenty-four competitors are set to contest the Valencia Iberian Racing Festival, which counts towards both the Iberian Supercars and the Spanish Supercars Championship, underlining the excellent health of both categories.

The first half of the season — with visits to the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Circuito del Jarama and the challenging Vila Real street circuit — was a true celebration of motor racing, characterised by thrilling races, uncertainty right down to the final metre and numerous protagonists across the different categories. In Valencia, that competitive DNA is expected to continue, reinforced by new driver pairings, new cars and new combinations.

Circuit Ricardo Tormo, with its sinuous layout and technical rhythm, demands absolute concentration from the drivers. The sequence of corners, the need to maintain high minimum speeds and careful tyre management make every lap an exercise in precision. It is a circuit that rewards consistency and, with high temperatures forecast, will put both drivers and machinery to the test.

Touring Cars welcome new protagonists

The Touring Car category features a strong entry, strengthened by the debut of the BMW M2 Racing from Promotion Motorsport, entrusted to young Spanish driver Daniel Casas, who joins the BMW M2 Racing Cup Iberia field and further increases the grid for the Bavarian marque’s one-make series.

Making their debut as team-mates, Diego Sirgado and Nathan Corbet in one car, and Gonçalo Moura and Bernardo Passanha in another, will continue to represent the FPAK Junior Team, ready to take on ‘Kika’ Queiroz of LOB Motorsport once again.

Also competing in Touring Cars, Daniel Teixeira arrives in Valencia as the winner of the previous events, having achieved perfect results in the Algarve and at Vila Real, where he scored victories and maximum points. However, in the TC+ division, Mexican driver Oliveira Salazar Mendoza will provide a significant challenge as he makes his debut at the wheel of an E2P-supported BMW M2 CS Cup. 

Anything can happen in the Cup

The Cup division features five entries, combining experience with new competitive propositions. Previous winners — Marcus Fothergill and Dave Benett, victorious in the Algarve, and Ramiro García-Pumarino and Ángel Lanchares, winners at Jarama — arrive in Valencia separated by just a few points and with a record that naturally places them among the leading contenders, with the two Spaniards competing in separate cars. The five-way battle also includes another Protech Motorsport-prepared car, driven by Craig Davies.

GTX promises intense battles

The GTX division features nine cars on the grid, making it one of the largest and most diverse categories of the Valencia round.

A variety of winners has been the defining feature so far, with Máximo Varela and Gabriel Caçoilo; Alejandro Iribas and Ángel Santos — both pairings driving Chefo Sport Ligier JS2 Rs — and António Almeida, with a team-mate yet to be confirmed, in the Tockwith Motorsports Ginetta G55, having already experienced the taste of victory.

Chefo Sport has been one of the leading protagonists of the season, with Alba Vázquez, who will be joined by Scott Marsh, making his debut, leading the division in the Spanish Supercars Championship.

TRS Team will be represented by Stephane Hobeika and Tiago Loureiro in its McLaren 570S GT4, once again forming a pairing to watch, while Bruno Salgado and Rodrigo Pires will continue their development as drivers in Gianfranco Motorsport’s Porsche Cayman CS.

Veloso Motorsport strengthens the field with José Artur Ferreira sharing its Ligier JS2 R with experienced Spanish driver Himar Acosta, who has competed in GT4 up to now. Meanwhile, Speedy Motorsport introduces a young driver pairing: Diogo Castro, who showed strong pace in the Algarve at the wheel of a Tockwith Motorsports Ginetta, and Santiago Ribeiro, who makes his championship debut.

Team CDRS returns to the championship, with young Swiss driver Guillaume Huber representing the French outfit in a Ligier JS2 R.

GTX Am field strengthened

The GTX Am division also features an entry list promising some interesting battles. Breno Arruda was in excellent form in the Algarve with TRS Team’s McLaren 570S GT4, securing two victories, and arrives as a contender for victory in Valencia, this time joined by António Duarte, winner of both Vila Real races in the division.

However, Protech Motorsport, with Luca Fothergill and Nicole Drought, leads the classification in the Spanish championship and will do everything possible to defend its advantage, with its Porsche Cayman CS expected to be a key ally.

Meanwhile, Santiago Vallejo and Marcos Rodríguez, following a strong debut in Portimão, return at the wheel of a Veloso Motorsport Ligier JS2 R, intent on impressing in front of the Spanish crowd and strengthening their title challenge.

French team Team CDRS fields Emmanuel Gachiteguy, who will be looking to capitalise on any opportunity with his Ginetta G55.

With such a closely matched field, the on-track battles promise plenty of excitement, but the Valencia weekend is about more than just the racing. Tickets are on sale via the circuit’s website, with prices starting at €30, and provide access to a variety of paddock activities, including Monster Truck displays, a car exhibition and live concerts.

The two races will take place on Saturday and Sunday and will be broadcast live on DAZN Portugal and DAZN Spain. They can also be followed on Race Ready’s social media channels, with commentary in Spanish and English. Outside the Iberian Peninsula, the races will be broadcast on Motorsport TV Deutschland (Germany), Parc Fermé (Italy) and Braking Zone TV (Brazil).