A new venue in the calendar always makes a round special: it will be so for the 2026 GT Cup Europe in its third stop of the season. The series is heading to the Adriatic Riviera and the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. The 4.064-km track, built in 1972 and upgraded several times since then, is more known for motorbike racing, but it is also a great, very technical track for car racing, in particular GTs.
After two exciting rounds in Portimão and Spa, the 2026 GT Cup Europe is in full growth. There will be 19 cars in action in the Romagna round, which marks the comeback of Ferraris on their home soil, and the fight for the championships now has a clear physiognomy.
At the top of the overall standings, two pairs are involved in an exciting and close duel: Dutchmen Jurriaan De Back and Paul Meijer, in the HWM Porsche, for the to the lead in the overall standings are two pairsfter a thrilling opening of Porsche, have a 10-point advantage on the Italian pair Pietro Delli Guanti-Matteo Luvisi, in the FAEMS by Ebimotors Porsche. Both pairs have won two races, one in each round held so far, and the difference in points could be smaller if the Italian duo hadn’t been ousted in one of the Algarve races by a rival. No doubt that on home soil they will aim at reducing the gap.
Third, 27 points behind the lead, is young gun José Barros (AF Motorsport) from Portugal. The Silver class (6 cars) includes other victory candidates: Diego Stifter and Ludovico Laurini (BiRace Motorsport) are currently fourth in the standings and will race at home, and so are also Lodovico Longoni-Simone Iaquinta (ZERS Motorsport) and Matteo Martinelli-Giacomo Petrini, in the other FAEMS by Ebiotors car.
In the Pro-Am class, there will be 7 cars entered, and there is an equally interesting fight at the top. Spaniards Alejandro Barambio and Borja García (GT Corse) have three race wins to their credit but are only 6 points ahead of Fgani Salubre-Lars Zaenen (HWM), winners on one occasion.
The Pro-Am class also includes Evgenii Leonov, who returned to the series in Spa in the Vulcano Motorsport 992 and will be associated in Italy with GT star Gabriele Piana, and interesting newcomers. SP Racing is starting its season in Misano, with Stefano Zerbi paired to Argentine star Matías Russo.
Also returning to the series are Davide Scannicchio-Fabio Babini (Tsunami RT), who were always among the front-runners in the last two years, while a completely new entry is Zanasi Racing, the racing arm launched this year by the homonymous automotive group, a reknown body shop linked to Ferrari. Logically, the team enters a 296 Challenge for its owner Marco Zanasi and GT star Andrea Belicchi, back in the series.
The situation is tight also at the top of the Am class, with 6 cars entered. HWM is in the lead with its duo Hans Wijs-Rick Van Zijverden, strong of their two successes so far. The Dutchmen are only two and five points ahead, respectively, of their most direct rivals, two teams who will also be enjoying their home race. GDL Racing, with Giacomo Giubergia-Cássio H. de Mello, and Tsunami RT, with Fernando Pedrera-Fernando Navarrete, are indeed based in San Marino, the tiny Republic, nestled on a mountain almost overlooking the track.
GDL has another car in the class, entrusted to Brazilians Nelson Monteiro-Nelson Marcondes, while reigning double champions Leandro Martins-Dieter Svepes (LMR) will aim at beating the bad luck endured so far. A new entry completes the class field, as stalwart GT squad Target Racing is making its debut with a Ferrari 296 Challenge for Pierluigi Alessandri.