The 2026 season of the GT Cup Europe started as it ended, with Paul Meijer in pole position. The fast Dutch driver of Hans Wijs Motorsport, who clinched the Pro-Am title with Laura van den Hengel last year and races with young gun Jurriaan De Back this year, accomplished quite an achievement in 2025, taking pole in all six sessions he took part in.
This year, he is starting in the same mode: he dominated the qualifying session ahead of Race 1 at the Autódromo do Algarve, in a glorious morning, posting a time of 1.43.992. This year, though, it is very likely that he will have tougher competition. Young Italian Pietro Delli Guanti, in the FAEMS by Ebimotors Porsche shared with Tommaso Luvisi, will share the first row with the Dutchman, after being beaten by a mere 0s128.
In row 2 will be the top Pro-Am car, the GT Corsa Porsche of Borja García (like Meijer a former GP2 contender), 0s618 behind, and the AF Motorsport car of local hero José Barros (+0s886).
BiRace Motorsport is off to a great series debut, with Diego Stifner (+0s904) in the third row, shared with Leonardo Reis (+0s980), who shares the other AF Porsche with Felipe Massa jr.
The Pole in Am was for the HWM Porsche of Hans Wijs, ninth overall.