The GT Summer Series shootout is a high-performance driver evaluation program, offering one exceptional driver the chance to secure a paid seat in the 2026 GT Summer Series. Taking place over 2.5 days from 22-24 February at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the shootout will bring together drivers from around the world to compete in one of the most comprehensive and professionally-structured talent identification programs in modern motorsport.
This collaboration unites three organisations committed to developing the next generation of GT racing talent. combining GEDLICH Racing’s world-class event structure, RCA’s global shootout model and Razoon’s proven engineering and race-winning pedigree.
A breakthrough opportunity for emerging talent
Drivers will undergo a multi-stage evaluation that includes:
At the conclusion of the program, one standout driver will be awarded a race seat with Razoon – more than racing for the 2026 GT Summer Series, marking a life-changing step into European GT competition.
The winning driver will represent Road Course Academy throughout the season, while competing at circuits across Europe.
A strategic for the future of driver development
The collaboration between GEDLICH Racing, Razoon – more than racing and Road Course Academy represents a shared vision: delivering an accessible, high-standard pathway into professional motorsport.
Road Course Academy brings its global network, scouting program, and talent development expertise.
GEDLICH Racing contributes its renowned event organisation, test-day operations, and European infrastructure.
Razoon – more than racing offers a proven GT racing platform, technical leadership, and a high-performing team environment for the Shootout winner.
Setting a new standard in motorsport pathways
“By joining forces with GEDLICH Racing and Razoon – more than racing, we are building a world-class platform for rising drivers,” said Max Mason of Road Course Academy. “This Shootout identifies talent based on merit, performance, and professionalism. It opens the door for a new generation of drivers to step into GT racing with a top-level team.”
Stefan Lehner of GEDLICH Racing added: “The concept of a driver shootout is always exciting; it’s a pathway to opportunity for talents that may otherwise miss their chance to compete at a high-level, due to budget. This collaboration, between GEDLICH, Road Course Academy and the proven race winners at Razoon is a thrilling prospect, as we build to the inaugural GT Summer Series.”
Abkhazava previously made appearances in the final rounds of the 2025 GT Winter Series. The ArtLine team founder secured multiple podiums and a class win, in the Cup 4 category reserved for Lamborghini Super Trofeo machinery.
This was the first step in a thrilling season for ArtLine, as the organisation went on to become Pro-AM world champions during the 2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo World Final event at Misano. Abkhazava shared this accolade with co-driver Egor Orudzhev.
Abkhazava has dedicated over 30 years to racing as a team boss and a driver. Various titles in Legends cars at the national level preceded a move to Lamborghini one-make racing in 2014. In addition to his 2025 World Final triumph, Abkhazava has won the 2015 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe AM championship, followed by the PRO-AM title in 2019, and the 2024 ‘LC Cup’ classification.
While the team currently expects to miss the third round of the season at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo, it is anticipated that ArtLine and Abkhazava will still be a benchmark in the Cup 4 class.
The GT Winter Series features several classes dedicated to single-make GT machinery from Lamborghini, McLaren, Ferrari and Porsche. Additionally, GT2 and GT3 cars compete in classes featuring the SRO’s Balance of Performance system, while the GTX and Cup X classes create a home for older and/or unique GT cars within the series performance window.
The 2026 GT Winter Series will begin at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão, from 15-18 January. Every race of the season will be broadcast live on the Winter Series YouTube channel; this varied, spectacular grid offers up racing you won’t want to miss!
15 JAN – 18 JAN PORTIMAO /P
22 JAN – 25 JAN ESTORIL /P
12 FEB – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
5 MAR – 8 MAR ARAGÓN /E
12 MAR – 15 MAR BARCELONA /E
The Greek team has previously been a fixture of GEDLICH Racing’s Race Test and Endless Summer trackday activities, and eagerly awaits the challenge of fighting for victories at Winter Series events.
The team’s driver line-up consists of Takis Soldatos and Panagiotis Tanimanidis.
Soldatos is a highly-experienced regular on the Greek motorsport scene, having previously competed in the Greek Circuit Racing Championship with a Lamborghini Huracan GT3. The Greek Hillclimb Championship was also a happy hunting ground for Soldatos, utilising an 850bhp Ford Fiesta to take many dominant victories.
Tanimanidis is a well-regarded driver and instructor in Greece, and has a particular affinity with sportscars and single seaters. In addition to Radicals, he has also been successful in Formula Renault 2.0 and Caterham competition.
The Sports Prototype Winter Series joins the GEDLICH Racing portfolio for 2026, with classes for all sportscars outside of the ‘LMP’ family of cars. Cars from the likes of Radical, Wolf, Norma, Ligier and Nova are eligible to compete.
Two events will take place in 2026, at Portimao (6-7 February) and Valencia (13-14 February).
5 – 8 FEB PORTIMAO /P
12 – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
The San Marino-based team has been a consistent presence in the FWS paddock, and will be looking to take a step forward in the pecking order for 2026. A pair of cars will join the grid from the AKM stable.
In 2025, a rotating lineup of drivers piloted the AKM entries, with the best race result coming courtesy of Davide Larini; a fifth-place at Barcelona. The 2026 line-up will be revealed in the coming weeks.
While the AKM Motorsport brand has only been active for a handful of years, the greater Antonelli Motorsport organisation is a long-standing part of the Italian and European motorsport scene. Team founder Marco Antonelli has been an active presence in motorsport for 35 years, and is the father of Mercedes Formula One driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
The 2026 Formula Winter Series will begin with a first-time visit to the fabulous Circuito Estoril, on 22-25 January. Local fans will be able to take in the action trackside, with tickets from just €10, while every race will also be streamed live on the Winter Series YouTube channel.
22 – 25 JAN ESTORIL /P
5 – 8 FEB PORTIMAO /P
12 – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
5 – 8 MAR ARAGÓN /E
12 – 15 MAR BARCELONA /E
Spanish racing team E2P Racing will join the 6h of Portimão, entering an Aston Martin AMR GT3 evo.
The team is set to tackle the event with a three-driver line-up, comprised entirely of Spanish competitors. Pablo Burguera, Antonio Sainero and Oliver Campos all join the grid with extensive racing resumès, and plentiful experience in the GT3-spec Aston Martin.
E2P Racing has over 40 years of racing history, and has a winning history in major GT competitions across Spain, Europe and the world. The team’s director, Javier Morcillo, is also a decorated racing driver and an invaluable presence on the pit wall.
With a strong line-up of drivers familiar with the car and Portimão’s Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, E2P Racing will be looking to secure top honours at the GEDLICH Racing 6H of Portimão.
This year’s 6H of Portimao will take place from February 6-8, and will once again be streamed in full on the Winter Series YouTube channel. Fans can also attend the event, with reasonably-priced tickets already on-sale. On the same weekend, the Formula Winter Series and Sports Prototype Winter Series will compete, creating a thrilling package of competitions for spectators.
6 FEB – 8 FEB PORTIMÃO /P
Campos Racing has confirmed that it will return to the Formula Winter Series in 2026.
The Spanish team has been a part of every Formula Winter Series season to date. With a two-car entry, Campos will once again challenge an international field on its home peninsula.
In 2025, the team also entered two cars, with a rotating line-up featuring the team’s trio of Red Bull-backed F1 Academy drivers. Alisha Palmowski, Chloe Chambers and Raffaela Ferreira joined the grid for two events each, fighting for Female Trophy victories against several rival F1 Academy drivers.
The team’s 2026 driver line-up will be revealed ahead of the first round, held from 22-25 January at the legendary Circuito Estoril in Portugal. This will be the first time the former Grand Prix venue hosts Formula Winter Series competition, as well as the first five-round season for GEDLICH Racing’s F4 category.
Join us in-person for as little as €10 per ticket, or tune in live around the world on the Winter Series YouTube channel, to see every thrilling battle unfold!
22 – 25 JAN ESTORIL /P
5 – 8 FEB PORTIMAO /P
12 – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
5 – 8 MAR ARAGÓN /E
12 – 15 MAR BARCELONA /E
Liqui Moly Team Engstler has revealed its return to the GT Winter Series for 2026
The team from Wiggensbach has confirmed that it will once again field a Ferrari 296 Challenge in the Cup 1 class. The car will be piloted by Friedrich Müller. The Austrian racer has impressed in limited Ferrari Challenge Europe appearances, and will be looking to fight for class victories at the four rounds he is scheduled to compete in.
Liqui Moly Team Engstler has carved a unique legacy across Touring Car and GT racing, regularly competing and succeeding at the highest levels of domestic and global motorsport.
The team has appeared frequently in the GT Winter Series, and provided one of the moments of the 2025 season. At Valencia, Luca Engstler – son of team founder Franz – made his first race appearance since a heavy crash at Macau, winning two races alongside Jonas Karklys in a GT3-class Lamborghini.
This would begin a fabulous 2025 for Luca Engstler, who would go on to win the Spa 24 Hours.
The 2026 GT Winter Series will once again feature a thrilling mix of driving talents, a variety of the fastest modern GT race cars, and heart-racing competition. The season kicks off at Portimao, from 15-18 January.
15 JAN – 18 JAN PORTIMAO /P
22 JAN – 25 JAN ESTORIL /P
12 FEB – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
5 MAR – 8 MAR ARAGÓN /E
12 MAR – 15 MAR BARCELONA /E
The iconic Gulf brand will offer up its 101+ Octane racing fuel as the mandatory supply for the 2026 Winter Series grids. This proven, impressive product it utilised across the global motorsport spectrum, and will offer performance and efficiency for all cars.
Teams will be able to order their fuel through an online shop portal, which will then be directly delivered to their garage or awning at the event.
Stefan Lehner, GEDLICH Racing Winter Series co-ordinator, commented: “It’s always exciting to welcome proven brands to GEDLICH Racing’s list of partners, and there are scarce few in the world of motorsport with Gulf’s incredible history and prestige. It will be fantastic to see those famed orange and blue colours around the paddock, and I have no doubt that teams will be thrilled with the performance of the 101+ Octane fuel.”
2026 promises to be the most spectacular season of the Winter Series to date. All of the established Winter Series grids return, while the all-new Sports Prototype Winter Series will offer an exciting addition to the portfolio. The 2026 Winter Series tour will begin at Portimão from the 15-18 January, and take in all of Iberia’s greatest circuits, before concluding at Barcelona from 12-15 March.
15 -18 JAN – PORTIMAO /P
22 – 25 JAN ESTORIL /P
12 – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
5 – 8 MAR ARAGÓN /E
12 – 15 MAR BARCELONA /E
At selected GEDLICH events, the Manthey developed Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport Leichtbau will be available for a test drive.
The ‘Leichtbau’ – meaning Lightweight – is a comprehensive evolution of the wildly successful Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS race car, which has won dozens of championships and countless races across the world. However, since the Leichtbau version doesn’t have to meet any regulations, it has been untethered and lightened.
500hp is at the driver’s disposal, delivered by Porsche’s signature 4.0-litre flat-six engine, via a seven-speed PDK transmission. Remarkably, 31kg has been shaved from the race-spec car’s already diminutive net weight, meaning the Leichtbau weighs just 1289kg. This has been achieved with extensive carbon fibre use on nearly all panels of the car, as well as a bespoke set of lightweight wheels from BBS.
With more power and enhanced performance comes increased ferocity, a fact that Manthey is acutely aware of. Therefore, a great effort has been made to ensure the Cayman is capable at its new limits, including a bonnet redesign that improves ducting and cooling for the radiator and front brakes.
With a weight-to-power ratio of 2.6kg per hp (or 384.62hp per tonne), the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport Leichtbau was developed especially for trackday enthusiasts who want to drive their car with maximum performance on the racetrack.
At selected GEDLICH events, Manthey will welcome interested parties to try the Leichtbau. This experience will be a true thrill for Porsche veterans, serious racing drivers and trackday enthusiasts alike; a not-to-be-missed opportunity to drive a bespoke track car, with support from one of the world’s most revered GT racing teams.
To find out more about the opportunity to test the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport Leichtbau, contact Manthey today:
+49 2691 9338 700
This enhanced effort from the Italian squad marks its biggest commitment to the Formula Winter Series since debuting in 2024. During the previous season, CRAM fielded two cars, with driving responsibilities shared among numerous young talents including Elia Weiss and Aiva Anagnostiadis.
While the full 2026 Formula Winter Series line-up will be unveiled in the coming weeks, the team has already confirmed its first driver, in the form of Andre Rodriguez. The American started to pursue his racing ambitions relatively late at 16-years-old, and has been on a steep but progressive learning curve since jumping straight into F4. Now 17, Rodriguez will be looking to take big strides in his sophomore racing season, having built his experience, speed and confidence in 2025.
CRAM Motorsport has been active since 1994, and has been a stop on the journey of famed drivers including Tony Kanaan, Felipe Massa and Augusto Farfus, winning numerous junior single-seater titles on the way.
The 2026 Formula Winter Series grid is at capacity, and will once again feature leading F4 teams from across Europe. Every moment of the upcoming season will be streamed live; subscribe to the Winter Series YouTube channel to never miss a moment of the action!
22 – 25 JAN ESTORIL /P
5 – 8 FEB PORTIMAO /P
12 – 15 FEB VALENCIA /E
5 – 8 MAR ARAGÓN /E
12 – 15 MAR BARCELONA /E
