New Year, New Format – GT Cup 2025 Season Kicks Off at Donington Park

This weekend marks the opening round of the 2025 GT Cup Championship season, including the new 100-minute Race Format. Donington Park hosts the first of seven race events which sees the series heading to some of the UK’s best circuits.

For the 2025 season, the GT Cup is trialling a new, additional race format at Donington Park and Silverstone, hosting the weekend's two Sprint Races on Saturday, alongside a new 100-minute Endurance Race held on the Sunday.

The new format will introduce more strategic decisions with the addition of refuelling, so teams can expect a bit of extra challenge on these two weekends. It’s all to play for however as double points will be awarded for the 100-minute race.

A variety of machinery will be gracing the GT Cup across six groups. Returning for another season in the GT Cup's open specification Group GTO is SB Race Engineering with Paul Bailey and David Brabham, and the CTR Developments Porsche 935 with Richard Chamberlain aboard.

One of the championship’s homologated groups, Group GT3, sees a boost in numbers as a plethora of McLaren 720S machines join the grid. Orange Racing with JMH Automotive makes a welcome return, as Simon Orange and Marcus Clutton join forces aboard their McLaren. JMH also field an Audi R8 GT3 in the group with PB Racing - Peter Erceg and Hugo Cook behind the wheel. Familiar faces Paddock Motorsport, Greystone GT and Track Focused are also in the McLaren stable for 2025, with G-Cat Racing representing Porsche to round out the Group GT3 grid.

Challenge and Cup cars find their home in Group GTC, and this season, the group has been lovingly dubbed Super Trofeo UK with the sudden influx of Lamborghini Huracans. The reigning champs Topcats Racing defend their title with a three-car entry for 2025. Neither Gilbert is behind the wheel on this occasion, but Fraser Fenwick returns to the team alongside Iain Campbell.

Talking of returnees, Grahame Tilley and Will Tregurtha are back on the grid with Triple M Motorsport and a Huracan of their own. Two more raging bulls from DWG Motorsport and JMH automotive bring the total tally of Huracans to six for the weekend. Team Parker Racing buck the trend with a pair of Porsches in the hands of Keith Bush and Michael McInerney.

For older Challenge and Cup machinery, Group GTB is the place to be. An eclectic mix of cars for sure, starting off with PMT Motorsport’s Tom Walpole in his KTM EVO. Woodrow Motorsport’s Chris Murphy rejoins the grid in his BMW GTR, while James and Bill Caley make their full season debut in their Uber GT Performance Porsche 911 Cup car.

Group GTH is the fifth of the Championship’s groups, with Aston Martin, Ginetta and McLaren represented on the grid. Feathers Motorsport returns to the GT Cup (Aston Martin Vantage) with Archie Clark partnering with pro Tom Canning this weekend. The first of two SVG Motorsport entries finds its home in Group GTH, with Marc Elman and Owen Hizzy aboard a Ginetta G56. Jolt Racing have graduated from Group GTA with their new Artura.

Long-time supporter of the GT Cup, 24-7 Motorsport will also be running a pair of Ginetta G56’s at Donington Park with Archie Buttle behind the wheel of one, and returnee Patrick Collins alongside Touring Car ace Colin Turkington. A final Ginetta entry rounds out the group from Innovation Racing with Cresta in the hands of Simon Griffiths and Ray Harris.

The final group on the grid is Group GTA, the home of lower spec Cup or Challenge cars. SVG Motorsport will be running its second entry here with a BMW M4 for Neil Wallace and Ian Astley. Alongside is Innovation Racing’s second entry – a Ginetta G55 with Brent Millage aboard. Newcomers Oselli Motorsport finish off the entry list with their Aston Martin Vantage, shared between Matt Eddolls and Sam Maher-Loughnan.

Teams will take to the track for their first free practice session at 10.15 on Saturday morning. Both of Saturday’s Sprint Races and Sunday’s 100-minute Endurance Race will be broadcast on the GT Cup Championship YouTube Channel and Facebook page. Plus be sure to keep an eye on our socials to keep up to date.