GT2 championship turns into Maserati/Mercedes showdown

The 2026 season of GT2 European Series couldn't have got off to a more revealing start. On the Monza circuit, the first two races of the year quickly outlined the contours of a battle that could set the pace for the entire championship: that between Maserati and Mercedes-AMG.

With five Maserati GT2s and five Mercedes-AMG GT2s on the Italian grid, the two manufacturers were not only the most represented among the top models, but also monopolized the top spots throughout the weekend. Behind them, the KTM X-BOW GT2, Ginetta G56 GT2, Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo EVO2 GT2, Porsche 992 GT3 Cup and even the unique Ferrari 296 Challenge seemed to be playing in a different category.

Maserati hits the ground running

On Saturday, Maserati sent a clear message to all the competition. Antoine Potty, driving the Maserati GT2 entered by I4Race, won the first race after a solid performance from start to finish. Behind him, Stefan Rosina and Gerhard Tweraser gave the Trident brand a one-two finish in the LP Racing car.

For much of the race, the Maseratis controlled the proceedings. Although the Mercedes-AMG GT2 of David Thilenius and Jay Mo Härtling kept up with the leaders, it had to be content with third place, just 6.4 seconds behind the winner. The dominance of the two brands was already evident. The final top 7 included four Maseratis and three Mercedes-AMGs. The other manufacturers were relegated to thirty seconds or more behind the leader.

Mercedes responds the very next day

Mercedes-AMG's reaction was swift. In the second race on Sunday, the German brand took its revenge in stunning fashion. David Thilenius and Jay Mo Härtling took victory in their SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm Mercedes-AMG GT2. Better still, Alberto De Martin and Nil Montserrat completed a Mercedes double by finishing just 3.9 seconds behind the winners.

This time, it was Maserati who had to settle for places of honor. Philippe Prette finished fifth overall after a remarkable comeback from the back of the grid, while Roberto Pampanini and Mauro Calamia took sixth place. Thomas Yu Lee and Niccolò Pirri finished just behind. The result might have been different, however, had it not been for the early retirements of two of Maserati's main weapons. The n°18 car of Rosina and Tweraser, second on the previous day, retired after just two laps. Antoine Potty, winner of the first race, also failed to finish.

A duel already taking shape in the championship

Beyond the victories shared between the two manufacturers, it is above all the overall performances that attract attention. Over the two races combined, Maserati and Mercedes-AMG took eight of the top ten places in the opening race, and seven of the top nine in the second. Opposite them, the Ginettas showed interesting potential with a podium finish in the second race, while KTM regularly made it into the top 10. The Lamborghinis, Porsches and Ferraris, on the other hand, seemed to take a back seat in the Italian temple of speed.

For Maserati Corse, the Monza weekend had a special flavour. The brand is celebrating the centenary of its involvement in motor racing this year, and couldn't have wished for a better start to the season. The Italian manufacturer came away with an overall victory, a one-two finish in the first race, two wins in the Masters category thanks to Philippe Prette, and several podiums in the Pro-Am category. Vincent Biard, head of Maserati Corse, was delighted with the competitiveness and reliability of the Maserati GT2 in the face of increasingly tough competition.

The rest of the championship will tell whether this trend is confirmed, but after the first round at Monza, one thing is already clear: the GT2 European Series 2026 could well come down to a battle between Maserati and Mercedes-AMG. A confrontation that promises to enliven the forthcoming rounds at Spa-Francorchamps, Misano, Zandvoort and Portimão.