The 2026 GT4 European Series season has kicked off with a display of high-speed precision at Circuit Paul Ricard, where Lluc Ibañez and Gabriele Piana have claimed the top spots in the qualifying sessions. In a weekend defined by intense competition and bright sunshine, the two drivers secured pole positions for their respective teams, setting a competitive tone for the remainder of the championship.
Lluc Ibañez, driving for NM Racing Team, and Gabriele Piana, representing Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, each took a pole position across two separate qualifying sessions. The battle for the top spot saw drivers pushing the limits of their machinery, with the fastest times of the weekend coming remarkably close to the series qualifying record of 2:11.419s, previously established by Paul Petit in a Team Speedcar Audi R8 at Circuit Paul Ricard.
The qualifying results highlight the diversity of the current grid, with six different automotive brands occupying the top seven positions in both sessions. This variety underscores the competitive balance of the series as teams vie for dominance in the Silver, Pro-Am, and Am categories.
Qualifying 1: Ibañez Sets the Pace
In the first qualifying session (Q1), Spanish driver Lluc Ibañez delivered a commanding performance to secure his first GT4 Europe pole position since 2014. Driving the No. 15 Mercedes-AMG GT4 for NM Racing, Ibañez recorded a fastest lap of 2’11″952 during the season opener. This time placed him at the top of the overall standings and secured the pole for the Silver Cup.
The session began with Benjamin Lariche setting the early pace in the No. 1 Team Speedcar Audi, followed by Enrico Förderer in the SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm Mercedes-AMG. However, Ibañez eventually pulled ahead, creating a 0.23-second gap over his closest rival. As the session progressed and tire performance dipped due to the heat, Gregory Guilvert in an Audi R8 LMS GT4 managed to split the two Mercedes-AMGs to secure a front-row start, finishing second overall.
Other notable performances in Q1 included Enrico Förderer in third place and Victor Bouveng, who drove the No. 98 Schubert Motorsport BMW to fourth overall. Bouveng’s effort earned him and teammate Joakim Walde the pole position for the Pro-Am category. Rounding out the top six were Roméo Leurs, making his GT4 Europe debut in a Mirage Racing GR Supra, and Stefano D’Aste in a PB Racing Lotus.
In the Am class, Nicco Ferrarin of JSB Competition led the way in a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, continuing a strong run of form seen during the free practice sessions.
Qualifying 2: Piana Claims the Top Spot
The second qualifying session (Q2) saw a shift in momentum as Gabriele Piana took control. Driving the No. 12 BMW M4 GT4 EVO for Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport, Piana clocked a time of 2’11″609 to secure the overall pole. Piana’s time was the closest of the weekend to the existing circuit record, falling less than 0.2 seconds short.
Piana’s performance earned him the pole position for both the overall grid and the Silver Cup. He was followed by Clément Seyler in the No. 74 Racing Spirit of Léman Aston Martin Vantage GT4 and Cedric Fuchs in the No. 111 SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm Mercedes-AMG.
The Pro-Am and Am categories also saw new leaders in the second session. Thibaut Mogica, driving a CMR Ginetta G56 GT4 EVO (No. 51), secured the Pro-Am pole position. Meanwhile, Julien Briché of JSB Competition claimed the Am top spot, finishing 16th in the overall timing but leading his class.
Class Breakdown and Key Results
The qualifying sessions at Paul Ricard demonstrated a wide spread of performance across the different driver classifications. The following table summarizes the pole positions achieved across the two sessions:
| Category | Qualifying 1 Pole | Qualifying 2 Pole |
|---|---|---|
| Overall / Silver | Lluc Ibañez (NM Racing) | Gabriele Piana (Borusan Otomotiv) |
| Pro-Am | Victor Bouveng (Schubert Motorsport) | Thibaut Mogica (CMR) |
| Am | Nicco Ferrarin (JSB Competition) | Julien Briché (JSB Competition) |
Understanding the GT4 Categories
The GT4 European Series utilizes a tiered system to balance professional and amateur participation. The Silver Cup generally features drivers with “Silver” rated licenses, often young professionals or highly experienced amateurs. The Pro-Am category pairs a professional or semi-professional driver with an amateur, whereas the Am category is reserved for amateur drivers, ensuring a fair competition based on experience levels.
What Which means for the Season
The split poles between Ibañez and Piana suggest a highly competitive start to the 2026 season. For NM Racing and Borusan Otomotiv, the ability to secure top starting positions indicates that their setups are well-optimized for the high-temperature conditions and technical demands of Circuit Paul Ricard.
The performance of the various brands—ranging from Mercedes-AMG and BMW to Audi, Porsche, Lotus, and Ginetta—shows that no single manufacturer has a dominant advantage at this stage. This parity is likely to lead to unpredictable race results as the season progresses.
For drivers like Lluc Ibañez, this pole marks a significant return to the top of the qualifying sheets, being his first in the series since 2014. For teams like JSB Competition, the ability to sweep the Am poles across both sessions demonstrates a strong level of consistency and reliability with their Porsche machinery.
The first race of the event is scheduled to initiate on April 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM.
Readers interested in the latest timing updates and official standings can follow the direct video coverage and official results provided by the series organizers.
Do you think the diversity of brands will keep the championship open until the final round? Share your thoughts in the comments below.