Drivers← Previous revisionRevision as of 22:46, 7 October 2026 Line 91: Line 91: The [[FIA Driver Categorisation]] system evaluates drivers from Platinum to Bronze and balances them across teams and classes.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-05 |title=FIA Driver Categorisation |url=https://www.fia.com/fia-driver-categorisation |access-date=2026-09-14 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}} As a result, driving skill and experience vary immensely across a GT World Challenge Europe field. For instance, a grid will typically include top-level professional drivers with Gold or Platinum licences and a wealth of success in various competitions. In recent years, grids have included several world-class drivers, such as current and ex-[[Formula One]] drivers like [[Giancarlo Fisichella]] and [[Max Verstappen]], [[List of FIA World Endurance champions|FIA World Endurance champions]] like [[Kévin Estre]] and [[Marcel Fässler (racing driver)|Marcel Fässler]], and [[List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners|24 Hours of Le Mans winners]].{{Cite web |title=Stroll to make GT racing debut in April at Paul Ricard |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/stroll-to-make-gt-racing-debut-in-april-alongside-ex-f1-driver-at-paul.1Xq33ZSjIbghJCxN2eQ1Rg |access-date=2026-09-14 |website=www.formula1.com |language=en}} While these drivers bring fan engagement and attention to the series, Bronze-graded drivers generally provide the financial backing that makes the championship possible.{{Cite web |last=mrobinson |date=2022-09-01 |title=IMSA Announces Additional Enhancements for 2023 WeatherTech Championship GTD Class |url=https://www.imsa.com/news/2022/09/01/imsa-announces-additional-enhancements-for-2023-weathertech-championship-gtd-class/ |access-date=2026-09-14 |website=IMSA |language=en-US}} The [[FIA Driver Categorisation]] system evaluates drivers from Platinum to Bronze and balances them across teams and classes.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-05 |title=FIA Driver Categorisation |url=https://www.fia.com/fia-driver-categorisation |access-date=2026-09-14 |website=Federation Internationale de l'Automobile |language=en}} As a result, driving skill and experience vary immensely across a GT World Challenge Europe field. For instance, a grid will typically include top-level professional drivers with Gold or Platinum licences and a wealth of success in various competitions. In recent years, grids have included several world-class drivers, such as current and ex-[[Formula One]] drivers like [[Giancarlo Fisichella]] and [[Max Verstappen]], [[List of FIA World Endurance champions|FIA World Endurance champions]] like [[Kévin Estre]] and [[Marcel Fässler (racing driver)|Marcel Fässler]], and [[List of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners|24 Hours of Le Mans winners]].{{Cite web |title=Stroll to make GT racing debut in April at Paul Ricard |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/stroll-to-make-gt-racing-debut-in-april-alongside-ex-f1-driver-at-paul.1Xq33ZSjIbghJCxN2eQ1Rg |access-date=2026-09-14 |website=www.formula1.com |language=en}} While these drivers bring fan engagement and attention to the series, Bronze-graded drivers generally provide the financial backing that makes the championship possible.{{Cite web |last=mrobinson |date=2022-09-01 |title=IMSA Announces Additional Enhancements for 2023 WeatherTech Championship GTD Class |url=https://www.imsa.com/news/2022/09/01/imsa-announces-additional-enhancements-for-2023-weathertech-championship-gtd-class/ |access-date=2026-09-14 |website=IMSA |language=en-US}} [[Raffaele Marciello]] is the championship's most decorated driver, with three overall drivers' championship titles for [[Mercedes-Benz in motorsport|Mercedes-AMG]]. [[Timur Boguslavskiy]] and [[Charles Weerts]] are the only other drivers to have won more than one drivers' title. Drivers from [[Germany]] have been most successful, with four titles in total. Whilst the series is European-based, it attracts drivers from all over the world. In 2025, [[South Africa]]'s [[Kelvin van der Linde]] became the first non-European overall drivers' champion. After success in [[motorcycle racing]], seven-time [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]] champion [[Valentino Rossi]] made his competitive sports car debut in the [[2022 GT World Challenge Europe]], bringing the series international recognition.{{efn|[[Valentino Rossi]] had previously made two starts in GT World Challenge Europe's predecessor, the [[Blancpain Endurance Series]], in [[2012 Blancpain Endurance Series|2012]].}}{{Cite web |last=Goodwin |first=Graham |date=2022-01-13 |title=Valentino Rossi Confirmed At WRT For GT World Challenge Europe |url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/01/13/valentino-rossi-confirmed-at-wrt-for-gt-world-challenge-europe.html |access-date=2026-09-14 |language=en-GB}} [[Raffaele Marciello]] is the championship's most decorated driver, with three overall drivers' championship titles for [[Mercedes-Benz in motorsport|Mercedes-AMG]]. [[Timur Boguslavskiy]], [[Charles Weerts]], [[Lucas Auer]] and [[Maro Engel]] are the only other drivers to have won more than one drivers' title. Drivers from [[Germany]] have been most successful, with four titles in total. Whilst the series is European-based, it attracts drivers from all over the world. In 2025, [[South Africa]]'s [[Kelvin van der Linde]] became the first non-European overall drivers' champion. After success in [[motorcycle racing]], seven-time [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|MotoGP]] champion [[Valentino Rossi]] made his competitive sports car debut in the [[2022 GT World Challenge Europe]], bringing the series international recognition.{{efn|[[Valentino Rossi]] had previously made two starts in GT World Challenge Europe's predecessor, the [[Blancpain Endurance Series]], in [[2012 Blancpain Endurance Series|2012]].}}{{Cite web |last=Goodwin |first=Graham |date=2022-01-13 |title=Valentino Rossi Confirmed At WRT For GT World Challenge Europe |url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2022/01/13/valentino-rossi-confirmed-at-wrt-for-gt-world-challenge-europe.html |access-date=2026-09-14 |language=en-GB}} == Champions == == Champions ==