Severe weather and flooding at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya have forced race organizers to cancel qualifying and reschedule Race 2 of the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup to the evening. The local government in Spain issued a red code alert following a mini-hurricane in the region, leaving one person dead and prompting authorities to ban all events between 8:00 p.m. Saturday and 2:00 p.m. Local orders also mandated the closure of restaurants and shops.
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya Schedule Changes
The timetable for Sunday’s racing action underwent a complete overhaul after heavy rain and flooding hit the track area. Because the qualifying session for Race 2 was canceled entirely, no pole position points will be awarded. Track access and local event permits remain frozen until Sunday afternoon under the emergency orders issued by Spanish authorities.
Tresor Attempto-Audi Victory in Race 1 Rain
Saturday’s first Sprint Cup race ran under increasingly treacherous conditions as rain arrived twenty minutes before the start. Alex Aka and Dylan Pereira were the surprise winners in the Tresor Attempto-Audi. Dorian Boccolacci initially led after the restart, but his chances ended following a penalty for an unsafe pit stop. Patric Niederhauser and Luca Engstler finished third. Meanwhile, Bastian Buus and Ricardo Feller finished second for Lionspeed GP, banking enough points to seal the championship crown before the final race of the weekend. Buus had previously secured the pole position.
Verstappen Racing Title Hopes End in Barcelona
Verstappen Racing endured a difficult outing as their dual championship dreams evaporated in the Spanish rain. This timing gave an advantage to teams that had already completed their stops.
With Buus and Feller climbing to 72 points and a maximum of 17.5 points still available on Sunday, the driver’s title slipped out of reach. The team also lost out on the teams’ standings, as their gap to WRT proved insurmountable. Verstappen Racing, which operates under 2 Seas Motorsport, saw its hopes fade after a late spin by Chris Lulham. With Buus and Feller’s lead, Dani Juncadella and Thierry Vermeulen remained on a zero score due to bad luck.
The team’s struggle began with the starting grid; Juncadella and Lulham started their Mercedes from 21st place, while Vermeulen started 9th. Lulham had previously missed rounds at Magny-Cours and Misano due to illness, during which Jules Gounon took over the steering.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Barcelona Weather Cancellation
Why was Race 2 moved to the evening?
Local authorities in Spain banned all public events between Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon after issuing a red code weather alert for severe flooding.
Who won the GT World Challenge Sprint Cup title?
Bastian Buus and Ricardo Feller secured the championship crown following their second-place finish in Race 1 and the subsequent cancellation of the Race 2 qualifying session.
How did Verstappen Racing finish in the opening race?
Dani Juncadella and Chris Lulham finished in twelfth place after dealing with changing weather, a safety car period, and a red-flag stoppage. Juncadella finished the race with 53 points.