NEWS
GOLD CUP PODIUM FOR SPINELLI AND MICHELOTTO
Sep 20, 2026
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2026 GT World Challenge Sprint, Round 4 – Zandvoort (The Netherlands)
Gold Cup podium for Michelotto and Spinelli
Fabulous drives from Loris Spinelli and Mattia Michelotto in Saturday’s GT World Challenge Sprint race at Zandvoort saw the Gold Cup Lamborghini Temerario start twenty-fifth and finish tenth, claiming third in the closely fought Gold Cup.
Free practice running on Friday was cut short for the VSR boys after Frassineti pushed the 163 Lambo into the wall at the exit of turn three on Friday afternoon. After the VSR mechanics repaired the car Spinelli took it out for qualifying on Saturday and, in a super-competitive session which saw just one second cover the first thirty-two cars, was fifth fastest in class and lined up on row thirteen. Strong winds and the threat of rain oversaw the start of the race but undeterred Spinelli made up ten places on the first lap to run third in Gold. He then stormed past Cabirou’s Porsche before a pile up amongst the backmarkers bought out the Safety Car. Racing resumed with twelve minutes to go until the pit window and Spinelli continued defending third in class from Pereira. When the pit window opened both drivers pitted at the same time but the Audi got out ahead. Michelotto took over the VSR Lambo and as the pit window shut a Full Course Yellow paused the race so Van Der Linde’s BMW could be recovered. The track went green with twenty minutes left on the clock. Michelotto ran twelfth, fourth in class and was defending from Magnus behind him. A last lap issue for Aka left Michelotto and Magnus fighting for the Gold class podium and Michelotto kept the Porsche behind him to take the place by just six tenths of a second.
Michelotto started Sunday’s race from row nine and was the fifth quickest Gold Cup driver. At the start he moved up to fifteenth but at the end of lap one the Safety Car was called on track for a single lap which was quickly followed by a Full Course Yellow. At the restart Michelotto got the better of Porter to move into fourteenth and on to the tail of the battle between Magnus and Aka for the Gold class podium. When the pit window opened Michelotto pitted for Spinelli, discounting a ten second penalty for a Full Course Yellow infringement. With twenty minutes left to run Spinelli was twenty-first and fifth in the Gold Cup. He quickly passed Stadsbader and then a penalty for Fleming for causing a collision moved him up to fourth in Gold. A last-lap pass on Bachler meant he took the chequered flag in seventeenth, fourth in class.
2026 GT World Challenge Sprint Calendar
Brands Hatch: 2-3 May
Misano: 18-19 July
Magny-Cours: 1-2 August
Zandvoort: 19-20 September
Barcelona: 3-4 October
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