The GT3 class is entirely customer-based, meaning that no official manufacturer entries are allowed. However, in reality, manufacturers partner with private teams who in turn operate a factory-supported entry, most often with official factory-backed drivers. Naturally, this means that the biggest names are competing each weekend.
Leading the effort for defending overall Teams’ champions Audi is Dries Vanthoor, Kelvin van der Linde and Charles Weerts, while Mercedes has split their efforts between AKKA ASP (Raffaele Marciello, Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon) and HRT (Vincent Abril, Maro Engel and Luca Stolz).
For 2019 GT World Challenge Europe champions Lamborghini, FFF Racing has recruited the services of former Audi driver Mirko Bortolotti to partner fellow factory drivers Andrea Caldarelli and Marco Mapelli, while Emil Frey Racing will field two factory drivers in the form of Albert Costa and Giacomo Altoè.
For Ferrari, the Iron Lynx team makes its GT World Challenge debut this season and replaces AF Corse as the factory supported entry for the Prancing Horse. Ex-Formula 2 drivers Callum Ilot and Antonio Fuoco join forces with Davide Rigon, while defending Endurance Cup champion Alessandro Pier Guidi teams up with Come Ledogar and Nicklas Nielsen.
Porsche is the ubiquitous threat and has talent all across its driver rosters, with Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet joining former factory driver and Le Mans overall winner Earl Bamber at GPX Racing.