TUCK STARTS GT WORLD CHALLENGE EUROPE CAMPAIGN WITH ANOTHER PODIUM!

Ben Tuck scored yet another podium last weekend at the opening round of the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe season at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. The result means that he has already either reached the podium, lead the race or claimed fastest lap in at least one of each of the three championships opening rounds he has taken part in, and has also been the fastest driver of the three marques he’s driven in each race so far. When added to the Dubai 24 Hours and the Asian Le Mans Series races he has also competed in this year, it brings his 2025 tally to one win, four podiums and a GT3 fastest lap from eight starts.

Ben Tuck rejoined the Al Manar Racing by WRT team in the BMW M4 GT3 Evo, the same team and car he won the Dubai 24 Hours with back in January. For the GT World Challenge Europe season, he is joined by seasoned BMW factory driver Jens Klingmann and Al Faisal Al Zubair in the #777 BMW for the Endurance Cup races in the Gold Cup class. Based on the performance in Dubai, the crew were confident that they would be able to challenge for podiums and wins in the ultra-competitive championship.

For qualifying, all three drivers were allocated an eight-minute stint to contribute to an overall average qualifying position. It proved to be a challenge for all the teams with traffic and an unexpected shower in the second session, but by the end of qualifying, the crew of the #777 BMW had managed to claim sixth in class and 23rd overall out of a field of 59.

Al Faisal Al Zubair took the start and the race got underway cleanly for the Omani driver and throughout his first hour-long stint, he made steady progress maintaining sixth in class but closing the gap to the cars ahead before bringing the car home for a scheduled stop on Lap 29 from 21st position overall.

The second stint was taken by Tuck, who emerged still sixth in class, a situation that would not last long as he launched himself at the cars ahead, logging a fastest lap across the following hour as darkness began to fall taking three overall positions to pit 30 laps later from fifth in class.

Another strong stint from the Al Zubair saw the #777 car back in the pits an hour later on Lap 93 for Ben to take over in 19th place overall and fifth in class. It was in this stint across the following hour that Ben Tuck put in a superb effort, registering the overall fourth fastest lap of the race and the fastest average BMW lap time as he relentlessly climbed up the order five places to reach second in the Gold class.

The performance set up the race perfectly for BMW factory driver Jens Klingmann to finish the race off into the night with back-to-back stints to the flag. The final third of the race was interrupted by three Full Course Yellow flag periods, after which Klingmann brought the car home in 10th position overall and third in class.

Tuck was elated at yet another podium and such a strong performance in the opening round from his co-drivers and his team: “P3 in Gold Cup class and P10 overall in a super competitive field of 59 cars is a nice way to start the championship, mixing it with the Pro Class cars. We’re feeling good for the next one!” he said.

“The car was amazing in the race so thank you to WRT and Al Manar Racing, and also to my awesome teammates Al Faisal Al Zubair and Jens Klingmann! Also, we have to say congratulations to our teammates in the 32 car, who won the race overall! A fantastic night for us all!”.

Ben next races in Round 2 of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Imola on 20th April 2025.