March 03, 2025

 

With two crucial pre-season tests now complete, the GPVWC Superlights field has started to take shape.
Bahrain (11th February 2025) and Baku (25th February 2025) offered vastly different challenges, giving us insight into which teams and drivers are looking strong ahead of the 2025 campaign. While some drivers impressed in both tests, others had mixed fortunes, leaving plenty of intrigue as we approach the season opener.

Bahrain: Lunarc Dominate, Kings Racing Show Strength

The first test at Bahrain International Circuit saw Lunarc Motorsport make an early statement, with Chris Butcher topping the timesheets with a 1:28.973. The Brit was 0.693s ahead of Luke Mitchell (Kings Racing), showing that the Lunarc machine is fast over a single lap.

Lunarc's dominance was further solidified by Daniel Hurlock in third and Mike Kwint in fifth, indicating that the team has a strong all-around package. However, Mitchell's Kings Racing entry looked equally competitive, and teammate Scott Mitchell-Malm (P6) ensured they stayed in the mix.

Brehm Racing's Cas Rietveld (P4) was a standout performer, just over a tenth behind Hurlock, while David Fidock (True North) took seventh place - the team showing promise but perhaps lacking outright pace compared to the front-runners.

Further down the field:

Gallery82 and Draig Racing were in the midfield fight, with Michal Galka (P8) and Tom van der Voort (P9) showing flashes of speed.

Netrex struggled slightly, with their best runner, Jose Soriano, down in P19.

Several rookies found themselves adjusting to the series, including Federico Russo (P32, AlphaDelta) and James Knox (P31, Optiminal).

The takeaway from Bahrain? Lunarc and Kings Racing look fast, Brehm has potential, and the midfield is shaping up to be incredibly close.

Baku: Netrex Fight Back, Kings Racing Consistent

Two weeks later, the teams arrived in Baku, where the high-speed street circuit presented a whole new challenge. Netrex made a huge step forward, with Harry Smith taking P1 with a 1:40.412?a major turnaround from Bahrain, where he was outside the top 20.

Fusion Racing also emerged as contenders, with Maxime Beaulieu taking second, just 0.693s off Smith. This suggested that Fusion might be stronger on street circuits, or that they've found setup improvements since Bahrain.

Despite the changing pecking order, Kings Racing maintained their consistency, with Luke Mitchell (P3) and Moritz Kropp (P4) both inside the top five. Their performances solidified Kings Racing as one of the most well-rounded teams heading into the season.

Notable Performances

Daniel Scott (P5, Rookie Monsters) and David Fidock (P6, True North) remained in the top half, suggesting they'll be regular point scorers.

Lunarc's early dominance faded slightly, with Chris Butcher (P14) and Mike Kwint (P12) struggling to match their Bahrain pace.

Cas Rietveld (P10) was again Brehm's top driver, showing solid consistency.

PZZW?s Norbert Jakab (P8) had a strong outing, moving up significantly from Bahrain.

While Netrex's bounce-back was impressive, Kings Racing stood out as the most stable team across both tests. Meanwhile, Lunarc's sudden dip in form at Baku raises questions about whether their Bahrain pace was track-dependent.

Early Season Predictions: Who Looks Strongest?

After two very different tests, we now have a clearer idea of the early front-runners and challengers:

- Kings Racing looked very fast in the pre-season. With Mitchell and Kropp performing well at both tests, they seem to have a balanced car and strong pace across different circuits.

- Netrex have potential, but can they keep it up? Smith's P1 in Baku was a shock, but they'll need more consistency to challenge at the top regularly.

- Brehm, True North, and Fusion are dark horses. With strong showings in both tests, these teams could be surprise podium contenders once racing begins.

With the season fast approaching, Superlights is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable and competitive seasons yet. Bahrain and Baku have shown us glimpses of the pecking order, but once the real racing begins, everything could change. One thing is certain - this championship is wide open.