REVEALED 2026 GT WORLD CHALLENGE CALENDAR: MONZA 3 HOURS SET FOR MAY 30–31
During the recent CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, held last weekend, SRO Motorsports Group officially announced the 2026 calendar for the GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS. Among the confirmed rounds is the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, which will once again host the Monza 3 Hours on Saturday, May 30 and Sunday, May 31, 2026.
The announcement further strengthens the long-standing partnership between the Temple of Speed and SRO, a bond that in recent years has brought top-level international endurance racing back to the historic Monza circuit.
The 2025 edition of the Monza 3 Hours saw impressive attendance numbers, with 40,000 spectators, 59 cars on the grid, and 176 drivers from various countries. The event weekend was further enriched by two prestigious support series: the Lamborghini Super Trofeo, featuring 40 cars, and the McLaren Trophy Europe, with 16 teams entered.
The 2026 date is now set: Monza confirms its status as a key venue on the European GT racing stage.
GRAND FINALE FOR MIMO 2025 WITH THE DRIFT SHOWS
The fourth edition of MIMO, Milano Monza Motor Show 2025, has come to a close. A large audience filled the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, where a rich program featured BMW M and BMW Z club parades, drift shows, sessions of the Indy Autonomous Challenge—one of the most innovative projects in autonomous driving—and dedicated track slots for the hypercars of the Pagani “Arte in Pista” program.
There was also great attention on new product debuts, including the Italian premiere of the Jaecoo 5, unveiled at the Omoda&Jaecoo stand—one of the most anticipated SUVs of the moment. Test drives were a major highlight, with EMC, Foton, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Leapmotor, and Omoda&Jaecoo offering visitors an immersive, hands-on experience with the future of mobility.
One of the most significant moments of the event was the first-ever track appearance of two autonomous Maserati models—the GranTurismo Folgore and GranCabrio Folgore—developed through a collaboration between Aidoptation, Politecnico di Milano, and the Indy Autonomous Challenge.
Paddock 2 became a hub of entertainment on Sunday, transformed into a family-friendly area featuring food trucks, 1:10 scale remote-controlled models provided by Too Drift, and special vehicles from the Italian Army that amazed both young and old. The soundtrack of the weekend was provided by RBS, Radio della Brianza.
The Marazzato Foundation offered attendees the chance to travel through the paddocks aboard their vintage vehicles—true historical gems.
MIMO 2025 was also a large open-air exhibition, with the presence of Pagani, Aston Martin, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, Smart, Dallara, Maserati, Ferrari, alongside Omoda&Jaecoo, Leapmotor, EMC, Foton, and established names such as RECARO Automotive, Plenitude, AK Informatica, Quattroruote, Evo, Al Volante, Auto, Donne & Motori, ASI, as well as the armed forces and law enforcement.
SHOW ON THE BANKING IN MONZA FOR MIMO'S SUPERCARS
The second day of the fourth edition of MIMO Milano Monza Motor Show 2025 saw the North Banking of the High-Speed Ring at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza take center stage, hosting test drives and shows. Among them was a Tesla showcase that attracted a young and innovation-focused audience. On the 5.8 km road course, there were open laps by supercars and hypercars, electric vehicle performances, dynamic sessions of Arte in Pista, drifting exhibitions, and autonomous driving demonstrations by the Indy Autonomous Challenge.
From early morning, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza was filled with thousands of enthusiasts who animated the paddock, garages, and grandstands. Horacio and Christopher Pagani drew significant attention as they arrived in Monza for Arte in Pista Pagani, an event dedicated to the track-ready hypercars created by Pagani Automobili.
McLaren captured attention and hearts with two models honoring Ayrton Senna: the Senna Sempre with a Brazilian livery and a Marlboro-themed version. In the RECARO area, CEO Luca Pino unveiled prototype versions of the brand's new racing seats. In the afternoon, the spectacular RECARO Parade featured a lineup of supercars equipped with high-performance racing seats, along with the special participation of the Donne & Motori Parade.
Tomorrow marks the final day (open from 9 AM to 8 PM, free entry, paid parking), with an equally rich program. One of the most anticipated highlights is the opportunity for the public to board historic and special vehicles from the Marazzato Foundation — a true gem for collectors and vintage vehicle enthusiasts. Test drives will also continue, with major brands like Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Omoda, Jaecoo, Leapmotor, EMC, and Foton participating.
MIMO STARTS WITH 12 CAR MANUFACTURERS AND PLENTY OF NEW MODELS TO TEST
This weekend, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza hosts MIMO – Milano Monza Motor Show. The event, running from Friday to Sunday, from 9 AM to 8 PM with free admission (parking excluded), will transform the historic Lombard circuit into a dynamic "motor city," buzzing with spectacular parades and breathtaking demonstrations of the most exclusive supercars, hypercars, and test drives offered by car manufacturers showcasing their latest models to the public.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, June 27 at 12:45 PM, featuring a dynamic ribbon-cutting parade starring the Pagani Huayra R Evo Roadster, Pagani Huayra R, Pagani Huayra Codalunga, and Pagani Utopia Coupé.
Following the Paganis, the group of supercars and limited-edition models completing the inaugural starting grid will include the Ferrari 812 Competizione, Ferrari SF90 XX, McLaren Senna, McLaren 750S, Dallara Stradale, Lamborghini Revuelto, Maserati MC20 Cielo Opera d’Arte, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and Aston Martin Valiant.
The dynamic opening will continue with the Premiere Parade and the Journalist Parade, a segment led by two self-driving vehicles operated by Aidoptation in collaboration with Politecnico di Milano and the Indy Autonomous Challenge: the Maserati GranCabrio Folgore and the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, followed by new releases from car manufacturers and the Donne&Motori Parade, featuring vehicles driven by women leaders in the automotive world.
At MIMO 2025, the national premiere of the Jaecoo 5 will be unveiled to both the media and the general public.
Twelve car brands will be present in the pits and paddocks at Autodromo Nazionale Monza: Pagani, Dallara, Aston Martin, McLaren, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Omoda & Jaecoo, Leapmotor, EMC, and Foton.
The opening ceremony on the track for MIMO 2025 will feature the event’s ambassador, Federica Masolin, sports journalist at SKY, and Andrea Levy, President of MIMO Milano Monza Motor Show, alongside Paolo Pilotto, Mayor of Monza; Martina Riva, Councilor for Tourism, Major Sporting Events and Youth Policies for the City of Milan; Carlo Abbà, Councilor for Labor, Commerce, Productive Activities, and Territorial Marketing for the Municipality of Monza; Viviana Guidetti, responsible for Sports and Maintenance of Sports Facilities for Monza; Paolo Martini, Head of Plenitude E-Mobility Recharge Solutions and CEO of Be Charge; and Giuseppe Redaelli, President of SIAS-Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Among the cars on display at MIMO 2025 will be the McLaren Senna Sempre, a tribute to the legendary Brazilian driver, celebrated with a unique one-off model featuring an exclusive livery.
Visitors will be able to test drive the following models: Mercedes-Benz CLE 53 AMG 4MATIC+ Coupé, Mercedes-Benz EQA 350 4M, Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4M, Smart#5 Brabus; Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Omoda 9 SHS, Jaecoo 7 SHS, Leapmotor T03, Leapmotor C10 REEV, EMC 4, EMC 6, EMC 7, Foton Tunland V9
The stand of local radio station RBS will energize the paddocks and serve as the musical entertainment hub for MIMO 2025 visitors.
(Source: MIMO)
SPECTACULAR ACTION AT AUTODROMO NAZIONALE MONZA DURING ACI RACING WEEKEND
The large motorsport audience showed up in full force, despite the intense heat in Brianza, filling the grandstands and paddock of the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Their enthusiasm was rewarded with 12 spectacular races, full of twists and turns, culminating in the 3-Hour race of the Italian GT Endurance Championship, won by the Beretta-Frassineti-Testa crew driving the Lamborghini of VSR.
There were three different winners in the action-packed races of the Italian F4 Championship, which featured as many as 40 single-seaters on the grid. Victories went to Sebastian Wheldon, Kean Nakamura-Berta, and Newman Chi, who claimed his first win of the season. In TCR Italy, Matteo Poloni and Nicola Baldan took wins among the sequential cars, while Eric Brigliadori scored a double victory in the DSG class, finishing ahead of his teammate Matteo Roccadelli in both races.
Simone Bianco further extended his lead in the Italian Sports Prototypes Championship after winning Race 1, while Giacomo Maman secured his first career victory in Race 2. Also taking to the Monza track over the weekend was the FIA TCR World Tour, where Norbert Michelisz and Aurélien Comte took the wins.
The large crowd particularly appreciated the open paddock and the opportunity to step onto the starting grid of the 3-Hour Italian GT Endurance Championship race, where they could get a close look at the cars. Equally well-received was the Meet & Greet in the Fanzone on Saturday, where fans got the chance to meet some of the stars of the FIA TCR World Tour and TCR Italy.
A WORLD CLASS ACI RACING WEEKEND IN MONZA
Temperatures are rising and a scorching weekend is expected at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The fourth ACI Racing Weekend of 2025 is ready to hit the track at the historic Monza circuit with 5 categories and 12 races scheduled across Saturday and Sunday. The highlight will be Sunday afternoon with the 3-hour race of the Italian GT Endurance Championship, starting at 2:30 PM. But the intense Monza program will also feature touring cars from the FIA TCR World Tour, single-seaters from the Italian F4 Championship, the TCR Italy series, and the Wolf prototypes from the Italian Sport Prototypes Championship. A number of initiatives are also planned for the weekend, starting on Thursday with the FIA Girls On Track event organized by the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission.
Engines roar once again in Brianza for the Italian GT Championship, which returns to the track for the second round of the Endurance series. After the season opener in Misano, the championship gears up for another high-profile weekend with 41 crews on the grid, split between GT3 and GT Cup classes, representing 7 manufacturers and featuring a diverse international mix of drivers and teams. In the top class, the Audi R8 LMS from Tresor Attempto Racing, driven by Mazzola-Rauer-Cazzaniga and fresh off a strong win on the Adriatic coast, will be aiming to consolidate its championship lead. However, the Audi trio will face stiff competition, starting with Denes-Cola-Guidetti (Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo2), who finished a solid second in Misano, and their Audi counterparts from Haas Racing Team—Jackson-Azzam-Detry—who finished third overall in the opener and currently lead the GT3 PRO-AM standings.
The GT Cup class features 18 cars divided into two Divisions. In the 1st Division PRO-AM, the AF Corse Ferrari 296 Challenge driven by Gai-Fontana, winners at Misano, will be the team to watch. In the 2nd Division PRO-AM, the SP Racing Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, driven by Piria-Russo, leads the standings.
There will be 40 Tatuus Formula 4 cars, equipped with Pirelli tires, ready to battle it out this weekend for the third round of the seven-event season of the Italian F.4 Championship. The series, promoted by ACI Sport and WSK Promotion, sees the title fight intensifying with Kean Nakamura-Berta, a Slovak-Japanese driver from Prema Racing, leading the standings thanks to five consecutive wins in the opening rounds. Behind him is teammate Sebastian Wheldon, son of the late Dan “Lionheart” Wheldon, who has two victories and is currently Nakamura-Berta’s closest rival. Also joining the title fight is Brazilian driver Gabriel Gomez from US Racing, who made a strong showing at Vallelunga with one win and two podiums, moving him up to third in the overall standings.
At the Temple of Speed, the championship returns to its traditional format: three 30-minute + 1 lap races, with all drivers on track simultaneously.
The Kumho FIA TCR World Tour makes its debut at the Temple of Speed, following in the footsteps of past global touring car series that raced at Monza up until 2017. The third round of the season comes just one week after Valencia, where Yann Ehrlacher scored a double win and now leads the championship ahead of Esteban Guerrieri. The top-tier TCR series will feature two races at Monza—Saturday at 3:10 PM and Sunday at 11:40 AM. The FIA TCR World Tour will also host a Meet & Greet session on Saturday at 5 PM in the Fanzone, located at the former museum area.
The third round of the TCR Italy championship also takes place at Monza, with 20 cars in the Sequential class and 17 in DSG. The battle between Nic Taylor (Audi RS3 LMS, PMA) and Nicola Baldan (also in an Audi RS3 LMS, Aikoa) resumes, with only three points separating them (162 to 159). Attention is also on Alex Ley (Hyundai Elantra N, BRC), who returned to victory at Vallelunga.
In the DSG class, another family duel is expected between Eric Brigliadori and Mattia Roccadelli, both driving Cupras for SF Squadra Corse. Challengers include Mattia Lancellotti (Audi, Planet Motorsport), currently second in the standings, and Gustavo Sandrucci (Audi, Casals Motorsport), who won Race 2 at Vallelunga.
The Italian Sport Prototypes Championship also returns for its third round with 15 cars on the grid. Making his debut is Daniele Pialorsi (Bad Wolves), born in 1982 from Brescia. Spotlight on Simone Bianco, who leads the standings after three wins in four races and will compete for the first time on his home track. The 17-year-old from Brianza, driving for Avelon Formula, will face the usual tough competition, including veteran Davide Uboldi (Emotion Motorsport), second in the standings, and a group of talented peers, among whom Romanian driver Victor Ionescu stood out during recent Monza testing sessions.
The Fanzone will be active on Saturday and Sunday—a space dedicated to fun and entertainment, featuring a kids area, food trucks with a chill zone, DJ sets, and a special Meet & Greet with Kumho FIA TCR World Tour drivers on Saturday at 5 PM.
Free entry to available grandstands and paddock. Public parking will be available in lots P8 and P9 on Saturday and Sunday with the following rates, payable on site: Cars €15 per day; Motorcycles €5 per day; Minibuses €30 per day; Buses €50 per day
All races will be broadcast live on ACI Sport TV (Sky channel 228).
KUMHO FIA TCR WORLD TOUR MAKES ITS MONZA DEBUT
The Kumho FIA TCR World Tour is back in action this weekend at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, one week after a hot trio of races at Valencia reshaped the championship, with two-time race winner Yann Ehrlacher assuming the points lead from Argentina’s Esteban Guerrieri.
It will be the first time the famous Formula 1 venue has hosted the TCR World Tour, and the first time an FIA touring car category has been to the track since 2017, when Thed Björk was one of the race winners on his way to his first world championship title.
After two wins in Spain, Ehrlacher has momentum behind him, but he’ll also carry the related compensation weight for his success, and his Lynk & Co will be weighed down with 40kg of ballast this weekend.
Guerrieri meanwhile, just seven points behind in the standings, will be ballast-free, and the circuit is known to suit the Honda Civic Type R, which will give the GOAT Racing driver an opportunity to strike back.
Hyundai enjoyed a resurgent weekend in Valencia too and will be hoping to have a strong weekend, with Valencia Race 2 winner Néstor Girolami now their leading charge in the standings, albeit someway behind after the tough season opener in Mexico.
The grid will be bolstered by some of the same guest stars from TCR Europe who took part last weekend – Ruben Volt who was an impressive runner-up in Valencia’s Race 2, Marco Butti, Viktor Andersson, Julien Briché, Felipe Fernández – plus some new faces: TCR South America points leader Leonel Pernía and TCR Italy regulars Jacopo Cimenes and Damiano Reduzzi.
The schedule returns to the more traditional two-race format for this weekend, with the second race featuring the reversed grid based on qualifying, rather than Race 1 result.
The TCR World Tour race is part of this weekend’s ACI Racing Weekend, which will feature around 200 cars on track competing in the Italian GT Endurance Championship, Italian Formula 4 Championship, TCR Italy and DSG, and the Italian Sport Prototype Championship. Admission is free; only parking is charged (15 euros for cars).
SCHEDULE Friday - Practice 1, 13:45; Practice 2, 17; Saturday Qualifying, 09:40; Saturday - Race 1, 15:10 (11 laps); Sunday - Race 2, 11:40 (11 laps).
(FROM WSC WEEKLEY NEWS)
SUZUKI BIKE DAY: OVER 2,500 CYCLISTS AT THE AUTODROMO NAZIONALE MONZA
On Saturday, June 14th, the fifth edition of the Suzuki Bike Day took place – a confirmed success, in line with the positive trend of previous editions.
More than 2,500 people took part in the great cycling celebration organized by Suzuki, bringing enthusiasm and passion to the roads of Brianza.
Wearing the official event technical jersey – inspired by Suzuki’s sporting tradition and the iconic livery with which Joan Mir won the MotoGP title in 2020 – cycling enthusiasts enjoyed an unforgettable experience, pedaling both within the historic Monza National Autodrome and along the scenic route inspired by the legendary “Coppa Agostoni.” The route spanned around 60 kilometers, with an elevation gain of 650 meters through the heart of Brianza.
The day was dedicated to an important cause: supporting Dynamo Camp, an organization that has been caring for children with serious and chronic illnesses for years.
Adding to the special atmosphere was the presence of many sports stars: sports executive, former road cyclist, and TV commentator Davide Cassani; cycling voices Giada Borgato and Luca Gregori; and Filippo Baroncini, U23 World Champion and professional cyclist.
Also in attendance was a large delegation from the FISG – Italian Ice Sports Federation – with well-known faces from various disciplines: figure skater Matteo Rizzo, Italian Champion in 2018; curling athletes Giacomo Colli, Stefano Gilli, Andrea Gilli, Rachele Scalesse, Fabio Ribotta, Francesco Vigliani, and Veronica Zappone. Alongside them were Orietta Bertò and Paolo Ioratti for Wheelchair Curling, Gabriele Lanza for Para Ice Hockey, and Margherita and Chiara Betti from the women’s Short Track national team.
Also present was a delegation of athletes from FITri – Italian Triathlon Federation – including Franco Pesavento, Michele Bonacina, and Marta Menditto.
The Suzuki Bike Day was a success not only for its strong turnout but also for its charitable mission in support of Dynamo Camp, the first Recreational Therapy camp in Italy for children affected by serious or chronic illnesses.
Thanks to the generosity of the many participants, a total of €34,233 was raised for Dynamo Camp.
(Suzuki Press Release)