Gianmarco Ercoli secured his crown with back-to-back wins in Brands Hatch – The Italian is now back in the title hunt and also one of the most successful drivers in the UK
- Gianmarco Ercoli swept the PRO races at Brands Hatch to become the new king
- The Italian joins Alon Day and Ander Vilarino as the most successful drivers in the UK
- Vittorio Ghirelli granted to race in the NASCAR Canada Series as the overall leader
Gianmarco Ercoli had been playing it cool all weekend at the NASCAR GP UK, downplaying his expectations and saying he’d wait until Sunday before talking about his chances of becoming the “King of Brands Hatch”. Then, Sunday arrived and there’s no more need for modesty. The Italian stormed to a dominant win in PRO Round 6, reclaiming his crown with authority.
A late retirement from polesitter Liam Hezemans opened the door, and Ercoli didn’t hesitate. The Alumitec Racing star charged to his second win of the 2025 season, reminding everyone why he’s one of the most feared drivers on the grid. With this victory, the 2023 NASCAR Euro Series champion joined Alon Day and Ander Vilarino as the winningest drivers in the UK. Hail to the King of Brands Hatch!
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“I told you, I’d wait until Sunday for the crown, and today, I can finally touch it,” said the driver of the #11 Ford Mustang in Victory Lane. “It was a long race, especially with that early crash on the first lap. My pace was incredible, and I had a great battle with Liam, who defended really well. I stayed patient and tried to keep the pressure on him, but he did a great job out front. I think in the final laps he had some kind of technical issue, I’m not sure. I’m just happy I waited for the right moment to go for it. On this track, making a pass is never easy.”
Liam Hezemans’ heartbreak on lap 29 turned the tide of the 38-lap showdown at Brands Hatch. The Dutchman had been putting on a clinic up front, expertly managing the gap to his chasers, but it all came undone when his Rette Jones Racing machine started losing power. By lap 29, it was game over. Hezemans rolled to a stop in a safe spot to help the marshals, but it was a crushing end to what could have been a statement win for the 22-year-old and his American team. Earlier, the race had already been red-flagged once following a heavy crash involving Max Lanza and Max Marzorati. Thankfully, both drivers walked away under their own power.
With Hezemans out, Ercoli swept through to the lead, but Vittorio Ghirelli wasn’t far behind. The Italian secured back-to-back runner-up finishes and kept hold of the championship lead – along with punching his ticket to the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres as part of NASCAR Euro Series’ exchange program bringing European stars to the NASCAR Canada Series.
Paul Jouffreau brought home a strong third-place finish overall and clinched the Junior Trophy victory. After a weekend filled with technical troubles in the RDV Competition camp, the Frenchman called the podium finish a “victory in itself.” Sebastiaan Bleekemolen held off a charging Thomas Krasonis to take fourth, with the Greek racer finishing fifth and earning second in the Junior Trophy classification. Jack Davidson came home sixth, completing the Junior Trophy podium and giving Lux Motorsport another reason to celebrate after his career-best third place in PRO Round 5.
Thomas Toffel ran a clean and consistent race to win the Challenger Trophy in seventh. Giorgio Maggi, Julien Rehberg and Vladimiros Tziortzis rounded out the top-10. Challenger Trophy contenders Claudio Cappelli and Davit Kajaia followed in 13th and 14th, completing the class podium.
Consistency continues to pay off for Ghirelli, who holds onto the championship lead with 212 points after another strong weekend. Back-to-back victories have reignited Ercoli’s title charge – the 2023 champion now sits just six points behind in second. Jouffreau and Krasonis are deadlocked in third with 194 points apiece, and their battle for the Junior Trophy is just as intense. Bleekemolen completes the top-5 overall with 184 points. The Challenger Trophy fight remains just as tight: class leader Cappelli has a narrow one-point advantage over Davit Kajaia, setting up a thrilling mid-season showdown.
NASCAR Euro Series’ annual trip to the American festival in Brands Hatch will be closed with OPEN Round 6, scheduled for 17:35 CEST. After Melvin de Groot’s maiden victory in a treacherous but highly entertaining race on Saturday, will we see another new first-time winner in OPEN or will familiar Victory Lane visitors return to the top spot? Find out on the race that’s going to be broadcasted in EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel and TV channels around the world.
Featured image by NASCAR Euro Series / Bart Dehaese
