Some of the most exciting young talents in global sportscar racing have been on track in recent weeks as they look to take the next step in their careers with help from the SRO GT Academy.
Open to FIA Silver-graded drivers under the age of 30, the Academy consists of three distinct elements, each awarding a specific prize for 2027. Points are scored based on criteria such as speed, race craft and consistency, as well as behaviour on and off the track.
With every eligible series now underway, 44 aspiring professionals have been in action on four continents. Their objective is to follow in the footsteps of Gaspard Simon, who won the inaugural SRO GT Academy in 2025 and now competes full-time in GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS.
Leading candidates emerge for 2027 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa opportunity
The 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa is just around the corner, but several SRO GT Academy hopefuls are far more interested in the 2027 edition. That’s because four drivers – one each from the GT World Challenge powered by AWS series in America, Asia and Australia, as well as British GT – will join forces at next year’s race. What’s more, a leading contender has already emerged in each series.
With two rounds complete the Asian table is topped by Yu Kuai (FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom) who edged in front after the second round at Mandalika. The 25-year-old is the defending Silver Cup champion and tops the Academy table despite not currently leading his class standings. Japanese racer Atsushi Miyake (Team 5Zigen Nissan) is his closet challenger, 12 points back from Yu.
The American standings are also topped by an Aussie with Tom Sargent (GMG Porsche) pulling well clear of the opposition. Indeed, the 23-year-old from New South Wales received perfect scores at Sonoma, Circuit of The Americas and Sebring, giving him a 35-point advantage over his Kiwi rival Ryan Yardley (Wright Porsche).
In Australia, Oscar Targett (Kollosche by Tigani Motorsport Mercedes-AMG) has established himself as the favourite to secure a place at Spa in 2027. The 20-year-old rookie set a high standard across the opening events at Phillip Island and The Bend, opening a 36-point gap over Valentino Astuti (Trading Garage Team MPC Audi).
Finally, in British GT, Jarrod Waberski (Barwell Motorsport Lamborghini) has topped the table since leading the scores at Silverstone. Charles Clark (Century Motorsport BMW) prevailed in the first of two races at Oulton Park before Waberski reasserted himself in the second. Nevertheless, the seven-point gap is the closest across the four series.
As it stands in mid-June 2026, the Academy crew for next year’s CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa will consist of Yu/Taggert/Sargent/Waberski. There is still time for others to stake a claim, but each member of this quartet has been the standout in their respective series.
Härtling throws down the gauntlet with stellar GT2 Europe performance
With eight drivers fighting for SRO GT Academy honours, the GT2 European Series powered by Pirelli is a particularly competitive arena. That reflects the highly coveted prize on offer: a fully paid GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup programme with a Mercedes-AMG customer team in 2027.
Jay Mo Härtling laid down a serious marker with his performance in the opener at Monza. The SR Motorsport by Schnitzelalm driver impressed the Academy judges with two class wins, two fastest laps, and an outright pole, earning 60 points from the two-race event.
Härtling’s performance was no surprise: the 23-year-old German won last year's ADAC GT4 title and has made multiple 24h Nürburgring starts. His closest challengers after Monza are the NM Racing Team duo of Adrián Ferrer and Branden Oxley with 33 and 31 points respectively, while Antoine Potty (i4Race Maserati) also impressed by taking the overall win in Race 1.
Papin edges ahead in FFSA GT after Jousset suffers misfortune at Dijon
Championnat de France FFSA GT is where it all began. Launched last year, the inaugural SRO GT Academy was won by Gaspard Simon, who earned a move up to GT World Challenge Europe as well as support from SRO Motorsports Group and the FFSA. The €150,000 on offer for this year’s winner to progress to either GT3 or GT2 means there’s plenty of incentive for the 2026 hopefuls.
With 13 entrants, this is also the biggest Academy field. The campaign began at Nogaro, where Léo Jousset (Race Cars Consulting Alpine) hit the ground running. The 24-year-old took pole position, led his stint and set the fastest lap of the race, clearly establishing his status as favourite to succeed Simon.
But he does not lead the standings. The second round at Dijon began badly for Jousset, with a gearbox problem keeping him out of the first race. He limited the damage by achieving a perfect score in the second contest, aided by another fastest lap and the best average.
The big winner at Dijon was Lukas Papin (Schumacher GP Alpine), who grabbed the lead in the standings after setting the best time among the Academy drivers in qualifying. He heads Viny Beltramelli (Code Racing Development Alpine), and Jousset, while Welsh racer Harri Reynolds (Circuit Toys Toyota) has jumped to fourth after achieving the best score among the Academy drivers at Dijon.
As part of the Academy programme, the top three in the standings – Jousset, Papin, and Beltramelli – will join the team of safety car drivers for the upcoming CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. Each will hope that this is a step towards competing in the biggest GT race in the world next season.
Gaspard Simon gearing up for CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa debut
Gaspard Simon is proof of what the SRO GT Academy can do for a young driver. The 19-year-old made his name last year with a standout Championnat de France FFSA GT campaign, which included a brace of victories and five additional podiums. This earned him a €150,000 contribution from SRO Motorsports Group and its partners towards a GT World Challenge Europe programme, as well as comprehensive training from the SRO GT Academy and the FFSA GT Academy.
Simon ultimately agreed to a full-season programme with Walkenhorst Motorsport, driving the #35 Aston Martin Vantage in the ultra-competitive Silver Cup class. Thus far he has scored points in all four races, including a best finish of fifth in the Sprint Cup opener at Brands Hatch. Next, Simon will contest his maiden CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, giving him the chance to demonstrate his ability on the biggest stage in global GT racing.
Q&A: Niccolò Pirri
At just 17, Niccolò Pirri is among the youngest drivers entered in this year’s SRO GT Academy. But that won’t stop the Italian teenager – who makes his GT2 Europe debut this year – from competing for a chance to race with Mercedes-AMG in 2027.
What would it mean to you to win SRO GT Academy in GT2 Europe and earn a GT World Challenge opportunity in 2027?
Winning it would be a huge boost for any driver. The prize is amazing; everyone would love a chance to race in GT World Challenge. The visibility of the series is incredible and I'd love to be there next year.
How will you balance competing for your class title while also looking to win the Academy prize?
I'm prioritising the Academy, but the Pro-Am championship is there to be won as well. I think we have a good shot at it.
This is your first year in GT racing, having stepped up from FFSA F4. How are you finding the Maserati GT2?
Overall I really enjoy the car. I've had to adjust to the change of direction, but I really love the horsepower and I can't wait to get going and see what we can do this season.
Coming up…
June is a busy month for the SRO GT Academy. There will be drivers in action on two continents this weekend (13/14 June) with GT World Challenge America at Road Atlanta and GT World Challenge Australia at Queensland Raceway. Respective leaders Tom Sargent and Oscar Targett will look to strengthen their chances of being at the 2027 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa.
Then, on 20/21 June, three series will compete at the same circuit as part of SRO Spa Speedweek. FFSA GT and British GT will contest a combined race, a unique instance of two sets of Academy drivers sharing a track. GT2 Europe will also be at Spa-Francorchamps for its second event of 2026.
One week later, it's the race they're all hoping to be a part of next year: the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa (24–28 June). Gaspard Simon will make his maiden appearance in the Belgian endurance classic, offering a clear example of what a young driver can achieve through the SRO GT Academy.
