The best GT racing drivers from the Blancpain series

The rapid expansion in the last few years of GT racing, where drivers pilot extreme versions of current road-going Grand Tourer machinery from brands like Aston Martin, Ferrari and McLaren, has seen an influx of world-class talent descending on the World Endurance Championship, the Tudor United SportsCar Championship and the Blancpain GT Series. But with so many stellar names to choose from, who are the real standouts? We asked the experts to nominate their favourite GT racers of the moment.

Stephen Kilbey, dailysportscar.com – Laurens Vanthoor

Laurens is almost certain to be a P1 driver for Audi one day

Laurens Vanthoor has only been on the GT racing scene for four years, but it already feels like he’s been around forever because he’s racing almost every weekend, and no matter who he’s partnered with or whatever competition he’s up against, he’s always in with a shot. He just gets the most out of the car, which is large part of why Audi has chosen him to develop the new R8; he’s almost certain to be a P1 driver for Audi one day – he definitely has it in him.

RedBull.com looks at the best GT drivers, including Laurens Vanthoor. — Vanthoor looks set to be a future Audi LMP1 driver
© Blancpain GT Series

I think he’s underrated in a way; when people look back on the last few years of GT racing, they will always be drawn the likes of Maxime Martin and that amazing stint at the end of the Nürburgring 24 a few years back, but Vanthoor doesn’t have one of these epic drives which everyone remembers because every time he wins a GT race, he just blows everyone away. He’s always at the front, he’ll get pole and he’ll nail it – you just come to accept it.

His only weakness is the fact that he makes occasional mistakes; at the Spa 24 Hours this year, he got in the car, got frustrated and had an accident, which is just one of those things. But I like the fact that he’s just as good at endurance racing as he is in sprints, which is something which you don’t see enough of these days.

He’s only 24 and he’s already won the Nürburgring 24 and the Spa 24, he’s won his class in the Bathurst 12 Hour and he’s won the Blancpain GT championship – but I still don’t think we've seen the best of him yet.

Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenk22

John Dagys, Fox Sports – Gianmaria Bruni

Gianmaria is always the quickest Ferrari driver wherever you’re at

If I had to choose, I would say Gimmi Bruni. He’s a double World Champion in the WEC GTE category, and he’s always the quickest Ferrari driver wherever you’re at, which he proved again last weekend at the Spa 24 Hours, where he really was in a different class in the GT3 car. Just look at last year in the WEC – he and Toni Vilander had a lot of obstacles to overcome, but they always seemed to resolve any issues when it came to the race.

RedBull.com looks at the best GT drivers, including Gianmaria Bruni. — Gianmaria Bruni leading an Audi through Eau Rouge
© Blancpain GT Series

Gimmi treats AF Corse as his family and he really feels at home there. Obviously the Italian connection helps, but being re-signed by Ferrari for 2016 to lead the development on the 488 both in GTE and in GT3 is a huge step for the brand moving forward. He’s a fast and fierce competitor who other drivers fear on the track, but he’s also a great, down-to-earth person when you get to know him, who does a lot of good for our sport.

Follow John on Twitter @johndagys

Vincent Wouters, Sportscar365 – Nick Catsburg

You have to wonder why no manufacturer has offered him a deal yet

Nominating Nick Catsburg might sound a bit opportunistic, but right now he certainly is one of the best considering his victory in the 24 Hours of Spa last weekend, the biggest GT race in the world. He has been going at it for a while now and he hasn’t had any big wins or titles behind him since the Renault Mégane Trophy, so hopefully now he can start to build on this.

RedBull.com looks at the best GT drivers, including Nick Catsburg. — Nick Catsburg (r) with his Marc VDS team-mates
© Blancpain GT Series

Marc VDS have given him an opportunity and he didn’t disappoint. They nominated him to do the Superpole, where he was the fastest BMW driver and he got the fastest lap in the race. You have to wonder why no manufacturer has offered him a deal yet; I especially remember him winning on his VLN debut at the Nürburgring Nordschleife back in 2013, a track that demands experience and respect. Reiter Engineering's Hans Reiter offered Catsburg a contract for this year to drive a Lamborghini and he’s been very quick, which shows his versatility. Renault has also called upon him to help develop their new R.S. 01.

He's also a very nice guy and seems to be a good team player. You shouldn't underplay those qualities in this sport. He is one for the future and his potential is clear. He’s only done GT3 racing, no GTE, but I think he will end up there one day.

Follow Vincent on Twitter @vincewouters

David Addison, Blancpain Endurance Series commentator – Kévin Estre

Kévin Estre is a ‘lightbulb driver’, someone you can screw into anything, switch on and they deliver results

Part of the problem is that an increasing number of people limit themselves to one type of car. I’m a big Maxime Martin fan, but you only see him in BMWs; Laurens Vanthoor is clearly a star, but you only see him in Audis, and it's the same with René Rast.

Therefore, while they are very good indeed, I would lean towards someone who is versatile, and Kévin Estre is a good example of that as someone who can drive a McLaren one week and then excel in Porsches the next. He’s quick, he doesn’t make mistakes and he’s an all-round package – what I call a ‘lightbulb driver’, someone you can screw into anything, switch on and they deliver results.

RedBull.com looks at the best GT drivers, including Kévin Estre. — Estre has shown his versatility in Porsches
© Luca Barni

He’s not someone you can pigeonhole as a specialist in one type of car. He’s got a good character, he’s fiery and in a pretty short period of time, he’s gone from racing Porsche Carrera Cup to being picked up by McLaren, so there’s clearly something special there. For me, he’s the real deal.

Follow David on Twitter @addison1972

Nathan Heywood, Racing GT – Kévin Estre

I want to watch a driver find the edge in a car and then wring it out

Choosing the best current GT driver is an entirely subjective exercise. Should it be based on current form or consistency over a longer period? Silverware over wins? Or perhaps it’s not the winning that counts – endurance racing is a team sport after all.

One’s nationality is often a bias – consider Darren Turner if you’re a Brit, Fred Makowiecki to a Frenchman or René Rast to a German. From my perspective, it's got to be someone who I would pay money from my own pocket to go and watch.

I admire the desire to find the outside of a performance envelope. I want to watch a driver find the edge in a car and then wring it out, to enlarge the envelope if you will. So, in order to pay my money at the gate, I'd want to see either Alvaro Parente or Kévin Estre in a McLaren 650S GT3. It's a toss-up between the two, but Estre's performances in the Blancpain Sprint Series at Brands Hatch this year mean he wins by a short nose.

Follow Nathan on Twitter @HeywoodGT

Thanks to this week's contributors:

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