FROM FIRST-LAP CHAOS TO VICTORY: Tresor Attempto Audi Conquers Bloodbath Monza Round

The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup round at the legendary Autodromo Nazionale Monza will live long in the memory of motorsport purists. In a multi-class thriller defined by absolute chaos, heavy incidents, and high-stakes strategic roulette, it was the #66 Tresor Attempto Racing Audi R8 LMS GT3 that emerged from the ashes to claim a sensational overall victory, defying the odds after starting from 29th on the grid.

The weekend initially looked poised to deliver a fairytale for Ford, with the Proton Competition Mustang GT3 securing a historic maiden pole position. However, any dreams of an American triumph at the Temple of Speed vanished within seconds of the green flag, as the notorious Prima Variante chicane triggered unmitigated disaster.

By Jakob van Putten | RNT-Motorsports | 31 May 2026

Opening Lap Carnage Obliterates the Favorites

Before the pack could even complete a single flying lap, the race transformed into a tactical war of attrition. An aggressive launch down the main straight saw contact ripple through the midfield, sending a McLaren spinning wildly back into the path of oncoming traffic. The ensuing multi-car pileup instantly eliminated seven frontline contenders, including the pole-sitting Mustang, the Lionspeed Porsche, and the AF Corse Ferrari.

While the Mercedes-AMG of GetSpeed inherited the lead, the stewards handed down a brutal three-minute stop-and-go penalty to the culprit of the initial contact, completely removing them from contention and blowing the battle for victory wide open.

A Masterclass in Strategy and Composure

A flurry of subsequent Safety Cars and Full Course Yellow (FCY) periods turned the three-hour endurance showcase into an intense strategic chess match. While established Pro class heavyweights like Team WRT (BMW) and Winward Racing (Mercedes-AMG) engaged in intense track battles, the young Silver Cup trio of Ariel Levi, Sebastian Øgaard, and Rocco Mazzola remained unflappable.

The Tresor Attempto pit wall executed flawless strategy, timing their mandatory pit stops perfectly with the race neutralizations. During the final round of stops, Mazzola pulled off a decisive overcut, vaulting past the Winward Mercedes in the pitlane to claim not just the Silver Cup lead, but the outright leadership of the entire race.

Heartbreak for Verstappen Racing

One of the highest-profile casualties of the opening-lap chaos was the blistering #3 Mercedes-AMG of Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing. The squad: running under the banner of the Formula 1 World Champion, endured a rollercoaster weekend of ultimate highs and devastating lows. During free practice, drivers Jules Gounon, Chris Lulham, and Dani Juncadella set the timesheets alight by posting the absolute fastest lap. They backed that pace up in qualifying by putting the striking AMG on the front row in P2.

However, a five-place grid penalty (handed down for overtaking under yellow flags during practice) dropped them to P7, plunging them right into the danger zone of the midfield. It proved fatal. The #3 car was heavily collected in the chain reaction of the multi-car pileup, sustaining severe bodywork and structural damage. Although the team heroically kept the car running, their hunt for a home-soil podium was effectively over within a few hundred meters. A bitter, heartbreaking pill to swallow for the ambitious Verstappen-backed project.

Late Drama Seals the Shock Result

With just fifteen minutes remaining, the tension peaked. The Winward Mercedes launched a fierce attack for the lead, but Mazzola defended brilliantly into the first chicane. Just a lap later, chaos struck directly behind them.

An overambitious braking maneuver from a chasing Pro BMW resulted in heavy contact with a Porsche, sending the car flipping through the gravel trap and violently collecting the second-place Mercedes-AMG. With debris scattered across the track and heavily damaged machinery lining the barriers, race control immediately deployed the Safety Car, effectively neutralizing the field until the checkered flag.

Against all statistical probability, the Silver Cup #66 Audi crossed the line to seal an iconic overall victory,marking Audi’s first overall win in the Endurance Cup since Hockenheim 2022. The podium was completed by the Pro Mercedes-AMG of Team MANN-FILTER (#48) in second, and the CSA Racing McLaren (#111) in an equally impressive third.