The FIA CEZ Endurance and GT CUP Series endurance races brought unexpected twists at the SLOVAKIA RING

Orechová Potôň, June 12,2026 – Saturday's program at the SLOVAKIA RING circuit culminated in the three-hour FIA CEZ Endurance and GT CUP Series endurance race. Although only ten teams made it to the starting grid, the spectators were certainly not bored. The race brought numerous technical problems, safety car deployments, and unexpected twists that significantly shook up the standings.

The first surprise was delivered by one of the event's favorites. Just in the third corner of the opening lap, Maťo Konôpka spun out in the ARC Bratislava team's Ligier JS P320 prototype. Although the crew continued the race, they dropped to the very last place after the incident, and their chances of fighting for the overall victory took a major hit.

The endurance nature of the race became fully apparent during the very first hour. Several crews gradually dropped out of the competition, with some ending their run after meeting the FIA CEZ classification criteria, which are counted after the first hour of racing. Others were knocked out by technical issues. The Trevor Racing team's BMW M8 GTE, as well as one of the BMW M4 GT3s, saw their runs come to a premature end.

Ill fortune did not spare the home team, ARC Bratislava, either. The crew of Miroslav Konôpka and Maťo Konôpka had to park their Ligier JS P320 due to fuel system issues. However, the team did not give up, and in the final phase of the race, Miroslav Konôpka returned to the track to bring the car across the finish line despite a significant deficit.

Technical complications also struck another favorite. The Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo driven by Adam Konôpka and Zdeno Mikuláško also couldn't avoid problems during the race, which impacted their result.

Approximately one hour before the end, the safety car had to look alive once again following an incident involving the Duqueine D-08 prototype of Thomas Ambiel Mads and Kijelde Larsen, which briefly went off the track. However, the crew managed to rejoin the race and ultimately sealed the victory in their D5 class.

All the trouble facing the favorites paved the way for the overall triumph of the Gamota Racing team. The crew of Attila Zsigo, Michael Kranz, and Denis Jahn in a BMW M4 GT3 EVO delivered a reliable performance without major complications, crossing the finish line first after three hours of grueling racing.

The FIA CEZ Endurance and GT CUP Series endurance races once again proved that in endurance motorsport, it's not just about speed, but above all about mechanical reliability, the right strategy, and the ability to handle unpredictable situations. Spectators at the SLOVAKIA RING witnessed a thrilling event where the final standings were up in the air until the very end.