MOTORSPORT – Bahraini-British motor racing team 2 Seas Motorsport defied the odds last night to claim a stunning victory in class – despite starting from the back of a massive 61-car grid – in the 10th and final round of the 2026 GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe, held at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, Portugal.
The crew of Kiern Jewiss, Charles Dawson, and Reece Barr steered 2 Seas’ number 222 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo to first place amongst Bronze Cup competitors while finishing 13th overall at the end of a gruelling three-hour race, which ended in darkness.
2 Seas’ number 222 crew, from left, Dawson, Jewiss, and Barr, celebrate with the Bronze Cup winners’ trophy in parc ferme right after last night’s race
They were in second-to-last place in 60th at the start of the event, but masterfully made their way up the order for the sensational result.
Meanwhile, four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen claimed fifth place in the Pro Cup and ninth overall in the number three Mercedes-AMG of Team Verstappen Racing, which was operated by 2 Seas throughout the GTWC Europe campaign.
Verstappen and teammates Ben Barnicoat and Chris Lulham started 11th in class and 15th overall but did well to climb up the rankings by the chequered flag, completing an incredible weekend for 2 Seas, co-owned by Bahrain’s Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
“I don’t even know what to say, really,” said a speechless Dawson after the race. He had taken on the driving responsibilities at the start of the endurance spectacle.
“The car was mega, and I think we went from P17 to P3 in class [right away].
“It’s been a crazy week, not just because we were sharing the garage with Max and stuff, but it’s just been a crazy year and I think we’ve shown what we can do as three drivers.
“Everyone’s done a mega job – a great, a great event!”
Dawson was followed in the cockpit by Barr, who then handed over the race seat to Jewiss to bring their car home. 2 Seas’ number 222 crew were classified 22.913 seconds from overall race winners Team GetSpeed, who were competing in the Pro Cup and completed 94 laps in their number 17 Mercedes-AMG.
“It was a hectic, crazy season-finale,” said Barr. “Everyone was pushing to the limits.
“Charles had an unbelievable opening stint, coming through the field like crazy, then handing me the car in an unreal place. I then just got my head down and went forward.
“I had come from last to P1 in class and P13 overall, so, unbelievable weekend, sharing the garage with a couple of cool drivers.”
Added Jewiss, who moved to the GTWC Europe this season after securing the GT3 teams’ and drivers’ titles alongside Dawson in the 2025 British GT Championship: “It’s been great – we had a very tough start to the season but we kind of started redeeming ourselves after taking care of a couple of issues that we got fixed.
“The pair of them have done a mega job this weekend, and ultimately handed it over to me in a great place, just to bring it home.”
Joining 2 Seas on the Bronze Cup podium were the number 87 Mercedes-AMG of Winward Racing, who were 18th overall, and the number 42 BMW M4 GT3 Evo of Oman Racing by Century Motorsport, who were 27th overall.
Meanwhile, Verstappen and crew finished 18.556s from GetSpeed.
The GTWC Europe’s 2026 calendar featured a total of 10 rounds – comprising both endurance and sprint weekends – held across Europe at world-famous tracks in France, Britain, Belgium, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain, before culminating in Portugal.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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