German squad Granpay Team by up2race will make its debut on the international GT3 scene in 2027, competing in the International GT Open with a Porsche 911 GT3 R, as part of a multi-series programme.
In 2026, the team from Nerdlen spent a year learning the ropes with ‘Goldy’, a Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo in an eye-catching gold-chrome livery. The team undertook an extensive testing programme with the car and competed in selected races. The absolute highlight was a commanding victory at the 24 Hours of Barcelona in September.
The car will be driven in the International GT Open by Ukrainian Oleksii Kikireshko and former DTM championship leader Tim Heinemann, who is regarded as one of the fastest drivers in the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Heinemann also acts as a driving coach to former professional footballer Oleksii Kikireshko.
Team principal Patrick Schneider is looking forward to Granpay Team by up2race’s international GT3 programme: “The International GT Open is one of the best-known international GT3 racing series, so we are delighted that we will be competing in the series with a Porsche next year. With Kika and Tim, we have a formidable driver duo in the Pro-Am class. We want to carry the momentum from last year’s strong results into the season and fight for strong results there. Over the winter months, we will use the GT Winter Series to prepare for the season. The starting grid will see significant growth in the coming season, so this will be the perfect preparation for us ahead of the summer season.”
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