EDGE Management driver Mikey Porter and teammate Guilherme Oliveira claimed their second Silver Cup victory of 2026 at Barcelona, securing third place in the final GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup standings.
The Optimum Motorsport McLaren 720S GT3 Evo pairing finished their Sprint Cup campaign in style, recovering from a difficult qualifying session to win a dramatic, rain-hit opening race before adding fourth in class in race two.
Qualifying at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya proved challenging, with the McLaren lacking the outright pace needed to challenge further up the order. Starting 38th overall and tenth in the Silver Cup left Porter and Oliveira with considerable work to do, but the weather would make the race an altogether different proposition.
Heavy rain, thick cloud and exceptionally poor visibility through the spray created some of the toughest conditions seen in the championship in recent times. The chaotic opening laps demanded a careful balance of speed and restraint, with avoiding mistakes just as important as finding opportunities to move forward.
Porter took the opening stint and made steady progress through the field. After 15 minutes, he had gained seven positions overall and moved into ninth in the Silver Cup, keeping the McLaren in contention as incidents unfolded around him.
With 28 minutes remaining, a red flag halted proceedings while stranded cars were recovered and debris cleared. Driver changes took place during the stoppage, handing Oliveira responsibility for the remainder of the race.
Racing resumed with 23 minutes on the clock and the field tightly bunched, creating a short, intense sprint to the finish. Oliveira made rapid progress, climbing to 24th overall and, crucially, second in the Silver Cup with 18 minutes remaining.
That would already have represented an excellent recovery, but the Portuguese driver continued to close on the class-leading Ferrari 296 GT3. With four minutes to go, he was within striking distance, and a minute later he completed the decisive pass to take the Silver Cup lead.
Oliveira held the position to the flag, completing a remarkable turnaround and securing the pair’s second class victory of the season. Porter’s composed opening stint had laid the foundations, with both drivers delivering under demanding conditions.
Fourth place in the Silver Cup in race two then confirmed third in the final Sprint Cup championship standings. A top-three finish in such a competitive championship marks a strong achievement for Porter, Oliveira and Optimum Motorsport, and another notable success for EDGE Sporting Management.
Porter’s attention now turns to the final round of the Endurance Cup at Portimao, where he will look to build on the Barcelona result and finish his wider GT World Challenge Europe campaign on a high.
Results – Q1 – P10 Silver Cup / Race 1 – P1 Silver Cup / Race 2 – 4th Silver Cup
Final Championship – 3rd GT World Endurance Europe Sprint Cup Driver