Blackthorn Racing: Aston Martin Ambition, Championship Success

Blackthorn Racing – Season So Far

Updated following the Barcelona International GT Open finale, 25th October 2026

Blackthorn Racing has crowned its European season with championship success. Charles Bateman secured the 2026 International GT Open Pro-Am drivers’ title in the #97 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, completing a campaign that brought four class victories and a dramatic deciding weekend at Barcelona.

The team’s success began earlier in the year, when Giacomo Petrobelli, Jonny Adam and Kobe Pauwels won the GT category at the final round of the 2025/26 Asian Le Mans Series in Abu Dhabi, recovering from an opening-lap puncture.

In GT World Challenge Europe, Blackthorn’s #56 Aston Martin finished second in Bronze Cup at Monza before completing the team’s first CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. A front-end fire threatened that debut, but the crew returned the car to the race and completed 529 laps, finishing 31st overall and sixth in Bronze Cup.

International GT Open became the centrepiece of the European campaign. Bateman shared Pro-Am victories with Henrique Chaves at Portimão and the Monza 500, while his partnership with Jonny Adam delivered a Spa podium and a double class victory at Paul Ricard. Adam’s outright pole at Paul Ricard further demonstrated the Aston Martin’s speed against the championship’s leading Pro entries.

Barcelona turned that season-long effort into a title. Bateman arrived eight points ahead of Alexander Fach, with Chaves returning alongside him for the finale. Second in Pro-Am in Saturday’s race kept Blackthorn ahead, but Sunday brought an early setback when Chaves ran through the gravel at the opening corner.

The recovery demanded composure from both drivers and the team. Chaves worked back through the field before handing over to Bateman, whose closing stint included crucial overtakes under championship pressure. Sixth in Pro-Am was enough to secure the title on 99 points, three ahead of Fach, bringing a tense conclusion to an outstanding campaign.

The Michelin Le Mans Cup season proved more difficult. Silverstone offered encouragement, with Claude Bovet qualifying third in GT3 before he and Tom Canning finished seventh in class and scored six points. The Portimão finale brought further frustration, leaving the programme with experience to build on alongside its more promising performances.

For Fuel the Passion, Silverstone and Barcelona also provided the opportunity to follow Blackthorn from inside the paddock. Filming the preparation, driver changes, debriefs and championship celebrations has brought us closer to the people behind these results and the demands of competing across several international series.

With its European campaigns complete, Blackthorn can reflect on a GT victory in Asia, four GT Open Pro-Am wins, a Pro-Am drivers’ championship, a Bronze Cup podium at Monza and a completed Spa 24 Hours debut. Attention now turns towards its next Asian Le Mans Series campaign and the opportunity to build on that progress.

FTP Summary

Barcelona gave Blackthorn’s season a championship-winning conclusion. Bateman’s Pro-Am title rewards four class victories and a determined recovery in the deciding race, adding to a year of international success and valuable endurance experience. For the team, it is a significant achievement to carry into its next campaign.

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Image © Blackthorn Racing. Used for editorial purposes.