Charles Weerts

Charles Weerts (born 1 March 2001) is a Belgian racing driver who currently competes in the GT World Challenge Europe.[1] On December 8 2022 Weerts was announced as a factory driver for BMW M Motorsport where he'll continue to drive for Team WRT.[2]

Charles Weerts
Weerts in 2023
NationalityBelgium Belgian
Born (2001-03-01) 1 March 2001
Verviers, Belgium
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup career
Debut season2020
Current teamTeam WRT
Racing licence FIA Platinum
Car number32
Starts42
Wins12
Podiums24
Poles5
Previous series
ADAC Formula 4
Formula 4 UAE Championship		2017–2018
2016–2018
Championship titles
2017–18

2020-2022		Formula 4 UAE Championship
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup career
Debut season2019
Current teamBelgian Audi Club Team WRT
Car number32
Starts21
Wins1
Podiums4
Poles2
Last updated on: 8 June 2023.

Career

Junior formula

Weerts made his single-seater debut in 2017, joining Team Motopark for the 2017 ADAC Formula 4 season, alongside the final three races of the Formula 4 UAE Championship.[3][4] During the 2017 ADAC F4 season, he would score 22nd in the overall classification and second in the Rookie Championship, scoring just three points towards the drivers' title. The following Formula 4 UAE season, Weerts was crowned series champion, sweeping the final quadruple-header round at Dubai Autodrome en route to a 50-point points lead over second-placed David Schumacher.[5] However, the victory would mark Weerts' final season with Team Motopark, as he would switch to Van Amersfoort Racing for the 2018 ADAC Formula 4 season.[6][7] After finishing 5th in points, securing one win and four podiums, Weerts would leave the team at the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Sports cars
Weerts' Audi at the Red Bull Ring in 2021

2019 saw Weerts explore a new discipline of motorsport, joining Belgian Audi Club Team WRT for the 2019 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup campaign.[8] After a lackluster 2019 season which saw Weerts' entries score a solitary point across five races, he was paired with Dries Vanthoor for full season campaigns in both series during 2020.[9] After scoring two wins and six podiums in 10 races, Vanthoor and Weerts claimed the Sprint Cup title in the Pro category.[10][11] Following his title, Weerts was promoted to Audi factory driver status for 2021.[12] He began the team's title defense on a high note, taking pole for the opening race of the weekend at Magny-Cours,[13] before going on to win Saturday's event, further adding a podium finish the following afternoon.[14] Following the fourth round at Brands Hatch, Weerts and Vanthoor successfully defended their Sprint Cup title.[15] In 2022 Weerts, together with Vanthoor were able to clinch a third consecutive Sprint Cup title.[16] They finished the season with 5 wins and 9 podiums in 10 races.

BMW M Factory Driver
Weerts' #32 BMW M4 GT3 during the 2023 24 Hours of Spa

At the end of the 2022 season Weerts confirmed he would part ways with Audi Sport and was later announced as a factory BMW M driver from the 2023 season on.[17] He was joined by his current teammate Dries Vanthoor and Team WRT, both making the switch from Audi as well. In his first race as an official BMW factory driver, the 2023 Kyalami 9 Hours, Weerts scored the overall victory alongside Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde.[18] Weerts once again embarked on a full-season GT World Challenge Europe campaign. Weerts stated his ambitions to remain on top in the Sprint Cup, but argued that the change in machinery for 2023 ensured that the team's efforts to score a fourth consecutive title wouldn't be easy.[19]

Racing record

Career summary
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2016–17 Formula 4 UAE Championship Team Motopark 2 11 0 0 0 1 84 7th
2017 ADAC Formula 4 Championship Motopark 21 0 0 0 0 3 22nd
2017–18 Formula 4 UAE Championship Dragon Motopark F4 23 8 3 8 16 377 1st
2018 ADAC Formula 4 Championship Van Amersfoort Racing 21 1 0 2 4 195 5th
Italian F4 Championship 3 0 0 0 0 15 18th
FIA GT Nations Cup Team Belgium 3 1 1 0 1 N/A DNF
2019 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 10 1 1 0 1 40.5 6th
Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Italian GT Championship - Endurance (GT3 Pro) Audi Sport Italia 2 0 0 0 2  ?  ?
2020 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 10 2 0 0 6 89 1st
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 4 0 0 0 0 39 8th
ADAC GT Masters Team WRT 12 1 0 0 3 82 10th
Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team WRT 1 0 0 0 1 18 14th
2021 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 10 4 2 2 7 103.5 1st
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 5 0 0 0 3 79 3rd
Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team WRT 3 0 0 0 1 40 5th
ADAC GT Masters Team WRT 12 1 1 0 1 66 14th
Le Mans Cup - GT3 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC†
2022 GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Belgian Audi Club Team WRT 10 5 3 2 9 135.5 1st
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 5 1 2 0 1 39 9th
Intercontinental GT Challenge Audi Sport Team WRT 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2023 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup Team WRT 5 0 0 0 0 26 11th
GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup 10 1 1 1 6 86.5 3rd
Intercontinental GT Challenge 3 1 0 0 1 37* 6th*

† As Weerts was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points.
* Season still in progress.

Complete ADAC Formula 4 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pos Points
2017 Motopark OSC1
1
12		 OSC1
2
15		 OSC1
3
18		 LAU
1
9		 LAU
2
16		 LAU
3
13		 RBR
1
17		 RBR
2
Ret		 RBR
3
23		 OSC2
1
18		 OSC2
2
22		 OSC2
3
18		 NÜR
1
21		 NÜR
2
23		 NÜR
3
18		 SAC
1
Ret		 SAC
2
15		 SAC
3
18		 HOC
1
21		 HOC
2
10		 HOC
3
12		 22nd 3
2018 Van Amersfoort Racing OSC
1
Ret		 OSC
2
4		 OSC
3
3		 HOC1
1
7		 HOC1
2
4		 HOC1
3
4		 LAU
1
10		 LAU
2
5		 LAU
3
2		 RBR
1
5		 RBR
2
Ret		 RBR
3
8		 HOC2
1
8		 HOC2
2
8		 NÜR
1
7		 NÜR
2
5		 NÜR
3
4		 HOC3
1
1		 HOC3
2
4		 HOC3
3
2		 5th 195

GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup
Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pos. Points
2019 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo Silver MON
27		 SIL
Ret		 25th 1
Pro LEC
13		 SPA
6H
30		 SPA
12H
22		 SPA
24H
12		 CAT
Ret		 NC 0
2020 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo Pro IMO
4		 NÜR
5		 SPA
6H
54		 SPA
12H
54		 SPA
24H
Ret		 LEC
4		 8th 39
2021 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo Pro MON
Ret		 LEC
2		 SPA
6H
5		 SPA
12H
2		 SPA
24H
2		 NÜR
6		 CAT
3		 3rd 79
2022 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo II Pro IMO
1		 LEC
41		 SPA
6H
14		 SPA
12H
14		 SPA
24H
Ret		 HOC
Ret		 CAT
4		 9th 39
2023 BMW M Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Pro MNZ
6		 LEC
Ret		 SPA
6H
1		 SPA
12H
52†		 SPA
24H
Ret		 NÜR
7		 CAT
11		 11th 26

* Season still in progress.

GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup
Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Points
2019 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo Pro BRH
1
12		 BRH
2
6		 MIS
1
Ret		 MIS
2
1		 ZAN
1
13		 ZAN
2
5		 NÜR
1
4		 NÜR
2
26		 HUN
1
8		 HUN
2
7		 6th 40.5
2020 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo Pro MIS
1
1		 MIS
2
4		 MIS
3
1		 MAG
1
3		 MAG
2
4		 ZAN
1
12		 ZAN
2
7		 CAT
1
6		 CAT
2
2		 CAT
3
2		 1st 89
2021 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo Pro MAG
1
1		 MAG
2
2		 ZAN
1
8		 ZAN
2
3		 MIS
1
1		 MIS
2
1		 BRH
1
1		 BRH
2
2		 VAL
1
16		 VAL
2
Ret		 1st 103.5
2022 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Evo II Pro BRH
1
2		 BRH
2
2		 MAG
1
1		 MAG
2
6		 ZAN
1
1		 ZAN
2
2		 MIS
1
1		 MIS
2
1		 VAL
1
3		 VAL
2
1		 1st 135.5
2023 BMW M Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 Pro BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
3		 MIS
1
3		 MIS
2
9		 HOC
1
3		 HOC
2
5		 VAL
1
5		 VAL
2
1		 ZAN
1		 ZAN
2		 3rd* 68.5*

* Season still in progress.

References
  1. "Charles Weerts, 2021 - Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS". gt-world-challenge-europe.com. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  2. "BMW M Motorsport presents works drivers and race programme for the 2023 season". press.bmwgroup.com. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  3. "Charles Weerts Joins Team Motopark for 2017". drivetribe.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  4. "Charles Weerts to Drive for Motopark in ADAC F4". formularapida.net. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  5. "Charles Weerts Wins F4 UAE Championship Title for 2018". f4uae.com. 3 March 2018. Archived from the original on 11 August 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  6. "Charles Weerts goes to VAR". racing24-7.net. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  7. "F4 UAE leader Charles Weerts switches to VAR for second ADAC F4 season". formulascout.com. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  8. "Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Confirm 2019 GT3 Line-Ups". dailysportscar.com. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  9. "WRT Reveal Full 2020 Lineups & Liveries". dailysportscar.com. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  10. "Weerts & Vandoor Claim Sprint Cup Title, WRT Win Teams Crown". dailysportscar.com. 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. "Dries Vanthoor and Charles Weerts emerge as Champions in Barcelona". thecheckeredflag.co.uk. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  12. "Marschall, Weerts Promoted to Audi Factory Lineup". sportscar365.com. 14 January 2021. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  13. "Weerts Puts WRT Audi on Pole for Magny-Cours Race 1". sportscar365.com. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  14. "The Weekend Roundup – Magny-Cours". gt-world-challenge-europe.com. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  15. Lloyd, Daniel (29 August 2021). "Vanthoor, Weerts Seal Sprint Cup Title with Round to Spare". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  16. Lloyd, Daniel (17 September 2022). "Vanthoor, Weerts Clinch Third Sprint Title With Valencia Podium". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  17. Goodwin, Graham (9 December 2022). "BMW Confirm 20 Factory Drivers For 2023 Season". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  18. Dagys, John (25 February 2023). "WRT BMWs Take Controlling 1-2 Result in Kyalami 9H". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  19. Lloyd, Daniel (13 May 2023). "Weerts: Fourth Sprint Title "Won't Be Easy" After BMW Switch". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
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