RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta -Indonesia’s Sean Gelael, racing with AF Corse 50, faced a challenging start to the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 2026 at Circuit Paul Ricard, France, on Saturday, April 11. A series of incidents and penalties hampered the team’s progress, ultimately leaving them 12th in the Pro class.

Partnering with Lilou Wadoux and Arthur Leclerc, Sean began the race from 10th on the grid. He successfully navigated two early collisions at Turns 1 and 2 that triggered a 15-minute safety car period, holding position around 10th to 11th once racing resumed.

But just as he began to settle into rhythm, Sean's car was hit by Mari Boya of Comtoyou Racing, causing a spin and loss of places. Boya was later penalized with a drive-through, Antara reported.

Wadoux then took over for two stints but endured her own difficulties, including a spin and a blue flag violation that cost the team 30 seconds at the next pit stop. The setbacks pushed AF Corse 50 further down the order. In the final stint, Leclerc was unable to recover significant ground, leaving the team outside the top 10.

Meanwhile, the battle at the front remained intense. Nicki Thiim of Comtoyou Racing capitalized on a late safety car to overtake Lucas Auer, clinching victory by just 0.806 seconds.

The AF Corse 50 squad will look to regroup for the second round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, scheduled at Monza at the end of May. ***