The race on the 5.403-kilometre Masaryk Circuit forms part of the weekend’s extensive GT and sports car programme. Several different types of machinery compete together in the sprint, ranging from open sports prototypes and LMP3 cars to GT3 and GT4 machines. As a result, the overall classification is accompanied by a number of separate class standings.
Several prominent names absent this time
The INTERWETTEN Sports Car Challenge has already featured a number of well-known drivers this season. Alongside defending champion Marco Fink, former Formula 1 driver Christian Klien, Mathias Lauda and three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner have all appeared at previous events. Sven Barth, driving a Ginetta G61, is also one of the regular frontrunners and is consistently among the strongest competitors in the Pro category.
Klien and Lauda, however, were not on the grid in Brno. That left Fink as the clear favourite for the opening sprint – and he duly lived up to that status.
Fink controls the race from the front
The German took the lead immediately after the start and never relinquished it. Driving his BMW V8-powered Nova Proto NP01, Fink set the pace for virtually the entire distance.
The victory was not entirely straightforward, though. Barth kept in touch in his Ginetta G61-LT-P3 and made particularly significant gains on the leader during lap seven. Fink responded, however, and ensured his rival never got close enough to launch a serious attack in the decisive closing stages.
After 13 laps, just 1.022 seconds separated the pair. Fink’s fastest lap of 1:53.529 was also clearly quicker than Barth’s personal best of 1:55.148. The overall winner therefore also took first place in the Open category, while Barth secured victory in the Pro class as runner-up overall.
Konopka duo complete the top four
Miro Konopka finished third overall in a Ligier JS P320 LMP3. The experienced Slovak crossed the line 31.598 seconds behind Fink but comfortably won the D5 category.
Adam Konopka, another driver representing ARC Bratislava, followed in fourth place. At the wheel of a Lamborghini Huracán, he secured the D4-GTX class victory.
The remaining class wins went to Rudolf Beňo in a BMW M4 GT3 in D4-GT3, José Záruba in a Lamborghini Huracán in D4-GTC and Jan Vojtko in a BMW M4 GT4 in D4-GT4. Ranieri Randacio, driving a Lucini BMW, was the highest-placed competitor in the Classic category.
From hillclimbs to four SCC titles
For Fink, the Brno victory continues an impressive motorsport progression. The Allgäu native started competing in kart slaloms as a child, following in the footsteps of his father Rainer. He later moved into hillclimb racing before stepping up to the Sports Car Challenge and high-powered sports prototypes in 2020.
The transition quickly paid off. Fink won the European SportsCarChallenge title in 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025, giving him four championships to date. He is once again among the dominant drivers in 2026 and had most recently won both races at the Red Bull Ring.
Fink will have another opportunity in Brno on Sunday. After the second qualifying session in the morning, the second sprint race for the GT, D4/D5, P9 and SCC cars is scheduled to start at 13:55, shortly before 2pm.
