Era Motorsport Scores Podium on Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo Debut at Paul Ricard

Building on a season and a half of experience with the Ferrari 296 GT3, Era Motorsport upgraded to the Evo package ahead of the third round of the 2026 24H Series European Series. The team took delivery of the car just weeks before its competitive debut at Paul Ricard.

Maintaining the same all-star lineup as the first two rounds of the season, two-time Rolex 24 at Daytona winner Dwight Merriman was joined by WEC and IMSA champion Ryan Dalziel, 2024 British Touring Car champion Jake Hill, and veteran GT and historic racer Oliver Bryant. Following an initial test in the weeks leading up to the event, and two additional days of running before the official start of the race weekend, the mechanics, drivers, and engineers worked tirelessly to adapt to the new package and dial in a setup capable of fighting at the front of the field.

Starting eighth overall and sixth in the Pro-Am class, the No. 81 Ferrari steadily worked its way forward throughout Saturday's six-hour opening
segment and found itself in podium contention by the end of the day. The team boxed just before the chequered flag to take fuel and tyres, setting
the car up for Sunday's final six hours of racing.

After a hard-fought race and growing confidence in the new platform throughout the weekend, Dalziel crossed the finish line third in the GT3 Pro-Am class and fourth overall, marking an excellent debut for the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo and providing further encouragement for the remainder of the season.

“Iʼm really impressed by the Evo kit, and by our crew for adapting to it so quickly,” Dalziel said. “To take delivery of the car less than a month ago and already put it on the podium against such a competitive field is a fantastic achievement. It shows the strength of the team and the potential of the package. Thereʼs definitely more to come from both the car and the programme, and Iʼm already looking forward to getting to the Nürburgring.”

“It was fantastic to stand on the podium with my teammates at Paul Ricard,” Bryant added. “Itʼs been a tough start to the season, so to finally be able to reward all the hard work of the boys and girls at Era Motorsport is a special feeling. “We were in the mix right from the first hour, and the car was faultless, so it was nice to maintain that form throughout the 12 hours. Some of the Code 60s worked against us in the final hours, as we think an overall podium was on the cards. That said, fourth overall and third in Pro-Am
was a great result. Iʼm looking forward to the Nürburgring now.”

“I'm super proud of how well we all performed as a team,” Hill said. “A huge thank you to everyone at Era Motorsport for getting the new Evo ready in time and preparing it so well. We ran for three or four days without a single issue, which is a massive credit to the crew.

“The drivers all did a fantastic job, and Dwight was especially impressive this weekend. To put a brand-new car on the podium against a field this competitive is a great achievement for everyone involved. It's a fantastic way to build momentum heading into the Nürburgring.”

“Iʼm super proud of the team for what they put together this weekend,” said team owner Kyle Tilley. “We knew coming into Paul Ricard that we would be facing a steep learning curve with the upgraded Evo kit, but the mechanics were on it right away, the engineering team adapted on the fly,
and the drivers delivered on track.

“Itʼs a promising step forward as we grow this programme and continue to expand as a team. With more time and experience, itʼs only up from here.”

Two more rounds of the 24H Series European Series remain. The Michelin 12H Nurburgring (3-5 July), and the season-closing Michelin 24H Barcelona (18-20 September).