The McLaren Trophy Europe season concluded in Portimão last weekend (17–18 October), with the Pro class championship decided in the final minutes of the final race. After a season of fiercely contested racing, just half a point separated the top two contenders.
Michael O’Brien and Josh Mason delivered a spirited drive in the season finale, climbing from 11th on the grid to second at the flag. It was not quite enough to overcome long-time championship leaders Luca Magnussen and Callum Davies, however, whose sixth-place finish secured them the 2026 Pro class title.
It marked a dramatic turnaround for Magnussen and Davies after a penalty in race one threatened their championship hopes. The number 23 car pitted just outside the allocated window, earning a 40-second time penalty that initially dropped them outside the points-paying positions. Subsequent exclusions for technical infringements for rivals promoted them to seventh in the revised classification, keeping them firmly in the title fight.
Erik Bahren and Alejandro Geppert were able to celebrate with a race to spare, wrapping up the Pro-Am title with class victory in the opening encounter. David Coelho was similarly delighted to secure the Papaya Cup Pro-Am title in his first season in the championship.
As the lights went out for the season finale, four titles remained to be settled. Riccardo Ianniello made a lightning start, surging from sixth into the lead by the exit of turn one. He led the opening laps, while polesitter and newly crowned Pro-Am champion Geppert initially dropped to third before fighting back to reclaim the lead ahead of the pit stops.
With most of the Pro-Am cars running towards the end of the pit window before stopping, the order only began to settle in the final 20 minutes, bringing the championship picture into focus. Kristian Brookes delivered a strong stint before handing over to teammate Largim Ali, who had entered the race with a two-point championship advantage. A braking issue then forced Ali into retirement with just six minutes remaining.
That swung the title battle once again, bringing the number 1 car of O’Brien and Mason firmly into contention after contact had forced their retirement from the opening race. Mason closed the gap to race leader Gregor Jeets but could not find a way past.
With Magnussen and Davies looking set to take the championship, there was one final twist. Magnussen received a five-second track limits penalty with only a few laps remaining. With Lourenço Monteiro just 5.2 seconds behind, Magnussen had to preserve that margin or risk losing the title to O’Brien and Mason.
At the flag, Magnussen retained sixth place by just 0.628 seconds once the penalty was applied, securing the championship for the youngest son of former McLaren Formula 1 racer Jan Magnussen and his teammate Davies. Race victory, meanwhile, went to Jeets and Ianniello, who delivered an impressive performance to end the season on top.
As the remaining cars crossed the line, Charlie Martin secured the Am class title with a podium finish alongside the returning Albert Jochems. Class winner Cedric Leimer also clinched the Papaya Cup Am title, while SMC Motorsport celebrated its second Teams’ Championship in three years.