LAURA VAN DEN HENGEL Doubles ProAm Wins at Paul Ricard, Extends Title Lead

July 21, 2025

• LAURA VAN DEN HENGEL and teammate Paul Meijer delivered a masterclass weekend at Circuit Paul Ricard, claiming back-to-back ProAm victories and two overall podiums to significantly extend their GT Cup Europe championship lead. The Dutch driver, part of the Iron Dames development programme, showed she’s evolved from karting newcomer to championship contender in less than two years—proving that proper support and talent create results we love to see.
• Saturday’s Race 1 showcased textbook execution as VAN DEN HENGEL held her nerve through traffic battles and pressure from Silver class drivers, maintaining focus on the bigger picture while securing a 21-second class margin. Her composed drive earned them their fourth win of the season and demonstrated the race craft that separates championship material from one-off performers.
• Sunday’s Race 2 proved even more impressive as VAN DEN HENGEL overcame a brutal 20-second pit handicap with what she called “arguably the best stint of her career.” Running lap times that matched Pro drivers and gaining positions through pure pace, she set up Meijer’s epic final-lap pass for victory. This wasn’t luck—this was a driver hitting her stride when the pressure was highest, exactly what we need more of in motorsport.

circuit paul ricard, gt cup europe, mclaren, proam