Nicole Drought seals Spanish GTX AM title at Jerez

Nicole Drought clinched the Spanish GTX AM Championship at the Circuito de Jerez, securing the title with a race still to run after a class victory on Saturday. The Irish driver’s triumph capped a debut season in international GT racing in which she had reached the podium at every round before the finale, despite arriving at each circuit without previous experience there.

Saturday’s victory put the championship beyond reach

Drought, from Tipperary, moved into European GT competition for 2026 after winning the UK-based TDC title in 2024. She joined Portuguese squad Protech Motorsport, sharing the car with Lucas Fothergill.

The team faced a difficult start to the weekend in Friday testing. A revised setup ahead of qualifying transformed the car’s performance, and Drought took GTX AM pole on Saturday morning.

She built a gap to her title rival’s McLaren at the start, then worked past several Porsche GT3 Cup cars before handing over to Fothergill with the class lead. He controlled the advantage to the finish, earning the pair a win and enough points to secure the championship before the final race.

Drought added another class win on Sunday

Fothergill started the closing race but was sent to the back of the field after avoiding an opening-lap incident at Turn One. He pitted when the window opened and passed the car to Drought.

A safety car brought the field together. Once racing resumed, Drought moved past three BMW M2s and began closing on a group of Porsche Cup cars. The team’s setup plan was aimed at stronger pace late in the race; Drought caught and passed two of the Porsches in the final ten minutes, with another in sight when the chequered flag fell.

It was a second class win for the weekend and Drought’s best overall result of the season: eighth, as the fourth GT4 car across the line. The Jerez finale also completed the Spanish campaign, leaving her a seven-time champion across three motorsport disciplines.

The Iberian series has one round remaining, at Estoril in Portugal in early December. Drought and Fothergill will aim to improve on their current third place. Jerez has also featured in recent junior-category coverage, including reports on the opening day of Formula 3 testing and the second day’s running.

What is the Spanish GTX AM Championship?

For those unfamiliar with the championship, it's part of Supercars Endurance, a racing series that brings together GT and touring cars competing across Spain and Portugal. The competition includes several categories, allowing different types of cars and drivers to race at the same events while competing for their own class titles.

The GTX AM category is a relatively new addition, introduced in 2026 specifically for amateur drivers. It sits within the GTC category and features mainly older-generation GT4 racing cars, alongside other eligible models approved by the organisers. Unlike the regular GTX class, which caters to more experienced drivers, GTX AM gives amateur competitors their own championship to fight for.

And here's where it gets slightly confusing. Supercars Endurance encompasses three championships: Supercars España, the Portuguese Championship and Iberian Supercars. Drivers can compete for separate titles within the same racing programme, depending on which rounds count towards each championship.

For Nicole Drought, who races a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 CS alongside Lucas Fothergill, that means her Spanish GTX AM title is already secured, but there's still another championship up for grabs. The pair currently sit third in the Iberian standings, with the final round taking place at Estoril in December.