Magneti Marelli Checkstar renews its sponsorship of the Italian Gran Turismo Championship for 2026

The 2026 edition of the Italian Gran Turismo Championship, the most prestigious GT series in the national motorsport scene, has just kicked off at the Imola circuit. Once again Magneti Marelli Checkstar has renewed its role as Official Sponsor, with its logo clearly displayed on the number panels of every car and on the banners along all the circuits hosting the races.

With this initiative, Magneti Marelli Checkstar reaffirms its commitment to motorsport, an environment that has always represented the ideal testing ground for technical excellence, reliability and performance. Through this programme, the brand confirms its support to drivers across different categories on both two and four wheels. It is also an opportunity to bring enthusiasts closer to its network of workshops and to share its dedication to the world of motors.

Moreover, the Italian Gran Turismo Championship and Magneti Marelli Checkstar are animated by the same common values:

¬ technical and engineering excellence
¬ component reliability
¬ continuous pursuit of performance
¬ attention to and promotion of the Italian heritage

These same principles that guide teams and drivers on track are applied daily inside the Magneti Marelli Checkstar workshops, that deliver high-quality maintenance and repair services to customers.

International visibility thanks to "Motorvalley" on Netflix

The highly competitive level of the Italian Gran Turismo Championship was also highlighted in the TV series Motorvalley, released on Netflix last February and set during the 2025 racing season. The race footage provided the backdrop for the storyline while clearly showcasing the Magneti Marelli Checkstar brand trackside and on the cars, strengthening its international visibility and reinforcing its association with top-level motorsport.

A high-level championship: format and categories

From 2026, the Italian Gran Turismo Championship evolves further with the introduction of a new GT4 category, expanding the sporting and technical offering of the series. The championship is divided into three main categories:

¬ GT Sprint: two races per weekend, each lasting 50 minutes plus one lap, characterized by high intensity, rapid strategies and strong entertainment value.

¬ GT Endurance: long-distance races that last 3 hours with five pit stops, where reliability, tyre management and team strategy are decisive.

¬ GT4: an "entry-level" GT category, ideal for accessing the world of gran turismo motorsport, with a format similar to Sprint races.

The Italian Gran Turismo Championship offers fans thrilling competitions featuring over 80 teams driving cars such as the Ferrari 296 GT3 and Challenge, Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo and ST Evo 2, BMW M4 GT3, Mercedes AMG GT3, Audi R8 LMS, Porsche 911 GT3 R and 992 GT3, and McLaren Artura Trophy Evo. This high-level technical field makes the championship one of the most competitive in Europe.

2026 Italian Gran Turismo Championship calendar

- Italian Gran Turismo Sprint Championship

April 26 | Imola

May 24 | Vallelunga

July 26 | Mugello

October 11 | Monza

- Italian Gran Turismo Endurance Championship

May 10 | Misano

June 21 | Monza

September 6 | Imola

October 25 | Mugello

- GT4 Championship

May 10 | Misano

July 5 | Vallelunga

July 26 | Mugello

September 6 | Imola

October 11 | Monza

The season will consist of nine race weekends in total, each with a clearly defined technical and sporting identity. On one side, there are the two historic pillars of Italian GT racing: Sprint, with its fast-paced format, and Endurance, with the allure of long-distance racing. On the other, there is GT4, a new "entry-level" competitive category that further enriches the ACI Racing Weekend programme.

This broad and well-structured offering is designed to engage teams, professional and amateur drivers, as well as industry stakeholders, once again confirming the central role of Gran Turismo within national motorsport, supported by a well-balanced calendar.

A strategic sponsorship for the Magneti Marelli Checkstar network

The sponsorship of the Italian Gran Turismo Championship represents a tangible added value for the Magneti Marelli Checkstar network. It strengthens the link to the world of high performance and promotes the transfer of technology from the track to the workshop.

Every service carried out within the network reflects the same approach seen in racing teams, precision, technological innovation and reliability, and ensures high quality standards and solutions aligned with the evolution of the automotive sector.