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In 2025, Ferrari-AF Corse won the FIA World Endurance Championship and claimed a third 24 Hours of Le Mans victory. Next year, the prancing horse will be back, ready to merit another chapter in the race annals.

2025 was the year of the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-ferrari-499p-hypercar-under-the-microscope-making-of-a-le-mans-icon-59719" target="_blank">499P</a>. The Italian team improved its consistency and fully deserved the FIA WEC manufacturer and driver titles. Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson&rsquo;s win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans &ndash; the third in succession &ndash; earned the team the right to take the trophy home for good. As 2026 approaches, Ferrari is already preparing to defend its world title and hoping for four in a row at Le Mans in the increasingly competitive Hypercar class.

<h2>The 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans trophy takes pride of place in Maranello</h2>

Ferrari-Af-Corse&rsquo;s goal for 2025 was clear: to gain in consistency and win the world endurance championship. &ldquo;We have made several organisational changes and continue to do so. I believe we have taken a crucial step forward, particularly in our technical knowledge of the car. Let&rsquo;s remember that the technical development of the 499P took place in an exceptionally fast-paced and intense timeframe ahead of its race debut in 2023,&rdquo; said Antonello Coletta, head of Ferrari Endurance and Corse Clienti at the start of this season.

Although the championship was the main goal, Ferrari was also bent on winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the third year running. The #83 499P, fielded privately by AF Corse and driven by Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson ticked that box. The &ldquo;hat trick&rdquo; earned Ferrari the right to keep the trophy &ndash; joining the happy few manufacturers Porsche, Audi and Toyota to have achieved the same feat. At 25, Yifei Ye is the first Chinese driver to win the race. &quot;The 499P was fantastic, we were put in a position from the start to fight for the win. We also made up for last year&rsquo;s bad luck, when we led the race for 83 laps, like the car number, but a technical problem forced us to retire. Winning Le Mans with Ferrari is something unique,&rdquo; said the man who left home at the age of 14 to join the FFSA Academy. We are proud to say he passed his school exams and his driving test in Le Mans.

<h2>The path to success began last winter</h2>

Ferrari-AF Corse demonstrated their superiority from the beginning of the championship season, with three wins in a row: Qatar 1812km, 6 Hours of Imola and the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa. The #51 499P, the only Hypercar to win two races in 2025, added the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/fia-wec-ferrari-crowned-fia-world-endurance-champions-in-bahrain-60097" target="_blank">manufacturer and driver trophies</a>&nbsp;to the Maranello silver cabinet. &quot;We have fulfilled the dream of becoming world champions, working hard and with humility to reach this goal. In 2023, by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we immediately realised the strength of the project, and the victories in France over the following two years confirmed that we were on the right path. We built this world success especially last winter, when we worked tirelessly to understand how to fully exploit the potential of this car. I would like to thank the whole Ferrari-AF Corse team and everyone who, both on the track and in Maranello from the remote garage, made it possible for us to experience this joy,&rdquo; said Head of Endurance Race Cars Ferdinando Cannizzo after the Bapco Energie 8 Hours of Bahrain.

After such a successful year, the team can only pin high hopes on 2026. They will be defending their world title and aiming for a fourth consecutive triumph at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It wouldn&rsquo;t be the first time: Ferrari won the race an impressive six times in a row between 1960 and 1965. Ford put an end to that streak in 1966, with the iconic GT40 Mk II. In a pleasing nod to the past,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ferrari-vs-ford-the-fabled-face-off-set-to-be-revived-at-the-2027-24-hours-of-le-mans-60141" target="_blank">Ford will be back the highest level of endurance in 2027</a>, fielding a Hypercar entry. In the meantime, Ferrari has plenty of other rivals to contend with: Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Genesis, Peugeot and Toyota.

We are lucky to be witnessing endurance history in the writing. So don&rsquo;t miss the 94th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans (10-14 June 2026), round 4 of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship.

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Ferrari-AF Corse: first Le Mans, then the world. What next?

The Italian team won the first two Asian Le Mans Series races this weekend at the 4 Hours of Sepang. Both LMP3 and GT classes lived up to expectations, offering excitement and suspense right up to the chequered flag.

The two 4 Hours of Sepang races were the ideal Asian Le Mans Series season opener. Rain, race strategy and track tactics provided excellent spectator entertainment as the LMP2, LMP3 and GT pecking order was established. Cetilar Racing outshone the rest of the field by winning both races. CLX Motorsport took the lead in LMP3, and Kessel Racing tops the GT table. 
Competitors meet again on 31 January and 1 February for two more races at the 4 Hours of Dubai.

<h2>race 1: Cetilar Racing clinches the win after a nail-biting finish</h2>

A Malaysian rain shower in the first hour shook up many a team&rsquo;s race strategy on Saturday. Four Safety Cars and two Full Course Yellows (FCY) reduced gaps to a hair&rsquo;s breadth, making the race a close-run affair across the board.

In LMP2, Inter Europol Competition, United Autosports and Algarve Pro Racing wrangled for the top spot until the #47 Cetilar Racing Oreca 07-Gibson closed in. With FIA WEC Ferrari-AF Corse driver Antonio Fuoco at the wheel, the Italian car stormed ahead despite a five-second penalty incurred during a FCY. Fuoco sustained impressive pace, carving a sufficient gap to take the penalty on the last pit stop and still retain the lead. He fended off pressure from Tom Dillmann (Algarve Pro Racing) in the #25 to take first place. CrowdStrike Racing by APR claimed third.

A spectacular crash on the second turn affected half of the LMP3 field. Inter Europol Competition clawed back from the bottom to claim victory by a whisker for Henry Cubides, with High Class Racing a mere 0.218 seconds behind. Hampered by a technical issue, CLX Motorsport had to be content with the third step.

Things were just as close-run in the GT class. A post-race penalty for the #10 Porsche Manthey due to contact on the last turn handed victory to the Getspeed #9 Mercedes-AMG. Manthey and Ecurie Ecosse Blackthorn emerged second and third from a hard-fought battle.

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&nbsp;

<h2>Race 2: more rain and another Cetilar win</h2>

On Sunday, rain played a bigger part, dictating the pace of the race and causing a red flag 15 minutes before the end due to a flooded track.

Cetilar Racing confirmed its expertise in the adverse conditions. Roberto Lacorte, Charles Milesi and Antonio Fuoco managed the hold-ups, switching tactics with ease to claim a second win in LMP2, with Algarve Pro Racing and CrowdStrike Racing by APR in second and third place in a repeat result of the previous day.

In LMP3, CLX Motorsport&rsquo;s risk-taking paid off. The Swiss team took advantage of a Virtual Safety Car period to slip in the two obligatory 100-second stops, which opened up a path to victory over 23Events Racing and Forestier Racing by VPS.

Kessel Racing clinched the podium in GT, making a superb comeback from 15th place. The Swiss-run Ferrari&rsquo;s fine-tuned tyre choices proved a winning strategy, putting it ahead of the Team WRT #69 BMW M4 GT3, resuscitated after an engine change, and the Porsche Origine Motorsport, thanks to a slick performance by Bo Yuan.

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&nbsp;

The leaders&rsquo; table as it stands:

<h4>LMP2&nbsp;</h4>

<ol>
	<li>Cetilar Racing &ndash; 50 points</li>
	<li>Algarve Pro Racing &ndash; 36 points</li>
	<li>Crowdstrike Racing by APR &ndash; 30 points</li>
</ol>

<h4>LMP3</h4>

<ol>
	<li>CLX Motorsport &ndash; 42 points</li>
	<li>Inter Europol Competition &ndash; 37 points</li>
	<li>Forestier Racing by VPS &ndash; 25 points</li>
</ol>

<h4>GT</h4>

<ol>
	<li>Kessel Racing &ndash; 35 points</li>
	<li>GetSpeed &ndash; 33 points</li>
	<li>Origine Motorsport &ndash; 23 points</li>
</ol>

Cetilar Racing leaves Malaysia the uncontested leader having won both races. The next stage in the Asian Le Mans Series is the 4 Hours of Dubai on 31 January and 1 February. The two races promise to be equally exciting!

Asian Le Mans Series: Cetilar Racing’s perfect weekend at Sepang

With victory at the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo and Hyperpole at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA left its mark on the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season. For the 2026 campaign, the Cadillac V-Series.R will be back sharper and hungrier than ever, and nursing the ambition of writing its own legend at the French endurance classic.

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA&nbsp;sent out several strong signals during the 2025 season. Three Hyperpoles, including the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans, victory at the Rolex 6 Hours of S&atilde;o Paulo, and a regular place in the top five. The US outfit has confirmed that it is a force to be reckoned with in the FIA WEC field and, while a 24 Hours of Le Mans win has so far proved elusive, it does have impetus on its side. For the second year of the Cadillac-JOTA partnership in 2026, adjustments will be made to the American hypercar&rsquo;s aerodynamic set-up. The quest for Le Mans success has begun!

<h2>Bridging the gap</h2>

There were occasions during the 2025 season that caused the heart to beat a little faster. There was that unforgettable Thursday evening in June when the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-cadillac-v-series-r-under-the-microscope-ready-to-roar-for-america-at-le-mans-59659" target="_blank">Cadillac V-Series.R</a>, driven by Alex Lynn, scooped a historic Hyperpole&nbsp;at the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans. There was that shot of the two American hypercars starting side-by-side on the front row of the grid in front of the packed grandstands. But the race itself did not quite pan out as planned. Lacking grip, the track was not best suited to the two V-Series.R that nonetheless fought valiantly to the chequered flag. The #12 finished in fourth place (on the same lap as the winning Ferrari) while the #38 took seventh place, one lap behind the leading group.

JOTA Sport director&nbsp;Sam Hignett&nbsp;found signs of hope and encouragement in the disappointing outcome:&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s easy to think about what could have been right now but we need to take a moment to focus on how far we&rsquo;ve come in the few short months since we&rsquo;ve formally been working together with Cadillac. (...) The whole team has worked phenomenally hard to get to this point and whilst we know we still have a way to go we have 365 days to prepare for this one next year. Obviously, we want to be on the podium, we want to win but this is a really solid start to a long-term project.&rdquo;

S&eacute;bastien Bourdais, the clear-headed driver of the #38 Cadillac, added:&nbsp;&quot;We&rsquo;ve got some work to do; we made some mistakes.&nbsp; We got a bit unlucky at times. But, overall, we need to be stronger to win a WEC race right now. We are showing some good things and just need to build on the strengths and fill the gap for the weaknesses.&quot;

So, what was achieved in the 2025 season? A one-two in S&atilde;o Paulo, three Hyperpoles, and a fourth place in the FIA Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers&rsquo; Championship behind Ferrari, Toyota and Porsche.

<h2>A more finely honed hypercar for 2026</h2>

Cadillac has decided to tweak its hypercar in an attempt to bridge the gap. In&nbsp;2026, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/cadillac-improves-v-series-r-hypercar-aero-for-2026-60108" target="_blank">the aero package of the V-Series.R will be upgraded</a>&nbsp;to achieve a faster peak speed. A necessary ingredient to tame Le Mans&rsquo; long, unforgiving straights.

As for the drivers, continuity will be the watchword. The wheel of the #12 Cadillac will be shared by the same solid trio of&nbsp;Alex Lynn,&nbsp;Norman Nato&nbsp;and Will Stevens. This line-up scored points in every race of 2025. A newcomer will bring a breath of fresh air to the Bamber-Bourdais&nbsp;pairing in the #38 car:&nbsp;Jack Aitken. This season, the pure speed, consistency and maturity of the 30-year-old British racer caught the eye. Both line-ups certainly have winning credentials.

In 2026, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA ought to shed its outsider tag and become a regular winner. The 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans (10-14 June 2026)&nbsp;could be the one where the V-Series.R finally steps up and makes the grade.

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Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA – all sights trained on Le Mans

The 2025-2026 Asian Le Mans Series begins this weekend with two four-hour races at Sepang (Malaysia). An outstanding international grid, invitations for the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, live streaming of the races on YouTube – all the ingredients are on the table for a tasty campaign!

The new Asian Le Mans Series season opens this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia with the 4 Hours of Sepang. The first round will be held on Saturday 13 December, to be followed by a second race 24 hours later. 
A bumper 48-car field comprising 16 LMP2 and 10 LMP3 prototypes and 28 LMGT3 sportscars will line up for the event. With 144 drivers and 35 teams representing 35 nationalities, the grid reflects the growing international dimension and increased competitiveness of the Asian Le Mans Series.

<h2>LMP2&nbsp;&ndash; Championship heavyweights ready to wage battle</h2>

In LMP2, current titleholder Algarve Pro Racing is entering two Oreca 07-Gibsons plus a third car for Crowdstrike Racing by APR, the 2023-2024 championship-winning team. The #25 Oreca driven by Michael Jensen, Enzo Trulli and Tom Dillmann should be among the frontrunners. Dillmann, of course, won the same category at the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans with Inter Europol Competition. The Polish outfit is in fact running an LMP2 entry itself, as well as an LMP3 prototype. United Autosports will be back with a two-car challenge and other former champions, such as DKR Engineering and Nielsen Racing, will also line up. Ferrari fans will want to keep an eye on 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Antonio Fuoco. He will share the wheel of the #47 Oreca entered by Cetilar Racing with Roberto Lacorte and Charles Milesi.

<h2>Latest-generation LMP3s in action</h2>

The LMP3 field will now feature third-generation prototypes powered by 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 Toyota V35A engines. Titleholder Bretton Racing will be back with a Ligier JS P325 while CLX Motorsport (formerly COOL Racing), the 2023-24 champion, will be keen to transfer its ELMS domination to the Asian scene.

<h2>Seven manufacturers represented in LMGT3</h2>

The LMGT3 class is set for a titanic tussle between seven manufacturers: Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. Manthey will defend its crown with its pair of Porsche 911 GT3 Rs (#10 and #92), driven by international racers of the calibre of Antares Au, Klaus Bachler, Loek Hartog, Richard Lietz and Fran&ccedil;ois H&eacute;riau. Spectators will be curious to see how the two JMR Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs driven by Prince Jefri Ibrahim and Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim fare, while TF Sport and Racing Team Turkey will run two additional cars with Salih Yoluc, Charlie Eastwood and Tom Van Rompuy at the helm.

Race 1 will start at 05:00 UTC on Saturday 13 December, with Race 2 scheduled to get underway 24 hours later. 
You can follow the qualifying session and both races on the Asian Le Mans Series website and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AsianLeMansSeries/streams" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>. &nbsp;

Check out the provisional entry list for the 2025 4 Hours of Sepang&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jd1jkK74rF5jARAQZTqwDQLG4e5jENa6/view?pli=1" target="_blank">here</a>.

The championship stakes are high. The LMP2 and GT title-winning teams will each be rewarded with an invitation to the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans (10-14 June 2026). What extra motivation could the teams and drivers need as they prepare to wage battle in the 4 Hours of Sepang? Following the two rounds in Malaysia, the competitors will have a short break before tackling two more sets of double-headers at the 4 Hours of Dubai (31 January and 1 February 2026) and the 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi (7 and 8 February 2026).

Asian Le Mans Series: Sepang set to kick off the 2025-2026 season

The BMW M Hybrid V8 continued its upward trajectory in 2025 without ever managing to convert its potential into victories. After a season marked by podium promises and frustration, best illustrated at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Bavarian brand is introducing a new aero package as it seeks to step up a gear in 2026.

BMW M Team WRT&rsquo;s 2025 campaign marked a key step in the manufacturer&rsquo;s Hypercar project. For the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-bmw-m-hybrid-v8-under-the-microscope-a-return-to-winning-ways-at-le-mans-59713" target="_blank">BMW M Hybrid V8</a>&rsquo;s second year in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the firm once again finished in fifth place in the Hypercar manufacturers&rsquo; standings but with a clearly more competitive car that showed on numerous occasions that it was capable of taking on the frontrunners.

<h2>Solid progress</h2>

At the start of the season, the Head of&nbsp; BMW M Motorsport, Andreas Roos, clearly set out the roadmap for the forthcoming campaign:&nbsp;&ldquo;We aim to build on the clear upward trend from the second half of the 2024 season and be in a position to consistently compete for podium places with our BMW M Hybrid V8. This applies to the entire season, but especially for the major highlight at Le Mans.&rdquo;&nbsp;Despite failing to chalk up a maiden FIA WEC victory, the BMW M Hybrid V8 did record two remarkable results. The #15 car driven by Dries Vanthoor, Raffaele Marciello and Kevin Magnussen finished fourth at the Qatar 1812 km. Then, Rene Rast, Robin Frijns and Sheldon Van Der Linde achieved second place at the 6 Hours of Imola in the #20 car.

Two solid races to set out the intentions for the season, but which were followed by some&nbsp;missed opportunities.&nbsp;&ldquo;We will now carefully analyse everything and come back stronger next year,&rdquo; Roos promises.

<h2>An encouraging showing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans&hellip; until the gremlins struck</h2>

Onlookers remarked how much quicker the BMWs were than in 2024, as illustrated by their presence in the Le Mans Hyperpole. In terms of pure pace, the German hypercar rivalled with Porsche, Cadillac and Toyota. But the French endurance classic is an unforgiving race. In the final hours, the #20 was held up by a cooling issue on its hybrid system while the #15 encountered engine trouble. The #20 finished the race in P17, while the #15 was relegated to P31.

Vincent Vosse, Team WRT Team Principal, said:&nbsp;&quot;It&rsquo;s a disappointing end to the weekend. It looked quite good. I&rsquo;m feeling very sorry for all the guys who have put so much effort in the preparation for this race in the last twelve months. But this is what motorsport is made of. That&rsquo;s why we like it.&quot;

<h2>Aero improvements for 2026</h2>

To boost the BMW M Hybrid V8 for the 2026 season, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-bmw-m-hybrid-v8s-new-aerodynamics-for-2026-59907" target="_blank">the manufacturer has overhauled the car&rsquo;s aero package</a>. The most visible changes concern the front end which will feature a smaller grille, a revised splitter and redesigned headlamps to improve the air flow and optimise cooling. It is hoped that the car&rsquo;s performance will be more consistent across all circuits as a result. Roos is optimistic:&nbsp;&ldquo;After optimising the brakes for the current [2025] season, it is now time for an aerodynamically improved version of the car. With these updates, we are responding to the insights gained from our previous race outings. Following the tests we&rsquo;ve already conducted, we are confident that the changes to the BMW M Hybrid V8 will allow us to compete more consistently at the front on all types of tracks, taking another step toward the top.&rdquo;

The driver&nbsp;lineups, on the other hand, will remain unchanged.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are very happy with their performances and there is no reason to make any major changes,&rdquo; Roos continued. &ldquo;At each race, our drivers gain valuable experience with the BMW M Hybrid V8, which is essential for the continued progress of our programme.&rdquo;

With two seasons of FIA WEC experience under its belt, a better understanding of the Hypercar, methodical work on its weaker points and improved aerodynamics, BMW M Team WRT is clearly a serious outsider for 2026.

The performance now just needs to match the potential. An elusive maiden FIA WEC victory is surely just a matter of time while a 24 Hours of Le Mans podium remains a realistic target.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

24HA_HYPERCAR-REVIEW_ARTICLE_BMW.png

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BMW M Team WRT – a new aero package to boost 2026 campaign

The provisional entry list for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season has been published. The grid comprises 35 cars across the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes. No fewer than 14 major manufacturers will take part in the championship!

The Hypercar field sees the introduction of Genesis Magma Racing&nbsp;with two GMR-001s. The South Korean constructor joins Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot and Toyota&nbsp;at the top level of endurance. We now know how the Genesis squad will line up in the two cars. The #17 GMR-001 will be driven by Andr&eacute; Lotterer,&nbsp;Pipo Derani&nbsp;and Mathys Jaubert, while Mathieu Jaminet,&nbsp;Paul-Loup Chatin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Daniel Juncadella will share the wheel of the #19 car. The full line-ups of Aston Martin THOR Team, Alpine Endurance Team, AF Corse and Peugeot TotalEnergies will be officially announced shortly. 
Ferrari-AF Corse will defend its title with two 499P hypercars. The outfit is banking on the same driver trios as in 2025: Antonio Fuoco,&nbsp;Miguel Molina&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nicklas Nielsen&nbsp;in car #50, and Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi&nbsp;in the #51 sister car. 
Note that the #83 Ferrari 499P that won the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans will be the only car in the running for the FIA World Cup for Hypercar Teams.

The LMGT3&nbsp;class will see customer teams of Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Ford, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche do battle. 
United Autosports, involved in the development of the McLaren hypercar with a view to entering the fray in 2027, will be the Garage 59&nbsp;team with two 720S LMGT3 Evos. We shall also see the d&eacute;but of a new team:&nbsp;Racing Team Turkey. The newcomers will enter a Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R with the backing of TF Sport. Last but not least, title holder Manthey Racing will be back with two Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3s Car #91 will be entered under the&nbsp;Manthey DK Engineering&nbsp;banner, and #92 fielded by The Bend Manthey entity with Yasser Shahin,&nbsp;Riccado Pera&nbsp;and&nbsp;Richard Lietz splitting the driving duties.

Pierre Fillon, President, Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest:&nbsp;&ldquo;The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship entry list once again brings together the most accomplished manufacturers, drivers and teams in endurance racing. The Hypercar category celebrated an astonishing seven different winning crews from eight races in 2025, and the silverware was similarly widely distributed in LMGT3, where six different line-ups tasted victory. This exceptional level of competition confirms that every entrant is performing at the highest standard and hungry for success. We are set for another outstanding season &ndash; one that continues to advance technology, sport and the future of endurance racing.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Richard Mille, President, FIA&nbsp;Endurance Commission:&nbsp;&ldquo;Building upon the success and stability of recent seasons, the 2026 FIA WEC entry list is the product of all the hard work that has gone in behind-the-scenes in recent years to raise this magnificent championship to the level at which it operates today. Next year&rsquo;s grid encapsulates the very essence of what endurance racing should be &ndash; major global marques, cutting-edge cars and a driver line-up blending seasoned world champions with rising stars of the sport and ambitious amateurs.&nbsp; The result, I have no doubt, is a surefire recipe for another compelling campaign.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Fr&eacute;d&eacute;ric Lequien, CEO, FIA World Endurance Championship:&nbsp;&ldquo;The presentation of the FIA WEC entry list is a proud moment for us, particularly when it includes new additions as is the case for 2026 with the arrival of two Genesis Hypercars. We enjoyed a hugely entertaining season this year, welcoming more fans on-site than ever before and achieving the best engagement figures the series has ever seen.&nbsp; That is testament to the championship&rsquo;s continuing growth, and with Ford and McLaren similarly set to swell the Hypercar grid in 2027, that popularity is only set to accelerate further.&rdquo;&nbsp;

The 2026 season will begin with the Official Prologue on 22-23 March in Qatar, before hostilities commence with the Qatar 1812 km on 28 March. The highlight of the season will undoubtedly be the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans, set to be held from 10 to 14 June.

Check out the 2026 FIA WEC provisional entry list&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiawec.com/umbrella_media/wec26-entrylist-a4-6936d72065269710536636.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.

Find out more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fiawec.com/en/" target="_blank">FIA World Endurance Championship</a>.

FIA WEC 2026 entry list revealed

Japanese manufacturer Toyota has introduced the world to the newly developed GR GT3. After a long development phase, the car will be ready for the track in or around 2027.

The Toyota GR GT3 embodies the Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) philosophy of continuous improvement in racing car design. Toyota Motor Corporation chairman Akio Toyoda, also known as Master Driver Morizo, oversaw the GR GT3&rsquo;s collaborative development process. Professional drivers Tatsuya Kataoka, Hiroaki Ishiura and Naoya Gamou, amateur driver Daisuke Toyoda, and the company&rsquo;s inhouse test drivers worked closely with the project engineers. The approach was to listen, understand and respond to drivers&rsquo; needs. The result is the GT GT3.

<h2>A racing car made for drivers</h2>

The GR GT3 has inherited the GR GT&rsquo;s three major advantages: a low centre of gravity, lightweight with high rigidity, and fine-tuned aerodynamics. Designed according to FIA GT3 standards &ndash; the top category of production vehicle racing cars &ndash; it is a car for winners, yet driveable by anyone.

The Toyota Driver First Philosophy behind the GR GT&rsquo;s design is just as important for GT3, where professionals and amateurs compete together. Alongside the GR GT3 improvement process, TGR is rolling out a comprehensive customer service to ensure all drivers feel like racing drivers at the wheel.

All parts were tested on simulators and then tested at the company test centre in Shimoyama and at international circuits Fuji and N&uuml;rburgring. 
Development is expected to continue until around 2027, with the intention of replacing the Lexus RC GT3 entry in the LMGT3 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship.

1205-03_003_web.jpg

1205-03_004_web.jpg

Toyota introduces the GR GT3

For its return to the top level of endurance after 14 years away from the scene, the Aston Martin THOR Team knew that 2025 would be a season-long learning curve. The Valkyrie, driven by its naturally aspirated V12 engine and the support of fans, has laid down the foundations of an ambitious programme for the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All eyes are now focused on 2026 where the margin for progress is huge.

The Aston Martin THOR Team entered two&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/the-aston-martin-valkyrie-under-the-microscope-when-the-road-leads-to-le-mans-59692" target="_blank">Valkyries</a>, numbered 007 and 009, for its d&eacute;but FIA WEC campaign. The #007 was placed in the hands of Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble&nbsp;and Ross Gunn, while Alex Riberas,&nbsp;Marco S&oslash;rensen&nbsp;and Roman De Angelis&nbsp;lined up in the #009. The three watchwords for this inaugural season were clear: learn, understand and progress. The US-based team followed the plan to the letter.

<h2>An upward trajectory</h2>

From the opening laps of the Prologue, the Valkyrie earned a reputation as one of the most emblematic machines on the grid. The roar of its naturally aspirated V12 engine delighted hardcore petrolheads and this popularity offered a powerful lever in supporting the competitive development of the programme.

In finishing in eighth place in the Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers&rsquo; Championship, Aston Martin hardly pulled up any trees but the lessons learned from the campaign abound. The #009 Valkyrie put in the best performances with a P5 at the 6 Hours of Fuji before signing off with a P7 at the Bapco Energies 8 Hours of Bahrain, to conclude the season on an encouraging note. Both Hypercars showed reliability at the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans by reaching the chequered flag in 12th and 14th position respectively. Grounds for satisfaction for Marco S&oslash;rensen:&nbsp;&quot;Finishing the race was our mission. Of course, we would have liked more. But the most important thing is that we made it to the end with both cars, without any issues. They ran all the way through, even if not very fast. I&rsquo;m proud of the team. For a first Le Mans, it&rsquo;s a success. And honestly, I wasn&rsquo;t expecting that.&quot;

Aston Martin at 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025

C'était Aston Martin aux 24 Heures du Mans 2025

In the final race in Bahrain, the #009 delivered a tremendous battle for pole position and a potential podium. A performance hailed by Team Principal Ian James:&nbsp;&quot;To come to a place here where we&rsquo;re genuinely competing for pole position and the podium shows what a good job everyone&rsquo;s done and I can&rsquo;t wait for 2026 to come around so we can keep up that momentum.&quot; Alex Riberas&nbsp;added:&nbsp;&quot;We are getting better in the small details and when we learn how to race against the competition more, we will be even better. Whether the car will be ready to fight for victories at the beginning of next year is not for me to say, but I know that it is more a matter of when than if.&quot;

<h2>Stepping up a gear in 2026</h2>

Aston Martin will be ready to step up a gear next season. The battle will be even more intense against Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Toyota and newcomers Genesis. The car has shown its reliability, but performance must now follow. The task is a huge one, but there is a positive dynamic and obvious potential.

With solid foundations, a car with a strong identity and an upwardly mobile team, Aston Martin can look forward to 2026 with ambition. The Valkyrie has written its opening chapter. The next could see it move closer to the front of the pack and, in due course, the ultimate dream: racing to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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Aston Martin – High expectations after a promising first season

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