FIA World Endurance Championship Begins 2026 Season in Imola

Imola, Italy – The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) kicks off its 14th season this weekend at Imola, following a delay due to the postponement of the Qatar 1812km. The Prologue test has concluded, heightening expectations for this year, particularly in the Hypercar and LMGT3 classes.

Hypercar Field

The Hypercar category sees a strong lineup of 17 cars from eight manufacturers. Notably, Porsche Penske Motorsport and Proton Competition have exited, making way for the debut of Genesis Magma Racing. The introduction of new Michelin tires promises improved warm-up and sustainability, with teams using Soft and Medium compounds tailored for Imola’s challenging 4.9 km circuit featuring 21 turns.

Ferrari enters this season after a dominant performance in 2025, which included clinching all major titles and sustaining a winning streak at Le Mans. The main question heading into the race is whether their rivals can challenge the Prancing Horse this year.

The race will start on Sunday at 13:00 local time.

Team Previews

Alpine Endurance Team

Cars: #35 A424, #26 A424
Drivers: António Félix da Costa, Ferdinand Habsburg, Charles Milesi; Jules Gounon, Frédéric Makowiecki, Victor Martins

The A424 has undergone subtle aero updates aimed at enhancing downforce. Despite a disappointing past season, the team is poised for improvement with an experienced driver lineup.

Aston Martin THOR Team

Cars: #007 Valkyrie, #009 Valkyrie
Drivers: Tom Gamble, Ross Gunn, Harry Tincknell; Roman De Angelis, Alex Riberas, Marco Sørensen

After a challenging 2025, the Valkyrie strategy focuses on improving performance and reliability. Both cars showed promise toward the end of the previous season, finishing with points.

BMW M Team WRT

Cars: #15 M Hybrid V8, #24 M Hybrid V8
Drivers: Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello, Dries Vanthoor; Robin Frijns, René Rast, Sheldon van der Linde

Focusing on a new aero package to enhance drivability, BMW is also scaling back to two-driver lineups for select shorter races to optimize performance.

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA

Cars: #12 V-Series.R, #38 V-Series.R
Drivers: Alex Lynn, Norman Nato, Will Stevens; Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Sébastien Bourdais

Cadillac hopes to capitalize on a competitive 2025. The V-Series.R features an updated aero package aimed at improving pace and consistency.

Ferrari AF Corse

Cars: #50 499P, #51 499P, #83 499P
Drivers: Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen; James Calado, Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi; Phil Hanson, Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye

Ferrari remains a dominant force with a history of success in Hypercar. Their performance in pre-season testing has shown them well poised for the current season.

Genesis Magma Racing

Cars: #17 GMR-001, #19 GMR-001
Drivers: Pipo Derani, Mathys Jaubert, André Lotterer; Paul-Loup Chatin, Mathieu Jaminet, Daniel Juncadella

The organization aims to make a significant impression in their debut season following extensive testing, including 25,000 km of running to fine-tune their GMR-001 prototypes.

Toyota Racing

Cars: #7 TR010, #8 TR010
Drivers: Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries; Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley, Ryō Hirakawa

Looking to reclaim its dominance after a difficult 2025, Toyota has introduced significant revisions to the TR010 aiming for improved handling and performance consistency.

Peugeot TotalEnergies

Cars: #93 9X8, #94 9X8
Drivers: Nick Cassidy, Paul di Resta, Stoffel Vandoorne; Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen, Théo Pourchaire

Peugeot continues to chase its first win with the 9X8 amid ongoing development. A new managerial structure aims to establish a more competitive foundation for the season ahead.

As teams gear up for what promises to be an exciting start to the 2026 WEC season, the stage is set for a clash of top-tier manufacturers in Imola.