McLaren Motorsport Expands Factory GT Driver Lineup for 2026 Season
McLaren Motorsport has announced a significant expansion of its Factory GT Driver roster for the upcoming 2026 season, increasing the total to 16 drivers. Leading the team will be German racer Marvin Kirchhöfer, joined by returning British drivers Dean MacDonald, Benjamin Goethe, Arthur Rougier, and Simon Gachet, all of whom had impressive performances in the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe.
A notable addition includes Joseph Loake, who graduates from the Junior Pro category after a successful GT debut that earned him the 2023 Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award. Loake will now operate as a full Factory Driver.
In a structural overhaul, the previous Junior Pro and Graduate categories have been combined to form the McLaren GT3 Junior Driver category. Ten drivers will benefit from the mentorship of Rob Bell, McLaren’s Sporting Director and a former Factory Driver.
Returning to the junior category are DTM driver Ben Dörr and Josh Rattican, entering his fourth year in the program. 2023 McLaren Trophy Europe champion Tommy Pintos will also remain, joined by 2025 champion Jayden Kelly, who transitioned to GT3 racing late last year.
The roster includes six new members: Louis Prette, who won the overall GT World Challenge Endurance Cup in Barcelona; Tom Fleming, a recent FIA World Endurance Championship driver and former competitor in both GT World Challenge and European Le Mans Series; James Kell, Mikey Porter, Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, and Zak Meakin, all bringing previous racing experience to the team.
Giorgio Sanna, Head of Motorsport at McLaren Automotive, expressed satisfaction with the depth of talent within the Factory Driver program, emphasizing the goal to establish McLaren’s Trophy Academy as a leading GT driver development initiative. Rob Bell echoed this sentiment, affirming the program’s focus on providing a clear trajectory from the McLaren Trophy series to top-tier GT racing, particularly in the World Endurance Championship.
The full line-up for the McLaren Trophy Academy will be announced in June, marking a strategic push for enhanced driver development and competitive performance in the 2026 season.
