Pauwels to Make WEC Debut with Heart of Racing Team at Imola
Imola, Italy – Kobe Pauwels, the 2025 AMR Driver Academy champion, will make his FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) debut next weekend at Imola. The 21-year-old Belgian will pilot the #23 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3, joining forces with fellow rookie Gray Newell and AMR factory driver Jonny Adam. Pauwels replaces Dudu Barrichello, who is competing at the IMSA Sportscar Championship round in Long Beach.
Pauwels, who secured the Silver drivers’ title in last year’s GT World Challenge Europe with Comtoyou Racing, expressed enthusiasm about this unexpected opportunity. “The WEC debut is very exciting and, if I’m honest, has come earlier than I expected! I will do my best to show the Heart of Racing Team and Aston Martin that I was the right choice,” he stated.
The search for Pauwels’ successor within Aston Martin’s Driver Academy is also underway. A total of 22 candidates from various countries are vying for the opportunity, including notable names such as 2025 SRO GT Academy winner Gaspard Simon and reigning 24 Hours of Spa Silver class victors Oliver Söderström and Mateo Villagomez. Eligible participants, aged 16 to 26, are competing in Vantage GT3 or GT4 machinery.
The winner will receive financial support for their 2027 racing program along with mentorship from Aston Martin Racing. Adam Carter, head of endurance at Aston Martin, commented on the academy’s impact: “As the initiative matures, we see how its alumni have flourished. Two of the six drivers racing works Valkyries are AMR Academy graduates, and we look forward to seeing the talent that emerges in 2026!”
2026 Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy Candidates:
- Nicolas Baud (FRA), Van der Steur Racing, IMSA, GT3
- Gaspard Simon (FRA), Walkenhorst Motorsport, GT World Europe, GT3
- Hannah Grisham (USA), Heart of Racing Team, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, GT4
- Others representing various teams in GT3 and GT4 across Europe and North America.
Pauwels’ debut at Imola marks a significant step in his burgeoning career and a testament to the academy’s ongoing commitment to fostering new talent in endurance racing.
