ROWE Racing Expands for 2026 GT World Challenge Europe
ROWE Racing, the three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Spa, announced a return to a two-car lineup for the 2026 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, reinstating their previous strategy after racing only one car in the last season.
The lead entry, car #98, will field BMW M factory drivers Augusto Farfus, Raffaele Marciello, and Jake Dennis, competing in the Pro class. Last season, Farfus and Marciello achieved significant success, securing a victory at Nürburgring and finishing fourth in the drivers’ championship alongside Jesse Krohn. Marciello expressed confidence, stating, “I am sure we have a strong package and will fight for the championship.”
Jake Dennis returns for his first full Endurance Cup campaign since 2019, having previously participated part-time with Paradine Competition. He noted, “It’s an opportunity for me to showcase my abilities in a full season.”
The sister entry, #998, will shift focus to the Gold Cup, featuring drivers Jens Klingmann, Ugo de Wilde, and Tim Tramnitz. Klingmann joins ROWE after two successful years with Team WRT, where he clinched an overall win at Monza in 2024 and was the Gold Cup drivers’ championship runner-up last season. He remarked, “The GT World Challenge Europe is definitely one of the strongest GT racing series in the world.”
In a notable move, Tramnitz, now a BMW works driver at just 21 years old, is set to make his sports car debut this season, while De Wilde aims to build on a strong performance from last year, where he finished third in the Endurance Cup drivers’ standings.
Team principal Hans-Peter Naundorf emphasized a renewed strategy for the season, aiming not only for success at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps but also in the overall Endurance Cup standings.
BMW M Motorsport has confirmed its customer lineup for the 2026 season, with Paradine Competition and Team WRT returning alongside new entries from Century Motorsport and KPX Motorsport.
The GT World Challenge Europe season kicks off at Circuit Paul Ricard on April 10-11, 2026.
