Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
Thursday, May 14, 2026
McLaren Signs Vanthoor, Confirms United Autosports WEC Partnership for 2027
McLaren Racing announced on Wednesday that 2024 FIA WEC World Endurance Champion Laurens Vanthoor will join its Hypercar programme as the second confirmed driver for the McLaren MCL-HY, alongside Mikkel Jensen. McLaren simultaneously confirmed that its WEC team will compete from 2027 as McLaren United AS, a new entity run in partnership with United Autosports — the highly decorated British sportscar outfit with multiple IMSA and WEC victories. Vanthoor, currently shared between McLaren and Porsche Penske Motorsport for the 2026 WEC season, transitions exclusively to McLaren from 2027 onward, targeting the Le Mans 24 Hours with the brand-new LMDh-class challenger.
Sources: Motorsport Week, FIA WEC
BMW Leads WEC Hypercar Standings as Manufacturers Set Sights on Le Mans
BMW M Team WRT enters the Le Mans build-up as Hypercar Manufacturers’ Championship leaders, having claimed a commanding 1-2 finish at Spa-Francorchamps to move 59 points ahead of the field — seven clear of Toyota and 17 ahead of Ferrari. The victory at Spa ended a 27-year wait for a WEC overall win as a manufacturer. For Le Mans, where championship points are doubled, any of five manufacturers — BMW, Toyota, Ferrari, Porsche and Cadillac — retain realistic title ambitions. BMW arrives at Circuit de la Sarthe with the same car and driver pairings that delivered its historic 1-2 at Spa.
Sources: 24 Heures du Mans
Sir Mark Cavendish Named Official Starter for 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours
Cyclist Sir Mark Cavendish, holder of the all-time Tour de France stage-win record with 35 victories, will wave the green flag to start the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans on Saturday 13 June at 16:00. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest announced the appointment on Wednesday, with Cavendish joining distinguished company including Roger Federer, Zinedine Zidane and LeBron James among recent official starters. Cavendish retired from professional cycling after 2024 and has expressed enthusiasm for motorsport since. The 2026 Le Mans field features 62 cars and 186 drivers across four classes at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Sources: DailySportsCar, 24 Heures du Mans
Ford Racing Opens Door to NASCAR Driver Crossovers in GT3 Programme
Ford Performance Director Mark Rushbrook confirmed on Wednesday that the company has explored placing NASCAR Cup Series drivers in Ford Mustang GT3 machinery, citing the Rolex 24 at Daytona as the natural intersection of both programmes. With Acura departing IMSA GTP at season’s end, the topic of NASCAR manufacturers entering endurance racing has gained momentum. Rushbrook noted structural similarities between the current NASCAR Next Gen car and modern GT3 machinery as evidence of feasibility. A Ford LMDh GTP programme in IMSA remains a longer-term prospect, with 2028 or 2029 cited as the earliest realistic timeline.
Sources: RACER, DailySportsCar
Manthey Eyes Record Eighth Win as N24 Opens with 161-Car Grid
Manthey Racing arrives at the 2026 ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring targeting a record eighth overall victory, fielding a Porsche 911 GT3 R (992.2) in a special anniversary livery to mark both the team’s 30th year and the iconic yellow-green Grello’s 10th season in competition. The No. 911 entry is driven by Kevin Estre, Ayhancan Güven and Thomas Preining. The 161-car entry list is the largest at the Nordschleife since 2014, with 41 GT3 machines in the headline SP9 class, and weekend tickets have sold out for the first time in the event’s 56-year history. Qualifying sessions open today.
Sources: DailySportsCar, Manthey Racing
Snow Threat Looms Over Verstappen’s Nürburgring 24H Debut as Qualifying Opens
Four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen begins his maiden 24 Hours of Nürburgring campaign today as the first of two qualifying sessions gets under way at the Nordschleife, with the Dutch star driving for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing alongside Jules Gounon, Dani Juncadella and Lucas Auer. Weather forecasters have warned of potential snow and frost on the circuit’s higher reaches over the race weekend, with temperatures near 0°C possible at elevation and wind gust warnings in effect through Friday. The event’s sold-out status and Verstappen’s debut draw 161 entries — the biggest N24 field since 2014.
Sources: GPFans, RacingNews365
WEC Hypercar — Drivers
1. René Rast / Robin Frijns — 35 pts
2. Hartley / Hirakawa / Buemi — 26 pts
3. Kobayashi / Conway / de Vries — 25 pts
4. Magnussen / Marciello / D. Vanthoor — TBC
5. Fuoco / Calado / Pier Guidi — TBC
WEC Hypercar — Manufacturers
1. BMW — 59 pts
2. Toyota — 52 pts
3. Ferrari — 42 pts
4. Aston Martin — ahead of Alpine
5. Alpine — level with Aston Martin
IMSA GTP — Drivers
1. Laurin Heinrich — leads
2. Jack Aitken — 21 pts behind
3. Andlauer / Nasr — tied 3rd
4. Kevin Estre — 4th
IMSA GTP — Teams
1. Porsche Penske Motorsport #7 — leads
2. Cadillac Whelen Racing #31 — 2nd
3. Porsche Penske Motorsport #6 — 3rd
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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