Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Winward Racing Mercedes Wins 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours
The Winward Racing Team Ravenol Mercedes-AMG GT3, driven by Maro Engel, Luca Stolz, Fabian Schiller, and Maxime Martin, won the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours in front of 352,000 spectators. Engel became a two-time winner of the event, repeating his 2016 triumph, while Martin finally claimed an overall victory after four previous runner-up finishes. The crew ran a clean and consistent race, inheriting the lead after the sister Verstappen Racing Mercedes suffered a driveshaft failure while leading with three hours remaining. Mercedes secured its first overall Nürburgring 24 Hours victory since 2016.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Verstappen’s Nürburgring 24 Hours Debut Ends in Mechanical Heartbreak
Max Verstappen’s debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours ended in agonising fashion when his Mercedes-AMG GT3, shared with Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon, and Lucas Auer, suffered a driveshaft failure while leading with approximately three hours remaining. The car had controlled the race from around the sixth hour, with Verstappen delivering a series of masterful stints that moved the team from second into a commanding lead. An ABS alarm and rear-right driveshaft problem forced Juncadella to pit, ending any chance of victory. Despite the result, Verstappen’s commitment and pace throughout the weekend drew widespread praise.
Sources: Motorsport.com
McLaren MCL-HY Hypercar Reaches Full Power in First Shakedown
McLaren Racing’s MCL-HY LMDh prototype completed a successful two-day shakedown at the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti in Italy, arriving on schedule on May 4. Programme boss James Barclay confirmed the Dallara-based car reached full power laps on both days with no major hardware failures. Factory driver Mikkel Jensen and development driver Gregoire Saucy handled driving duties. The team will move to straight-line testing this month before a full track test in late May. The MCL-HY features a bespoke 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine developed with Autotecnica Motori and targets its WEC Hypercar debut in 2027 with United Autosports.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Delétraz Replaces Lynn at Cadillac JOTA for Le Mans
Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA confirmed that Alex Lynn will miss the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans after a planned neck operation was rescheduled to June. Lynn had already missed the opening WEC rounds at Imola and Spa-Francorchamps while awaiting the procedure. Louis Delétraz, the reigning ELMS and Le Mans LMP2 Pro-Am winner and a Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing regular in IMSA, will replace Lynn for an upcoming Silverstone test and the Le Mans race. The team and Lynn will review plans for the remainder of the WEC season following his recovery.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
James Allen Joins AO by TF for Le Mans LMP2 Pro-Am Defence
AO Racing and AO by TF finalised the driver lineup for their defence of the LMP2 Pro-Am crown at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, with James Allen joining Dane Cameron and PJ Hyett aboard the ORECA LMP2. Allen replaces Louis Delétraz, who moved to Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA to cover for the injured Alex Lynn. Allen brings extensive Le Mans experience, having won back-to-back 24 Hours of Le Mans LMP2 titles in 2022 and 2023, plus the 2023 European Le Mans Series championship. The team won the class in 2025 after a runner-up finish in 2024.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Haase Fastest as Spa 24 Hours Prologue Gets Underway
The official prologue test for the 2026 TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa got underway at Spa-Francorchamps, with Christopher Haase setting the fastest time on the opening day. The prologue serves as a vital preparation session ahead of the blue riband round of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup calendar. Teams across the Fanatec GT3 categories used the day to fine-tune setups for the demanding Ardennes circuit. The Spa 24 Hours remains one of the most prestigious GT3 endurance events globally, and this year’s race features a strong field with manufacturers including Mercedes-AMG, Porsche, BMW, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.
Sources: Daily Sportscar
Ford Holds Regular Discussions with Verstappen About WEC Hypercar Role
Ford racing chief Mark Rushbrook confirmed the manufacturer has held regular discussions with Max Verstappen about future opportunities in its WEC Hypercar programme, which will debut in 2027 with an LMDh prototype. The naturally-aspirated V8-powered car is being developed at Ford’s in-house UK base, with a first shakedown planned for summer 2026. Rushbrook described Verstappen as someone who has shown genuine commitment to sportscar racing, citing his extensive Nürburgring 24 Hours preparation. However, Verstappen remains under Red Bull F1 contract through 2028, and Rushbrook acknowledged there is nothing currently planned given the schedule challenges.
Sources: Motorsport.com
Former WEC Champion Vanthoor Joins McLaren Hypercar Test Programme
Former FIA WEC Drivers’ champion Laurens Vanthoor has joined McLaren’s Hypercar test programme on a loan deal from Porsche. The Belgian, who won the 2024 WEC title and claimed multiple victories, will support factory driver Mikkel Jensen and the wider development effort as the MCL-HY prepares for its 2027 WEC debut. With Porsche having withdrawn from the WEC’s Hypercar class, Vanthoor’s primary goal of winning Le Mans overall was no longer achievable with his current employer. McLaren’s programme, run in partnership with United Autosports, also includes development drivers Gregoire Saucy and Richard Verschoor.
Sources: FIA WEC
WEC Hypercar — Drivers
1. Buemi / Hartley / Hirakawa (Toyota Racing) — 25 pts
2. Pier Guidi / Calado / Giovinazzi (Ferrari AF Corse) — 19 pts
3. Conway / Kobayashi / de Vries (Toyota Racing) — 15 pts
4. da Costa / Milesi / Habsburg (Alpine Endurance Team) — 12 pts
5. Frijns / Rast / van der Linde (BMW M Team WRT) — 10 pts
6. Fuoco / Molina / Nielsen (Ferrari AF Corse) — 8 pts
7. Magnussen / Marciello / Vanthoor (BMW M Team WRT) — 6 pts
8. Bamber / Bourdais / Aitken (Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA) — 4 pts
9. Tincknell / Gamble (Aston Martin THOR Team) — 2 pts
10. Yifei / Kubica / Hanson (AF Corse) — 1 pt
WEC Hypercar — Teams
1. Toyota Racing — 40 pts
2. Ferrari AF Corse — 27 pts
3. BMW M Team WRT — 16 pts
4. Alpine Endurance Team — 12 pts
5. Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA — 4 pts
6. Aston Martin THOR Team — 2 pts
7. AF Corse — 1 pt
IMSA GTP — Drivers
1. Heinrich / van der Helm (JDC-Miller Porsche) — Leader
2. Aitken (Cadillac JOTA) — 21 pts behind leader
3. Nasr / Andlauer (Porsche Penske) — 146 pts behind leader
IMSA GTP — Teams
1. Porsche — Leader
2. Cadillac — 52 pts behind leader
3. Acura — 120 pts behind leader
Curated by JD · samwise.agency