Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Toyota Driver Hirakawa Declares Le Mans 2026 “Time for Revenge” with New TR010 Hybrid
Ryo Hirakawa has declared this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Toyota’s “time for revenge” after three consecutive defeats against rival Ferrari since 2023. The Japanese manufacturer arrives with the revised TR010 Hybrid, which debuted with a race win at Imola in April. “Since 2023 we have been losing so we need to win. This year it feels like time for revenge,” Hirakawa told Sportscar365. Co-driver Mike Conway added that Toyota arrives “with a better package than we had last year.” Hirakawa and Conway both identified quadruple tire stints as a possible race strategy option to be assessed during the test day sessions at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Sources: Sportscar365
BMW's Rast and Frijns Arrive as Surprise WEC Hypercar Leaders Heading into Le Mans
BMW M Team WRT drivers Rene Rast and Robin Frijns said they did not expect to be leading the WEC Hypercar championship entering Le Mans. The No. 20 BMW M Hybrid V8 crew arrive on 35 points after combining a fifth at Imola with a 1-2 finish for BMW at Spa last month. “We were fulfilling those targets already — winning a race, leading the championship — we didn't expect those to come so early,” Rast told Sportscar365. Frijns highlighted two previous Hypercar Le Mans appearances where the team showed pace but encountered issues overnight. “We've solved those issues now,” he said. “We're more confident than last year.”
Sources: Sportscar365
Porsche IMSA GTP Factory Trio Race LMP2 at Le Mans After Hypercar Withdrawal
Three Porsche IMSA WeatherTech GTP factory drivers race in LMP2 at Le Mans after Porsche Penske Motorsport withdrew from WEC Hypercar at year-end 2025. Kevin Estre joins TDS Racing, Julien Andlauer races for Team Duqueine, and Laurin Heinrich makes his Le Mans debut with CrowdStrike by APR. “There was no chance to drive a Porsche here this year and I wanted to be at Le Mans,” Estre told Sportscar365. Heinrich, a Le Mans rookie, added: “I'm a rookie and that's not a situation I find myself in very often — but I'm enjoying the experience.” All three expressed hope of racing against each other on track.
Sources: Sportscar365
All 62 Le Mans Entries Cleared at Scrutineering; City Parade and Test Day to Follow
All 62 cars entered in the 94th 24 Hours of Le Mans cleared administrative and technical scrutineering in downtown Le Mans on Friday and Saturday, with the final 19 — including both Toyota TR010 Hybrids and the three Ferrari AF Corse 499Ps — completing checks Saturday. The afternoon concluded with the fourth annual Roulage parade, featuring one car from each Hypercar and LMGT3 manufacturer through city streets. All 62 cars are now cleared to race on June 13–14. Sunday's official test day at the Circuit de la Sarthe provides two three-hour sessions, the field's final major preparation before Free Practice 1 on Wednesday, June 10.
Sources: Sportscar365
Silverstone Set to Join 2027 WEC Calendar as Ninth Round in May
Silverstone is set to be added as a ninth round to the 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship calendar, according to Sportscar365. The race is expected to be held in May, which would place four rounds before Le Mans on the 2027 schedule. Official confirmation is expected at the ACO annual press conference on Friday, June 13, during Le Mans race week. The Silverstone addition will create at least one additional clash with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendar — a challenge for drivers competing in both series. The current 2026 WEC season features eight rounds.
Sources: Sportscar365
Ford Arrives at Le Mans with High LMGT3 Expectations on 60th Anniversary of First Overall Win
Ford Racing's two Proton Competition-entered Mustang GT3 EVOs arrive at Le Mans with high ambitions in the LMGT3 class, global director Mark Rushbrook said at scrutineering. The race falls on the 60th anniversary of Ford's first overall Le Mans victory in 1966. “We go to every race with the intent to win. The cars ran strong at Spa but had some unfortunate incidents. We know the cars are good, we know the team and drivers are good. We're going to Le Mans with high expectations,” Rushbrook said. The two Proton Mustang GT3s were competitive at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps but did not convert their pace into a strong result.
Sources: Sportscar365
Prodrive Reaches 25th Consecutive Le Mans Entry, Covering 346,958 km at the Circuit
Prodrive marks its 25th consecutive entry at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2026, supporting two Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evos in the LMGT3 class. The Banbury-based company made its Le Mans debut in 2002 and has accumulated six class victories at the Circuit de la Sarthe, becoming Aston Martin's factory partner in 2005. “To see Prodrive reach its 25th consecutive entry is incredibly special — a testament to the passion and dedication of everyone involved,” chairman David Richards said. Prodrive-built cars have covered a combined 346,958 kilometres at Le Mans, equivalent to more than 8.5 circumnavigations of the earth.
Sources: Sportscar365
Peugeot Marks 100th Anniversary of Its First Le Mans Entry with Special Centenary Badge
Peugeot is celebrating the centenary of its first entry at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the milestone with both of its 9X8 Hypercars carrying a special design badge in this year's race. The French manufacturer first contested Le Mans in 1926 with two Peugeot 174S cars. It has made 44 participations in the century since as factory team or engine supplier, winning with the 905 in 1992 and 1993 and the 908 HDi FAP in 2009. Peugeot Design created the centenary badge specifically for this year's event, which coincides with the 94th running of the 24 Hours on June 13–14 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
Sources: Sportscar365
WEC Hypercar — Drivers (after Rd. 2)
1. Rene Rast / Robin Frijns — 35 pts
2. Brendon Hartley / Ryo Hirakawa / Sebastien Buemi — 26 pts
3. Kamui Kobayashi / Nyck de Vries / Mike Conway — 25 pts
3. Sheldon van der Linde — 25 pts
WEC Hypercar — Teams (after Rd. 2)
1. BMW — 59 pts
2. Toyota — 52 pts
3. Ferrari — 42 pts
IMSA GTP — Drivers (after Detroit)
1. Jack Aitken — 1,760 pts
2. Laurin Heinrich — 1,616 pts
3. Julien Andlauer / Felipe Nasr — 1,606 pts
IMSA GTP — Teams (after Detroit)
1. Cadillac — 1,797 pts
2. Porsche — 1,772 pts
3. Acura — 1,676 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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