Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
Thursday, June 25, 2026
Garage 59 McLaren tops Spa 24H qualifying to head into Superpole
Marvin Kirchhöfer put the No. 59 Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo on top of the Pro qualifying group at Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday evening, securing the right to run last in Friday's Superpole session at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. Kirchhöfer posted a lap of 2m16.221s, while co-driver Benjamin Goethe contributed fourth-fastest to give the crew a combined average that led the 69-car Pro class. The result hands Garage 59 first pick of grid slot heading into Saturday's 24-hour race.
Sources: CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Porsche unveils 911 GT4 R at Spa — first 911-platform GT4 car
Porsche Motorsport revealed the 911 GT4 R at Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday, marking the first time a 911-platform car has competed in GT4-class regulations. The car retains the 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six from the Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport but mounts it in the rear-engined 911 body. Porsche says the switch brings improved aerodynamic balance and a lower centre of gravity compared to the outgoing Cayman-based car. Customer teams are expected to take delivery ahead of the 2027 season.
Sources: Daily Sportscar Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Spa Prologue: Güven fastest in rain as Haase keeps Audi’s benchmark
Berkay Güven set the fastest lap of the two-day Prologue at Spa-Francorchamps on Thursday morning, clocking a 2m18.4s in wet conditions for the #33 Team WRT Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II. His time was 0.3 seconds clear of the field as rain fell during the final hour of running. Markus Haase had set the benchmark in dry conditions on Wednesday for the same squad. With the grid now confirmed at 69 cars, attention shifts to Pro qualifying scheduled for Thursday evening before Friday's Superpole.
Sources: Pit Debrief Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Spa 24H grid confirmed at 69 cars after late Porsche withdrawal
The final entry list for the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa stands at 69 cars following the withdrawal of a Porsche 992 GT3 R entered by a privateer team citing a logistics issue. The updated grid retains 22 Pro-class cars, 31 Silver entries, and 16 Am crews. Eleven manufacturers are represented, led numerically by Porsche with 18 cars and Mercedes-AMG with 14. The race starts Saturday at 16:30 local time and runs through Sunday afternoon.
Sources: Daily Sportscar Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Gulf 12 Hours deferred to 2027/2028 over Middle East logistics crisis
Organisers of the Gulf 12 Hours have confirmed the event will not run in 2026, with the race deferred to either the 2027 or 2028 calendar year due to ongoing logistics difficulties affecting international freight and team travel in the Middle East region. The announcement follows similar decisions by the Asian Le Mans Series and the Gulf Endurance Championship to restructure their calendars. No replacement venue has been announced. Affected teams have been notified and entry fees will be refunded or carried forward.
Sources: Daily Sportscar Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
IMSA delivers largest 2026 BoP boost to Porsche 963 for Watkins Glen
IMSA issued the Balance of Performance update for the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen on Thursday, handing the Porsche 963 the largest single-round boost of the 2026 season. Both factory-spec and customer variants of the 963 receive a combined weight reduction and minimum-fuel-weight relief. BMW M Hybrid V8 and Cadillac V-Series.R entries hold their existing parameters. The adjustments follow Porsche's podium finish at Mid-Ohio but reflect the manufacturer's deficit in dry-weather pace at longer circuits.
Sources: SportsCar365 Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
IMSA reaches season midpoint at the Glen as BMW eyes first GTP win
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship arrives at Watkins Glen International this weekend for the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen, marking the halfway point of the 2026 season. BMW M Team RLL heads to the Finger Lakes circuit with renewed confidence after back-to-back second-place finishes, with drivers Augusto Farfus and Connor De Phillippi targeting the squad's first GTP-class victory. Cadillac Whelen leads both the driver and team standings heading into round six.
Asian Le Mans teams in holding pattern as Middle East calendar hangs in doubt
Asian Le Mans Series teams have been asked to hold logistical commitments for the opening rounds of the 2026–27 season while organisers finalise venue negotiations following the withdrawal of two Middle East circuits. Series promoter ACO Asia Pacific confirmed that at least one of the cancelled rounds will be replaced, with teams given a decision deadline of 15 July. Several squads have indicated they are also monitoring the Gulf 12 Hours situation before committing resources to the full calendar.
Sources: SportsCar365 Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
WEC Hypercar — Drivers
1. Kobayashi / Conway / de Vries — 75 pts
2. Rast / Frijns — 71 pts
3. van der Linde — 61 pts
4. Hartley / Hirakawa / Buemi — 56 pts
WEC Hypercar — Teams
1. Toyota Gazoo Racing — 132 pts
2. BMW M Team WRT — 96 pts
3. Ferrari AF Corse
IMSA GTP — Drivers
1. Aitken / Bamber — 1,760 pts
2. Heinrich — 1,616 pts
3. Andlauer / Nasr — 1,606 pts
4. van der Zande / Yelloly — 1,552 pts
IMSA GTP — Teams
1. Cadillac Whelen #31 — 1,760 pts
2. Porsche Penske #7 — 1,606 pts
3. #93 — 1,552 pts
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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