Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Toyota Denies Ferrari Home Win in WEC Season Opener at Imola
Toyota denied Ferrari a home victory at the season-opening 6 Hours of Imola on April 19, as the #8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid of Sébastien Buemi, Ryo Hirakawa and Brendon Hartley crossed the line 13 seconds ahead of the pole-sitting #51 Ferrari 499P of Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi. The #7 Toyota of Kamui Kobayashi, Nyck de Vries and Mike Conway completed the podium. The result marked Toyota’s 50th FIA WEC victory in the marque’s 100th championship start with its heavily updated TR010 Hypercar. Ferrari had led in the early stages following Calado’s clean getaway from pole, but a faster Toyota pitstop cycle proved decisive.
How Toyota Beat Ferrari at Imola: The Tyre Undercut That Decided Round One
The tyre undercut proved decisive at Imola. Ferrari’s #51 led for much of the opening hour after Calado converted pole, with Miguel Molina’s #50 Ferrari briefly joining in a 1-2. The race changed when Calado handed to Pier Guidi with fresh mediums on the right-side tyres. Toyota opted to continue Hirakawa on Hartley’s older rubber, and those tyres — still with grip in reserve — gave Hirakawa the pace advantage on his out-lap to undercut Pier Guidi for the lead. Ferrari confirmed after the race that the tyre strategy had been the critical split-point, with Toyota’s conservative early management of compounds paying off precisely when it mattered most.
WEC Championship: Toyota Leads Ferrari 40–27 as Spa Looms on May 9
Toyota leads the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship manufacturers’ standings on 40 points after the season-opening 6 Hours of Imola, with Ferrari second on 27 following their runner-up finish. BMW climbs to third on 16 points after a stronger-than-expected performance from the M Hybrid V8. Alpine sits fourth on 13, while Cadillac holds fifth on four points. Genesis failed to score on their maiden WEC start. The next round is the TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on May 9, serving as a critical dress rehearsal before Le Mans in June. Ferrari will look to close the gap as WEC’s developing title battle reaches its first strategic juncture at Spa.
Acura Ends 17-Year Long Beach Drought as Porsche BoP Bite Takes Hold
The No. 93 Acura ARX-06 of Nick Yelloly and Renger van der Zande ended Acura’s 17-year wait for a WeatherTech GTP win at Long Beach, claiming the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 18 by 0.818 seconds over the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac V-Series.R of Jack Aitken. Yelloly had taken pole, while Porsche’s No. 7 Penske 963 faced a Balance of Performance weight penalty after sweeping Daytona and Sebring. Andlauer and Nasr finished fourth, with Laurens Vanthoor third in the sister No. 6 Porsche. Porsche maintains its GTP points lead, but Acura and Cadillac have closed the gap heading into the long-course events.
Lexus Ends 22-Race Winless Stretch with GTD Victory at Long Beach
The Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 of Aaron Telitz and Benjamin Pedersen ended a 22-race winless stretch with a GTD class victory at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 18. The team had faced an early setback after failing pre-qualifying technical inspection, forcing a pitlane start. Telitz recovered strongly and made a decisive move on Mason Filippi’s No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R with 40 minutes remaining following a restart. The team’s last IMSA class win had been at this same circuit in 2024, making Long Beach a particularly sweet venue for Vasser Sullivan to rediscover the top step.
Le Mans 2026: Genesis Makes History as Hypercar Field Shrinks to 18 Cars
The 94th Le Mans 24 Hours on June 13–14 will feature 62 cars including 18 Hypercars from eight manufacturers, down from 21 last year following Porsche’s departure from full-season WEC. The headline addition is Genesis Magma Racing, making history as the first Korean manufacturer at Le Mans’ Hypercar level, fielding a pair of GMR-001 LMDh cars. Toyota and Ferrari each enter two factory Hypercars, with Cadillac fielding three entries through Jota and Wayne Taylor Racing. Ford and McLaren are confirmed to join in 2027, signalling continued Hypercar growth despite the current field reduction. La Sarthe 2026 will be the true test of the season’s opening momentum.
Endurance Racing’s 2026 Title Battles Are Wide Open After Imola and Long Beach
One WEC round and three IMSA rounds into 2026, both endurance championships are alive with possibility. In WEC, Toyota’s Imola victory proves the TR010’s winter upgrades have delivered, but Ferrari’s qualifying pace and early-race speed confirm the 499P remains a genuine title threat. Alpine, BMW and Aston Martin are all within striking distance of points at Spa. In IMSA, Porsche’s Balance of Performance penalty at Long Beach has opened the field — Acura and Cadillac are now genuine challengers to a Penske squad no longer able to rely on raw car advantage. Both championships converge at Le Mans in June, where manufacturers’ reputations will be defined.
WEC Manufacturers (After Round 1 — Imola)
1. Toyota — 40 pts
2. Ferrari — 27 pts
3. BMW — 16 pts
4. Alpine — 13 pts
5. Cadillac — 4 pts
6. Aston Martin — 2 pts
7. Peugeot — 0 pts
8. Genesis — 0 pts
Next: 6 Hours of Spa — May 9, 2026
IMSA GTP (After Round 3 — Long Beach)
1. Andlauer / Nasr — #7 Porsche 963 — leading
2. Yelloly / van der Zande — #93 Acura ARX-06
3. Aitken — #31 Whelen Cadillac
4. Vanthoor / Estre — #6 Porsche 963
Wins: Porsche (Daytona, Sebring), Acura (Long Beach)
Next: IMSA Mid-Ohio — May 2026
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