Samwise Sportscar & Endurance Newsletter
SATURDAY, JULY 4, 2026
Aitken and Cadillac Whelen dominate Watkins Glen to extend IMSA GTP title lead
Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, and Frederik Vesti led 143 of 182 laps at the Sahlén’s Six Hours of the Glen to give Cadillac Whelen its second consecutive win of the 2026 IMSA season and an eighth straight GTP class podium dating back to last season’s finale. A contact incident between Bamber and an AF Corse Ferrari in traffic was never investigated by stewards, leaving the result intact. Aitken controlled a tense final stint to seal victory. The win extends Aitken’s championship lead over Laurin Heinrich to 203 points with three endurance rounds remaining on the calendar.
Toyota leads WEC Hypercar standings heading into São Paulo with manufacturers’ title closely contested
The #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid of Conway, Kobayashi, and de Vries leads the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar standings heading into the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo at Interlagos. Toyota also leads the manufacturers’ table with 132 points, ahead of BMW on 96 and Ferrari on 62, after three rounds including the Le Mans 24 Hours. Cadillac enters the Brazilian round targeting a repeat of their 2025 Interlagos victory, though the #12 car will operate with a reduced two-driver crew. With the championship closely contested across manufacturers, Round 4 at Interlagos carries significant title implications for all three leading brands.
Sources: Pit Debrief Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Silverstone confirms four-year WEC deal as circuit targets long-term endurance racing growth
Silverstone has confirmed a long-term return of the FIA World Endurance Championship to the British Grand Prix circuit, securing a four-year agreement that will see WEC race at Northamptonshire from 2027. Circuit managing director Stuart Pringle cited the venue’s long-term ambitions for the partnership, indicating the deal is structured to grow endurance racing’s audience in Britain rather than serve as a one-off return. WEC last appeared at Silverstone in 2018. The circuit’s comeback will form part of the 2027 WEC calendar, with ELMS also confirmed to race at Silverstone in September 2027 — a double-feature weekend for British endurance fans.
Sources: dailysportscar.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Lamborghini signals openness to 2030 LMDh return as Hypercar regulations take shape
Lamborghini Motorsport head Andrea Reggiani says the Italian marque has an open mind on returning to prototype racing under new 2030 Hypercar regulations. The SC63 LMDh, which competed in WEC and the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in 2024 before stepping back, is currently on standby. Reggiani noted active interest in running the SC63 in the Asian Le Mans Series through a private entry. “We don’t rule out the possibility,” Reggiani said, adding that full technical regulations expected by end-2026 will be key to any decision. The FIA and ACO outlined 2030 Hypercar framework rules on the eve of this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours.
Sources: dailysportscar.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
HAAS RT debuts BMW M4 GT3 EVO at Nürburgring 12H in ambitious manufacturer switch
Belgian GT3 squad HAAS RT has debuted the BMW M4 GT3 EVO at the Michelin 12H Nürburgring (July 3–5), switching from the Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO II it previously ran. Team Manager Kris Dedoncker described the transition as “an exciting and ambitious step,” while owner Sandrine Haas said the move reflects the team’s ambition to compete at the highest level. BMW’s updated GT3 EVO offers improved aerodynamics, lower tyre and brake wear, and a lighter body-coating process. The Nürburgring weekend — featuring two six-hour race segments across Saturday and Sunday — provides HAAS RT with its first competitive benchmark for the new car.
Sources: Pit Debrief Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Robert Wickens returns as IMSA confirms 33-car field for Canadian Tire Motorsports Park
IMSA has confirmed a 33-car entry list for the Chevrolet Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, with Robert Wickens among those returning to competition. The entry list also includes changes prompted by Alessandro Caldarelli’s eye injury and a series of driver substitutions across the GTP, GTD Pro, and GTD classes. Wickens continues his IMSA racing comeback as one of the notable names confirmed for the CTMP round. The 33-car field represents a strong championship roster for the Canadian race weekend, with full entry documentation published via the official IMSA website ahead of the event.
Cadillac fields two-driver No. 12 crew for WEC São Paulo as Stevens and Nato step up
Cadillac Racing will field its No. 12 V-Series.R with a two-driver crew at the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo, naming Will Stevens and Norman Nato to carry the car across the full six-hour distance at Interlagos. The arrangement reflects the ongoing absence of a regular third crewmember, who remains sidelined ahead of the Brazilian round. Stevens and Nato previously combined to achieve strong results at the circuit and will be targeting an Interlagos repeat. The São Paulo race is WEC’s Round 4 and carries significant manufacturer and driver championship points as Toyota, BMW, and Cadillac battle for 2026 Hypercar honours.
Sources: Pit Debrief Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Varrone returns to WEC competition with TF Sport for Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo
Rodrigo Varrone will return to FIA World Endurance Championship competition at the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo after confirming a deal to join TF Sport for the Round 4 race at Interlagos. The signing marks a WEC return for Varrone, who joins TF Sport’s lineup for the 2026 Brazilian round of the championship. The announcement is among several driver lineup confirmations across the WEC field as teams finalise their São Paulo entries ahead of the race next weekend. Varrone’s full crew details with TF Sport at Interlagos are expected to be confirmed as part of the official entry documentation for the event.
Sources: Pit Debrief Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
2027 ELMS calendar released with March season opener in Barcelona and Mistral Straight restored
The European Le Mans Series has released its 2027 calendar, retaining all six circuits from the 2026 schedule but starting the season four weeks earlier with a Barcelona opener on March 14. The Prologue test runs on March 8–9. Subsequent rounds follow at Le Castellet in May, Imola in July, Spa-Francorchamps in August, Silverstone in September — where Goodyear title sponsorship continues — and Portimão in October for the traditional finale. Notably, the Mistral Straight chicane at Paul Ricard will be removed for 2027. Four rounds will run back-to-back with FIA WEC events, including a double Silverstone weekend in September.
Sources: dailysportscar.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
ELMS paddock opens at Imola with Bill Gibson tribute and United Autosports topping test times
The European Le Mans Series paddock returned to action at Imola for Round 3 of the 2026 season, opening with a tribute to Bill Gibson, co-founder of Gibson Technology, who passed away last month. All LMP2 cars will carry tribute vinyls for the race, with a minute’s applause planned on the pre-race grid. Australian racer Martin Berry joined Proton Competition as a late replacement after regular co-driver Bankcy fractured a vertebra at Spa in a British GT outing. United Autosports’ Grégoire Saucy set the fastest time at the Collective Test Day, recording a 1:31.721, with further action ahead of Sunday’s four-hour race.
Sources: dailysportscar.com Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
WEC Hypercar — Drivers
1. Conway / Kobayashi / de Vries (#7 Toyota) — 75 pts
2. Rast / Frijns (#20 BMW) — 71 pts
3. Hartley / Hirakawa / Buemi (#8 Toyota) — 56 pts
WEC Hypercar — Teams
1. Toyota Gazoo Racing — 132 pts
2. BMW M Motorsport — 96 pts
3. Ferrari AF Corse — 62 pts
IMSA GTP — Drivers
1. Aitken / Bamber / Vesti (#31 Cadillac Whelen) — leading
2. Laurin Heinrich (#93 Porsche) — −203 pts
IMSA GTP — Teams
1. No. 31 Cadillac Whelen — leading
2. No. 93 Acura MSR — −245 pts
3. No. 7 Porsche Penske
4. No. 6 Porsche Penske
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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