The field is set for the FIA WEC in 2026, with today’s reveal of a 35-car entry list for the whole season next year.
In Hypercar, 17 cars will contest the eight rounds, with two cars apiece from eight factory teams, and a single privately entered Ferrari 499P from AF Corse, once again adding to the field.
Reigning Manufacturers’ World Champion Ferrari will return with a pair of works 499Ps, and face stiff opposition from Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA, Toyota Gazoo Racing, Peugeot TotalEnergies, Aston Martin THOR Team, BMW Team WRT, Alpine Endurance Team and the only new outfit in the top class grid in 2026, Genesis Magma Racing.
However, the full-season total of 36 cars in 2025 has not been matched or exceeded, as three Porsche 963s are absent from this year’s field: the two works cars from Porsche Penske Motorsport and the single privately entered example from Proton Competition.
Porsche has opted to scale back its factory prototype effort to IMSA GTP only, while Proton was unable to find a solution to field a second 963 to meet the two-car mandate.
Both Porsche and Proton will still be represented in the LMGT3 field, though. Manthey returns with the German manufacturer with a pair of 911 GT3 R Evos, and Proton will continue to compete with Ford Racing, operating two Mustang LMGT3 Evos.
Manthey and Proton form part of the 18-car LMGT3 field, which features two-car efforts from Aston Martin, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche.
While the list of manufacturers remains the same as in 2025, there are a few key changes. The most surprising omission is that of French outfit Racing Spirit of Leman, which enjoyed a strong debut campaign this year with Aston Martin. Instead, both Vantage LMGT3s will be run under the Heart of Racing banner for the first time.
DSC reached out to Racing Spirit of Leman for comment before the entry reveal and received no response. Previously, team manager Herminie Barbier told DSC before the Bahrain season finale that the team was working on its 2026 driver line-up for its planned second season in the championship.
Adam Carter, the head of endurance motorsport at Aston Martin, said of the change: “The Heart of Racing is an outstanding partner and the right one to spearhead Aston Martin Vantage’s world championship attack in 2026.
“We are fully aware of the team’s quality, the depth of engineering expertise and the intensity of the team’s approach to achieving success; and, of course, its track record supports its ambition. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for THOR to expand to a two-car operation in WEC next season. Aston Martin is proud to have THOR represent it in GT racing at the highest level, and we hope and expect exciting results from this expanding partnership.”
Iron Dames is also missing, following the team’s decision to scale back its sporting effort next year.
Elsewhere, TF Sport’s second Corvette will race under the Racing Team Turkey banner following Salih Yoluc’s return to full-time competition in WEC with the team. Of note, too, the list confirms that Corvette factory drivers Nicky Catsburg and Charlie Eastwood will compete with the team.
It appears that WRT will compete without Valentino Rossi as neither car is entered as #46. This change is one of many in the LMGT3 driver ranks. The number of seats available is reducing rapidly as we head towards the new year, following a flurry of driver reveals from several teams over the past 24 hours.
Interestingly, while neither name was announced, Manthey’s two Porsches being bannered as ‘Manthey DK Engineering’ and ‘The Bend Manthey’ suggests that James Cottingham and Yasser Shahin will be joining the team alongside confirmed drivers Richard Lietz and Ayhancan Güven.
A number of cars will sport a fresh look in 2026, across the field. In Hypercar, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW and Alpine are all bringing significant Joker updates to their cars. And in LMGT3, Evo-spec models will debut from Porsche, Ford and Ferrari. Every updated car, bar the Toyota (which is listed as a GR010 still, with the updates), recently tested at Daytona, where DSC was on hand to gain more insight into the improvements.
“The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship entry list once again brings together the most accomplished manufacturers, drivers and teams in endurance racing,” said ACO President Pierre Fillon. “The Hypercar category celebrated an astonishing seven different winning crews from eight races in 2025, and the silverware was similarly widely distributed in LMGT3, where six different line-ups tasted victory.
“This exceptional level of competition confirms that every entrant is performing at the highest standard and hungry for success. We are set for another outstanding season – one that continues to advance technology, sport and the future of endurance racing.”
Frédéric Lequien, FIA World Endurance Championship CEO, added: “The presentation of the FIA WEC entry list is a proud moment for us, particularly when it includes new additions as is the case for 2026 with the arrival of two Genesis Hypercars.
“We enjoyed a hugely entertaining season this year, welcoming more fans on-site than ever before and achieving the best engagement figures the series has ever seen. That is testament to the championship’s continuing growth, and with Ford and McLaren similarly set to swell the Hypercar grid in 2027, that popularity is only set to accelerate further.”
