Team WRT has finalised its complete LMGT3 driver line-up for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, confirming that Valentino Rossi and Kelvin van der Linde will not return to the World Championship next year.
Following last week’s announcement of its Bronze-rated drivers Darren Leung and Anthony McIntosh, the Belgian squad has now confirmed the four additional pilots who will make up its LMGT3 assault.
In a significant overhaul, only one of last year’s six drivers has remained, with both cars also changing numbers. BMW M factory driver Augusto Farfus is the returnee, with the Brazilian being joined in the #32 M4 GT3 Evo by Leung and Sean Gelael, in a reunification of one of WRT’s 2024 line-ups.
Farfus, Leung and Gelael scored WRT’s only LMGT3 victory to date at that year’s 6 Hours of Imola, and finished second at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, before the latter pair switched to United Autosports’ McLaren LMGT3 Evo for 2025. Both Leung and Gelael are familiar with the upgraded ‘Evo’ spec M4 GT3 introduced for 2025, however, having shared a car in select GT World Challenge Europe rounds this season for Leung’s Paradine Competition outfit.
“I’m really looking forward to driving with Sean and Darren again next season,” said Farfus. “We had a lot of success with this pairing in 2024. We are now entering our third season in the FIA WEC and have significantly more experience than back then. Accordingly, the goal is to be fully competitive and fight for the world title.”
In the #69 BMW, McIntosh will be joined by his mentor Parker Thompson and BMW M factory driver Dan Harper, with the trio also competing for WRT in the Asian Le Mans Series this winter as preparation.
Both Thompson, who raced for Vasser Sullivan Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this year, and Harper, are FIA WEC rookies, whilst McIntosh took on a part-time campaign in the championship this year aboard Racing Spirit of Leman’s Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3.
Northern Irishman Harper, who has been in the BMW ranks since 2021, is no stranger to Pro/Am racing, having won the 2023 British GT GT3 drivers’ title with Leung, a relationship which has continued since with starts in GT World Challenge Europe and victory at British GT’s blue-riband Silverstone 500 this year. The 25-year-old also raced full-time in IMSA with Paul Miller Racing this season, alongside starts in the 24-hour races at Dubai and Spa.
“The FIA WEC is a new racing series with new circuits for me. I’m extremely excited to be competing in an official FIA World Championship,” said Harper. “The highlight will obviously be Le Mans. I am proud to have made it this far to be able to take part in this event. I have gained a lot of experience working with Bronze drivers over the past few years. My first impression of Parker and Anthony is very good.
“Together with Team WRT we will certainly have a lot of fun and form a strong team. Before that, I’m looking forward to returning to Daytona with Paul Miller Racing. It’s a fantastic race and the four of us drivers should be strong enough to have a good chance of winning in our class.”
Team WRT will be hoping for its LMGT3 programme to rebound next season, following a 2025 campaign which fell below its lofty standards. The team failed to win a race, had a double DNF at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and ended the season with its best car eighth in the championship.
In terms of the future for ‘The Doctor’, a return to GT World Challenge Europe appears to be his most likely destination for 2026, with Rossi exiting the FIA WEC despite a change in LMGT3 tyre regulations which he is understood to have requested.
Feature image © dailysportscar.com
