Jonny Adam will return to the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2026 as part of The Heart of Racing’s LMGT3 line-up, with the two-time Le Mans class winner joining Dudu Barrichello and American rookie Gray Newell in the team’s #23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
The addition of Adam and Barrichello completes the team’s roster for the upcoming season. The Seattle-based team will field two cars in LMGT3 for the first time, with the #23 Vantage running alongside the returning #27 entry as the squad mounts what it hopes will be a Le Mans and title-winning campaign.
Adam, a works driver, returns to WEC for the first time since 2020. The 41-year-old Scot is a veteran of 36 WEC races and a two-time Le Mans GT class winner, having raced the factory Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE from 2015 to 2019. During that period, he helped secure the brand’s first GTE Pro victory at Le Mans in 2017 alongside Darren Turner.
From 2019, Adam competed with GTE Am partner team TF Sport, claiming four further class victories, including his second Le Mans victory, during the Covid-affected 2019–20 WEC super-season.
“I am super excited to be joining The Heart of Racing in 2026 and returning to WEC,” said Adam. “Teaming up with Dudu, who had some awesome performances last season in LMGT3, alongside supporting Gray’s first year in WEC and the Le Mans 24 Hours is something that I’m really getting fully involved in. The goal is to gain experience along the way and hopefully have some successful results for the team with the Aston Martin Vantage. I believe that’s entirely possible with this line-up.”
Barrichello joins THOR following a standout rookie WEC campaign in 2025 with Racing Spirit of Léman, where he claimed two LMGT3 pole positions and a podium finish at his home event, the 6 Hours of São Paulo. He also impressed on his IMSA debut at this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, finishing on the podium alongside Mattia Drudi, Zacharie Robichon and THOR Valkyrie driver Tom Gamble after being a victory contender throughout the race.
“It’s such a pleasure to be returning to WEC this year with such a special group of people,” said Barrichello. “I’m really excited to get going, and I’m beyond grateful for The Heart of Racing for the opportunity they have given me both in WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.”
Adam and Barrichello will race alongside Newell, who steps up to world championship competition after several successful seasons in SRO-run series in the United States. A race winner in the Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Newell finished on the class podium three times in GT World Challenge America during his first GT3 season in 2025, racing alongside Turner.
THOR’s second LMGT3 entry, the #27 Vantage, will again feature team principal Ian James, joined by 2022 IMSA GTD champion Robichon and Aston Martin works driver Drudi, a previous winner of the 24 Hours of Spa winner and last year’s Le Mans pole-sitter.
“We know that Gray has the potential to shine in WEC, based on his performances in other categories and because he’s grown up as a driver within the THOR family,” said James. “The best chance we can give Gray is to pair him with someone super-fast and renowned for his ability to nurture less experienced co-drivers to get the best out of them.
“There is no one in the business more suited to this role than Jonny. Meanwhile, with Dudu, his performances in WEC last year were outstanding, and he has already proved himself a vital part of our 2026 IMSA GTD programme. This is a very strong line-up and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve with our two Vantages in 2026.”
Aston Martin’s endurance racing boss, Adam Carter, welcomed the team’s expansion to a two-car LMGT3 programme.
“The Heart of Racing sets a high standard with its approach to GT racing both in WEC and its North American programmes,” said Carter. “Aston Martin is delighted to see, and fully supports, its expansion to two cars for this year’s LMGT3 assault. We are also pleased to see Jonny Adam return to WEC. His record speaks for itself and he sets an outstanding example for new drivers to learn from.
“Dudu Barrichello, meanwhile, has earned his place in the team following his performances in 2025. We’re excited to see what these two Vantages can achieve on the most prestigious stage of all.”
Featured image courtesy of Aston Martin Racing
