McLaren outfit CSA Racing has confirmed that it will return to GT World Challenge Europe in 2026, with the French squad once again fielding a two-car effort.
Its #111 McLaren GT3 Evo will feature an unchanged driver line-up in the Endurance Cup, with McLaren factory drivers Simon Gachet and Arthur Rougier, and new McLaren junior driver James Kell, all returning for another Gold Cup assault.
The trio finished third in the Gold Cup drivers’ championship last season, following a win at Circuit Paul Ricard and further podium finishes at the 24 Hours of Spa and Nürburgring.
In the Sprint Cup, the #111 McLaren will be shared by Rougier and Kell, with the latter taking on the Sprint Cup for the first time.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with CSA Racing in 2025, we had some very strong results for their first year running the McLaren 720S GT3,” Kell said.
“I’m excited to be back with them for this year, ready to build on the momentum of last season, and to reward McLaren Customer Racing for their faith in me. The team were very driven to improve the car where possible and eager to learn and implement changes to give us, as drivers, the best car possible and I’m certain this mentality will carry forward into 2026.
“My GT World Challenge Europe calendar has doubled this year by taking on both Sprint and Endurance Championships. I’m extremely excited to get the season underway, especially as there is less time between events than in previous years. This will allow me to work with the team more closely across the whole season while racing with the best drivers on a monthly basis.”
For the shorter events, Gachet will switch to the sister #555 entry, which has been renumbered for this season, and contest the Sprint Cup alongside Romain Andriolo in the Gold Cup.
Andriolo joins CSA Racing from Haupt Racing Team, after making his GT World Challenge debut aboard a HRT-run Ford Mustang GT3 last season.
The #555 McLaren will also run in the Endurance Cup, in the Silver Cup class, with Andriolo joined by Lorens Lecertua and Baptiste Moulin. With an average age of just 20 years, this trio is set to be one of the youngest line-ups in the field.
Both Lecertua and Moulin competed in GT World Challenge Europe last season, racing in Silver for Sainteloc Racing and GRT – Grasser Racing Team respectively. Lecertua, notably, finished on the overall podium at Zandvoort last year, whilst Moulin is switching to the McLaren after six years racing Lamborghini Huracáns.
The 2026 GT World Challenge Europe season begins at Circuit Paul Ricard on 10th to 11th April 2026.
Image courtesy of CSA Racing
