The 94th version of the Le Mans 24 Hours will function a capability grid of 62 vehicles, however there shall be fewer contenders combating for the general win within the Hypercar class.
Porsche’s departure from the highest division of the World Endurance Championship has contributed to a decline within the variety of Hypercar entries to 18 in 2026, down from 21 final yr.
The German producer had helped propel the highest class to a file tally in 2025, fielding three 963s on a manufacturing unit foundation, with privateer Proton Competitors coming into a fourth instance of the Multimatic chassis.
Though the Volkswagen Group model was eligible to take part in Hypercar this yr courtesy of its 2025 IMSA GTP title, its exit from the eight-round WEC prevented it from taking over its auto-invite.
One other notable absence from this yr’s Le Mans is Motion Categorical Racing, which had been racing at La Sarthe yearly because the introduction of the LMDh ruleset in 2023.
AXR’s shock exit leaves three Cadillac V-Collection.R LMDh vehicles in Hypercar: the 2 full-season manufacturing unit vehicles entered by Jota, plus an extra entry fielded by Wayne Taylor Racing. WTR, which raced at Le Mans for the primary time final yr after rejoining Cadillac’s fold, will carry an unchanged driver line-up comprising Filipe Albuquerque, Ricky Taylor and Jordan Taylor.
The departures of Porsche and AXR have been partially offset by the arrival of Hyundai’s luxurious marque Genesis, which can subject a pair of Oreca-based GMR001 LMDh vehicles within the full WEC.
In any other case, the Hypercar subject stays largely steady, with eight producers current on the grid: Aston Martin, Toyota, Cadillac, BMW, Genesis, Ferrari, Alpine and Peugeot.
Of these eight manufacturers, Ferrari will head into Le Mans on the again of three consecutive victories, whereas WEC stalwart Toyota will debut its rebranded TR001 Hybrid after finishing a serious overhaul of its LMH contender over the winter. Alpine, in the meantime, is about for its closing Le Mans look in the meanwhile, following its determination to withdraw from the WEC on the finish of the season.
A bigger LMP2 subject
#24 Nielsen Racing Oreca 07 – Gibson: Naveen Rao, Cem Bolukbasi, Colin Braun, #22 United Autosports Oreca 07 – Gibson: Renger Van Der Zande, Pietro Fittipaldi, David Heinemeier Hansson
Photograph by: Marc Fleury
A complete of 19 LMP2 vehicles will contest the secondary prototype division, together with 10 within the Professional-Am sub-category. This represents a modest enhance over 2025, when the category featured 17 vehicles.
Reigning LMP2 champion Inter Europol will return with a pair of Oreca 07s, each entered below the usual P2 sub-category this time, whereas the likes of United Autosport and Proton Competitors may also subject two vehicles every.
A number of groups are becoming a member of or returning to Le Mans this yr, together with DKR Engineering, IMSA common CrowdStrike Racing by APR, Vector Sport, Duqueine Workforce, CLX Motorsport and RD Restricted. Then again, RLR M Sport and CLR Pure Rxing are absent from this yr’s subject.
Most LMP2 groups didn’t announce their full driver line-ups, but it surely has been revealed that new McLaren Hypercar signing Mikkel Jensen will drive the #22 United Autosports Oreca alongside Rasmus Lindh and Gregoire Saucy. Different notable names within the LMP2 class embrace Doriane Pin (Duqueine), Pietro Fittipaldi (Vector), Tom Dillmann and Nick Yelloly (Inter Europol), Louis Deletraz and Dane Cameron (AO by TF), and Oliver Jarvis (United Autosports).
Expanded LMGT3 grid
#27 Coronary heart Of Racing Workforce Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3: Ian James, Mattia Drudi, Zacharie Robichon
Photograph by: Marc Fleury
The LMGT3 has grown to 25 entries with each Aston Martin and Corvette including an additional automotive in comparison with final yr, however with Porsche’s assault depleted after Iron Dames’s determination to drag out of the WEC.
The Coronary heart of Racing’s two Aston Martin Vantage GT3s entered for the complete WEC season shall be supplemented by an extra Vantage, run below the Racing Spirit of Leman banner. The last-named crew ran one automotive below its title within the full WEC final yr, however is absent from this yr’s grid as THOR takes over each entries.
Corvette may also enhance its presence, with TF coming into a 3rd automotive below the Racing Workforce by Turkey moniker and Orey Fidani’s 13 Autosport taking up the entry beforehand held by AWA.
Elsewhere, Kessel Racing will broaden to a second Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, successfully changing Ziggo Sport Tempesta within the Italian marque’s roster.
Additional, Garage59 will enter a pair of McLaren 720s GT3 Evos, having taken over the operating of the British producer’s LMGT3 programme from United Autosports, which is directing its consideration to its 2027 Hypercar programme.
In all, 9 producers shall be represented within the LMGT3 class at Le Mans: Corvette, McLaren, Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, Mercedes, Ford, Lexus and Ferrari.
Of these, solely BMW, Ford and Lexus will stick with their common two-car WEC entries, whereas the remaining producers broaden their presence for Le Mans.
Porsche will head to La Sarthe because the reigning LMGT3 champion, having been unbeaten because the introduction of the category at Le Mans in 2024.
There are additionally 9 vehicles on the reserve record, break up between 5 LMP2s and 4 LMGT3s.
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