24 Hours of Le Mans 2026: Update on invitations

Apart from the cars already registered for the season in the World ChampionshipEndurance, the grid of 24 Hours of Le Mans is supplemented by invitations. Several of these are awarded by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) to competitors from other Endurance championships held across the globe: IMSA, European Le Mans Series, Asian Le Mans Series and GT World Challenge Europe.

The main subject of these invitations for 2026 obviously concerns PorscheThe German manufacturer has announced the withdrawal of its factory program from WEC at the end of the current season, but could be present on the grid via his IMSA titles. The champion of the North American series does not receive an automatic invitation, this being conditional on the registration of at least two cars in the World Endurance Championship.

The other two IMSA invitations have already been announced. Truman Award winner PJ Hyett will be able to defend his 2025 La Sarthe victory in the LMP2 Pro/Am class with AO Racing. Orey Fidani, who already won the Akin Award in LMGT3 in 2024, has won this award for the second year in a row. The Canadian will race in a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R under the auspices of 13 Motorsports and is expected to be joined by Matt Bell and Lars Kern.

In the European Le Mans Series, VDS Panis Racing earned an invitation with its LMP2 title. Runner-up Inter Europol Competition will also be on the trip. LMP2 Pro/Am champion AO by TF earned a second ticket to La Sarthe in addition to the IMSA one. TF Sport, also the LMGT3 champion with Corvette, added a ticket to this category.

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As Bronze Cup champions in GT World Challenge Europe, the Kessel Racing team is guaranteed an invitation to LMGT3 for the next 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Three invitations are still to be announced: the IMSA Hypercar class and the future LMP2 and LMGT3 champions of the Asian Le Mans Series. For the latter two, we will have to wait until early February 2026 and the end of the Asian championship.

24 Hours of Le Mans 2026
Invitations awarded

EUROPEAN LE MANS SERIES
LMP2 Champion (guest in LMP2): VDS Panis Racing
2nd LMP2 (guest in LMP2): Inter Europol Competition
LMP2 Pro/Am Champion (guest in LMP2): AO by TF
LMP3 Champion (guest in LMP2): CLX Motorsport
LMGT3 Champion (guest in LMGT3): TF Sport

ASIAN LE MANS SERIES
LMP2 Champion (invited to LMP2): to designate
GT3 Champion (guest in LMGT3): to designate

IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
At the discretion of the IMSA organization (guest in Hypercar): to designate
Trueman Award (guest in LMP2): PJ Hyett (AO Racing)
Akin Award (guest in LMGT3): Orey Fidani (13 Motorsports)

FANATEC GT WORLD CHALLENGE EUROPE
Bronze Cup LMGT3 Champion (guest in LMGT3): Kessel Racing

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