A six‑hour endurance showdown will hit Austin’s Circuit of the Americas from 4 to 6 September as teams lock horns in the Lone Star Le Mans to chase 2026 World Endurance Championship titles.
Hypercar Clash Intensifies on the Lone Star Track
BMW and Toyota return to COTA with their flagship 1.6‑liter vapor‑fueled hypercars, demanding a superior aerodynamic setup to dominate the 10‑mile circuit. Ferrari pursues the two challengers, refusing to back down in the pursuit of a top‑tier finish.
Cadillac revives its domestic marquee with the V‑Series.R, now racing under the stewardship of Ricky Taylor in car #12. The mover aims to overturn the disappointment in Sao Paulo and re‑establish brand presence.
Genesis Magma Racing conducted a pivotal development test of the GMR‑001 model at COTA, affording the Korean manufacturer the opportunity to refine power‑train integration before the official race.
LMGT3 Tension Grows Around Corvette, Porsche, and the Others
Corvette Racing rallies its UK‑based TF Sport squad, piloting the #33 Z06 GT3.R driven by Jonny Edgar, for a commanding performance among the home crowds. The outfit currently leads the class points.
Porsche-Manthey’s #92, de‑fined by reigning champions Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz, holds a 27‑point deficit, but its drivers remain a threat to overturn the gap.
BMW‑WRT, AF Corse, Lexus‑ASP, and Ford‑Proton contributors also loom large as domestic contenders, capable of shaking the leaderboard mid‑round.
Schedule Snapshot for Lone Star Le Mans
Track events start on Friday with two free‑practice sessions: 11:30‑13:00 and 16:00‑17:30. Saturday hosts a single 11:00‑12:00 session preceding a chain of qualifiers and hyperpole runs, culminating in the race on Sunday, commencing at noon and concluding eight hours later.
Key timings:
- Friday 4 Sept – FP1: 11:30‑13:00
- Friday 4 Sept – FP2: 16:00‑17:30
- Saturday 5 Sept – FP3: 11:00‑12:00
- Saturday 5 Sept – LMGT3 Qualifying: 15:00‑15:12
- Saturday 5 Sept – LMGT3 Hyperpole: 15:20‑15:30
- Saturday 5 Sept – Hypercar Qualifying: 15:40‑15:52
- Saturday 5 Sept – Hypercar Hyperpole: 16:00‑16:10
- Sunday 6 Sept – Race: 12:00‑20:00 (approx.)
Watching the Race – Channels and Live Timing
Fans in Europe can tune into the entire World Endurance Championship via Eurosport, while North American viewers may opt for MotorTrend or HBO +. The FIA WEC’s new website and app expose live timing data supplied by Al Kamel, the series’ official timekeeper.
Free‑Practice 1 and 2 are not televised; however, they remain accessible through the timing platform. Official live coverage begins with Friday’s FP3, converting into on‑air broadcast later that day.
With a complex grid of hypercars, GT4 challengers, and a host of development platoons, COTA lays a hotbed of competition that will test every team’s engineering acumen and driver stamina.
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