BMW M Team WRT and Team Peugeot TotalEnergies have confirmed their Hypercar driver line-ups for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season.
Both manufacturers aim to build on the progress achieved during the 2025 campaign. BMW improved its points tally by 23 compared to the previous year, while Peugeot gained 27 additional points and doubled its podium finishes.
Encouraged by those developments, each marque has opted for a strategic approach to driver selection as they prepare for the next stage of their respective programmes.
BMW maintains consistency across both cars for 2026 FIA WEC
BMW has chosen stability for its 2026 campaign by retaining the same six drivers who piloted the BMW M Hybrid V8 during the previous season.
The #15 Hypercar will once again feature Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor, while Robin Frijns, René Rast and Sheldon van der Linde will continue to share driving duties in the #20 entry.
This decision reflects BMW’s belief that continuity will accelerate the development of its Hypercar programme. With each race, the drivers gain additional experience with the upgraded BMW M Hybrid V8, which in turn helps refine the car’s performance.
“Consistency was our priority when selecting our Hypercar drivers for 2026,“ affirmed Head of BMW M Motorsport, Andreas Roos. “We are very satisfied with the performance of them all, so there was no reason to make major changes. With every race, our drivers gain more experience with the BMW M Hybrid V8, which is crucial for the continued progress of our programme.
“The key is that everyone works well as a team, pulls together and advances this project. That’s exactly what’s happening, and I’m very much looking forward to continuing this collaboration.”
Peugeot balances experience and new talent
Peugeot has also retained a strong core of its existing line-up while introducing new faces to strengthen the squad.
Paul Di Resta, Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen and Stoffel Vandoorne will all continue with Team Peugeot TotalEnergies. Meanwhile, Nick Cassidy and Théo Pourchaire join the programme as new recruits.
Di Resta and Duval will both embark on their fifth consecutive season with the team, providing vital experience and continuity within the project.At the same time, Peugeot continues to invest in emerging talent. Both Jakobsen and Pourchaire, aged just 22, represent the next generation of drivers within the manufacturer’s endurance racing programme.
Cassidy returns to Endurance racing
Nick Cassidy will make his Hypercar debut in 2026 after a lengthy break from endurance racing. The two-time FIA Formula E World Championship runner-up has already begun acclimatising to the Peugeot 9X8.
During the annual FIA WEC Rookie Test, he set the second-fastest time of the day, demonstrating promising early pace with the car.
Pourchaire, meanwhile, already gained valuable experience during his first race for Peugeot at the Bahrain season finale. During the event, he even briefly led the race during his stint behind the wheel.
“For 2026, we are confirming a solid and well-balanced roster of six full-season drivers combining youth and experience,” commented Peugeot Sport Technical Director, Olivier Jansonnie. “Loïc and Paul, who have been with us since the start of the programme, remain our pillars – their expertise and dedication continue to play a key role in our success.
“We also welcome Nick, who will make his Hypercar debut in 2026 and has already demonstrated impressive speed in other championships, as well as Stoffel, who knows the team very well – their experience will be valuable assets. Malthe, after a very strong first season with us, continues to show great potential, and Théo impressed in his first race in Bahrain. Both represent the quality of young talent within our programme.”
Final crew compositions to be decided
Although Peugeot has confirmed its driver roster, the team has yet to reveal the final composition of its #93 and #94 Hypercar crews.
That decision will come early in 2026, while Jean-Éric Vergne and Alex Quinn will support the programme as test and development drivers. Quinn also gained track time during the Rookie Test, contributing to the ongoing development of the 9X8.
Peugeot looking ahead to 2026 WEC campaign after a frustrating 2025 finale
Peugeot ended the 2025 season with a disappointing result in Bahrain despite showing strong pace earlier in the race.
Both 9X8 Hypercars qualified on the second row of the grid and ran competitively during the opening phases of the eight-hour contest. However, a late neutralisation period disrupted their strategy.
“We had opted for split-strategies and could have hoped for a top five finish,” rued Stellantis Motorsport Senior Vice-President, Jean-Marc Finot. “Unfortunately, our rivals took advantage of the safety car to get a ‘free’ pit-stop and we lost about four positions, but that doesn’t take away from the performance of the cars and the whole team. The potential is definitely there, and we can’t wait to show it in 2026!”
With refined driver line-ups and encouraging momentum from 2025, both BMW and Peugeot will now look to convert their progress into stronger results in the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship season.
