Kobe Pauwels delivered a remarkable performance on his 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) debut at Imola. The young Belgian stepped into the spotlight with confidence and composure, ultimately topping the LMGT3 timesheets in FP2.
Although his appearance came unexpectedly, Pauwels seized the opportunity and immediately proved his potential at the highest level of endurance racing.
Late call-up creates opportunity
Pauwels joined the Heart of Racing Team line-up after regular driver Eduardo Barrichello missed the event due to IMSA commitments. As a result, the reigning Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy winner received a surprise шанс to compete in the championship’s curtain-raiser.
At the same time, the 21-year-old continued his 2026 campaign with Comtoyou Racing in the GT World Challenge Europe, highlighting his growing reputation across multiple series.
Strong start in FP1 builds confidence with breakthrough performance in FP2 on opening day of 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Imola
Initially, Pauwels approached FP1 with caution. He worked alongside team-mates Gray Newell and Jonny Adam to understand the car and gather data. Nevertheless, he quickly found his rhythm and set the fastest time among the trio. Consequently, his lap secured sixth place overall in a highly competitive 18-car LMGT3 field. This early performance laid a solid foundation for the remainder of the day.
Building on that momentum, Pauwels elevated his performance in FP2. He delivered a stunning lap to claim the top position, finishing just 0.070 seconds ahead of fellow rising star Hadrien David.
Moreover, the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 proved competitive throughout the session, as Zacharie Robichon ensured both team cars remained inside the top three. Therefore, Heart of Racing Team ended the day in a strong position heading into Qualifying.
Pauwels’ performance did not come as a surprise to those familiar with his career. The Belgian previously claimed the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup Silver Cup title and also enjoyed success in rallycross, where he became a European champion before switching to circuit racing.
A “great” Friday for Pauwels on opening day at 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Imola
Reflecting on his impressive debut, Pauwels shared a detailed and thoughtful assessment of his first WEC outing at Imola Circuit. He spoke about the experience step by step, highlighting both the emotional significance and the technical progression across the two sessions.
Pauwels underlined just how meaningful this opportunity felt, especially given how quickly it arrived in his career trajectory:
“It’s been great!” enthused Pauwels. “To be making my FIA WEC debut is very exciting, and if I’m honest, has come earlier than I expected it would!
He then emphasised the importance of his development through the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy, explaining how it prepared him for this moment: “Winning the AMR Academy was a great honour for me. I learned a lot working with Aston Martin through the season and the test at the end of last year was an amazing experience, because you get to work with some outstanding people and that allows you to validate what you are learning as you develop.
Progress between FP1 and FP2
Pauwels detailed the team’s structured approach across the two practice sessions. He highlighted how measured preparation in FP1 translated into performance gains in FP2:
“We took it easy in FP1 today, just dialling everything in and going through the data and then in FP2, we made a few set-up changes, which obviously worked really well. On short-run Qualifying pace we are right there; on long runs, there’s still a bit of work to do, but we have time to think about what we need to change and we should be in a good window.
Finally, Pauwels reflected on ending the day at the top of the timesheets, while also reinforcing his determination to justify the team’s faith in him:
“I’m happy to end the day in P1 on my debut – I can’t complain about that – and I will continue to do my best to show Heart of Racing Team and Aston Martin that I was the right choice!”
As the day concluded, Pauwels emerged as one of the standout performers at Imola. His rapid adaptation, combined with strong team support, placed him firmly in contention for Qualifying.
