Kelvin van der Linde enters the 2026 of GTWC Europe powered by AWS with a clear objective: defend his position at the top. After clinching both the Sprint Cup and overall titles alongside Charles Weerts, he now faces the challenge of maintaining that success in an increasingly competitive field.
Furthermore, expectations have risen significantly following last season’s achievements. Rivals now view van der Linde and his team as benchmarks, which inevitably adds pressure. Nevertheless, he embraces that challenge and channels it into motivation as he prepares for another demanding campaign.
A breakout year with BMW
The 2025 season marked a turning point in van der Linde’s career. After joining BMW Motorsport as a factory driver, he quickly established himself as a dominant force in GT racing.
Not only did he excel in GTWC Europe, but he also delivered standout performances in some of endurance racing’s most prestigious events. Victories at the Bathurst 12 Hour, Nürburgring 24, Suzuka 1000km, and Indianapolis 8 Hour underlined his versatility and consistency.
As a result, he secured the Intercontinental GT Challenge title, further elevating his reputation on the global stage. However, due to a return to the DTM, he will not defend that crown this year. This scheduling conflict forces him to prioritise, yet it also allows him to focus more intensely on his GT World Challenge Europe campaign.
Stability provides a competitive edge for van der Linde in 2026 GTWC Europe campaign
Continuity remains a central theme for van der Linde heading into the new season. He will once again partner Weerts, while Jordan Pepper joins the lineup for Endurance Cup races. This consistency within the team creates a strong foundation for performance.
“It’s great because I think the stability is good for any team,” van der Linde said to Sportscar365.
This stability reduces the need for adaptation, enabling the team to refine performance details from the outset of each race weekend.
“It means we shift our focus from working on driving and feeling comfortable to shifting the energy towards improving the car and improving the setup on a race weekend.”
Consequently, the team can dedicate more time to technical improvements rather than driver acclimatisation.
“That’s a big shift in terms of the way your weekend goes. If you have to start the weekend building confidence, it’s more difficult.”
This approach proved effective last season, and van der Linde believes it will remain crucial as competition intensifies.
Pressure builds after a dominant season
Following such a successful year, van der Linde acknowledges that defending titles presents a different kind of challenge. Rivals now analyse every detail of his team’s performance, searching for any advantage.
“Generally, we had a very successful season last year as BMW Motorsport. Naturally it’s very difficult to repeat that. There’s so many top lineups and teams every year and the focus is on us after the year we had last year.”
As a result, the margin for error becomes even smaller. Every decision, from strategy to setup, carries greater significance.
“For sure they’re not going to make it easy for us to come and defend the titles but that also gives me the extra motivation to go and execute better, make less mistakes and essentially that’s what wins championships.
“I’m confident in terms of execution. As we’ve proven in the past, we’ll be spot on with that. I’m motivated to carry on pushing for another title.”
Despite the challenges, his confidence reflects both experience and belief in the team’s capabilities.
“There’s other manufacturers and teams that also want to do some winning. We’ve got work to do.”
Rivals step up their game
While van der Linde remains focused on his own performance, he also recognises the growing strength of rival manufacturers. In particular, McLaren and Aston Martin have made significant strides.
“If you look at the trend from last year, a lot of the British manufacturers seem to be eyeing at race wins and are looking more and more competitive, especially Aston Martin,” he said.
“McLaren had a big resurgence last year. It also looks like they’re putting in a bigger effort in terms of sending factory drivers into their programs. Naturally those guys are, for me, the ones that are going to make the step that it requires to fight for a title.”
Weerts reflects on rising competition in GTWC Europe and having a new asset in Jordan Pepper
Teammate Charles Weerts also emphasised the growing intensity of the series. He points to last season’s dramatic Sprint Cup finale as evidence of how closely matched the field has become. This level of competition continues to increase each year, making consistency more important than ever.
“In Sprint we managed to get the title in the very last race,” he told Sportscar365. “We saw how tough it was for everybody. The level is very high. As we can see each year, it gets more and more difficult to be there and to fight for the top spot.”
Despite these challenges, Weerts remains optimistic about the team’s prospects, highlighting the strength that BMW-newcomer Jordan Pepper adds to the line-up.
“This season will definitely be the same. It’s going to be very difficult. But we have a very strong car and a very strong lineup. I’m very happy to have Jordan join the lineup. Everybody knows how quick he is and everybody knows how quick Kelvin is also. We all know how good WRT is to get the cars in the right window and to race at the right strategy.”
Endurance Cup: The missing trophy
Despite their success, one title remains elusive for van der Linde, Weerts, and their team. The Endurance Cup slipped through their grasp last season, going instead to Rutronik Racing’s trio of Sven Müller, Patric Niederhauser, and Alessio Picariello. This near-miss adds another layer of motivation for the upcoming season.
“I think it’s going to be up to us to deliver to where we belong and hopefully we can fight for a championship in Endurance Cup,” added Weerts. “I don’t think any of us three have won yet.”
