Daniel Serra heads into the 2026 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans carrying strong momentum after an impressive start to the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) season with Kessel Racing.
The Brazilian will compete in his 10th Le Mans alongside regular ELMS teammate Takeshi Kimura in the No.57 Kessel Racing Ferrari 296. Meanwhile, Danish driver Conrad Laursen joins the line-up for the iconic endurance race as Mathys Jaubert focuses on his Hypercar duties with Genesis Magma Racing.
After opening the ELMS campaign with a podium finish in Spain before securing victory at Le Castellet, the Ferrari crew currently leads the LMGT3 standings. Consequently, confidence inside the Kessel Racing camp continues to grow ahead of endurance racing’s biggest event.
Strong start to 2026 ELMS raises confidence levels ahead of 24 Hours of Le Mans
Serra admitted that the 2026 ELMS campaign has delivered one of the strongest starts he has experienced in recent seasons, while also praising the work being done behind the scenes by the team.
“This year we had the best start to the season we have had in years,” Serra said, “but that is thanks to the team, which is working very hard.”
The Brazilian also highlighted the progress made by Kimura, whose development has helped strengthen the team’s overall competitiveness.
“Kimura-san has also improved a lot. But we need to keep this up and keep improving, the competition is very high and with the success ballast we have now, we have to understand how to work with a car like that.”
Although the early-season results have been encouraging, Serra understands that maintaining momentum throughout a long endurance campaign remains a major challenge, especially with increasingly competitive LMGT3 grids.
Strong driver line-up key to Ferrari challenge
Over recent seasons, Serra and Kimura have built a strong partnership within Kessel Racing, while Jaubert’s arrival further strengthened the programme following his impressive ELMS performances in 2025. Serra spoke highly of both teammates and praised their dedication and pace.
“Kimura-san is a very committed driver, he always wants to improve, he is always checking the on-board videos, and he has really evolved over the year,” Serra said. “Mathys does not need many words, he is a super quick driver and it´s great to have him in the team. We have a very strong line-up for the season.”
For Le Mans, however, Laursen joins Serra and Kimura in the brightly coloured Car Guy-sponsored Ferrari 296, giving the team another talented addition for the demanding 24-hour contest.
Le Mans holds special meaning for Serra
Despite competing in many major endurance races throughout his career, Serra admitted that Le Mans continues to stand above the rest because of its unique atmosphere, challenge and history. The Brazilian also reflected on his favourite memories from previous appearances at the Circuit de la Sarthe, particularly his class victories with Ferrari. Those victories remain among the defining achievements of Serra’s endurance racing career and continue to motivate him ahead of another Le Mans campaign.
“Le Mans is the favourite race for most drivers and especially for me, as I love the long endurance formats of a 24-hour-race. There is so much involved! My best memories are surely from the years 2017 and also in 2019, when I won with Ferrari.”
Importantly, the experienced Ferrari driver insisted that he approaches the race with excitement rather than pressure.
“I don’t think of Le Mans as being a lot of pressure. We are well-prepared, the two races in the ELMS season have given us the confidence to go there. Le Mans is one of my favourite race tracks, not just because of the layout but also for the format, but my favourite part is the Porsche curves.”
Preparation remains the biggest factor as Serra targets victory at 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans
With 24 hours of racing presenting endless variables, Serra believes success at Le Mans depends on many different elements coming together rather than one decisive factor.
“I don´t think there is one key point to Le Mans,” Serra admitted. “There are a lot of things, all the preparation before the race, everyone is really committed and understands the target of the race. It´s all the hard work we put in before the race and during.”
The LMGT3 category will feature a highly competitive 25-car grid this year, creating one of the toughest classes in the entire event. Nevertheless, Serra made it clear that Kessel Racing arrives at Le Mans with only one objective.
“Our target is to win Le Mans, because you never remember who came second. That is our goal, not an easy one, but we will give our best.”
As Serra prepares for his landmark 10th appearance at the world’s most famous endurance race, Kessel Racing heads to Le Mans carrying confidence, momentum and a clear ambition to fight for another Ferrari triumph.
