Several prominent drivers from the FIA World Endurance Championship and international GT racing will carry different FIA classifications in 2027, with Jonny Edgar, Riccardo Pera, Tom Fleming and Valentino Rossi among those provisionally promoted from Silver to Gold.
The latest batch of FIA driver rating changes will take effect from 1 January, subject to the conclusion of the appeal period. The list includes movement across all four categories, with several established professional drivers promoted to Platinum while other experienced racers have received lower classifications.
The changes could have significant consequences for teams planning their 2027 programmes, particularly in championships such as WEC where Bronze and Silver-rated drivers play an important role in determining eligible LMGT3 line-ups.
Notable provisional FIA rating changes for 2027
Gold to Platinum
- Julien Andlauer: Gold to Platinum
- Phil Hanson: Gold to Platinum
- Laurin Heinrich: Gold to Platinum
- Kyle Kirkwood: Gold to Platinum
- Christian Lundgaard: Gold to Platinum
- Norman Nato: Gold to Platinum
- Yifei Ye: Gold to Platinum
Silver to Gold
- Ben Doerr: Silver to Gold
- Jonny Edgar: Silver to Gold
- Tom Fleming: Silver to Gold
- Mathys Jaubert: Silver to Gold
- Joseph Loake: Silver to Gold
- Atsushi Miyake: Silver to Gold
- Riccardo Pera: Silver to Gold
- Valentino Rossi: Silver to Gold
- Ben Tuck: Silver to Gold
Bronze to Silver
- Dustin Blattner: Bronze to Silver
- Peter Dempsey: Bronze to Silver
Platinum to Gold
- Timo Bernhard: Platinum to Gold
- John Edwards: Platinum to Gold
- Benoit Treluyer: Platinum to Gold
Gold to Silver
- Alessandro Balzan: Gold to Silver
- Joao Barbosa: Gold to Silver
- Nico Bastian: Gold to Silver
- Townsend Bell: Gold to Silver
- Simona De Silvestro: Gold to Silver
- Michelle Gatting: Gold to Silver
- Paul Holton: Gold to Silver
- Alexandre Imperatori: Gold to Silver
- Pierre Kaffer: Gold to Silver
- Richard Lyons: Gold to Silver
- Kyle Marcelli: Gold to Silver
- Nicolas Minassian: Gold to Silver
- Alex Yoong: Gold to Silver
Silver to Bronze
- Lindsay Brewer: Silver to Bronze
- Vincent Capillaire: Silver to Bronze
- Conrad Grunewald: Silver to Bronze
- Erika Hoffmann: Silver to Bronze
- Tadas Karlinskas: Silver to Bronze
- Paul Lafargue: Silver to Bronze
- Zach Lumsden: Silver to Bronze
- Pippa Mann: Silver to Bronze
- Rolf Ineichen: Silver to Bronze
- James Walker: Silver to Bronze
Edgar receives Gold rating after successful 2026 appeal
Edgar represents one of the most significant changes among current WEC LMGT3 competitors. The TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R driver currently leads the championship points standings but will move from Silver to Gold if the provisional classification becomes final.
The Briton had originally been due to receive the same promotion ahead of 2026, but successfully appealed that decision and remained Silver. Retaining the classification allowed him to continue as part of TF Sport’s LMGT3 line-up this season.
The FIA has now provisionally moved Edgar into the Gold category from 1 January 2027, potentially affecting the types of GT line-ups available to him next season.
Pera, Tuck and Fleming also leave Silver category
Reigning LMGT3 champion Riccardo Pera will receive the same Silver-to-Gold promotion. The Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo driver claimed last year’s class championship and now joins Edgar among the leading WEC competitors moving out of the Silver category.
Proton Competition’s Ben Tuck has also been provisionally promoted. The Ford Mustang GT3 EVO driver joins Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo racer Tom Fleming among a sizeable group of current Silver drivers who will carry Gold status in 2027.
Fleming’s promotion follows a successful 2026 campaign that included his breakthrough GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup victory alongside Louis Prette at Zandvoort.
Rossi is another major name included among the changes. The MotoGP legend will move from Silver to Gold as his post-motorcycle racing career continues to develop in GT competition.
DTM race winner Ben Doerr and Atsushi Miyake have also been promoted. Miyake combines his Nissan SUPER GT commitments with competition in GT World Challenge Asia, adding another active international GT driver to the group leaving the Silver category.
Jaubert promoted after Hypercar season
Mathys Jaubert will also move from Silver to Gold after competing in the WEC Hypercar category with Genesis Magma Racing.
Jaubert had stood out within the top class because he was the only current WEC Hypercar driver without either a Gold or Platinum classification. His promotion brings him into line with the higher ratings generally carried by drivers competing at the top level of the championship.
The change comes during a season in which the rising French driver has continued his progression through prototype racing and the Genesis programme.
Dempsey moves from Bronze to Silver
Peter Dempsey will move from Bronze to Silver following a successful return to high-level motorsport after a 13-year absence.
Dempsey returned to competition with TF Sport this season and also contested the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup, where he and Eddie Cheever secured the Bronze Cup title during the Barcelona finale.
His promotion means he will no longer qualify as a Bronze-rated driver if the classification survives the appeal process. Dustin Blattner, one of Dempsey’s rivals during the GTWC Europe campaign in the Kessel Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, will make the same move from Bronze to Silver.
Factory drivers promoted to Platinum
Several established factory racers will receive the FIA’s highest classification in 2027.
Ferrari drivers Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson both move from Gold to Platinum, while Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA’s Norman Nato receives the same promotion. Porsche Penske Motorsport drivers Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich also step up to Platinum following their recent programmes at the highest level of sportscar competition.
Kyle Kirkwood and Christian Lundgaard complete the notable group promoted from Gold to Platinum.
Their upgrades sit at the opposite end of the classification changes from several experienced drivers whose ratings have been reduced for 2027.
Le Mans winners among drivers downgraded
Multiple 24 Hours of Le Mans winners feature among the most notable downgrades. Three-time winner Benoit Treluyer will move from Platinum to Gold, while two-time Le Mans victor Timo Bernhard receives the same change. John Edwards has also been provisionally moved from Platinum to Gold.
The Gold-to-Silver group is considerably larger. Alessandro Balzan, Joao Barbosa, Nico Bastian, Townsend Bell, Simona De Silvestro, Michelle Gatting, Paul Holton, Alexandre Imperatori, Pierre Kaffer, Richard Lyons, Kyle Marcelli, Nicolas Minassian and Alex Yoong are all set to receive Silver status.
LMP2 regular Paul Lafargue is among those moving from Silver to Bronze. Lindsay Brewer, Vincent Capillaire, Conrad Grunewald, Erika Hoffmann, Tadas Karlinskas, Zach Lumsden, Pippa Mann, Rolf Ineichen and James Walker have received the same provisional downgrade.
Several reviewed Silver drivers remain unchanged
Not every driver placed under review will receive a different rating. Several notable competitors remain Silver, which could prove important as teams begin building programmes around the 2027 classifications.
Drivers including Kobe Pauwels, Benjamin Pedersen, Doriane Pin, Tom Sargent, Toby Sowery, Parker Thompson, Alec Udell, Lilou Wadoux and Finn Wiebelhaus all retain Silver status following their reviews.
Notable drivers retaining their current rating
- Jarett Andretti: Bronze
- Michelle Beretta: Silver
- Julien Canal: Silver
- Ryan Dalziel: Gold
- Nicolai Elghanayan: Silver
- Chris Froggatt: Silver
- Sean Gelael: Silver
- Misha Goikhberg: Bronze
- Jeff Gordon: Gold
- Tyler Hoffmann: Bronze
- Elton Julian: Bronze
- Chad McCumbee: Silver
- Hunter McElrea: Silver
- Gray Newell: Bronze
- Aurelien Panis: Silver
- Kobe Pauwels: Silver
- Benjamin Pedersen: Silver
- Griffin Peebles: Silver
- Doriane Pin: Silver
- Nico Pino: Silver
- Aaron Povoledo: Silver
- Leonardo Pulcini: Gold
- Giorgio Roda: Bronze
- Tom Sargent: Silver
- Benny Simonsen: Bronze
- Toby Sowery: Silver
- Parker Thompson: Silver
- Tim Tramnitz: Silver
- Alec Udell: Silver
- Kay van Berlo: Gold
- Lilou Wadoux: Silver
- Finn Wiebelhaus: Silver
- Salih Yoluc: Silver
Appeal period remains before classifications become final
The FIA ratings remain provisional, with affected drivers receiving a short period in which to appeal their new classifications. A finalised list is expected later this month before the changes take effect on 1 January 2027.
The new classifications will not affect the 2026-27 Asian Le Mans Series. Drivers competing in that championship will retain their 2026 ratings for its entire November-to-February season, regardless of any change that takes effect at the beginning of the calendar year.
For other 2027 programmes, however, the changes could have a significant impact on team planning. The loss of Edgar, Pera, Tuck, Fleming, Rossi and Miyake from the Silver pool removes several high-profile options, while Dempsey and Blattner moving out of Bronze could similarly change the make-up of GT line-ups next season.
With the appeal process still open, some classifications may yet change, but the provisional list already points towards a substantial reshuffling of the driver-rating landscape for 2027.
