Wright Motorsports has revised one of its Porsche line-ups for this weekend’s DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour, with Morris Schuring joining Thomas Merrill and Kévin Estre in the #120 Porsche 911 GT3 R for the eight-hour season finale.
Therese Lahlouh, who had originally been due to share the car with Merrill and Estre, will not compete as she continues recovering from an acute illness and allergic reaction. Wright will still field two Porsches at Indianapolis, but the revised #120 entry will now compete in the Pro category with three professional drivers.
The change follows Lahlouh’s absence from the previous GT World Challenge America round at Barber Motorsports Park, where Wright withdrew her regular entry to prioritise her recovery. The team had hoped she could return at Indianapolis, but her continued recovery has taken precedence over completing the season.
Schuring joins Merrill and Estre in Pro entry
Schuring will make his Wright Motorsports debut alongside Merrill and Porsche factory driver Estre, giving the team a formidable three-driver combination for its newly configured Pro entry.
The Dutchman arrives with extensive experience in Porsche machinery across several major championships. His résumé includes competition in the FIA World Endurance Championship, GT World Challenge Europe, DTM, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Asian Le Mans Series.
Schuring also arrives at Indianapolis during a successful 2026 campaign that has included competing with Porsche across international GT racing. The Indianapolis 8 Hour itself will represent a new challenge, however, with the 21-year-old preparing to contest the event for the first time.
“I’m very stoked to be joining the Wright Motorsports team and being a part of this lineup,” said Schuring. “It will be my first time at the Indy 8 Hour and I’m looking forward to it. It’s a race that has been on my bucket list, so I’m very happy that it’s happening for me now.”
He believes the combination of Wright, Merrill and Estre gives the crew the ingredients required to challenge at the front of the Pro field.
“I look up to the Wright Motorsports group with a lot of respect, they are fantastic, and I’m very happy to be working with Thomas and Kevin. I think it will be a strong package in the Pro category, we have fresh momentum and everything we need to do great things at Indy.”
Original Wright Motorsports plans reshaped
Wright had initially announced Estre as the third driver alongside Lahlouh and Merrill in the #242 Porsche, strengthening a pairing that had contested the full GTWC America season together. The original Indianapolis line-up placed Estre alongside Lahlouh and Merrill while Laurin Heinrich joined the team’s other entry.
Lahlouh and Merrill had spent 2026 developing together during Lahlouh’s first full GT3 campaign. Among their strongest weekends came at Circuit of The Americas, where they helped Wright complete a one-two Pro-Am finish and took second in class.
Their season was interrupted before Barber when Lahlouh suffered an acute illness and allergic reaction. Wright subsequently withdrew the car rather than attempt to rush her return, shifting its attention towards Indianapolis while allowing her additional recovery time.
The team has now confirmed that she will also miss the finale, ending her 2026 campaign earlier than planned.
Lahlouh ‘devastated’ to miss Indianapolis
Lahlouh expressed her disappointment at being unable to finish the season alongside Merrill and compete with Estre, but stressed that the setback would not diminish what she achieved during her rookie GT3 campaign.
“I’m devastated to have my season end early, but I’m not going to let this take away everything we’ve accomplished this year,” she said. “Missing Indianapolis is incredibly hard. Thomas has been such a huge part of my development, and the opportunity to share our car with Kévin was something I had been looking forward to so much.”
She added: “I wanted to finish this season strong with them and have a chance to kiss bricks with Wright Motorsports.”
Her absence follows a campaign in which she and Merrill showed steady progress aboard the Porsche. They also produced another strong recovery at Road America, where the #242 finished fourth in Pro-Am and sixth overall during a weekend in which Wright’s sister entry strengthened its championship position.
Wright prioritises Lahlouh’s recovery
Team Manager and COO Bob Viglione reiterated that Lahlouh’s health remains Wright Motorsports’ priority despite the disappointment of losing her from its Indianapolis programme.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed that Therese won’t be able to join us at Indianapolis, but the most important thing is that she continues to take the time she needs to fully recover,” Viglione said. “We’re grateful for everyone who has supported her throughout this process.”
The team nevertheless heads into the season finale with significantly strengthened outright ambitions following Schuring’s addition.
“At the same time, we’re very pleased to have Morris join Thomas and Kévin. He’s a talented Porsche driver with the experience and skill to step into this program seamlessly, and we’re confident this lineup gives the No. 120 a very strong opportunity to win in the Pro class.”
Wright retains two-car Indianapolis programme
The revised #120 joins Wright’s second Porsche in a two-car effort for the final GTWC America and Intercontinental GT Challenge event of 2026.
Wright enters Indianapolis with significant interest across both classifications. The team has already demonstrated its competitiveness throughout the domestic campaign, while Porsche also arrives in a commanding position in the IGTC Manufacturers’ Championship.
The revised line-up adds another strong Pro contender to a record field for the event. Estre brings extensive factory experience, Merrill has previous Indianapolis 8 Hour knowledge and Schuring arrives as a highly rated Porsche-contracted driver making his first appearance with Wright.
Their move into Pro also changes the role of the entry from the original Pro-Am configuration announced for Indianapolis, turning it into an outright-focused crew as Wright targets the final major victory available in its 2026 programme.
Indianapolis 8 Hour closes 2026 season
The DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour weekend runs from 8-10 October at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Saturday’s race begins at 12:30 p.m. ET and concludes at 8:30 p.m. after eight hours of competition.
The event serves as the finale for both GT World Challenge America and the Intercontinental GT Challenge, with multiple championship battles set to reach their conclusion during the race.
For Wright Motorsports, the weekend now carries a significantly different complexion from the one initially planned. Lahlouh’s continued recovery means her season finishes early, but the arrival of Schuring alongside Merrill and Estre gives the #120 Porsche a fully professional line-up capable of pursuing the overall victory.
