GMG Racing secured a historic victory at the 2026 DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour, with Kyle Washington, Riccardo Pera and Ayhancan Güven delivering Porsche its first overall win at the event. The result also secured the German manufacturer its fourth Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) Manufacturers’ Championship.
The #32 Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo finished a record 56.209 seconds ahead of Archangel Motorsports’ McLaren following a decisive alternative strategy. In doing so, GMG Racing became the first Pro-Am entry to win the Indianapolis 8 Hour outright in the event’s seven-year history, while Washington also secured the GT World Challenge (GTWC) America Pro-Am Drivers’ Championship.
Meanwhile, Maxime Martin claimed his first IGTC Drivers’ Championship after finishing fifth overall with Mercedes-AMG Team JMF Motorsports. The Belgian overturned Maro Engel’s eight-point advantage, capitalising on his compatriot’s absence and Luca Stolz’s early retirement to secure the title by four points.
GMG Racing takes historic Indianapolis 8 Hour victory
GMG Racing entered the season finale aiming to secure the GTWC America Pro-Am title, with Washington sharing the #32 Porsche alongside Pera and Güven.
Although the trio demonstrated competitive pace, their victory chances initially appeared limited as several other entries established themselves near the front. Washington completed his opening stints outside the top ten, maintaining a consistent pace while avoiding incidents during the opening stages.
However, the team’s strategy began to unfold shortly before halfway. Rather than following the same pit-stop sequence as the leading competitors, GMG made an early stop to position the car favourably for the remaining distance.
The decision proved decisive as the final five hours and 39 minutes ran without further caution periods. With Washington having already completed his minimum driving time, Pera and Güven were able to handle the remaining stints and gradually establish an advantage.
The pair delivered consistent pace throughout the closing stages, with Pera recording the race’s fastest lap of 1:23.573. Their performance allowed GMG to take control as the different pit-stop strategies converged.
Güven eventually crossed the line after 323 laps, securing a record-breaking Indianapolis victory by more than 56 seconds.
Alternative strategy proves decisive for Porsche
GMG’s decision to alter its pit-stop sequence was central to its success, allowing the team to maximise the performance of its two professional drivers during the latter stages.
The team committed to its alternative approach before reaching the halfway mark, bringing the #32 Porsche into the pits with approximately 20 minutes remaining in its permitted stint. This enabled it to calculate the timing of its subsequent stops around the scheduled finish.
Washington’s early completion of his minimum driving time proved equally important. Although the American initially ran outside the leading positions, he kept the car competitive and avoided the incidents that disrupted several rivals.
Pera subsequently took over and began moving the Porsche forward, while Güven maintained the team’s momentum during his own stints. Their pace ensured the alternative strategy remained viable as the race progressed.
Crucially, the absence of further caution periods meant GMG did not lose its advantage through an unexpected neutralisation. While other teams continued following their established pit-stop cycles, the #32 Porsche moved into position to challenge for the overall lead.
By the closing stages, the strategy had delivered a substantial advantage, allowing Güven to complete the final stint without facing a serious challenge for victory.
GMG secures first Pro-Am overall victory at Indianapolis
The result marked a significant milestone for GMG Racing, which became the first Pro-Am team to secure an outright Indianapolis 8 Hour victory.
The achievement was particularly notable given the strength of the Pro field, which included several factory-supported drivers and established international GT3 teams. However, GMG’s effective strategy and the performances of all three drivers allowed the Pro-Am entry to overcome its theoretically stronger rivals.
Washington’s disciplined opening stints provided the foundation, while Pera and Güven delivered the necessary pace to capitalise on the team’s strategic advantage.
The victory also secured Washington the 2026 GTWC America Pro-Am Drivers’ Championship, completing a successful campaign for the American driver.
Pera’s addition to the line-up proved especially valuable. The Italian replaced Washington’s regular teammate Tom Sargent for the Indianapolis finale and delivered a strong performance, including the fastest lap of the race.
Meanwhile, Güven added another major GT3 victory to his growing record after securing the DTM Drivers’ Championship in 2025.
Their combined performance delivered one of the most significant results in GMG Racing’s history and provided Porsche with the victory necessary to conclude its IGTC season in emphatic fashion.
Martin enters finale facing eight-point championship deficit
While GMG Racing battled for the overall victory, Martin entered Indianapolis facing a different challenge in the IGTC Drivers’ Championship.
The Belgian began the final round third in the standings with 60 points, eight behind Engel and one behind Stolz. Although Engel remained the Championship leader, his DTM commitments prevented him from competing at Indianapolis, leaving the title battle dependent on the performances of his rivals.
Martin joined Michai Stephens and Mikaël Grenier in the #34 Mercedes-AMG Team JMF Motorsports entry, providing him with an opportunity to score the points required to overturn the deficit.
His Championship prospects also depended on finishing ahead of Stolz, who competed in the #80 Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing entry alongside Lin Hodenius and five-time IndyCar Champion Álex Palou.
The two Mercedes-AMG drivers therefore entered the weekend with separate opportunities to challenge Engel’s total, although both needed competitive results to secure the crown.
Martin’s task was to finish no lower than fifth among IGTC-eligible entries while beating Stolz, ensuring he could move ahead of the absent Championship leader.
Stolz’s title hopes end in opening ten minutes
The Drivers’ Championship battle changed dramatically during the opening stages when Stolz’s challenge ended after just ten minutes.
Hodenius, who started the #80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG, crashed into a stranded Kellymoss Porsche at Turn 1. The resulting damage forced the team to retire, eliminating Stolz from contention before he could complete a racing stint.
The incident also prevented Palou from making his Indianapolis 8 Hour race appearance, bringing an early conclusion to one of the weekend’s most anticipated driver combinations.
For Martin, the retirement removed his closest active Championship rival. However, the Belgian still needed to complete the race in a sufficiently strong position to overturn Engel’s existing points advantage.
With Stolz unable to improve on his 61-point total, Martin’s focus shifted towards maintaining a competitive position with JMF Motorsports.
The early accident also represented a setback for Mercedes-AMG’s Manufacturers’ Championship ambitions, as the German marque entered Indianapolis attempting to overcome Porsche’s substantial advantage.
Although the manufacturer retained opportunities to score through its remaining entries, the loss of Lone Star Racing significantly reduced its chances of challenging Porsche for the title.
JMF Motorsports leads before losing ground
Martin’s #34 Mercedes-AMG emerged among the leading contenders during the opening half of the race, with Stephens and Grenier delivering competitive performances.
Stephens moved through the field during the early stages and established JMF at the front of the Pro category. Grenier subsequently maintained the team’s strong position, with the Mercedes-AMG leading during portions of the second and third hours.
However, the race began to turn against JMF following a sequence of pit stops approaching halfway.
Martin took over from Stephens but struggled to bring his tyres into their operating window during the opening laps of his stint. Heavy traffic compounded the difficulties, allowing AF Corse USA’s Ferrari to move ahead.
The Ferrari, shared by Matías Pérez Companc, Nicklas Nielsen and Frederik Schandorff, consequently established itself as the leading Pro entry, while JMF dropped behind its rivals.
Although the Mercedes-AMG remained competitive, the team gradually lost ground as the different strategies unfolded.
Martin eventually finished fifth overall and third in Pro, one lap behind the winning GMG Porsche. Nevertheless, the result proved sufficient to deliver the Drivers’ Championship.
Fifth place secures Martin’s first IGTC Drivers’ title
Martin’s fifth-place overall finish placed him fourth among IGTC-eligible entries because Archangel Motorsports’ second-place McLaren was not registered to score Championship points.
The result delivered 12 points, taking the Belgian to 72 and moving him four clear of Engel’s 68-point total.
Stolz completed the leading three with 61 points after his early retirement, while Porsche’s Laurin Heinrich finished fourth in the Championship following his sixth-place overall finish at Indianapolis.
Martin’s victory made him the 11th different IGTC Drivers’ Champion in the series’ 11 seasons, extending the Championship’s record of producing a new title winner every year.
The result also gave Mercedes-AMG another Drivers’ crown, with the manufacturer securing all three leading positions through Martin, Engel and Stolz.
Although JMF Motorsports ultimately missed out on the race victory, its performance proved decisive in the Championship battle. The Belgian’s consistent season, which included victories at Bathurst and the Nürburgring, provided the foundation for his title-winning Indianapolis result.
Archangel Motorsports secures second after strong recovery
Behind GMG Racing, Archangel Motorsports delivered an impressive performance to secure second overall with Todd Coleman, Aaron Telitz and Thomas Fleming.
The #69 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo started eighth but gradually moved through the field as the race progressed. Although the team did not feature among the principal victory contenders during the early stages, its consistent pace and effective strategy brought it into contention for a podium.
Telitz made important progress during the closing hours, overtaking Schandorff’s Ferrari before the final pit-stop sequence.
Fleming subsequently took over and emerged ahead of Turner Motorsport’s BMW, moving the McLaren into second overall.
Although he could not close the substantial advantage held by Güven, Fleming maintained the team’s position until the chequered flag.
The result completed a Pro-Am one-two finish, with Archangel joining GMG Racing on the overall podium ahead of the leading Pro entries.
It also underlined the effectiveness of the Pro-Am competitors during a race in which strategy and consistent execution proved just as important as outright pace.
Turner Motorsport claims Pro victory and GTWC America title
Turner Motorsport completed the overall podium, with Justin Rothberg, Connor De Phillippi and Robby Foley securing third place in the #29 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
The team had started from pole following Foley’s Superpole performance, although Alex Sedgwick initially took the outright lead in the #6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3 EVO.
As the race developed, Turner emerged among the principal Pro contenders alongside JMF Motorsports and AF Corse USA.
The fight for class victory intensified during the closing stages, with Foley closing on Schandorff’s Ferrari as darkness approached.
The BMW driver eventually made the decisive pass to move into the Pro lead, although he had to repeat the manoeuvre following the final pit stops.
Foley’s performance secured Turner the Pro class victory, finishing third overall behind the two leading Pro-Am entries.
The result also delivered the 2026 GTWC America Pro Drivers’ Championship to Foley and Rothberg, marking their third consecutive title after securing the Pro-Am crown in the previous two seasons.
Porsche secures fourth IGTC Manufacturers’ Championship
GMG Racing’s victory also confirmed Porsche as the 2026 IGTC Manufacturers’ Champion, securing the marque’s fourth title and second in three seasons.
The German manufacturer entered Indianapolis with a 38-point advantage over Mercedes-AMG following its dominant Suzuka 1000km performance, where AO by Absolute Racing secured victory and the sister Absolute Racing entry finished third.
Porsche therefore required only a modest score at Indianapolis to secure the Championship, although GMG’s overall triumph delivered considerably more.
The winning #32 Porsche collected the maximum 25 points, while Heinrich and his Wright Motorsports teammates contributed another ten by finishing sixth overall.
Those results increased Porsche’s Championship total to 167 points, extending its advantage over Mercedes-AMG to 55.
The title completed an exceptional conclusion to the manufacturer’s campaign, which included consecutive overall victories at the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, Suzuka 1000km and Indianapolis 8 Hour.
Porsche therefore finished the season with both the Manufacturers’ crown and its maiden overall Indianapolis victory, despite Mercedes-AMG securing the Drivers’ Championship through Martin.
Bohn denies Li fourth Independent Cup victory
The Independent Cup provided another late storyline, although Kerong Li had already secured the Championship at Suzuka.
The Chinese driver entered Indianapolis with 93 points and an opportunity to reach the maximum possible total of 100 by securing another victory.
Li competed with High Class Racing in the #86 Porsche alongside Anders Fjordbach and Hongli Ye, with the trio remaining among the leading Independent Cup contenders throughout the race.
However, their hopes of another victory ended during the final half-hour when Ye was forced into a late pit stop, allowing Herberth Motorsport to move ahead.
Ralf Bohn consequently secured the Independent Cup victory, sharing the #91 Porsche with Alfred and Robert Renauer. The trio finished eighth overall, ahead of High Class Racing in tenth.
Bohn’s victory increased his Championship total to 55 points, securing second place behind Li, who remained on 93 after the application of the category’s four-best-results rule.
Although Li missed the opportunity to secure the maximum points total, his three victories across the season were sufficient to deliver a commanding Championship triumph.
Indianapolis concludes dramatic 2026 IGTC season
The Indianapolis 8 Hour brought a memorable conclusion to the 2026 Intercontinental GT Challenge, with GMG Racing delivering a historic overall victory while the remaining Championship battles were decided.
Washington, Pera and Güven combined effective strategy with strong individual performances to secure the first Pro-Am overall victory in the event’s history. Their success also delivered Porsche its fourth Manufacturers’ crown and completed a remarkable run of three consecutive IGTC victories.
Martin, meanwhile, secured the Drivers’ Championship despite JMF Motorsports losing its early advantage in the race. Stolz’s retirement and Engel’s absence opened the door for the Belgian, who produced the result needed to overturn the eight-point deficit.
The event also delivered GTWC America titles to Washington and Turner’s Foley and Rothberg, while Bohn secured the Independent Cup victory ahead of Champion Li.
With the 2026 season concluded, the IGTC will return in February 2027 for the Bathurst 12 Hour, beginning another campaign across some of the world’s most prestigious GT3 endurance races.
