VISTA AF Corse returned to the top of the LMGT3 classification during the third and final Free Practice session (FP3) for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Barcelona, with Simon Mann setting the fastest time in the #21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo. The American recorded a 1:41.696 to finish 0.442 seconds ahead of Iron Lynx, while Akkodis ASP Team completed the top three.
The result continued Ferrari’s competitive start to the weekend after the Italian manufacturer secured an LMGT3 one-two during Friday’s opening Free Practice session. Meanwhile, Garage 59 McLaren followed in fourth after topping FP2, with Proton Competition Ford completing the top five.
Saturday morning’s session marked a significant change in the championship’s weekend format. For the first time, the 18-car LMGT3 field received a dedicated 60-minute FP3 session without the Hypercar entries, allowing teams to complete their final preparations before qualifying and Hyperpole later in the morning
Mann sets early benchmark for VISTA AF Corse
VISTA AF Corse reclaimed the leading position as Mann recorded a 1:41.696 in the #21 Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo, which he shares with François Hériau and Alessio Rovera. The American set his fastest lap during the opening half of the session, establishing an advantage that none of the other 17 LMGT3 competitors could overcome.
Dry but misty conditions greeted the field at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, providing teams with a different environment from Friday’s afternoon running. Nevertheless, the Ferrari maintained competitive pace throughout the session, with Mann’s benchmark remaining comfortably ahead of the nearest challenger.
The performance continued a strong weekend for the #21 crew, which had already topped FP1 through Rovera’s 1:41.420. Although Mann’s FP3 effort fell 0.276 seconds short of that earlier benchmark, it proved sufficient to secure the team’s second session-leading result of the event.
Furthermore, the #21 Ferrari’s return to the front demonstrated the crew’s consistency across the opening three practice sessions. With qualifying approaching, Mann, Hériau and Rovera will aim to convert that single-lap performance into a strong starting position for Sunday’s six-hour race.
Ferrari targets first LMGT3 victory in 12 races
Ferrari’s strong practice performance comes as the manufacturer attempts to end a lengthy winless run in the LMGT3 category. The Italian marque has not secured a class victory in its previous 11 FIA WEC races, despite remaining competitive against the championship’s other manufacturers.
VISTA AF Corse enters Barcelona with two experienced driver combinations, and both have demonstrated promising pace throughout the opening practice sessions. While the #21 crew topped FP1 and FP3, the sister #54 entry finished second during Friday morning’s session.
The performances provide Ferrari with encouragement ahead of qualifying, particularly as the manufacturer attempts to return to the top step of the LMGT3 podium before the season concludes at Monza. However, the closely matched field and changing competitive order suggest that Ferrari will face considerable opposition from Mercedes-AMG, Lexus and McLaren.
Mercedes-AMG takes second through Iron Lynx
Iron Lynx emerged as Ferrari’s closest challenger, with the #61 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 recording a 1:42.138 to finish second overall. Martin Berry, Rui Andrade and Maxime Martin share the entry, which ended the session 0.442 seconds behind Mann.
The result continued Mercedes-AMG’s encouraging Barcelona weekend, particularly after the sister #79 Iron Lynx entry secured third during Friday’s FP2 session. Although the manufacturer’s leading position switched between its two cars, both have demonstrated competitive pace ahead of Saturday’s qualifying programme.
The #61 Mercedes-AMG completed 29 laps during FP3, matching Ferrari’s leading entry and recording its quickest lap during the second half of the session. Its performance also placed the team 0.087 seconds ahead of the nearest Lexus, securing an important advantage in the battle for second.
However, the sister #79 Mercedes-AMG experienced a more challenging session. Johannes Zelger, Matteo Cressoni and Lin Hodenius finished 17th overall with a 1:43.768, leaving the trio 2.072 seconds behind the leading Ferrari.
The contrasting results demonstrated the variation in performance between the two Iron Lynx entries, with the team now aiming to translate its strongest practice pace into competitive qualifying positions.
Lexus maintains consistent front-running form
Akkodis ASP Team continued its encouraging performance in Barcelona, placing the #87 Lexus RC F LMGT3 third overall. José María López, Clemens Schmid and Petru Umbrărescu recorded a 1:42.225, finishing 0.529 seconds behind Ferrari and just 0.087 seconds behind the leading Mercedes-AMG.
The result represented an improvement over Friday afternoon’s FP2 session, when the same crew finished sixth. The #87 Lexus also reduced its previous benchmark of 1:42.575 by 0.350 seconds, strengthening its position among the leading contenders.
Meanwhile, the sister #78 Lexus of Tom Van Rompuy, Hadrien David and Esteban Masson completed the top ten with a 1:42.913. The crew finished 1.217 seconds behind Mann, marking a change from FP2, when it placed second overall behind Garage 59.
Nevertheless, both Lexus entries remained within the leading ten as teams concluded their final practice programmes. Their results provided Akkodis ASP Team with a promising foundation ahead of qualifying, although the #78 crew will aim to recover the stronger pace it demonstrated during Friday’s running.
Garage 59 remains competitive after topping FP2
Garage 59 continued its encouraging Barcelona weekend as the #58 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo finished fourth overall. Alexander West, Benjamin Goethe and Finn Gehrsitz recorded a 1:42.607, placing the trio 0.911 seconds behind the session-leading Ferrari.
The result followed a particularly strong Friday afternoon, when Gehrsitz topped FP2 with a 1:41.650. Although the crew could not replicate that performance during FP3, it maintained a position among the leading competitors and completed 31 laps.
Garage 59’s continued competitiveness also carries additional significance following its difficult conclusion to the previous round at Fuji. Gehrsitz suffered a major accident at Turn 1 during the Japanese race, bringing the team’s participation to an early conclusion and triggering a late Safety Car that significantly changed both championship battles.
However, the team has responded with competitive performances across Barcelona’s practice sessions, demonstrating encouraging single-lap speed as it prepares for qualifying. The crew will now aim to build on its progress and secure a strong starting position for Sunday’s race.
The sister #10 McLaren finished 12th overall, with Antares Au, Thomas Fleming and Marvin Kirchhöfer recording a 1:43.025. The result left the crew 1.329 seconds behind Ferrari, although the team will have another opportunity to improve its position during qualifying.
Sargeant leads Proton Competition Ford into fifth
Proton Competition emerged as the leading Ford representative during FP3, with Logan Sargeant, Giammarco Levorato and Stefano Gattuso finishing fifth overall in the #88 Mustang LMGT3.
The trio recorded a 1:42.620, finishing just 0.013 seconds behind Garage 59 and 0.924 seconds away from the leading Ferrari. Their performance represented an encouraging improvement from Friday afternoon, when the #88 Ford finished 15th in class.
The result also provided a welcome response following the team’s difficult outing at Fuji, where the #88 Mustang retired from the race. With the Barcelona finale approaching, the crew will aim to translate its practice performance into a stronger qualifying result and build momentum ahead of Sunday’s contest.
However, Proton Competition’s second entry endured a less competitive session. The #77 Mustang of Eric Powell, Ben Tuck and Sebastian Priaulx finished 18th and last with a 1:44.502, leaving the crew 2.806 seconds behind Mann.
The substantial difference between the two Ford entries reflected the changing order throughout the field, particularly as teams continued evaluating their setups during the final practice session
Barrichello leads Aston Martin into sixth
Heart of Racing Team secured sixth overall through its #23 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3, which Eduardo Barrichello shares with Gray Newell and Jonny Adam.
The trio recorded a 1:42.747, placing the car 1.051 seconds behind the leading Ferrari and just 0.127 seconds behind Proton Competition’s Ford. The result represented a considerable improvement over FP2, when the same crew finished 18th and last in the LMGT3 classification.
The performance provided encouragement for Heart of Racing following a difficult outing at Fuji, where the #23 Aston Martin retired. Consequently, the crew will aim to maintain its improved pace during qualifying and secure a stronger starting position for Sunday’s race.
Meanwhile, the sister #27 Aston Martin of Ian James, Zacharie Robichon and Mattia Drudi finished 13th with a 1:43.080. The result marked a change from Friday afternoon, when the team secured fourth overall in FP2.
Nevertheless, the #27 crew remains particularly important to the championship battle. Following podium finishes at Circuit of The Americas and Fuji, James, Robichon and Drudi have established themselves among the closest challengers to the championship-leading TF Sport Corvette.
VISTA AF Corse secures another top-ten finish
VISTA AF Corse completed an encouraging session with its second Ferrari also finishing among the leading ten. Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci and Davide Rigon recorded a 1:42.765 in the #54 Ferrari, securing seventh overall.
The trio finished just 0.018 seconds behind Heart of Racing’s #23 Aston Martin, continuing the close competition between the manufacturers. Although the #54 crew could not match its second-place result from FP1, it remained within reach of the leading midfield entries.
The result also gave Ferrari two cars among the top seven, strengthening the manufacturer’s overall presence in the final LMGT3 practice classification. With Mann topping the session and the sister crew remaining competitive, VISTA AF Corse will enter qualifying with encouraging prospects across both entries.
The Bend Manthey leads Porsche challenge
The Bend Manthey emerged as Porsche’s leading representative during FP3, with Yasser Shahin, Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz securing eighth overall in the #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3.
The trio recorded a 1:42.777, finishing 1.081 seconds behind Ferrari and just 0.012 seconds behind the #54 VISTA AF Corse entry. The result represented an encouraging performance for the 2025 LMGT3 title-winning operation as it continued preparations for Sunday’s race.
Meanwhile, Manthey DK Engineering finished 14th overall with its #91 Porsche. James Cottingham, Timur Boguslavskiy and Ayhancan Güven recorded a 1:43.101, leaving the crew 1.405 seconds behind Mann.
Although neither Porsche challenged the leading Ferrari, The Bend Manthey remained competitive against several manufacturers and secured a position among the ten fastest entries ahead of qualifying.
Team WRT places BMW ninth
Team WRT completed the leading nine with its #69 BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo, shared by Anthony McIntosh, Parker Thompson and Dan Harper.
The crew recorded a 1:42.798, finishing 1.102 seconds behind Ferrari and just 0.021 seconds behind The Bend Manthey Porsche. The result represented another encouraging performance following its fifth-place finish during FP2.
The #69 BMW also carries a distinctive appearance this weekend, with Team WRT reviving the historic BASF-inspired ‘Cassette Tape’ livery as part of its celebrations of BMW’s racing heritage.
However, the sister #32 BMW of Darren Leung, Sean Gelael and Augusto Farfus finished 16th overall with a 1:43.444. The result contrasted with the crew’s dramatic victory at Fuji, where Farfus climbed through the field following a late Safety Car to secure an important result for Team WRT.
Both BMW entries will therefore aim to improve during qualifying, particularly as the championship approaches its final two races.
Racing Team Turkey leads Corvette entries
Racing Team Turkey by TF emerged as the stronger of the two Corvette entries during FP3, with Peter Dempsey, Salih Yoluç and Charlie Eastwood placing 11th overall.
The #34 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R recorded a 1:42.968, finishing 1.272 seconds behind Ferrari and only 0.055 seconds behind the #78 Lexus.
Although the result left the crew outside the leading ten, it represented an improvement from FP2, when Racing Team Turkey finished 16th. The team will therefore aim to continue its recovery during qualifying as it seeks to conclude its 2026 campaign strongly.
TF Sport faces further work ahead of qualifying
The championship-leading #33 TF Sport Corvette endured another challenging session, finishing 15th overall with a 1:43.407. The result left the crew 1.711 seconds behind Mann and demonstrated the team’s continued difficulty in matching the leading LMGT3 competitors on outright pace.
TF Sport had also finished near the bottom of the order during FP2, leaving the championship leaders with additional work before Saturday’s qualifying session.
However, the team retains a strong position in the title battle. Following the previous round at Fuji, the #33 Corvette leads the LMGT3 Teams’ Championship with 86 points, holding a 24-point advantage over Heart of Racing’s #27 Aston Martin.
With only Barcelona and Monza remaining, the championship leaders will aim to preserve that advantage while improving their competitive position. Nevertheless, the strength of Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Lexus and McLaren throughout practice suggests that qualifying could provide a significant challenge.
Barcelona weekend continues with LMGT3 qualifying and Hyperpole
Saturday morning’s dedicated LMGT3 session marked an important development in the FIA WEC weekend format. Unlike the opening two practice sessions, which featured both categories on the circuit, FP3 gave the 18 LMGT3 entries exclusive access to the track for 60 minutes.
The revised schedule also separates the final practice and qualifying preparations for each category. LMGT3 competitors complete their running first, while the 17-car Hypercar field takes to the circuit later in the afternoon for its own dedicated FP3 session.
With practice complete, attention now turns towards the first competitive qualifying sessions of the weekend. LMGT3 qualifying begins at 11:50 local time (CEST) on Saturday, 17 October, with Hyperpole following at 12:10 to determine the leading starting positions.
Meanwhile, Hypercar FP3 takes place from 12:40 to 13:40, before qualifying begins at 15:40 and Hyperpole follows at 16:00.
Ferrari will enter LMGT3 qualifying having led two of the three practice sessions, although McLaren’s FP2 performance and the competitive form of Mercedes-AMG and Lexus suggest that the battle for pole remains open.
The inaugural 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Barcelona will begin at 12:00 local time on Sunday, 18 October, marking the penultimate round of the championship before the season concludes at Monza in November.
2026 WEC 6 Hours of Barcelona FP3 LMGT3 results
- #21 VISTA AF Corse — Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo — 1:41.696
- #61 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — 1:42.138 (+0.442)
- #87 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — 1:42.225 (+0.529)
- #58 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo — 1:42.607 (+0.911)
- #88 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — 1:42.620 (+0.924)
- #23 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — 1:42.747 (+1.051)
- #54 VISTA AF Corse — Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo — 1:42.765 (+1.069)
- #92 The Bend Manthey — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — 1:42.777 (+1.081)
- #69 Team WRT — BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo — 1:42.798 (+1.102)
- #78 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — 1:42.913 (+1.217)
- #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — 1:42.968 (+1.272)
- #10 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo — 1:43.025 (+1.329)
- #27 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — 1:43.080 (+1.384)
- #91 Manthey DK Engineering — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — 1:43.101 (+1.405)
- #33 TF Sport — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — 1:43.407 (+1.711)
- #32 Team WRT — BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo — 1:43.444 (+1.748)
- #79 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — 1:43.768 (+2.072)
- #77 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — 1:44.502 (+2.806)
