Hadrien David secured LMGT3 pole position for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Monza, delivering a remarkable Hyperpole performance for Akkodis ASP Team during the final appearance of the Lexus RC F LMGT3. The Frenchman recorded a 1:47.523 in the #78 Lexus, narrowly defeating championship leader Jonny Edgar by just 0.014 seconds.
The result marked David’s second pole position of the season, following his success at Spa-Francorchamps, and the fourth for Lexus in the LMGT3 category. Ben Tuck completed the top three for Proton Competition, while Eduardo Barrichello finished fourth after losing a potentially pole-winning lap for exceeding track limits.
Meanwhile, the championship battle produced contrasting qualifying results. Edgar secured a front-row start for TF Sport, while his closest challengers, The Bend Manthey and Racing Team Turkey by TF, qualified 11th and tenth respectively. Team WRT’s #69 BMW also fell out of championship contention after failing to advance into Hyperpole.
Changing conditions played a significant role throughout Saturday’s sessions, with the circuit gradually drying after another wet morning at Monza.
2026 FIA WEC 6 Hours of Monza: LMGT3 Qualifying
The opening LMGT3 qualifying session took place in damp conditions, with the circuit continuing to dry following Saturday morning’s FP3. Although several competitors had demonstrated strong pace during practice, the changing surface presented a different challenge as the 18-car field attempted to secure one of the ten available Hyperpole positions.
The session suffered an early interruption when François Hériau lost control of the #21 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari at the Ascari Chicane. The Frenchman spun into the barriers on his out-lap, prompting officials to deploy the red flag before several competitors had established representative lap times.
Hériau’s accident prevented the #21 crew from setting a qualifying time, bringing a disappointing end to its competitive preparations. The entry had led LMGT3 during FP3 through Alessio Rovera, who recorded a 1:56.069 in the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo.
Iron Lynx’s Martin Berry also encountered difficulties, spinning at the Roggia Chicane in the #61 Mercedes-AMG. However, the Australian recovered and continued his programme, eventually securing a place in Hyperpole.
Dempsey tops opening Qualifying session for Racing Team Turkey
Racing Team Turkey by TF emerged fastest during the opening qualifying session, with Peter Dempsey recording a 1:48.440 in the #34 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R.
The Irishman’s performance represented a substantial improvement compared with Friday’s practice sessions, when the #34 Corvette struggled to match the leading competitors. The entry subsequently finished 18th and last in FP3, leaving the team with considerable work to complete before qualifying.
However, Dempsey delivered when it mattered, establishing a benchmark that none of his rivals could match as the circuit continued drying. He finished 0.449 seconds ahead of the nearest challenger, securing Racing Team Turkey’s place among the ten Hyperpole contenders.
The result also carried significance for the championship battle. Dempsey shares the Corvette with Salih Yoluç and Charlie Eastwood, with the trio entering Monza third in the LMGT3 Teams’ Championship.
Having secured victory at São Paulo earlier in the season, Racing Team Turkey remains mathematically capable of challenging the leading #33 TF Sport Corvette for the title.
Proton Competition secures double Hyperpole appearance
Proton Competition also enjoyed an encouraging opening session, placing both Ford Mustang LMGT3 entries among the leading three.
Stefano Gattuso qualified second in the #88 Mustang with a 1:48.889, finishing 0.449 seconds behind Dempsey. The result secured another Hyperpole opportunity for teammates Giammarco Levorato and Logan Sargeant, following the team’s competitive performances throughout the Monza weekend.
The sister #77 Ford followed in third, with Eric Powell recording a 1:49.384. The American finished 0.944 seconds behind Dempsey, ensuring Ben Tuck and Sebastian Priaulx would also have an opportunity to challenge for pole.
The results continued Proton Competition’s strong form after the team secured a one-two finish during FP2. Priaulx had topped Friday afternoon’s session with a 1:50.352, narrowly defeating Sargeant by 0.087 seconds.
Although the circuit conditions differed considerably by the time qualifying began, both Mustangs remained competitive. Their progression provided Ford with two opportunities to challenge for a leading starting position during the final Hyperpole session of the season.
Aston Martin and Lexus advance as TF Sport maintains title advantage
Heart of Racing Team secured two Hyperpole appearances, with Gray Newell placing the #23 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 fourth during the opening session.
Newell recorded a 1:49.490, finishing 1.050 seconds behind Dempsey. The result allowed teammate Barrichello to continue his impressive Hyperpole record, having established himself as one of the category’s strongest qualifying performers during the previous two seasons.
The sister #27 Aston Martin also advanced through Ian James, who secured fifth with a 1:50.131.
Akkodis ASP Team followed with both Lexus entries, as Petru Umbrărescu qualified sixth in the #87 RC F LMGT3 with a 1:50.147. The sister #78 car progressed in eighth through Tom Van Rompuy, who recorded a 1:50.356.
Iron Lynx’s #61 Mercedes-AMG split the two Lexus entries in seventh, while Ben Keating secured ninth for the championship-leading #33 TF Sport Corvette.
James Cottingham completed the Hyperpole field, qualifying tenth in the #91 Manthey DK Engineering Porsche with a 1:50.742.
The results established a competitive ten-car shootout featuring seven manufacturers, with both Ford, Aston Martin, Lexus and Corvette entries advancing.
The Bend Manthey narrowly misses Hyperpole as BMW title hopes end
The Bend Manthey experienced a significant setback during the opening qualifying session, with Yasser Shahin narrowly missing a place in Hyperpole.
The Australian recorded a 1:50.820 in the #92 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3, finishing just 0.078 seconds behind Cottingham’s tenth-placed #91 Porsche. The result left the championship-challenging crew of Shahin, Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz 11th on the starting grid.
The elimination represented a disappointing outcome following Manthey’s victory at Barcelona, which had reduced its championship deficit to TF Sport.
Team WRT also endured a difficult qualifying session, with Anthony McIntosh finishing 16th in the #69 BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo. The American recorded a 1:51.332, leaving the entry outside Hyperpole and ending its mathematical championship challenge.
The sister #32 BMW qualified 12th through Darren Leung, while Iron Lynx’s #79 Mercedes-AMG followed in 13th.
Garage 59’s #58 McLaren secured 14th, ahead of the #54 VISTA AF Corse Ferrari in 15th. The team’s sister #10 McLaren failed to record a valid qualifying time, while Hériau’s earlier accident left the #21 Ferrari without a lap.
2026 FIA WEC 6 Hours of Monza: LMGT3 Hyperpole
The ten fastest LMGT3 entries returned to the circuit for Hyperpole as conditions continued improving at Monza. With the surface becoming progressively drier, drivers had an opportunity to substantially improve upon the times recorded during the opening qualifying session.
The changing conditions produced a particularly close contest, with the leading competitors recording their fastest laps during the final stages.
Aston Martin initially appeared to have secured pole through Barrichello, who produced an exceptional lap in the #23 Heart of Racing entry. However, a track limits infringement resulted in the deletion of his fastest time, dramatically changing the order.
David ultimately emerged fastest in the #78 Lexus, securing a 1:47.523 and finishing just 0.014 seconds ahead of Edgar’s Corvette.
The margin represented the second-smallest pole position advantage in LMGT3 history, highlighting the intensity of the battle between the leading contenders.
David secures second LMGT3 pole during final Lexus WEC appearance
David delivered a remarkable performance for Akkodis ASP Team, securing pole position during the final FIA WEC appearance of the Lexus RC F LMGT3.
The 22-year-old recorded a 1:47.523 in the #78 Lexus, adding to his earlier pole position at Spa-Francorchamps. The result marked his second pole of the 2026 season and the fourth for Lexus since the introduction of LMGT3.
David shares the entry with Van Rompuy and Esteban Masson, with the trio aiming to conclude a challenging campaign on a positive note. Despite demonstrating competitive pace throughout the season, the crew has struggled to convert its performances into race results, with second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans remaining its only podium finish.
The Frenchman expressed his satisfaction after qualifying, particularly following the difficulties experienced during recent rounds.
“I’m very happy. We’ve struggled a lot over the past few races, so this is a good day for the team. We were expecting to be fast because we know the Lexus is strong in these conditions, when it’s very cold and we have big straights – and it felt great!”
David credits Akkodis ASP Team as Lexus prepares for final race
David also highlighted the challenges presented by the changing conditions throughout the weekend. With the practice sessions taking place on wet or damp surfaces, the team entered qualifying without substantial experience of the circuit in dry conditions.
Nevertheless, Akkodis ASP Team successfully adapted its setup, allowing David to extract the performance required for pole position.
“Having not had any session before that in the dry, it wasn’t easy to set the car up, but the team did a great job and I need to give them a lot of credit because I couldn’t do this without them. We know our weak point tomorrow will be tyre wear, but fortunately, this track is usually quite low in terms of degradation so hopefully we can finish the season on a high.”
The result provides Lexus with an opportunity to conclude its FIA WEC programme with another significant achievement before the manufacturer introduces its new GT3 machinery.
Although the RC F LMGT3 has demonstrated strong single-lap performance throughout the season, David acknowledged that tyre degradation remains an area of concern.
However, Monza’s relatively low degradation characteristics could provide a more favourable opportunity for the #78 crew to challenge for its first victory of 2026.
Barrichello loses potential pole after track limits infringement
Heart of Racing Team appeared to have secured LMGT3 pole position when Barrichello produced an exceptional lap in the #23 Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3.
The Brazilian stopped the clocks almost half a second faster than his closest rivals, seemingly extending his impressive qualifying record in the category. However, officials subsequently deleted the lap after determining that he had exceeded track limits.
The infringement removed Barrichello from the top of the classification, promoting David into pole position and allowing several other competitors to move ahead.
Barrichello eventually finished fourth with a 1:47.701, placing him 0.178 seconds behind the leading Lexus.
The result represented another competitive performance for the Brazilian, who has established a formidable Hyperpole record during the past two seasons.
However, the deleted lap denied Heart of Racing an opportunity to secure another pole position, leaving the #23 crew of Newell, Barrichello and Jonny Adam starting from the second row.
Edgar secures crucial front-row start for championship-leading Corvette
Edgar emerged as David’s closest challenger, recording a 1:47.537 in the #33 TF Sport Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R.
The British driver finished just 0.014 seconds behind the Lexus, securing a front-row starting position for the championship-leading crew.
The result represented a considerable improvement following the team’s difficult practice sessions. The #33 Corvette had finished 17th during FP2 before recovering to fourth in FP3, while Keating’s ninth-place qualifying performance ensured Edgar could participate in Hyperpole.
Edgar subsequently capitalised on the opportunity, placing the Corvette ahead of several direct championship rivals.
The result also strengthened his prospects of securing the Drivers’ Championship. Edgar entered Monza with 92 points, four ahead of teammate Nicky Catsburg, after completing the full season for TF Sport.
He is attempting to become the first driver to win a WEC championship individually since 2015.
With the #34 Racing Team Turkey Corvette qualifying tenth and the #92 The Bend Manthey Porsche starting 11th, Edgar will begin Sunday’s race with a significant advantage over the remaining crews capable of challenging his championship position.
Tuck completes top three as Ford continues strong Monza form
Proton Competition secured third through Tuck, who recorded a 1:47.595 in the #77 Ford Mustang LMGT3.
The British driver finished just 0.072 seconds behind David and 0.058 seconds behind Edgar, completing an exceptionally close leading trio.
The result continued Ford’s impressive performances throughout the Monza weekend. The manufacturer had already demonstrated competitive pace during Friday’s FP2, when Priaulx and Sargeant secured the two fastest LMGT3 laps.
Powell subsequently advanced the #77 Mustang through the opening qualifying session, allowing Tuck to challenge for pole during Hyperpole.
Although the British driver narrowly missed out on the front row, third place provides Proton Competition with another competitive starting position ahead of the season finale.
Barrichello followed in fourth for Heart of Racing Team, finishing 0.106 seconds behind Tuck after losing his fastest lap.
The leading four entries were ultimately separated by just 0.178 seconds, reflecting the particularly close competition as the circuit continued drying.
Schmid and Robichon complete Hyperpole top six
Akkodis ASP Team completed an encouraging qualifying performance with both Lexus entries among the leading five.
Clemens Schmid secured fifth in the #87 RC F LMGT3, recording a 1:47.733. The Austrian finished 0.210 seconds behind teammate David, giving the Japanese manufacturer two cars inside the top five during its final WEC weekend.
Schmid shares the #87 Lexus with Umbrărescu and José María López, with the trio attempting to conclude the season strongly after demonstrating competitive pace during several rounds.
Heart of Racing Team also placed both Aston Martins inside the leading six, as Zacharie Robichon recorded a 1:47.760 in the #27 Vantage AMR LMGT3.
The Canadian finished just 0.027 seconds behind Schmid and 0.237 seconds away from pole.
The result represented a significant improvement for the #27 crew, which had endured a difficult qualifying session at Barcelona. James, Robichon and Mattia Drudi subsequently recovered to deliver a stronger performance at Monza.
With both Lexus and Aston Martin entries starting inside the top six, the two manufacturers will have multiple opportunities to challenge the leading competitors during Sunday’s race.
Levorato leads remaining Hyperpole competitors
Proton Competition completed its strong qualifying performance with Levorato placing the sister #88 Ford Mustang seventh.
The Italian recorded a 1:47.768, finishing just 0.008 seconds behind Robichon’s Aston Martin. The result gave teammates Gattuso and Sargeant another top-ten starting position, with both Ford entries securing places among the leading seven.
Iron Lynx followed in eighth with the #61 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3, recording a 1:48.037. The entry finished 0.514 seconds behind David, having recovered from Berry’s earlier qualifying spin.
Manthey DK Engineering completed the leading nine with its #91 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3. The car recorded a 1:48.084, finishing 0.561 seconds behind pole and securing the manufacturer’s only Hyperpole appearance.
Racing Team Turkey by TF completed the ten-car classification, with the #34 Corvette recording a 1:49.363.
The result represented a substantial change from the opening qualifying session, when Dempsey had secured the fastest time. Despite the difficulties during Hyperpole, the team remains among the leading ten LMGT3 entries for Sunday’s race.
TF Sport strengthens position ahead of LMGT3 championship finale
Edgar’s front-row starting position provides TF Sport with an important advantage ahead of the championship-deciding 6 Hours of Monza.
The #33 Corvette entered the final round leading the LMGT3 Teams’ Championship with 92 points, holding an 18-point advantage over The Bend Manthey. Racing Team Turkey followed on 70, while Team WRT remained mathematically involved with 66.
However, the BMW crew’s 16th-place qualifying result eliminated it from championship contention, leaving only the two Corvette entries and The Bend Manthey capable of winning the Teams’ title.
The situation is particularly favourable for TF Sport following the contrasting qualifying performances. Edgar will start second, while the #34 Racing Team Turkey Corvette lines up tenth and the #92 Porsche 11th.
The Bend Manthey had reduced the championship deficit through its victory at Barcelona, but its failure to reach Hyperpole leaves the crew with considerable ground to recover.
Nevertheless, the six-hour race provides opportunities for different strategies and changing positions, particularly if the weather remains unpredictable.
Lexus leads LMGT3 into final WEC race of 2026
David’s second pole position of the season provides a fitting conclusion to the Lexus RC F LMGT3’s qualifying career in the FIA WEC. The Frenchman delivered the fastest lap despite limited dry-weather running, while teammate Schmid ensured the manufacturer’s second entry also secured a competitive position.
However, the championship battle remains the central storyline ahead of Sunday’s race, with Edgar holding a substantial advantage over his remaining rivals.
Ford and Aston Martin also demonstrated strong single-lap pace, while Racing Team Turkey and The Bend Manthey face more difficult starting positions as they attempt to overturn TF Sport’s championship advantage.
The 2026 FIA WEC 6 Hours of Monza begins at 11:00 CET on Sunday, 8 November, bringing the season to a conclusion after eight rounds.
2026 WEC 6 Hours of Monza: LMGT3 Qualifying and Hyperpole results
Qualifying: Opening session
Peter Dempsey topped the opening LMGT3 qualifying session with a 1:48.440 in the #34 Racing Team Turkey Corvette. The following ten entries advanced to Hyperpole:
- #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — Peter Dempsey — 1:48.440
- #88 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — Stefano Gattuso — 1:48.889 (+0.449)
- #77 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — Eric Powell — 1:49.384 (+0.944)
- #23 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — Gray Newell — 1:49.490 (+1.050)
- #27 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — Ian James — 1:50.131 (+1.691)
- #87 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — Petru Umbrărescu — 1:50.147 (+1.707)
- #61 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — Martin Berry — 1:50.275 (+1.835)
- #78 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — Tom Van Rompuy — 1:50.356 (+1.916)
- #33 TF Sport — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — Ben Keating — 1:50.647 (+2.207)
- #91 Manthey DK Engineering — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — James Cottingham — 1:50.742 (+2.302)
Eliminated in Qualifying
- #92 The Bend Manthey — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — Yasser Shahin — 1:50.820 (+2.380)
- #32 Team WRT — BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo — Darren Leung — 1:51.047 (+2.607)
- #79 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — Johannes Zelger — 1:51.190 (+2.750)
- #58 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo — Alexander West — 1:51.285 (+2.845)
- #54 VISTA AF Corse — Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo — Thomas Flohr — 1:51.315 (+2.875)
- #69 Team WRT — BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo — Anthony McIntosh — 1:51.332 (+2.892)
- #10 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo — Antares Au — No valid time
- #21 VISTA AF Corse — Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo — François Hériau — No time
Hyperpole: Final classification
- #78 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — Hadrien David — 1:47.523
- #33 TF Sport — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — Jonny Edgar — 1:47.537 (+0.014)
- #77 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — Ben Tuck — 1:47.595 (+0.072)
- #23 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — Eduardo Barrichello — 1:47.701 (+0.178)
- #87 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — Clemens Schmid — 1:47.733 (+0.210)
- #27 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — Zacharie Robichon — 1:47.760 (+0.237)
- #88 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — Giammarco Levorato — 1:47.768 (+0.245)
- #61 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — 1:48.037 (+0.514)
- #91 Manthey DK Engineering — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — 1:48.084 (+0.561)
- #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — 1:49.363 (+1.840)
Pole position: Hadrien David, #78 Akkodis ASP Team Lexus — 1:47.523
The result gives Lexus its fourth FIA WEC LMGT3 pole position and its second of the 2026 season, while Edgar’s front-row performance strengthens his position ahead of Sunday’s championship decider.
