Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA secured victory at the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Monza as Jack Aitken, Sébastien Bourdais and Earl Bamber delivered a commanding performance in the #38 Cadillac V-Series.R. The trio completed 191 laps at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, finishing 5.607 seconds ahead of Alpine Endurance Team’s #36 A424, while Ferrari AF Corse inherited third following post-race penalties for Aston Martin.
Meanwhile, Toyota Racing completed its championship-winning campaign as Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryō Hirakawa secured the Hypercar Drivers’ Championship despite a difficult race. The #8 Toyota TR010 Hybrid finished tenth, one position ahead of its sister entry, giving the Japanese manufacturer both major Hypercar titles after its Manufacturers’ Championship success at Barcelona.
In LMGT3, The Bend Manthey claimed its second consecutive victory as Yasser Shahin, Riccardo Pera and Richard Lietz narrowly defeated Heart of Racing Team’s #23 Aston Martin. However, a third-place finish for TF Sport’s #33 Corvette secured the Teams’ Championship and allowed Jonny Edgar to claim the Drivers’ title, bringing an eventful 2026 season to a close.
Genesis takes early lead as Cadillac moves to the front
The 2026 WEC season finale began in dry and cloudy conditions at Monza, with 35 cars lining up across Hypercar and LMGT3. Ferrari AF Corse entered the race from pole position after Antonio Fuoco secured the fastest time during Saturday’s Hypercar Hyperpole, beating Genesis Magma Racing’s Mathieu Jaminet by just 0.096 seconds.
However, the advantage quickly disappeared as Daniel Juncadella made an aggressive start in the #19 Genesis GMR-001. Starting alongside the Ferrari, the Spaniard surged ahead through the Rettifilo Chicane to take the overall lead. Officials subsequently issued a five-second penalty after determining that Juncadella had gained an advantage by cutting the opening complex.
Meanwhile, Jack Aitken immediately established himself as a leading contender in the #38 Cadillac. Starting third, the British driver overtook Miguel Molina’s pole-sitting #50 Ferrari on the opening lap before closing on the Genesis.
Aitken subsequently completed a decisive overtake approaching Parabolica at the end of Lap 6, moving Cadillac into the lead. From there, he began establishing a gap as the leading Hypercars settled into their opening stints.
Ferrari penalties disrupt early Hypercar battle
While Aitken controlled the opening stages, Ferrari’s challenge suffered several setbacks. The #50 Ferrari initially maintained a position among the leading three, but tyre-pressure infringements forced the car into the pits and resulted in further penalties.
The problems substantially compromised the race for Molina and teammates Fuoco and Nicklas Nielsen. Having entered the event as one of the favourites following their qualifying performance, the crew dropped towards the rear of the Hypercar field.
The #83 AF Corse Ferrari also encountered tyre-pressure problems. Phil Hanson received a 20-second penalty, forcing the crew he shares with Robert Kubica and Yifei Ye to recover from outside the top ten.
However, the sister #51 Ferrari remained competitive. Antonio Giovinazzi and James Calado maintained their position among the leading contenders, with Calado battling Jules Gounon’s #36 Alpine during the opening two hours.
Alpine demonstrated encouraging pace during its final factory WEC appearance, while BMW M Team WRT also joined the fight. René Rast recovered from an opening-lap excursion at the first chicane in the #20 BMW before handing over to Sheldon van der Linde.
By the end of the opening two hours at Monza, Cadillac continued to lead, with Genesis, Ferrari, Alpine and BMW fighting over the remaining podium positions.
Genesis retirement reshapes the Hypercar contest
The third hour brought a significant change to the running order when the #19 Genesis developed a technical problem. Paul-Loup Chatin, who had taken over from Juncadella, stopped on the exit of the Ascari Chicane, bringing an early end to the team’s promising race.
The retirement promoted Victor Martins into second in the #36 Alpine, with the Frenchman chasing the leading Cadillac. Sébastien Bourdais had replaced Aitken in the #38 V-Series.R and continued maintaining the advantage that his teammate had established during the opening stint.
Meanwhile, van der Linde emerged as another serious contender. The #20 BMW gained ground through the pit-stop sequence and moved ahead of the #51 Ferrari before joining the fight for the podium.
Following a Full Course Yellow period, van der Linde capitalised on Martins’ slower restart and overtook the Alpine to claim second. The South African then began closing on Bourdais, although Cadillac continued to demonstrate enough pace to maintain its position at the front.
As the race approached the four-hour mark, Cadillac, BMW and Alpine remained closely matched, while Ferrari continued pursuing the leading group.
Alpine crash triggers Safety Car as Martins fights back
The fourth hour produced another major incident when Charles Milesi lost control of the #35 Alpine at the exit of Parabolica. The Frenchman struck the barriers heavily, severely damaging the A424 and bringing out the race’s fourth Safety Car.
The retirement ended the race for Milesi and Ferdinand Habsburg, denying Alpine an opportunity to bring both cars home during its final WEC appearance. The incident also disrupted the strategic battle, with teams adjusting their pit-stop plans under the prolonged neutralisation.
During the Safety Car period, Cadillac maintained the lead ahead of the #20 BMW, #36 Alpine, #51 Ferrari, #15 BMW and #94 Peugeot.
However, the neutralisation created additional difficulties for the #83 AF Corse Ferrari. Having recovered from its earlier penalty, the crew lost valuable positions when a wheel detached following a pit stop, forcing another recovery through the field.
At the subsequent restart, Martins immediately attacked van der Linde. The Alpine driver completed an overtake into the Rettifilo Chicane to reclaim second and resume his pursuit of the leading Cadillac, now under Bamber’s control.
The four-hour race update highlighted the increasingly competitive battle at the front as Alpine attempted to challenge Cadillac during the final stages.
Bamber withstands Alpine pressure to secure Cadillac victory
With the final two hours underway, Bamber continued leading in the #38 Cadillac while Martins maintained pressure in the #36 Alpine. The New Zealander initially extended his advantage, but Martins gradually reduced the gap during the closing stages.
The Frenchman eventually closed to approximately 1.5 seconds, keeping the outcome uncertain as the race approached its conclusion. However, Bamber responded by increasing his advantage and maintaining control through the remaining laps.
After six hours of racing, Bamber crossed the finish line 5.607 seconds ahead of Martins, securing the #38 crew’s first FIA WEC victory together. The result also gave Cadillac its first win of the 2026 campaign and extended JOTA’s record of securing at least one championship victory to 12 consecutive seasons.
The victory carried additional significance for Bourdais, who secured his first WEC win in more than a decade during his final appearance with Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA. Aitken also played a decisive role in establishing the early advantage before departing Monza to return home ahead of the birth of his child.
Alpine, meanwhile, completed its final factory WEC race with a podium as Martins and Gounon secured second place, providing the French manufacturer with a positive conclusion to its programme.
Aston Martin loses maiden Hypercar podium after penalties
Behind the leading two, Aston Martin appeared to have secured a historic result when Tom Gamble brought the #007 Valkyrie home third. The British driver had fought his way through the field during the closing stages, overcoming the #94 Peugeot and #51 Ferrari to claim the final podium position.
However, post-race investigations changed the outcome. Officials initially issued a 20-second penalty for a tyre-pressure infringement, promoting the #51 Ferrari into third. A further penalty concerning energy usage subsequently dropped the Aston Martin to 12th in the final classification.
The penalties denied Gamble and Harry Tincknell Aston Martin’s first Hypercar podium, while Alessandro Pier Guidi, Calado and Giovinazzi secured third for Ferrari AF Corse in front of the Italian manufacturer’s home supporters.
Peugeot TotalEnergies consequently finished fourth with its #94 9X8, marking its strongest result of the season. Loïc Duval, Malthe Jakobsen and Théo Pourchaire completed the race ahead of the #15 BMW of Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello and Dries Vanthoor.
The closing stages also featured a dramatic battle between Jakobsen and Alex Lynn in the #12 Cadillac. After several exchanges, the pair collided near the Roggia Chicane, sending Lynn into the barriers and ending the sister Cadillac’s race.
Further down the order, AF Corse’s #83 Ferrari recovered to sixth, while BMW’s #20 entry finished seventh. The #93 Peugeot and pole-sitting #50 Ferrari completed the top nine ahead of the championship-winning Toyota.
Toyota secures Hypercar Drivers’ Championship despite difficult finale
While Cadillac celebrated victory, Toyota Racing secured the season’s most important remaining Hypercar title. The Japanese manufacturer had already claimed the Manufacturers’ Championship following its dominant one-two finish at Barcelona, leaving its two crews to contest the Drivers’ crown at Monza.
Buemi, Hartley and Hirakawa entered the finale with a 17-point advantage over teammates Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries. However, both Toyotas struggled throughout the weekend, with neither car advancing into Hyperpole.
Their difficulties continued during the race. Both TR010 Hybrids spent much of the opening stages outside the top ten and lacked the pace to challenge the leading manufacturers.
Nevertheless, the #8 crew maintained its championship advantage as the sister #7 also struggled to make progress. Following post-race changes to the classification, the #8 Toyota finished tenth, while the #7 completed the race one position behind in 11th.
The result confirmed Buemi, Hartley and Hirakawa as the 2026 Hypercar Drivers’ Champions, completing Toyota’s title double. Monza also marked Conway’s final professional race, bringing an end to the British driver’s successful endurance racing career.
2026 FIA WEC 6 Hours of Monza — complete Hypercar classification
The official FIA WEC final classification confirms Cadillac’s victory after 191 laps, with the order reflecting the penalties and adjustments following the chequered flag.
- #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA — Cadillac V-Series.R — Jack Aitken / Sébastien Bourdais / Earl Bamber — 191 laps
- #36 Alpine Endurance Team — Alpine A424 — Jules Gounon / Victor Martins — +5.607s
- #51 Ferrari AF Corse — Ferrari 499P — Alessandro Pier Guidi / James Calado / Antonio Giovinazzi — +35.767s
- #94 Peugeot TotalEnergies — Peugeot 9X8 — Loïc Duval / Malthe Jakobsen / Théo Pourchaire — +54.890s
- #15 BMW M Team WRT — BMW M Hybrid V8 — Kevin Magnussen / Raffaele Marciello / Dries Vanthoor — +1:03.128
- #83 AF Corse — Ferrari 499P — Yifei Ye / Robert Kubica / Phil Hanson — +1:26.952
- #20 BMW M Team WRT — BMW M Hybrid V8 — Robin Frijns / René Rast / Sheldon van der Linde — +1:29.925
- #93 Peugeot TotalEnergies — Peugeot 9X8 — Paul di Resta / Nick Cassidy / Alex Quinn — +1:31.878
- #50 Ferrari AF Corse — Ferrari 499P — Antonio Fuoco / Miguel Molina / Nicklas Nielsen — +1:32.899
- #8 Toyota Racing — Toyota TR010 Hybrid — Sébastien Buemi / Brendon Hartley / Ryō Hirakawa — 190 laps
- #7 Toyota Racing — Toyota TR010 Hybrid — Mike Conway / Kamui Kobayashi / Nyck de Vries — 190 laps
- #007 Aston Martin THOR Team — Aston Martin Valkyrie — Harry Tincknell / Tom Gamble — 190 laps
- #17 Genesis Magma Racing — Genesis GMR-001 — André Lotterer / Pipo Derani / Mathys Jaubert — 189 laps
- #009 Aston Martin THOR Team — Aston Martin Valkyrie — Alex Riberas / Marco Sørensen — 189 laps
- #12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA — Cadillac V-Series.R — Alex Lynn / Will Stevens / Norman Nato — 188 laps
Retirements
- #35 Alpine Endurance Team — Alpine A424 — Ferdinand Habsburg / Charles Milesi — 102 laps
- #19 Genesis Magma Racing — Genesis GMR-001 — Mathieu Jaminet / Paul-Loup Chatin / Daniel Juncadella — 62 laps
LMGT3 begins with Ford and Lexus battling for the lead
The LMGT3 contest provided another closely fought battle as 18 entries competed for the final class victory of the season. Akkodis ASP Team entered from pole position after Hadrien David secured the fastest time during Saturday’s LMGT3 Hyperpole, placing the #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 ahead of TF Sport’s championship-leading Corvette.
Tom Van Rompuy maintained the lead during the opening laps, but Proton Competition quickly emerged as a serious contender. Eric Powell advanced through the field in the #77 Ford Mustang and overtook the Lexus after five laps, moving into the class lead.
Meanwhile, the sister #88 Mustang also demonstrated competitive pace. Stefano Gattuso made rapid progress, briefly establishing a Ford one-two before officials issued a five-second penalty for exceeding the permitted power limit.
The opening stages subsequently developed into a closely contested battle involving Ford, Lexus, BMW and Corvette. However, penalties quickly disrupted the order as drivers struggled to balance outright pace with the race’s sporting and technical requirements.
Powell received two drive-through penalties for repeated track limits infringements, while the pole-sitting Lexus also encountered penalties for Virtual Safety Car infringements.
These setbacks created opportunities for the remaining contenders, particularly Akkodis ASP Team’s #87 Lexus and the recovering #34 Racing Team Turkey Corvette.
Incidents and penalties disrupt LMGT3 contenders
The opening hour also featured an incident involving the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin and #79 Iron Lynx Mercedes-AMG. Johannes Zelger made contact with Gray Newell approaching the Ascari Chicane, sending the Aston Martin into a spin.
Antares Au, who followed closely in the #10 Garage 59 McLaren, subsequently spun into the gravel while attempting to avoid the incident, prompting the first Safety Car period.
Further incidents continued disrupting the category during the second hour. Contact between Alexander West’s #58 Garage 59 McLaren and Darren Leung’s #32 Team WRT BMW ended both cars’ challenges early.
Meanwhile, the championship-leading #33 TF Sport Corvette suffered a significant setback when Ben Keating received a penalty for a Virtual Safety Car infringement. The penalty dropped the crew outside the points positions, increasing the pressure on Jonny Edgar and Nicky Catsburg to recover sufficient ground.
Racing Team Turkey’s championship ambitions also suffered when Peter Dempsey made contact with the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin. Officials penalised the #34 Corvette, compromising its hopes of challenging the leading contenders.
Despite the interruptions, several crews continued making progress through the field, setting up a competitive second half of the race.
Lexus retirement opens the door for Ford and Porsche
As the race progressed into its third hour, Akkodis ASP Team’s #87 Lexus emerged as one of the leading contenders. Clemens Schmid maintained a strong position at the front, although Giammarco Levorato began applying increasing pressure in the #88 Proton Competition Ford Mustang.
Levorato eventually overtook the Lexus to claim the lead, but the Austrian driver soon encountered a terminal problem. Debris damaged the #87 car’s radiator, forcing Schmid to stop and ending the crew’s race.
The incident promoted Heart of Racing Team’s #23 Aston Martin into contention, with Eduardo Barrichello challenging the leading Ford. Behind them, Ben Tuck made rapid progress in the #77 Mustang, overtaking the #92 The Bend Manthey Porsche as the leading crews continued exchanging positions.
However, the fourth Virtual Safety Car period significantly altered the strategic picture. The #92 Porsche and #33 Corvette had yet to complete their scheduled stops, allowing both championship contenders to benefit from the neutralisation.
The Bend Manthey subsequently emerged in the lead, with TF Sport also gaining valuable positions as the championship battle intensified.
Ford loses advantage as Manthey moves towards victory
The #77 Proton Competition Ford remained a serious threat despite its earlier penalties. During the fifth hour, Tuck completed an impressive recovery and overtook the #92 Porsche to reclaim the LMGT3 lead.
However, the team’s hopes suffered another major setback when Sebastian Priaulx made contact with the #7 Toyota. The incident damaged the Mustang and forced the crew into the pits for repairs, removing the car from victory contention.
The setback allowed The Bend Manthey to regain control of the race. Riccardo Pera had already played an important role in the team’s recovery after Shahin received an early drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
Pera’s strong middle stint, combined with the team’s favourable pit-stop timing, helped the #92 Porsche climb back through the field. Richard Lietz subsequently took over for the final stint, placing Manthey in a strong position to secure another victory.
Meanwhile, the #23 Heart of Racing Aston Martin continued applying pressure. Having recovered from its opening-hour incident, the crew remained close enough to challenge the leading Porsche during the closing stages.
Lietz holds off Barrichello to secure second consecutive Porsche victory
The final stages produced a tense battle between Lietz and Barrichello as the #23 Aston Martin closed on the #92 Porsche. The Brazilian steadily reduced the gap, maintaining pressure on the Austrian as both drivers navigated traffic.
However, Lietz defended his advantage and prevented Barrichello from finding a way past. After six hours of racing, the Porsche driver crossed the finish line just 0.270 seconds ahead of the Aston Martin, securing The Bend Manthey’s second consecutive LMGT3 victory following its success at Barcelona.
The result marked another significant achievement for Lietz, who completed his 100th FIA WEC appearance at Monza. Together with Shahin and Pera, the Austrian secured the crew’s fifth podium finish of the campaign.
Heart of Racing Team finished second with Newell, Barrichello and Jonny Adam, completing an impressive recovery after their early incident. Barrichello’s late pursuit ensured that the battle remained undecided until the chequered flag.
Despite the victory, Manthey could not overturn the championship deficit to TF Sport. The #33 Corvette completed the podium, securing the result its title challenge required.
Edgar secures LMGT3 title as TF Sport claims Teams’ Championship
While The Bend Manthey celebrated another race victory, TF Sport emerged with the championship honours. Edgar, Keating and Catsburg recovered from their earlier penalty to finish third in the #33 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R, completing an impressive turnaround after falling outside the points during the opening stages.
Edgar’s strong middle stint played a particularly important role in the recovery, while Catsburg maintained the crew’s position during the closing stages. Their podium finish ensured that Manthey’s victory would not change the outcome of the title battle.
As FIA WEC confirmed Edgar’s championship triumph, the British driver became the first sole champion in the category since 2015. Edgar completed the campaign with 107 points, ahead of Catsburg on 103, while The Bend Manthey’s three drivers finished on 99 points.
TF Sport also secured the LMGT3 Teams’ Championship, finishing eight points ahead of The Bend Manthey. The achievement added another major endurance racing title to the team’s record following its previous LMGTE Am success.
Elsewhere, Team WRT secured fourth with its #69 BMW, while Manthey DK Engineering completed the top five with the #91 Porsche after the final classification adjustments.
2026 FIA WEC 6 Hours of Monza — complete LMGT3 classification
The FIA WEC race results record a 0.270-second winning margin in LMGT3. The classification below incorporates the subsequent adjustments to the provisional order.
- #92 The Bend Manthey — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — Yasser Shahin / Riccardo Pera / Richard Lietz — 173 laps
- #23 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — Gray Newell / Eduardo Barrichello / Jonny Adam — +0.270s
- #33 TF Sport — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — Ben Keating / Jonny Edgar / Nicky Catsburg — +9.600s
- #69 Team WRT — BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo — Anthony McIntosh / Parker Thompson / Daniel Harper — +22.883s
- #91 Manthey DK Engineering — Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 — James Cottingham / Timur Boguslavskiy / Ayhancan Güven — +28.246s
- #79 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — Johannes Zelger / Matteo Cressoni / Lin Hodenius — +30.197s
- #61 Iron Lynx — Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 — Martin Berry / Rui Andrade / Maxime Martin — +34.659s
- #21 VISTA AF Corse — Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo — François Hériau / Simon Mann / Alessio Rovera — +36.801s
- #27 Heart of Racing Team — Aston Martin Vantage AMR LMGT3 — Ian James / Zacharie Robichon / Mattia Drudi — +1:05.051
- #78 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — Tom Van Rompuy / Hadrien David / Esteban Masson — +1:06.344
- #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF — Chevrolet Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R — Peter Dempsey / Salih Yoluç / Charlie Eastwood — +1:07.495
- #77 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — Eric Powell / Ben Tuck / Sebastian Priaulx — 172 laps
- #10 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo — Antares Au / Tom Fleming / Marvin Kirchhöfer — 171 laps
- #88 Proton Competition — Ford Mustang LMGT3 — Stefano Gattuso / Giammarco Levorato / Logan Sargeant — 166 laps
Retirements
- #87 Akkodis ASP Team — Lexus RC F LMGT3 — Petru Umbrărescu / Clemens Schmid / José María López — 76 laps
- #54 VISTA AF Corse — Ferrari 296 LMGT3 Evo — Thomas Flohr / Francesco Castellacci / Davide Rigon — 69 laps
- #58 Garage 59 — McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo — Alexander West / Finn Gehrsitz / Benjamin Goethe — 42 laps
- #32 Team WRT — BMW M4 LMGT3 Evo — Darren Leung / Sean Gelael / Augusto Farfus — 41 laps
