Akkodis ASP Team has revealed two eye-catching one-off liveries for next month’s 2026 WEC 24 Hours of Le Mans as the French squad prepares for another assault on the legendary endurance race.
The team will field a pair of Lexus RC F LMGT3 entries at La Sarthe during the 2026 edition of the FIA World Endurance Championship blue-riband event. After showing strong pace in both Imola and Spa-Francorchamps, Akkodis now hopes to finally convert its speed into a landmark result at Le Mans.
Although the opening rounds of the season delivered frustration rather than trophies, the team consistently demonstrated front-running potential. Consequently, confidence remains high ahead of the biggest race on the endurance calendar.
Strong pace again ends in frustration at Spa
Akkodis ASP Team endured another difficult outcome at Spa-Francorchamps despite looking capable of challenging for silverware throughout the six-hour contest.
The #78 Lexus emerged as one of the standout performers of the weekend after FIA WEC rookie Hadrien David secured pole position in Hyperpole with an impressive lap. David, alongside Tom Van Rompuy and Esteban Masson, then led the race during the early stages before a drive-through penalty for exceeding track limits dropped the car down the order.
Nevertheless, the trio recovered strongly and climbed back into third position before a technical issue ended their race with less than an hour remaining. Speaking to FIA WEC, Masson admitted the team struggled to accept another missed opportunity after such a competitive display.
“It’s been a painful start to the season,” mused Masson. “We optimised our race at Spa with a good strategy and strong pace, running in a net podium position until we were forced to stop in the last hour.”
Despite the disappointment, Masson praised both his team-mates and the wider Akkodis ASP Team operation for maintaining a strong collective spirit.
“My teammates did a flawless job, and thank you to the whole Akkodis ASP Team for the hard work. We keep grinding and we will analyse, focus and regroup for next one.”
Sister Lexus delivers encouraging points finish
While the #78 crew suffered heartbreak, the sister #87 Lexus also showed strong pace across the Spa weekend and finally secured the team’s first points finish of the season.
Former FIA WEC José María López topped the timesheets during the opening free practice session before Petru Umbrărescu repeated the feat in the first stage of qualifying. Clemens Schmid then guided the car onto the second row of the LMGT3 grid during Hyperpole.
In the race itself, the #87 entry delivered a determined and consistent performance to finish sixth after battling throughout the field in changing circumstances.
Following the race, Schmid reflected on the dramatic nature of the six-hour event while quickly turning his attention towards Le Mans.
“What a rollercoaster ride!” reflected Schmid. “It was six intense hours full of ups-and-downs, and I’m proud of the entire team for fighting until the very end.”
Looking ahead, Schmid made it clear that the squad already has its sights fixed firmly on endurance racing’s most prestigious event.
“Now, all focus shifts to the big one – the 24 Hours of Le Mans. We can’t wait to be back on-track for the most iconic race of the year!”
Lexus chases long-awaited Le Mans breakthrough with Akkodis set to run new liveries for 2026 edition
Although Lexus has demonstrated strong pace at Le Mans in recent years, the manufacturer still searches for its first major breakthrough result in the LMGT3 category at Circuit de la Sarthe.
The Japanese marque led the class during both the 2024 and 2025 editions of the race. However, reliability issues and misfortune prevented the team from converting that speed into a podium finish, with fifth place remaining its best result so far.
Now, Akkodis ASP Team hopes the old saying “third time’s a charm” finally proves true during the 94th running of the famous 24-hour contest.
The team therefore chose Le Mans as the stage to unveil two special liveries that celebrate key technical partnerships while also showcasing the innovation-driven identity behind the programme.
New #78 design highlights technology partnership
For Le Mans, the #78 Lexus RC F LMGT3 will abandon its traditional red-and-gunmetal grey colours in favour of a striking yellow-and-blue design.
The new livery pays tribute to Akkodis’ long-standing title partner, the global digital engineering consultancy that supports the team across areas including artificial intelligence, simulation and advanced data analysis.
Through that partnership, the programme combines cutting-edge technology with human expertise to maximise performance during endurance racing’s toughest events.
Alongside the new appearance, the #78 line-up will also feature a revised driver combination for Le Mans. Esteban Masson will move to LMP2 duties, while IMSA GTD Pro champion Jack Hawksworth joins Hadrien David and Tom Van Rompuy.
Hawksworth already enjoys a strong relationship with Akkodis ASP Team after impressing during substitute appearances at Le Mans over the previous two years.
#87 Lexus celebrates Minerva Oil partnership
Meanwhile, the #87 Lexus will adopt an entirely different identity at Le Mans with a green, grey and silver livery inspired by lubricant specialist Minerva Oil.
The partnership between the two organisations stretches back to the team’s early years competing in Porsche Carrera Cup France. As a result, the design serves as both a celebration of shared history and a reminder of the technical demands associated with endurance racing.
In a discipline where cars operate continuously for 24 hours under extreme mechanical stress, lubricant performance remains a decisive factor in both reliability and outright speed.
By highlighting that relationship through a dedicated Le Mans livery, Akkodis ASP Team aims to showcase the technical foundations required to compete at the front of modern endurance racing.
With renewed optimism, proven pace and two distinctive Lexus designs, the French squad now heads towards Le Mans determined to finally turn potential into silverware on endurance racing’s grandest stage.
