Boutsen VDS will join forces with Porsche for the 2026 season of GT World Challenge (GTWC) Europe powered by AWS, launching a two-car campaign with the updated 911 GT3 R. The Belgian squad will switch from Mercedes-AMG after two highly successful seasons that delivered consecutive Silver Cup titles.
Aurélien Panis and Cesar Gazeau secured those crowns, underlining the team’s competitive strength in recent campaigns. Meanwhile, Porsche enjoyed a standout 2025 season by clinching the Endurance Cup title with Rutronik Racing, adding further momentum to the Weissach marque’s GT programme.
Boutsen VDS will contest all 10 championship rounds, including the blue-riband CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. One car will feature an all-factory Pro line-up, while the team will confirm the second entry’s composition at a later date.
Picariello leads factory-backed line-up
Alessio Picariello will form part of the all-factory Pro crew. The Italian-born Belgian arrives at his home team on a high after winning the Endurance title with Rutronik. He brings extensive Porsche experience and strengthens Boutsen VDS’s ambition to fight at the very front of the field.
Team principal Olivier Lainé outlined the motivation behind the switch. “First of all, I would like to thank our former partner, with whom we won the GT World Challenge Europe Silver Cup in the last two seasons,” said Lainé. “However, we are taking on a new challenge which we hope will allow us to aim even higher. I am very excited about racing Porsches next year, especially as we will be a privileged partner of the marque in Europe.
“I would like to thank my partner, Marc van der Straten, as well as Rudi Penders and Lionel Hansen. They are true lovers of the brand and their collaboration in setting up this ambitious project has been invaluable. Together with the whole team, we are looking forward to starting winter testing.”
Marc van der Straten eyes Spa success
Marc van der Straten, best known for leading the Marc VDS Racing Team to victory at the 2015 Spa 24 Hours, will continue his commitment for a fourth season. He believes the Porsche partnership offers the ideal platform for further success.
“I really appreciate working with Olivier, his wife Olivia Boutsen and all the staff around them,” he said. “There is a family atmosphere, but there are also results. In three years of collaboration, we have accumulated titles: after being teams’ champions in the Gold Cup in 2023, we won the drivers’ and teams’ classifications in the Silver Cup in the last two seasons.
“But that does not stop us from wanting more! In this respect, being able to work closely with a manufacturer as prestigious as Porsche is an honour. After tasting success at the 2015 Spa 24 Hours with my team, my dream now is to see the Boutsen VDS project win the world’s biggest GT race. With the arrival of a major evolution for the 911 GT3 R and the support of Porsche Motorsport, I believe we will be well equipped to do so. Get ready, because the lions are determined to roar in 2026!”
Boutsen VDS and Porsche building on strong foundations for 2026 GTWC Europe
The Boutsen VDS name debuted in 2023 following a collaboration between established Belgian outfits Boutsen Racing and Marc VDS. The Wavre-based squad has previously fielded machinery from Mercedes-AMG, McLaren, BMW, Lamborghini and Audi.
Now, with factory backing from Porsche and renewed ambition, Boutsen VDS has positioned itself to challenge for outright honours in 2026. The Belgian lions have made their intentions clear: they will chase victory on every front, with Spa firmly in their sights.
