Garage 59 has confirmed its six-driver line-up for the 2026/27 Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS), with the British outfit returning to the championship with two McLaren 720S GT3 EVO entries. The team will combine reigning champions, established race winners and emerging talent as it prepares to challenge for the GT title across six four-hour races.
Dustin Blattner, Dennis Marschall and Tom Fleming will share the No. 58 McLaren, while Marco Pulcini, Freddie Tomlinson and Joseph Loake will contest the championship in the sister No. 60 entry. Both crews bring considerable GT3 experience, with several drivers having already competed successfully alongside the team or in McLaren machinery.
The announcement follows confirmation of a maximum 47-car grid for the 2026/27 ALMS, including 29 GT3 entries representing eight manufacturers. Garage 59 will be the championship’s sole McLaren representative, adding further significance to its two-car programme.
Reigning ALMS champions join Garage 59 for title defence
Blattner and Marschall arrive at Garage 59 as the reigning ALMS GT champions following a successful 2025/26 campaign with Kessel Racing. The American-German pairing shared the No. 74 Ferrari 296 GT3 with Chris Lulham, securing two victories and another podium finish during the six-race season.
Their championship-winning performances included victories at Sepang and Dubai, followed by another podium during the Abu Dhabi double-header. The results allowed Kessel Racing to secure the GT championship and an additional invitation to the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The two drivers subsequently continued their successful partnership in GT World Challenge Europe (GTWC Europe), competing in the Bronze Cup with Kessel Racing. They secured the 2026 Endurance Cup Bronze title, adding another championship to their growing record together.
Their move to Garage 59 represents a significant change, with both drivers switching from Ferrari to the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO. Nevertheless, their established partnership should provide an advantage as they adapt to the new machinery and team environment.
Blattner and Marschall will now aim to defend their ALMS title alongside Fleming, bringing recent championship-winning experience to one of the most competitive GT3 grids of the winter.
Fleming brings WEC success to No. 58 McLaren
Tom Fleming completes the No. 58 line-up following an impressive 2026 season with Garage 59 across international GT competition. The British driver has established himself as a competitive presence in both the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and GTWC Europe, combining strong qualifying performances with several important race victories.
Fleming secured his first WEC victory at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, sharing the No. 10 McLaren with Antares Au and Marvin Kirchhöfer. The trio recovered from 15th on the LMGT3 grid to claim class victory, delivering a significant result for the British outfit.
His qualifying performances have been equally impressive. Fleming claimed pole position at Imola before securing his second WEC LMGT3 pole at Barcelona in October, despite missing Friday’s practice sessions because of his GTWC Europe commitments.
Meanwhile, Fleming has enjoyed success in GTWC Europe alongside Louis Prette. The pair secured a Sprint Cup victory at Zandvoort, strengthening their reputation among the championship’s leading Gold Cup competitors.
His experience with Garage 59 and the McLaren should complement Blattner and Marschall’s established partnership, providing the No. 58 crew with a strong combination of recent results and championship experience.
Pulcini returns to Garage 59 in No. 60 McLaren
Garage 59’s second entry will feature Marco Pulcini, Freddie Tomlinson and Joseph Loake, bringing together three drivers with previous experience in McLaren machinery, the team’s operations or both.
Pulcini returns to the British outfit after previously representing Garage 59 in the International GT Open and Gulf 12 Hours. The Italian has developed considerable GT3 experience throughout his career, establishing himself as a successful Pro-Am competitor in international sportscar racing.
His achievements include multiple International GT Open Pro-Am championships, demonstrating his ability to combine consistent performances with the demands of multi-class GT racing. Having already worked with Garage 59, Pulcini will also bring familiarity with the team’s engineering approach and operational procedures.
The upcoming ALMS campaign will therefore represent a continuation of an established relationship rather than an entirely new partnership.
Pulcini’s experience could prove particularly important as the No. 60 crew prepares to compete against established teams from several international championships. With 29 GT3 cars entered, maintaining consistency across qualifying sessions and four-hour races will be essential.
He will be joined by two younger British drivers who have already demonstrated their competitiveness in McLaren machinery during the 2026 season.
Tomlinson prepares for Garage 59 debut
Freddie Tomlinson will make his Garage 59 debut in the 2026/27 ALMS, bringing experience from his recent GTWC Europe campaigns with Optimum Motorsport.
The British driver competed in the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO throughout 2026, sharing driving responsibilities with Harry George and Adam Smalley. Their programme included appearances across the Endurance Cup and other major GT3 events, providing Tomlinson with experience racing against international competition.
He also participated in the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, where the Optimum Motorsport crew competed in the Gold Cup alongside Ruben Del Sarte. The race provided further experience of multi-class competition, changing conditions and the strategic demands associated with longer endurance events.
More recently, Tomlinson competed in the GTWC Europe Endurance Cup finale at Portimão, continuing to develop his understanding of the McLaren.
Although his move to Garage 59 will require him to adapt to a new team environment, his familiarity with the car should help ease that transition.
The ALMS campaign will also provide an opportunity for Tomlinson to continue his development alongside Pulcini and Loake, with the trio aiming to establish a competitive partnership from the opening weekend.
Loake continues Garage 59 partnership after competitive GTWC Europe campaign
Joseph Loake completes the No. 60 line-up, extending his association with Garage 59 following a season competing in the team’s Pro Cup McLaren in GTWC Europe.
The British driver has demonstrated competitive pace throughout 2026, gaining valuable experience against established GT3 competitors while developing his racecraft in the McLaren 720S GT3 EVO.
His performances included a strong showing during the GTWC Europe Endurance Cup finale at Portimão, where he played an important role in Garage 59’s challenge for the overall podium.
Loake produced an impressive middle stint, completing several overtaking manoeuvres around the outside of Turn 1 as he worked his way through the leading Pro Cup runners. His progress eventually carried the No. 59 McLaren into second overall, placing the team ahead of several established competitors.
Although damage to the car’s rear splitter subsequently compromised its performance, Garage 59 finished sixth overall after demonstrating competitive pace throughout the race.
Loake also contributed to strong qualifying performances during the season, including a fourth-place starting position at the Nürburgring Endurance Cup round.
His existing relationship with the team should provide continuity as he joins Pulcini and Tomlinson for the ALMS campaign.
Garage 59 targets ALMS success with two-car McLaren programme
Garage 59 returns to ALMS with considerable experience in international GT3 competition, having previously represented McLaren in the championship.
The team competed with Aston Martin machinery during the 2021 season, securing a GT podium at Dubai before returning with McLaren 720S GT3 entries in 2022. Its latest campaign therefore continues a longstanding relationship with both the manufacturer and the championship.
Garage 59 will also arrive following a competitive 2026 season across WEC and GTWC Europe, where its McLaren programmes have secured race victories, pole positions and podium finishes.
Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy welcomed the new driver combinations, highlighting the balance between experienced competitors and emerging talent.
“We’re really pleased with the two line-ups we’ve put together for this campaign. There’s a great mix of experience, proven success and young talent across both cars, and every one of the six drivers brings something different to the programme.”
The team will also carry responsibility for McLaren’s entire GT3 representation, with no other outfits entering the manufacturer’s machinery.
Kirkaldy acknowledged the strength of the competition while outlining Garage 59’s ambitions for the upcoming campaign.
“With 29 GT3 cars and eight manufacturers on the grid, we know the competition is going to be incredibly strong, but that’s exactly the sort of challenge we want. We’ll be the only team running McLarens, so there’s a responsibility that comes with that too. The aim is to be competitive from the outset and put ourselves in the fight for strong results across all six races.”
European calendar presents new challenge for Garage 59
The 2026/27 ALMS will feature six four-hour races across three European circuits following the championship’s temporary relocation from its traditional Asian and Middle Eastern venues.
The revised schedule maintains the familiar double-header format, with two races taking place at each venue. Consequently, teams will have limited opportunities to recover from difficult results, making consistency, reliability and effective pit-stop execution particularly important.
The season will begin at Circuit Paul Ricard in France before continuing to Jerez and concluding at Portimão.
The confirmed calendar features:
- Circuit Paul Ricard, France: 13–15 November 2026
- Circuito de Jerez, Spain: 15–17 January 2027
- Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, Portugal: 19–21 February 2027
Garage 59 will face strong opposition from several established GT3 organisations, including reigning champion Kessel Racing, Manthey, Team WRT, GetSpeed, Winward Racing and Heart of Racing.
The 29-car GT3 entry represents the largest category on the grid, while LMP2 and the newly introduced Hypercar class will complete the championship’s 47-car field.
For Garage 59, the opening weekend at Paul Ricard will provide the first opportunity to assess its revised driver combinations against the competition. With two McLarens and a mixture of reigning champions, race winners and emerging talent, the British team will aim to establish itself among the leading GT championship contenders from the outset.
