Therese Lahlouh is determined to use the disappointment of an early end to her 2026 season as motivation for 2027 after a breakthrough first campaign in GT World Challenge America powered by AWS with Wright Motorsports.
A severe allergic reaction suffered during the IMSA weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway caused respiratory issues and ultimately brought her season to a premature conclusion. Lahlouh attempted to return for the penultimate GTWC America round at Barber Motorsports Park but could not safely continue, forcing Wright Motorsports to withdraw the #242 Porsche before the race weekend.
She will now also miss the season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour, ending a debut GT3 campaign that delivered a podium, two SuperFuel Hard Charger awards and sustained progress alongside team-mate and coach Thomas Merrill. Despite the difficult conclusion, Lahlouh believes those achievements provide plenty to carry forward.
“I’m devastated to have my season end early, but I’m not going to let this take away everything we’ve accomplished this year,” Lahlouh said. “There is so much to be proud of and so much to build on. Right now, my focus is on getting well, and then taking everything I’ve learned into 2027 with even more determination.”
Difficult end to breakthrough GT3 campaign
Lahlouh had hoped to return at Barber after missing track time following her illness, but the physical demands of driving ultimately made continuing unsafe.
The decision brought an abrupt halt to a season in which she had steadily adapted to the Porsche 911 GT3 R and the different demands of multi-driver GT racing. Lahlouh and Merrill remained among the Pro-Am contenders before her absence, with their consistency helping Wright Motorsports challenge near the front of the Teams’ Championship during the middle part of the season.
“I wanted so badly to be back in the car at Barber,” she explained. “It’s difficult to accept that you have to stop when you feel like you’ve put so much into this, but I had to accept that I wasn’t physically capable of safely continuing.”
The setback also removed the opportunity to complete her season at Indianapolis. Lahlouh had originally been scheduled to share the car with Merrill and Porsche factory driver Kévin Estre, with the combination forming part of Wright’s strengthened programme for the eight-hour finale.
Estre had been added to the #242 as Wright assembled its original Indianapolis 8 Hour line-ups, giving Lahlouh the opportunity to work alongside one of Porsche’s leading international drivers during the longest event of her GTWC America season.
“Missing Indianapolis is incredibly hard,” she said. “Thomas has been such a huge part of my development, and the opportunity to share our car with Kévin was something I had been looking forward to so much. I wanted to finish this season strong with them and have a chance to kiss bricks with Wright Motorsports.”
Early COTA podium demonstrates Lahlouh’s progress
The premature conclusion does not erase the progress Lahlouh made after moving into GT3 competition for the first time. She entered 2026 after competing in Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America, stepping up from the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup into Wright’s GT3 programme.
Her breakthrough arrived almost immediately. In only her second GTWC America race, Lahlouh and Merrill finished second in Pro-Am and third overall at Circuit of The Americas, helping Wright complete a strong weekend in Texas.
The pair formed part of a Wright Motorsports one-two in Pro-Am at COTA, with Lahlouh also collecting the first of two Hard Charger awards during her rookie season.
“Standing on the podium at COTA in my second race was something I’ll never forget,” Lahlouh said. “It gave me real confidence in what we could achieve together. Thomas and the team have pushed me, believed in me and helped me grow so much this season. We were still making progress, which makes stepping away especially difficult.”
The result provided an early indication that Lahlouh could adapt quickly to a considerably different environment from the Porsche Sprint Challenge machinery she had previously raced.
Merrill partnership accelerates development
Sharing the Porsche with Merrill added another dimension to a relationship that had previously focused heavily on coaching. Rather than analysing Lahlouh’s performance from outside the car, Merrill could work from the same machinery and provide direct comparisons throughout each weekend.
That relationship became particularly valuable as Lahlouh learned tyre management, traffic management and the strategic demands of sharing a GT3 car during longer races.
“Having Thomas in the same car has been such a valuable part of this year,” she explained. “There is always something to learn, and being able to work through that together has helped me build confidence and understand where I can keep improving.”
Their progress remained evident later in the season. Lahlouh and Merrill earned another Hard Charger award at Road America after gaining 15 overall positions and finishing fourth in the highly competitive Pro-Am category.
The result left them sixth in the class standings on 44 points following a strong Road America recovery, while Wright Motorsports moved level at the top of the Teams’ Championship. It represented another tangible sign of improvement before illness interrupted the final phase of Lahlouh’s campaign.
Continuing progression through Porsche ranks
The GT3 move marked the latest stage of Lahlouh’s progression through the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid. After three seasons racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup machinery, she joined the expanded Wright Motorsports GT3 programme for 2026 and undertook her first full season in the 911 GT3 R.
Lahlouh is also part of the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program, which supports her continued development within the manufacturer’s motorsport structure.
Alongside her own racing, she has become a familiar presence within the Porsche paddock through her work hosting Porsche Motorsport North America’s social media coverage at IMSA and Porsche Carrera Cup North America events. Those overlapping roles have strengthened her relationship with the wider Porsche community during a difficult end to the year.
Wright and Porsche support important during recovery
Lahlouh highlighted the support she has received from Wright Motorsports as she focuses on recovering fully rather than attempting to return before she is ready.
“I can’t thank everyone at Wright Motorsports enough,” she said. “They’ve put so much work into this season, and their care and support through all of this have meant the world to me. They’ve made me feel supported as a person through a really difficult time.”
She also singled out Wright Motorsports COO Bobby Viglione and team owner Adam Adelson for their support during the situation.
“I’m grateful every day for Bobby V and Adam – they took care of me as a customer and as a human and I can’t thank them enough.”
That support extended throughout the wider team as Lahlouh balanced the disappointment of missing races with the need to prioritise her recovery.
“As a driver, you know how much effort goes into getting you on track, and you want to repay that every time you get in the car,” she continued. “I’m so grateful for everything this team has done to help me develop and for the understanding they’ve shown when I’ve needed it most.”
Lahlouh has experienced similar encouragement from throughout the Porsche network.
“The same goes for my Porsche family. From everyone at Porsche Motorsport North America to the people I see throughout the paddock, I’ve felt so much kindness and encouragement. I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by people who care so much, and that support is helping me look forward.”
Lahlouh turns focus towards 2027
Wright Motorsports will still contest Indianapolis with two cars after revising its plans around Lahlouh’s absence. Morris Schuring will join Merrill and Estre in the reconfigured Pro entry, allowing the team to continue its programme while Lahlouh focuses entirely on recovery.
For Lahlouh, attention has already shifted towards using the lessons from 2026 as the foundation for her next step. The results alone provided evidence of her development, from a podium in only her second GTWC America start to two Hard Charger awards and a place among the leading Pro-Am crews during her first year in the Porsche GT3 R.
The season did not end as planned, but Lahlouh remains determined that the circumstances surrounding the final rounds will not define a campaign that represented an important step forward in her career.
“This is a tough way to finish the year, but it has given me even more motivation,” she said. “I want to use this season as a springboard for 2027. We’ve shown what’s possible, and I’m determined to come back stronger, keep improving and reward the faith my team and my Porsche family have shown in me.”
