Five-time IndyCar champion Álex Palou will return to the Indianapolis 8 Hour with Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing as the manufacturer prepares to fight for titles across two championships at the 2026 season finale.
The Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) and GT World Challenge (GTWC) America powered by AWS will conclude their seasons at the DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour from 8–10 October. The seventh edition of the event will feature a record 29-car GT3 field representing nine manufacturers, with six Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries spread across five Customer Racing Teams.
Mercedes-AMG enters Indianapolis at the top of the Drivers’ standings in both championships. The manufacturer also leads the GTWC America Teams’ and Manufacturers’ standings, placing particular importance on its two Pro entries as the final titles of the season go up for grabs.
Palou returns with Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing
Mercedes-AMG confirmed Palou’s return for the Indianapolis 8 Hour, with the Spaniard joining Mercedes-AMG Junior Driver Lin Hodenius and IGTC title contender Luca Stolz in the No. 80 Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing entry.
Palou last contested the Indianapolis 8 Hour with Lone Star Racing in 2024 and will return to familiar surroundings at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after securing his fifth IndyCar championship.
His addition gives Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing a driver with extensive experience at the circuit as Stolz simultaneously fights for the IGTC Drivers’ Championship.
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Head of Customer Racing Stefan Wendl highlighted the importance of the finale and Palou’s addition to the manufacturer’s line-up.
“We’re heading into the season finale of the Intercontinental GT Challenge and the GT World Challenge America in a solid position. In Indianapolis, we want to put in another strong performance and reward ourselves with titles in both series. We have a fantastic line-up, to which we’ve once again been able to add five-time IndyCar champion Álex Palou this year – he’ll strengthen our team with his pace and his wealth of experience on this circuit.”
Palou also enters the weekend aiming to improve on his previous GT3 appearance at the venue.
“The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a special place for me, and I am excited to be returning for another shot at the Indianapolis 8 Hour with Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing. I have some unfinished business from my 2024 GT3-outing, so I am really happy to reunite with the team to have another opportunity to aim for the race win. I always love the atmosphere and the fans there, and I look forward to having an exciting race to finish the 2026 season with hopefully another memorable trophy!”
Stolz and Martin enter IGTC title fight
The Indianapolis finale will also decide the IGTC Drivers’ Championship, with Mercedes-AMG drivers occupying the leading three positions before the final round.
Maro Engel leads the standings with 68 points, followed by Stolz on 61 and Maxime Martin on 60. However, Engel will miss Indianapolis as he contests the DTM season finale at Hockenheim, placing the focus on Stolz and Martin during the title-deciding weekend.
Mercedes-AMG has split its two active title contenders between its Pro entries. Stolz will share the No. 80 Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing car with Palou and Hodenius, while Martin will join Mikaël Grenier and Michai Stephens in the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG Team JMF Motorsports entry.
The arrangement gives both Stolz and Martin opportunities to pursue the IGTC title while their respective teams also target success in the eight-hour race. The IGTC confirmed the two title contenders would compete in separate Mercedes-AMG entries ahead of the finale.
Grenier and Stephens target GTWC America championship
The No. 34 Mercedes-AMG will carry another major championship objective at Indianapolis, with Grenier and Stephens arriving as the GTWC America Pro Drivers’ Championship leaders.
The JMF Motorsports pairing strengthened its position with second overall and in class during the penultimate round at Barber Motorsports Park. That result increased its championship advantage from four to nine points, giving Grenier and Stephens 114 points against 105 for their nearest challengers heading into Indianapolis.
JMF Motorsports also carries a nine-point advantage in the Teams’ Championship, while Mercedes-AMG leads the Manufacturers’ standings by 14 points, 114–100.
Martin will therefore join Grenier and Stephens for the longer season-ending contest as the Canadian team attempts to convert its advantage into the GTWC America title.
The No. 34 crew forms one of six Pro entries in the record Indianapolis field, placing the GTWC America championship leaders directly among the contenders for the overall result.
Three Mercedes-AMG entries set for Pro-Am battle
Mercedes-AMG will also field three cars in the Pro-Am category at Indianapolis.
TR3 Racing’s No. 9 Mercedes-AMG will feature Brayton Williams and Daniel Morad alongside Indy Dontje. The experienced Dutch driver joins Williams and Morad for the Indianapolis finale, strengthening a line-up that already secured a Pro-Am victory during the 2026 GTWC America campaign.
JMF Motorsports will add Wyatt Brichacek to its No. 27 entry alongside full-season drivers Jason Daskalos and Philip Ellis.
Meanwhile, GetSpeed Team PCX Racing will enter the No. 999 Mercedes-AMG for Jordan Boisson, Patrick Charlaix and Marvin Klein.
The three entries expand Mercedes-AMG’s presence beyond its two Pro cars as the manufacturer prepares for an event that combines the final round of the North American championship with the IGTC finale.
MAD Joker Racing completes six-car Mercedes-AMG contingent
MAD Joker Racing completes Mercedes-AMG’s Indianapolis line-up with its No. 11 entry in the Am category.
Marc Austin, Peter Dempsey and Ben Keating will share the Mercedes-AMG GT3 during the eight-hour contest, giving the manufacturer representation across Pro, Pro-Am and Am.
In total, Mercedes-AMG will have six cars from five Customer Racing Teams on the grid. Lone Star Racing and JMF Motorsports will spearhead its Pro challenge, while TR3 Racing, JMF Motorsports and GetSpeed Team PCX Racing contest Pro-Am and MAD Joker Racing represents the manufacturer in Am.
The Indianapolis 8 Hour therefore offers Mercedes-AMG opportunities across several classifications while its leading drivers simultaneously pursue championship honours.
Mercedes-AMG Indianapolis 8 Hour line-up
The No. 9 TR3 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 will feature Indy Dontje, Daniel Morad and Brayton Williams in Pro-Am. Marc Austin, Peter Dempsey and Ben Keating will share MAD Joker Racing’s No. 11 Am entry.
Wyatt Brichacek, Jason Daskalos and Philip Ellis will contest Pro-Am in the No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3, while Grenier, Martin and Stephens form Mercedes-AMG Team JMF Motorsports’ No. 34 Pro line-up.
Hodenius, Palou and Stolz will share the No. 80 Mercedes-AMG Team Lone Star Racing entry in Pro, while Boisson, Charlaix and Klein complete the manufacturer’s line-up aboard the No. 999 GetSpeed Team PCX Racing Mercedes-AMG in Pro-Am.
The DESDER Indianapolis 8 Hour takes place from 8–10 October at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with the race beginning on Saturday at 18:30 CEST. Alongside the GTWC America and IGTC title deciders, the weekend will also host the final rounds of GT America powered by AWS and Pirelli GT4 America.
