WEC News: McLaren Motorsport confirms 2026 factory GT racing driver line-up
Fresh off a triumphant 2025 season that saw McLaren Motorsport clinch its inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship title, reclaim podium honors in the GT World Challenge Europe, and dominate GT4 championships in Britain and Australia, the British powerhouse is accelerating into 2026 with an ambitious expansion of its Factory Driver program.
–by Mark Cipolloni–
Announced today, the roster now boasts 16 elite drivers divided into two streamlined categories, underscoring McLaren’s commitment to nurturing talent and dominating global GT racing circuits.
At the heart of McLaren’s customer racing efforts, these Factory Drivers not only compete in top-tier series but also contribute to the evolution of the brand’s GT3, GT4, and Trophy car lineup. Leading the charge is German standout Marvin Kirchhöfer, flanked by returning veterans Dean MacDonald from Britain, Benjamin Goethe, Arthur Rougier, and Simon Gachet. This core group delivered impressive performances last year in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and Sprint Cups, solidifying their roles as McLaren’s frontline ambassadors on the track.
A notable promotion elevates Joseph Loake to full Factory Driver status. The 2023 Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year, who cut his teeth in single-seaters via the FIA Formula 3 Championship, made a splash in his GT debut in 2025. His ascent highlights McLaren’s knack for spotting and fast-tracking emerging stars.
In a strategic overhaul, the program has merged its former Junior Pro and Graduate tiers into a single McLaren GT3 Junior Driver category, now comprising ten promising talents under the guidance of Rob Bell, the ex-Factory Driver turned McLaren Motorsport Sporting Director. Returning drivers include DTM competitor Ben Dörr, long-timer Josh Rattican (entering his fourth year), and 2023 McLaren Trophy Europe champion Tommy Pintos. They’re joined by 2025 Trophy champ Jayden Kelly, who dipped into GT3 racing toward the end of last season.
The category welcomes six fresh faces, each bringing a wealth of experience. Monégasque-Italian driver Louis Prette, 27, joins after securing an overall GT World Challenge Endurance Cup victory in Barcelona with Garage 59. His teammate, Essex native Tom Fleming, steps in fresh from balancing GT World Challenge duties with a European Le Mans Series campaign in 2025, and he’s already eyeing WEC action this year. Rounding out the newcomers are James Kell, who tackled GT Open and GT World Challenge in McLaren machinery last season; Mikey Porter, a fixture with Optimum Motorsport in those same series; Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, the 2022 GT World Challenge Europe Silver Cup winner pivoting from prototypes in the European Le Mans Series; and Zak Meakin, the 2024 British GT GT4 champion and a 2025 McLaren Trophy Europe race winner.
This influx emphasizes a seamless progression pipeline, particularly with Pintos and Kelly exemplifying the jump from McLaren’s one-make Trophy championships to factory-level opportunities. Enhancing this pathway, the McLaren Trophy Academy—launched in 2025—will see its scope broadened in 2026 to offer more hands-on experience for professional drivers in the Trophy series, including those of eligible age. The full Academy lineup is slated for reveal in June, promising to cement McLaren’s role as a premier GT talent incubator.
Giorgio Sanna, Head of Motorsport at McLaren Automotive, expressed his enthusiasm: “I am really pleased that we have a strong group of drivers making up the Factory Driver program. Marvin, Dean, Benji, Simon, Arthur and Joseph are all top GT drivers, and it is a credit to our factory roster that we have them onboard. The eight GT3 Junior Driver members are all promising talents coming from McLaren Trophies and GT4 and we will be keeping a close eye on their progress. The renewed McLaren Trophy Academy program dedicated to the best talent drivers competing in our one make series has the target to be a reference GT drivers development program at global level. 2026 is shaping up to be a very exciting season.”
Echoing that optimism, Sporting Director Rob Bell added: “Once again, we have been able to move the McLaren Motorsport Factory Driver program up a gear. With an expanded line-up and a clear development focus the future looks very bright. With Marvin, Benji and Tom racing in WEC this year we can now support a straight-line progression from McLaren Trophy to the peak of GT racing in the World Endurance Championship.”
As McLaren Motorsport revs toward another high-stakes year, this bolstered roster positions the team not just to compete, but to redefine excellence in GT racing worldwide. With a blend of proven winners and rising prodigies, the stage is set for more podiums, titles, and perhaps even greater milestones in 2026.