Ferrari Will Dominate Michelin Le Mans Cup GT3 Category In 2026

All over the world, the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo is leading the field across multiple GT3 series. In 2026, the Michelin Le Mans Cup will be no different, with five Ferraris competing in the ten-car GT3 competition. Meaning, on numbers alone, Ferrari will have a 50% chance of winning any of the six races taking place this year. So I expect the Ferraris to once again dominate the Le Mans Cup field.

Kessel Racing, AF Corse, and Biogas Motorsport will all return to the Le Mans Cup grid representing Ferrari in 2026, with no new teams running the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. AF Corse are the reigning Le Mans Cup GT3 champions, but Biogas Motorsport will need to improve on last season if they are to compete against either AF Corse or Kessel Racing.

Kessel Racing Once Again Runs Two Ferraris

If you follow GT3 endurance racing, you will be very familiar with Kessel Racing. The Swiss team is sticking with two cars this season, running the #17 and #21 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evos in 2026. Both crews are made up of a FIA Bronze licence driver and a Gold licence driver, which is the conventional route for ‌GT3 teams.

Kessel Racing were runners-up last season behind fellow Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo runners AF Corse, so I expect they’ll be looking to go one better this year. In fact, Kessel Racing had two cars in the running for last year's title, with the #17 finishing third and the #33 ending the season in second overall. The #17 car remains this year, but the second car is now the #22. However, last season Andrea Belicchi and Lorenzo Innocenti piloted the #17, but in 2026, only Innocenti remains in the car, with David Cleto Fumanelli replacing Belicchi. The #21 is a completely new lineup compared to the previous #33, with Oscar Ryndziewicz and Giacomo Altoe representing Kessel Racing instead of Murat Cuhadaroglu and Fumanelli who is now in the #17.

#17 Kessel Racing 2026 Le Mans Cup Driver Lineup: Lorenzo Ferdinando Innocenti (Bronze), David Cleto Fumanelli (Gold)

#21 Kessel Racing 2026 Le Mans Cup Driver Lineup: Oscar Ryndziewicz (Bronze), Giacomo Altoe (Gold)

AF Corse Increases Its Presence In Le Mans Cup

As I mentioned in the intro, AF Corse is the current GT3 category champion in the Michelin Le Mans Cup. However, last year, AF Corse only had one car competing across all the races in 2025, but in 2026, they have registered two cars! The Italian GT3 powerhouse went all in on the Road To Le Mans last season, with four cars competing in the highly coveted race. But despite winning the championship in 2025, perhaps they are looking to extend their dominance this year by entering the #83 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo?

Of course, the championship winning #51 AF Corse crew is unchanged from last season. But the two fresh faces on the grid in the #83 will be Rey Acosta III and Marco Erminio Bonanomi. Interestingly, the #83 AF Corse car will not have an FIA Gold licence driver, with Bonanomi currently holding a Silver licence and Acosta III taking the Bronze driver spot. I wouldn’t expect this driver lineup to challenge their #51 teammates, but perhaps the AF Corse underdogs can pull off an enormous shock in 2026?

#51 AF Corse 2026 Le Mans Cup Driver Lineup: Alessandro Cozzi (Bronze), Eliseo Donno (Gold)

#83 AF Corse 2026 Le Mans Cup Driver Lineup: Rey Acosta III (Bronze), Marco Erminio Bonanomi (Silver)

Biogas Motorsport Are The Ferrari Underdogs

Speaking of underdogs, if you’re looking for a Ferrari to cheer for this season, but you don’t fancy the champions AF Corse or the experienced Kessel Racing, then Biogas Motorsport is the team for you! Not only is Biogas Motorsport running just one Ferrari in 2026, they are also said to be driving the Ferrari 296 GT3, not the Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. Both Kessel Racing and AF Corse are using the new Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo this season, so right from the start they should have an enormous advantage over Biogas Motorsport if the entry lists are accurate.

However, Biogas Motorsport ran the Ferrari 296 GT3 last season, and they will also have a familiar driver behind the wheel, with Marc Carol Ybarra returning for another year. According to Michelin Le Mans Cup rules, Ybarra, who is currently an FIA Silver license holder, will also need a Bronze licensed teammate to compete in the car. As of writing this article, they are yet to register their Bronze driver for the 2026 season. 

The #23 Biogas Motorsport car finished the previous season in sixth place within the overall Le Mans Cup GT3 team standings, but I imagine they won’t be able to do too much better this year with their current setup. But who doesn’t love an underdog story?

#23 Biogas Motorsport 2026 Le Mans Cup Driver Lineup: Marc Carol Ybarra (Silver), TBC (TBC)

If you're looking forward to the Michelin Le Mans Cup 2026 season, let me know who you're cheering for in the comments below!