2026 IMSA GTP Championship – Down to the Wire

2026 IMSA GTP Championship – Down to the Wire

By Eddie Le Pine. Images by Jack Webster

Cadillac victory through the streets of Detroit

After the unofficial “36 Hours of Florida” at the beginning of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech
SportsCar Championship season (consisting of the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve
Hours of Sebring), you would have thought that the GTP championship might have already been
in the bag for Porsche Penske. After all, the legendary powerhouse team and manufacturer had
swept the first two endurance rounds, with their #7 car taking the overall wins in both races.
But there was much more racing to be done in 2026 and as it turned out, the season was just
getting started with more drama and great racing to follow.

Porsche Penske started the season with a win at the Rolex 24

At the end of the 2025 season, Cadillac perhaps previewed what was to come in 2026 by taking
victories in the final two endurance races of the year – the 6-Hour Battle on the Bricks at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the 10-Hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. With those wins, Jack Aitken jumped to second in the championship in 2025.

In 2026, Cadillac was racing with the new “Evo” upgraded Cadillac V-Series.R. with improved
aerodynamics. Following those Florida wins for Porsche, the Whelen Cadillac team went on a
tear – winning in the streets of Detroit and then two weeks later the 6-Hours of Watkins Glen.
Short race, long race – didn’t matter to them, they could win anywhere. When they were not
winning, the Whelen team was racking up podium finishes.

Still, it came down to the wire at Motul Petit Le Mans, where going into the event Laurin
Heinrich – the Porsche factory pilot who drove for both JDC and Penske in 2026 – had a chance to take the driver’s championship, with his consistent results and GTP win for JDC and Porsche at Laguna Seca.

Porsche Penske finished the season just as they had started, by winning Motul Petit Le Mans
with their #6 car. But for the GTP championship, the Porsche Penske win didn’t matter as Jack
Aitken, Action Express (Whelen Cadillac) locked up the championship after qualifying. All they
had to do was to take the green flag to secure the title for the GTP driver, team and
manufacturer championships.

For Jack Aitken it marked his first IMSA championship after finishing second in GTP last year. For Cadillac Whelen (Action Express Racing) it marked their Seventh class championship in 17
seasons and their second GTP championship. For manufacturer Cadillac, it marked their fifth
IMSA manufacturers championship and second one in GTP.

Whelen Cadillac followed up Detroit with a win at the Watkins Glen 6-Hour

So, as of the end of 2026, Porsche and Cadillac have each won two of the four modern era GTP
titles. Everyone else is on the outside, looking in.
2026 marked the end of Acura’s participation in IMSA GTP racing, and although they won races, they failed to win a manufacturers title. BMW is still looking for a championship season, they were stronger in 2026 with a win at Indy, and look to improve next year. Only Aston Martin is winless in GTP, but they keep getting better and it seems like just a matter of time before they
break through to victory lane.

But to the victors belong the spoils, and Action Express, Cadillac and Jack Aitken were deserving champions in 2026.

Jack Aitken: “It’s been a fantastic year…the incredible consistency we’ve had as a brand, as a
team. 10 podiums in a row for Cadillac. We’ve been up there for quite a few of them. I could
have not done it without my teammates. It does feel a little bit bittersweet that Earl (Bamber)
couldn’t be with me because, honestly, he should be. Missing that one race…He should be right
up here.”

Team WRT BMW took the win at Indianapolis

Now to an almost non-existent off season: Official testing for 2027 comes shortly at Daytona,
and right after the Christmas holidays, the teams will all be back at it at the Roar before the 24
at Daytona and then the Rolex 24.

Will the 2027 IMSA season continue to set records with quality grids, record crowds and super
close competition? Most likely. Stay tuned, we will be on hand to cover it all.

See you at the races.

Eddie LePine Photographer & Contributing Editor

Edward LePine isn’t known by all as Fast Eddie for no reason. He knows everyone in the pitlanes of the world literally. His deal-making is the stuff of legend. If you have a piece of signed memorabilia, chances are, Eddie has had his hands on it. Having raced in years past, he has an encyclopedic working knowledge of sports car racing and its people. Eddie brings action, humor, and excitement to The Motorsport Diaries through his writing and photography.

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