Aston Martin Dominates WEC Austin FP2 Across Hypercar and LMGT3 Categories
In a compelling display of prowess, Aston Martin emerged as the frontrunner in both the Hypercar and LMGT3 divisions during the Free Practice 2 session of the Lone Star Le Mans event. The World Endurance Championship contenders navigated the challenging Austin circuit under partly cloudy skies and soaring temperatures, where track surface readings climbed above 40°C, setting the stage for an intense competition. This session, crucial for fine-tuning setups, delivered unexpected results and an early interruption, underscoring the demanding nature of the COTA track.
Aston Martin Shines in Austin's Challenging Conditions
On September 4, 2026, at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Free Practice 2 session witnessed Aston Martin’s commanding performance. Harry Tincknell, piloting the No. 007 Aston Martin Valkyrie, which he shares with co-driver Tom Gamble, recorded an exceptional lap time of 1m52.567s in the Hypercar class. This impressive feat placed them 0.122 seconds ahead of the No. 35 Alpine, firmly establishing their lead. The session was not without drama, as the No. 17 Genesis, driven by Mathys Jaubert, experienced an early spin at Turn 2 due to cold tires, prompting a brief red flag period.
Following closely behind, the No. 36 Alpine secured fourth place, trailing Tincknell's time by 0.287 seconds. The Ferrari teams demonstrated remarkable consistency, with the No. 83 AF Corse Ferrari claiming fifth, narrowly ahead of the factory No. 50 and No. 51 499Ps. The sister No. 009 Aston Martin secured eighth position, while both BMW entries completed the top ten. The Jota Cadillac teams finished 11th and 16th, with Toyota focusing on race setup, ending up 12th and 15th. Peugeot, meanwhile, found itself over a second off the leading pace, ranking 14th and 17th.
In the LMGT3 category, Aston Martin continued its dominant run. Zach Robichon, at the wheel of the Heart of Racing Team's Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3, clinched the fastest time in the final moments of the session with a 2m05.609s lap. His performance outpaced the two Iron Lynx Mercedes entries by more than 0.4 seconds. The Garage 59 McLarens also showed strong form, breaking into the top five, followed by the No. 92 Manthey Porsche and No. 78 Lexus ASP. Other notable teams, including the No. 54 AF Corse Ferrari, No. 91 Manthey Porsche, and No. 87 Lexus ASP, finished within one second of Robichon’s benchmark. Teams such as TF Sport Corvettes, WRT BMWs, and Proton Competition Fords concluded the session further down the standings, indicating a diverse competitive field as they prepare for Saturday's 60-minute Free Practice 3 session, followed by qualifying and Hyperpole.
The stellar performance by Aston Martin in both classes at the WEC Austin FP2 highlights the importance of precise engineering, skilled driving, and strategic preparation in endurance racing. Despite the challenging environmental conditions and an early track incident, the teams demonstrated resilience and adaptability. This session serves as a crucial benchmark, underscoring the tight competition and the critical need for every team to extract maximum performance from their vehicles. It also offers a glimpse into the strategic battles that will unfold, as teams continue to fine-tune their approaches for qualifying and the main race.