On The Apex

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Animated lap chart for the Hypercar class from the 2026 WEC 6 Hours of Interlagos, with key moments noted throughout the race
A very light green and white Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo crossing the finishing line at Spa-Francorchamps to win the Spa 24 Hours, with a chequered flag being waved and full grandstands
Filthy close up of a racing car after 24 hoirs of racing
Mercedes logo on a filthy race car
Ferrari crest on a dirty race car, blue with white stripes, close up
A description of the Spa 24 Hours Superpole format for this year
And image of the 32 cars advancing to Spa 24 Hours Superpole, laid out in two columns and reading down direction-wise
The two Toyota TS050s round Luffield corner at Silverstone, joined by other prototypes behind. The BRDC clubhouse is in the background.
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over fireworks at night above Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Text reads: "After the flag. The story doesn't end at the flag. Full post-race analysis of the Spa 24 Hours lands the week after the chequered flag. Subscribe free for the deep dive, and follow along here for the bite-size version."
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over a checkered flag waving as a blue GT3 car passes, marshal's post in foreground. Text reads: "Storyline 05. A 7th winner in 7 years? In the last six years, six different manufacturers have won the race: Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes, BMW, Aston Martin, and Lamborghini in 2025. Could another manufacturer continue the streak? Ford? McLaren? Let us know in the comments."
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over a blue Mercedes-AMG GT3 and yellow Mercedes-AMG GT3 racing side by side on track. Text reads: "Storyline 04. Last 24H race for the Mercedes-AMG GT3? Could this be the final 24-hour race for the current Mercedes-AMG GT3? In action in various forms for almost a decade, it'll likely be replaced next year by a brand new model. Could the old lady of GT3 take a swansong win?"
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over a photo of Valentino Rossi in racing suit and sunglasses, standing on the grid. Text reads: "Storyline 03. Valentino Rossi's continued evolution. It's strange to think Rossi has had two motorsport careers: one making him a motorcycle legend, one a BMW factory racing driver. Can he take a first 24-hour win at Spa, his favourite circuit for car racing? His huge fanbase certainly hopes so!"
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over a blue and white Ford Mustang GT3 race car on a tree-lined section of track. Text reads: "Storyline 02. Ford Mustang GT3 Evo looks pacey. The Mustang GT3 is in its third year of competition. A significant Evo update for 2026 has ironed out the first-gen issues, with updates to the brakes, suspension and front aero. It looks quick, developed, and ready to win a major race outright."
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over a gold and black Lamborghini Temerario GT3 race car, number 63, on track. Text reads: "Storyline 01. Lamborghini Temerario gathering pace. The Temerario had a slightly tough start to life, but Lambo are getting on top of it now. It almost took its first race win in DTM just last weekend at the Lausitzring until a post-race penalty. Either way, it looks quick. Keep an eye on it all weekend at Spa."
Alt text: On The Apex graphic over an aerial photo of GT3 cars racing through Eau Rouge/Raidillon at Spa-Francorchamps, grandstands full of fans. Text reads: "Race Preview 2026. 5 storylines to watch at Spa. The Spa 24 Hours is this weekend! Before track action gets underway on Thursday, here are five stories we'll be following all the way from the green flag to chequered, 24 hours later."
A picture from the start of Le Mans 2026 with the Cadillac V-Series.R of Will Stevens, and the #20 BMW M Hybrid V8 of Rene Rast, centre frame. Text reads: Who led Le Mans? A relentless fight at the front. The lead swapped hands regularly between 5 different cars from 3 teams. 47 lead changes 5 cars led Hypercar
The Toyota team, with Nyck de Vries and Mike Conway front and centre, stand nervously watching the screens with the WEC world feed in the final minutes of Le Mans 2026. Quote reads: Even until the last 3 hours we didn't know what was going to happen. Robin (Frijns) made it super tense for the last 30 minutes. Nyck (de Vries) was closing his eyes in his room for the last hour hiding from everyone. I was pacing around in the drivers' room, I had about 15 toilet breaks in the last 30 minutes. But we got through it and we're here. Amazing job by everyone.
Le Mans lap chart for the Hypercar class, showing positional changes each lap
Seb Boyrdais's #38 Cadillac in a pit stop. Quote reads: I just to try to take the emotion out of it, the best I could. I did my part, I think I had a solid stint in the car when I was there. So did everybody else. I think at that point, when the gods of racing decide that it's not your day, it's just not your day. We didn't stuff the car in the fence or anything like that, it's just a stupid failure that ruins everybody's efforts. It is what it is.
Various Le Mans Hypercars in the traditional pre-Le Mans photo shoot, Ferrari 499P centre of frame with the #009 Aston Martin in front.
Ben Keating in the garage in race overall, AirPods in his ears, smiling. Quote reads: I spent so many years learning the skill of how to brake late and race hard with no ABS. That was the big differentiator between me and the other bronzes. Now, every bronze is a hero in braking, you just step on it like a gorilla and the computer does all the work. And so my skill, my differentiator went away. Now I'm just an average bronze driver.
The #12 JOTA Cadillac at Le Mans, side on profile shot, at speed. Quote from Louis Deletraz reads: Le Mans, low fuel with new tyres, is always the best. No traffic as well so it was fun. The car felt good and we were P2, so very close. Qualifying doesn’t mean much here, but I’m happy to be up front. It means the car is competitive and the whole team did a good job. Now we can continue working on our race car and pushing for the race weekend, because all we want to do is win on Sunday.”
Pipo Derani standing arms folded, headphones on in the garage, with an inset photo of his car at Le Mans on the left. Text reads: It was important to get a clean lap to see more or less where we are, not in terms of lap time but more in terms of balance. I think we have some work to do, but regardless of that our first time at Le Mans, it's a great pleasure to be here with this team, creating history for Korean Motorsports.
20% best lap averages from Le Mans test day. Text reads: Toyota were fastest in average pace across both the morning and afternoon test day sessions at Le Mans, but Alpine and the JOTA-run Cadillacs were not far behind. Teams are likely to be sandbagging and not showing full pace yet, just going about their test day programmes. Ferrari, winners for the last 3 years, were only mid table, more than half a second off Toyota in these metrics, but again they are unlikely to be showing their hand just yet. New boys Genesis aren’t far off the rest of the pack, while Peugeot continues to struggle at La Sarthe, with BMW slightly ahead. Single lap session toppers Aston Martin also look to be in a good place in the averages, with everyone certain to find more time before practice starts on Wednesday.
The #007 Aston Martin Valkyrie on track during Le Mans test day 2026. Quote from Tom Gamble reads: Night and day [difference] really [compared to last year]. Systems on the car are working a lot better now, and the balance itself is also a lot better. It's a lot more enjoyable to drive. And I mean it was already fun last year. It's a pleasure to drive this to drive this Valkyrie around Le Mans.
A graph showing 20% average lap pace from the 2026 morning session of Le Mans test day. Methodology: taken both cars from each team, filtered down to the 20% best laps from both, and averaged them out, then averaged both cars from each team together to create a single value. Teams with a single car just have one average shown. This does include laps which were deleted for exceeding track limits as the Al-Kamel analysis file does not delete those laps or flag them. I need to work out a way to delete them. This includes the #7 Toyota's 3:26.644, set by Kamui Kobayashi in the final minutes of the session, where he exceeded track limits in the second sector.
The #38 JOTA Cadillac V-Series.R, racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class, on track with DHL sponsorship hoarding in the background. Above the car is an inset photo of Sebastien Bourdais putting his helmet on, visor up so you can see his glasses. Quote from Bourdais reads: "For me, Le Mans represents more than any other because I grew up there and raced there many times. I’ve come quite close a few times and it’s one of those races that is extremely difficult to win and, maybe this is the year!"
#6 Porsche at Daytona International Speedway, followed by the sister #7 car
The #10 WTR Cadillac V-Series.R at Daytona
The #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac on the infield at Daytona International Speedway, during the 2026 Roar Before the 24 test.
The McLaren Le Mans Hypercar, pictured from the top, on track.
The Iron Dames after their WEC LM GTE-Am win at Bahrain in 2023
Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor sitting against a pitwall, with Estre showing Vanthoor something on his phone.
A graphic showing Kevin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor's Porsche 963 stats, and that they'll drive the #6 Porsche in IMSA next year. It also shows Matt Campbell will drive the car in the Endurance Cup rounds.
Audi R10 at Le Mans 2008, at Porsche Curves