How to watch Lone Star Le Mans 2026: Cota preview
Here's the thing about endurance racing: just when you think a giant has the championship sewn up, the ground shifts completely. As the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship heads to Texas for round five of eight this weekend from September 4-6, Toyota finds its lead over BMW slashed to a razor-thin five points. That championship fight arrives at COTA amidst the closest Hypercar battle in years.
Toyota was sitting pretty after claiming a sixth 24 Hours of Le Mans victory back in June. But BMW hit back hard in São Paulo last month. , and piloted the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 to victory in Brazil while both Toyotas struggled, shrinking the Japanese manufacturer's advantage from 36 points down to just five. That momentum shift also dragged the Drivers' standings into a dead heat, with and now sitting level on points at the top alongside Toyota's , and .
Behind the top two, reigning world champions Ferrari have steadied the ship in third on 88 points. They trail BMW by 39 points—a gap that the sweeping corners and heavy braking zones of Austin could easily shrink or stretch. Lone Star Le Mans marks the absolute turning point as the second half of the championship kicks off, leaving just three rounds after Texas to settle both title tussles.
No manufacturer needs a strong weekend in Austin quite like Cadillac. As the only round on the FIA WEC calendar held in the United States, it is the home race for the American brand—and the GM-owned marque arrives carrying real momentum. Over in São Paulo, claimed Hypercar pole position before the #12 and #38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA cars secured third and fourth places. That 28-point haul was the squad's best single weekend of the season, lifting Cadillac to fourth in the championship classification and 19 points clear of Alpine.
Yet, a victory at COTA remains missing from Cadillac's resume. Ferrari took the 2024 Lone Star Le Mans while Porsche claimed it in 2025, leaving the US marque still searching for a breakthrough on home soil. To change that, the team has introduced a twist for the weekend. With regular driver continuing his recovery from neck surgery, Cadillac has drafted in —a two-time 24 Hours-winner fresh off a victory in the IMSA race at Road America with Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing—to join Stevens and Norman Nato in the #12 V-Series.R for a one-off appearance. Lynn is expected to return for the final two outings in Barcelona and Monza.