Akkodis ASP Team has locked in its Bronze drivers for the upcoming 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, bringing in a seasoned contender while retaining a proven race-winner for its pair of Lexus RC F machines.
That said, the French outfit enters the new campaign looking to build on an astonishing rise through the ranks. After finishing 16th and 18th in the standings back in 2024, the team skyrocketed to third and ninth this year, securing a brace of pole positions, a maiden victory for the #87 car in São Paulo, and a second triumph at the season finale in Bahrain.
Now, the squad is assembling the pieces for another charge in the fiercely-contested LMGT3 category. Esteban Masson (#78) and two-time world champion José María López (#87) were previously confirmed as the team's Pro drivers on the official entry list. López will once again share the #87 car with Petru Umbrărescu, the first Romanian driver to win a race in the championship, bringing back two-thirds of the lineup that clinched third in the title table last season.
Meanwhile, the #78 Lexus welcomes new recruit Tom Van Rompuy from TF Sport. The 38-year-old Antwerp native made history in 2024 by taking the very first pole position in LMGT3 history, later adding a win at Fuji and a runner-up finish at Interlagos to claim fifth in the LMGT3 Drivers' classification. He already sampled the Lexus during the annual Rookie Test, and his extensive background spanning GT World Challenge Europe, the European Le Mans Series, and the Asian Le Mans Series makes him a formidable addition. Akkodis plans to announce its remaining two drivers shortly.
The 2026 battle for honours kicks off with a ten-hour endurance test in Qatar on 28 March. From there, the calendar rolls on to Imola, Spa-Francorchamps, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, Interlagos, COTA, and Fuji, before concluding with the traditional eight-hour finale in Bahrain.
