Heart of Racing announces 2026 IMSA GTP and GTD drivers

The Heart of Racing Team kicks off its 2026 IMSA campaign at the 64th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona, the start of a dual-class campaign for the No. 23 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH in GTP, and the No. 27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo in GTD.

Heart of Racing, competing at the GTP level as Aston Martin THOR Team, will continue with its full-season driver line-up of Ross Gunn and Roman de Angelis in the No. 23 Valkyrie. Alex Riberas will rejoin the team for the three longest races of the Michelin Endurance Cup: Daytona, Sebring, and Petit Le Mans.

The trio, coming off the Valkyrie's first worldwide podium finish, a second place at the most recent Petit Le Mans in October, will be joined at Daytona by Marco Sørensen.

These four drivers had teamed up for last year's Daytona 24 Hours in a one-off GTD PRO entry, but their No. 007 Vantage GT3 Evo retired due to mechanical trouble. In January, the V12-powered Valkyrie AMR-LMH will race at Daytona for the first time.

“I’m very happy and excited to rejoin The Heart of Racing and Aston Martin for 2026,” said Gunn. “2025 was a year of learning, growth, and relentless improvement with the Valkyrie. I think 2026 is an opportunity to keep pushing forward and enjoy what we’re building together. I’m really looking forward to Daytona — it’s a race we missed in the Valkyrie last year, and I’m determined to get back there. Hopefully, we can continue the form we showed at the end of 2025 and fight for a win.”

Brandon Badraoui/IMSA

The No. 27 Heart of Racing Vantage GT3 welcomes second-generation driver, Eduardo "Dudu" Barrichello, for the full season as the replacement for Casper Stevenson. He'll begin his maiden GTD campaign alongside drivers Tom Gamble, Zacharie Robichon, and Mattia Drudi at Daytona.

The son of 19-year Formula 1 veteran Rubens Barrichello, Eduardo has raced at several IMSA venues going back to his early years in the American single-seater ladder; he made his first IMSA start in September at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and is coming off a WEC campaign where he captured two LMGT3 pole positions.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to race in IMSA,” said Barrichello. “I’ve seen my dad compete in the series on multiple occasions, and since then, it has become a personal goal. To get to do it with such an iconic team is something I never thought possible. I’m extremely happy and grateful to be doing it with the great group at The Heart of Racing, and I can’t wait to get started. Bring on 2026!”

“I can’t wait to be returning to the IMSA championship in 2026 with the Heart of Racing Team,” said Gamble, who finished third in GTD last year at Daytona, alongside Robichon, Drudi, and the now-departed Stevenson. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity. We had some great races last year, but didn’t quite secure the championship, which is definitely the goal for this year! We have the tools to do the job and I’m excited to see what myself and Dudu can achieve.”