Rossi, van der Linde won't return with Team WRT in 2026

Team WRT has announced its full LMGT3 driver roster for the 2026 FIA WEC campaign, confirming that MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and Kelvin van der Linde will not return to the world championship next season.

The final pieces of the Belgian squad’s program fall into place just days after naming its Bronze drivers Darren Leung and Anthony McIntosh. Four additional drivers have now been confirmed, completing an overhauled six-man roster in which only one of last year’s competitors remains. Both BMW M4 GT3 Evos will also run with new race numbers for 2026.

BMW M factory driver Augusto Farfus is the sole returnee and will anchor the No. 32 M4 GT3 Evo. He will share the car with Leung and Sean Gelael, reuniting a trio that formed one of WRT’s successful 2024 line-ups. That season, Farfus, Leung and Gelael delivered the team’s maiden LMGT3 victory at the 6 Hours of Imola and finished runner-up in the 24 Hours of Le Mans before Leung and Gelael moved to United Autosports’ McLaren LMGT3 Evo for the 2025 campaign.

Both drivers have since gained further experience with the updated M4 GT3 Evo through selected GT World Challenge Europe outings with Leung’s Paradine Competition team.

“I’m really looking forward to driving with Sean and Darren again next season,” said Farfus. “We had a lot of success with this pairing in 2024. We are now entering our third season in the FIA WEC and have significantly more experience than back then. Accordingly, the goal is to be fully competitive and fight for the world title.”

The sister No. 69 BMW will feature McIntosh alongside his mentor Parker Thompson and BMW factory driver Dan Harper, with the trio also set to race together for WRT in the Asian Le Mans Series this winter as part of their preparation.

Thompson arrives after competing with Vasser Sullivan Racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, while Harper enters as a WEC rookie. McIntosh brings recent series experience following a partial 2025 LMGT3 campaign with Racing Spirit of Leman’s Aston Martin Vantage AMR.

Harper’s résumé includes significant Pro/Am mileage with BMW since 2021, highlighted by the 2023 British GT GT3 drivers’ title he clinched with Leung. The pair have continued to share cars in GT World Challenge Europe, and Harper added a victory in British GT’s Silverstone 500 this season. In 2025, he also contested a full IMSA campaign with Paul Miller Racing, alongside starts in the 24-hour races at Dubai and Spa.

“The FIA WEC is a new racing series with new circuits for me. I’m extremely excited to be competing in an official FIA world championship,” Harper said. “The highlight will obviously be Le Mans. I am proud to have made it this far to be able to take part in this event. I have gained a lot of experience working with Bronze drivers over the past few years. My first impression of Parker and Anthony is very good.

“Together with Team WRT we will certainly have a lot of fun and form a strong team. Before that, I’m looking forward to returning to Daytona with Paul Miller Racing. It’s a fantastic race and the four of us drivers should be strong enough to have a good chance of winning in our class.”

WRT looks to rebound in 2026 after a difficult 2025 LMGT3 season that fell short of expectations. The team failed to score a victory, endured a double retirement at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and concluded the year with its highest-placed car only eighth in the championship standings.

As for Rossi’s plans, a return to GT World Challenge Europe appears the most likely destination.