Corvette Claims Landmark LMGT3 Victory with TF Sport at 2026 Le Mans 24 Hours

Key Points

• TF Sport’s #33 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R won the LMGT3 class at the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans after starting 17th on the 25-car grid
• Drivers Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar, and Ben Keating delivered Corvette Racing’s first LMGT3 victory and tenth class win at Le Mans overall
• Ben Keating, who broke his elbow nine weeks earlier in a mountain bike accident, completed five stints plus four stints in the opening eight hours despite still recovering
• Jonny Edgar, age 22, drove five consecutive stints (just under four hours) at the finish to secure his first Le Mans victory — his second Le Mans appearance overall
• Nicky Catsburg won his second Le Mans title, while Keating claimed his third class triumph at the French endurance classic
• The #33 Corvette led by as much as three minutes in Hour 10 before a safety car intervention reduced the gap to a handful of seconds
• Final margin: 20.621 seconds over the #78 Akkodis Lexus RC F LMGT3 of Hadrien David, Tom van Rompuy, and Jack Hawksworth
• Third place: #23 Aston Martin Vantage LMGT3 of Heart of Racing Team (Jonny Adam, Gray Newell, Dudu Barrichello)
• The pole-winning #27 Aston Martin Vantage retired with gearbox problems while in a top-three position
• Manthey Porsche 911 LMGT3.R crashed in the chicane with Ayhancan Guven five hours remaining, ending Porsche’s two-year Le Mans winning streak in the category
• Mark Reuss, Chairman of General Motors, called it “a super success for our design, engineering and racing teams”
• TF Sport celebrated its fourth Le Mans triumph at its tenth appearance, having previously won twice with Aston Martin and twice with Corvette
• Corvette Racing’s first Le Mans class win was in 2001; the manufacturer had not won a class since 2023 when Catsburg and Keating won LMGTE Am
• The win moves TF Sport into the lead of the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams ahead of Vista AF Corse and Akkodis ASP Team
• Weather conditions were exceptionally hot — Keating called it “the best weather I’ve ever seen in Le Mans” — which benefited the Corvette Z06 GT3.R
• Jonny Edgar stated the car was “already the best on the Goodyear tyres” and they could “always make a difference” in the second stint

Le Mans (Britain Today News) June 16, 2026 – TF Sport delivered a perfect, mistake-free race to secure Corvette Racing’s landmark tenth class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with the #33 Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R climbing from 17th on the grid to claim historic LMGT3 glory. Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar, and Ben Keating orchestrated a masterful come-from-behind triumph that ended Porsche’s two-year dominance in the category and handed General Motors its first LMGT3 win at La Sarthe since the class debuted.

How Did TF Sport’s Corvette Climb From 17th to Win LMGT3 at Le Mans 2026?

As reported by Russell Atkins of FIA WEC, the British outfit TF Sports elected to gamble by placing Bronze-rated driver Ben Keating in the car for much of the early part of the race despite his recent elbow surgery.

“We developed a plan for how we were going to execute, and we executed well,”

Keating stated after the race.

“We had the perfect race, with no penalties and no mistakes, which is what it takes to do well at Le Mans.”

The strategy paid dividends immediately. Keating completed stint upon stint in the first eight hours, covering a sizeable chunk of his allotted time at the wheel while opponents were still settling in. According to Autoweek, Keating completed his mandatory minimum drive time with five stints and then four stints before making way for team-mates Nicky Catsburg and Jonny Edgar.

As the night progressed, Edgar and Catsburg edged up the LMGT3 hierarchy. When dawn broke, the #33 was already among the leaders, with Edgar placing the Corvette in first place in Hour 10. Later, Catsburg increased the lead to three minutes before a safety car intervention reduced it to a handful of seconds.

What Made Ben Keating’s Return After Elbow Injury So Remarkable at Le Mans 2026?

Only nine weeks after breaking his elbow in a mountain bike accident, Keating returned to competitive racing at Le Mans for his first FIA WEC appearance of the year. As reported by Motorsport.com, Keating admitted to fitness concerns on his Le Mans return after elbow surgery, revealing he was still dealing with discomfort.

“I’m feeling good, but I’m trying to think of what the right word is. Anxious, maybe?”

Keating told Motorsport.com ahead of opening practice.

“It’s my first race back. My elbow is not 100%. It feels good for driving, but getting in and out is a challenge. Tightening the belts is a challenge.”

Despite these concerns, Keating laid the foundations for victory.

“This has to be the best weather I’ve ever seen in Le Mans, in the 12 times I’ve done it,”

Keating emphasised.

“It was a green race. It made for really competitive racing. I think the extreme heat out there was really beneficial for our car.”

In his post-race quotes with Corvette Blogger, Keating added:

“You always believe it can happen, absolutely. I don’t care how good your car or team is. You can’t come into a 24-hour race expecting to do well. You just have to do your job, and we had a perfect race… no penalties, no mistakes.”

Why Was Jonny Edgar Considered the Man of the Match in TF Sport’s Le Mans Victory?

Jonny Edgar, just 22 years old and in his second Le Mans appearance, drove a heroic final five stints — just under four hours — to bring the Corvette to victory. Already a Le Mans winner at 22, this was Edgar’s first victory in the LMGT3 class.

“The plan wasn’t to do five stints at the end,”

Edgar explained to Autoweek.

“But I think I had to do at least three due to the drivetime rules and how much Nicky had done. I was going to do three but because of the way we did tires, it made sense to do four. Once I was already in for four, I may as well have stayed in again!”

Nicky Catsburg celebrated the teamwork in his post-race quotes:

“Johnny Edgar did an amazing race. He was man of the match if you ask me.”

Edgar had much praise for the car himself:

“I think our car is already the best on the Goodyear tyres. Especially the second stint, we could always make a difference. That’s where we managed to grow the gap.”

In further comments to Corvette Blogger, Edgar said:

“I knew we had a fighting chance because the car was feeling really good and we seemed pretty fast. I always knew we had a chance to win but in a 24-hour race you need so much to go right. You need some luck with safety cars or to also not be unlucky. There are a hundred things that could have gone wrong but we had a pretty perfect race, I would say. No mistakes, no contact, good pit stops the whole time.”

What Does Corvette’s Tenth Le Mans Class Win Mean for General Motors’ Racing Legacy?

This victory strikes a particular chord for Corvette Racing. It marks the American manufacturer’s tenth 24 Hours of Le Mans class win, with their first coming in 2001. Corvette had not been at the top of the class since 2023, when Catsburg and Keating won LMGTE Am.

“What a day for General Motors and Corvette Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans!”

said Mark Reuss, Chairman of General Motors.

“A tenth class win for Corvette Racing at Le Mans is a super success for our design, engineering and racing teams.”

In extended quotes with Corvette Blogger, Reuss added:

“What an historic day for General Motors and Corvette Racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. To earn Corvette Racing’s 10th class victory at Le Mans is a tremendous achievement for our motorsports, design and engineering teams. Huge congratulations to drivers Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar and Ben Keating, and our partners TF Sport. You have earned your place in the history books! It’s an incredibly proud moment for all of us and it shows that, working as one team, GM can beat the best in the world.”

Andrea Hidalgo, Corvette Racing Program Manager, stated:

“It’s amazing to be able to help bring home such an important win for the Corvette Racing program and add to the long legacy Corvette has at Le Mans. This shows the strength of our Corvette GT3 platform and the strength of our Corvette customer teams to execute and win.”

How Did Weather Conditions Benefit the Corvette Z06 LMGT3.R at Le Mans 2026?

The three drivers saluted the qualities of the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which performed well in this year’s exceptionally hot conditions. Keating emphasised the effect of the hot day, noting that the extreme heat was beneficial for their car.

“This has to be the best weather I’ve ever seen in Le Mans,”

Keating said.

“It was a green race. It made for really competitive racing.”

The heat created what racing insiders described as a “green race” — meaning minimal interruptions and clean racing throughout the 24 hours. This allowed TF Sport’s strategy to unfold without major disruptions until the late safety car intervention.

What Challenges Did Other LMGT3 Contenders Face During the 2026 Le Mans Race?

The #78 Akkodis Lexus RC F LMGT3, driven by Hadrien David, Tom van Rompuy, and super-sub Jack Hawksworth, secured second place with a fast and flawless performance. According to FIA WEC, David and Hawksworth set the fastest two LMGT3 laps of the race, deservedly earning the #78’s best finish in FIA WEC competition to-date.

At the chequered flag, the margin was 20.621 seconds over the runner-up Lexus. Hawksworth drove the closing stints but could not put a dent in Edgar’s lead.

Heart of Racing Team’s #23 Aston Martin Vantage, piloted by Dudu Barrichello, Jonny Adam, and Gray Newell, completed the podium in third place. However, the US-registered outfit saw the sister pole-winning #27 car forced out by gearbox problems while in a top three position.

The Aston Martin No. 27, which Mattia Drudi drove to pole, was in contention throughout the race until a broken transmission forced retirement with less than three hours remaining. The contending Manthey Porsche 911 LMGT3.R brought out the second full course safety car period with five hours remaining when it crashed in the chicane with Ayhancan Guven on board, ending a two-year winning streak at Le Mans for the German team.
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Why Is This Victory Particularly Symbolic for TF Sport at Their Tenth Le Mans?

It is symbolic for TF Sport too, marking the fourth triumph for the British team at their tenth Le Mans appearance. The team has previously won twice with Aston Martin and twice with Corvette.

“I think this is one of the best races we’ve ever done as a team,”

TF Sport team owner Tom Ferrier stated.

“Everything fell in our favor and worked the way we planned it, which doesn’t happen very often. We got breaks when we needed to. The car was fast. These guys were awesome. We didn’t get any track limits penalties, didn’t damage anything.”

Ferrier, who marked his 10th year at Le Mans, acknowledged Edgar driving to the finish was part of several breaks that fell the team’s way.

“The professional that Nicky is, he’s happy to put his hands up and say that another guy is faster than I could go, and we needed that to win the race. So Jonny… a young man who drove brilliantly. I never had a doubt about it.”

How Did the #34 and #2 TF Sport Corvettes Perform at Le Mans 2026?

The #34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette, crewed by Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc, and Peter Dempsey, finished sixth in LMGT3 after starting last on the 25-car grid. The car ran out front in the 11th hour as Charlie Eastwood completed a remarkable comeback.

“I think it was a super-solid race for us,”

Charlie Eastwood said.

“At Le Mans, if you have a super-solid Silver like Jonny, he can take a lot of the load. It was always going to be difficult for our guys versus him. They ran an unbelievable race. We got lucky with a couple of safety cars to keep us on the lead lap.”

A third TF Sport Corvette — the No. 2 of Johor Motorsports Racing drivers Ben Green, Lorcan Hanafin, and Prince Jefri Ibrahim — placed 14th in the first Le Mans for the JMR crew. Ben Green and Lorcan Hanafin were as high as fourth in class during their stints.

The No. 13 Corvette was an unfortunate retirement in the fifth hour after a collision on track damaged the car beyond the point of repair.

What Impact Does This Win Have on the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams Standings?

Thanks to their performance, TF Sport take the lead in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGT3 Teams ahead of Vista AF Corse and Akkodis ASP Team. The victory positions the British team strongly for the remainder of the 2026 FIA WEC campaign.

The 2026 FIA WEC campaign will continue in four weeks’ time with the Rolex 6 Hours of São Paulo on 10-12 July.

What Does This Victory Reveal About the Essence of the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

This win reveals the essence of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: a collective effort, in which experience, strategy, consistency and talent come together to turn a P17 start into a fantastic triumph. For Corvette, TF Sport and their drivers, the classic race was true to form once again.

Ben Keating reflected on the achievement:

“It’s so good to be with these guys. I enjoy Nicky. I’m super-proud of Jonny. To win with Corvette is really special again. But it’s even better to have my name on the side of it. In 2023 when we won with the Corvette, I didn’t have Keating Chevrolet! Now I have Keating Chevrolet so I can put my dealership on it. Hopefully we win on Sunday and sell Corvettes on Monday!”

The best victories are hard-fought, built up lap by lap. From 17th on the grid to LMGT3 glory — TF Sport’s #33 Corvette Z06 proved that patience, clear-thinking and sustained pace can overcome any odds at La Sarthe.