SUZUKA, JAPAN

Parker Thompson added another international class victory to his 2026 season, winning the Bronze category at the 50th running of the Suzuka 1000KM, the fourth round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge. It was Thompson’s first race at the historic Japanese circuit.

The Bronze class requires a Gold- or Platinum-rated driver, a Silver-rated driver and a Bronze-rated driver. That format allowed the FIA WEC lineup of Thompson, McIntosh and Harper to race together again with Team WRT and the #69 BMW M4 GT3 EVO. For Suzuka, the car ran a special reversed version of the Genuine BMW Parts tribute livery the team used at the 6 Hours of Spa earlier this year.

All three drivers showed strong pace in qualifying. However, the #69 started just 11th overall. It was one of several cars penalized for speeding under a red flag during practice. For Sunday’s race start, McIntosh took the opening stint. There were 14 cars in the Bronze class, and several Bronze-class entries chose to start their Silver-rated drivers. Even so, McIntosh held his ground, going wheel-to-wheel with drivers from various classes.

Thompson took the wheel early in hour two but soon after was forced to make an emergency stop to correct a wheel fitment problem. Although the additional stop cost the team multiple positions, Thompson rejoined the fight without losing rhythm, making steady progress through the field. Later in his stint, the team capitalized on a full-course yellow to move to the front of the field, a move that would ultimately allow them to clinch the win.

In the third and fourth hours, McIntosh and Thompson again swapped turns piloting the #69. Platinum-rated Dan Harper joined the action with two hours remaining and held the class lead for the duration of his drive time. A touch of drama came late in the race when a drive-through penalty, issued for an incident of contact on track, considerably narrowed the team’s margin of victory. Even so, Harper maintained the Bronze-class lead, taking the checkered flag seventh overall.

“What a hectic race,” said Thompson. “After the issue in my first stint, I wasn’t sure we’d be able to make anything of this race, but our WRT team was incredible. Only a team like them would find a way to recover from that and win. A tonne of credit goes to Tony. He drove so well at the start and mid-race to put our group in a position to win today. Suzuka is now my favourite track in the world. I’ve had a few new favourite tracks this year, as we’ve had so much success in so many new places, but with Suzuka, it’s going to stick. Absolutely love this place.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sep 27 - WEC 6 Hours of Fuji
Oct 1-3 - IMSA Motul Petit Le Mans
Oct 9-11 - CIGT at Monza
Oct 16-18 - WEC 6 Hours of Barcelona
Nov 6-8 - WEC 6 Hours of Monza

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

Parker Thompson, Anthony McIntosh, and Dan Harper delivered a strong podium finish at the 6 Hours of São Paulo, taking second place in the LMGT3 class with the No. 69 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Team WRT — the car dressed in a vibrant blue, yellow, and green Brazilian-inspired livery for the occasion.

The squad found strong pace for Saturday’s qualifying sessions. McIntosh put together a sharp lap to secure second on the grid, and Thompson showed great pace in Hyperpole — putting the No. 69 fourth among an 18 car starting grid.

With a damp track and late race fog, the crew delivered a measured, well-executed race on Sunday. Thompson and McIntosh preserving the car through the early and middle stints allowing Harper to make a late push that moved them into second place at the checkered flag.

The result lifts the squad to third in the LMGT3 championship standings — their second points finish of the season following their class victory at the opening round in Imola.

From here, Thompson moves to Mugello where he and McIntosh take on the Italian GT Sprint series with Ceccato Racing, July 25–26. Thompson returns to North America at the end of July, rejoining the No. 52 Bryan Herta Autosport / PR1 Mathiasen entry in LMP2 for the Motul Sportscar Endurance Grand Prix at Road America.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sep 27 - WEC 6 Hours of Fuji
Oct 1-3 - IMSA Motul Petit Le Mans
Oct 9-11 - CIGT at Monza
Oct 16-18 - WEC 6 Hours of Barcelona
Nov 6-8 - WEC 6 Hours of Monza

IMOLA, ITALY

Parker Thompson made the perfect introduction to the FIA World Endurance Championship on Sunday, claiming victory in the LMGT3 class at the 6 Hours of Imola alongside co-drivers Anthony McIntosh and Dan Harper in the #69 Team WRT BMW M4 GT3 (Ghost Rider Squad). The win, decided by a margin of just 0.265 seconds over the #33 TF Sport Corvette, stands as one of the five closest finishes in WEC history.

Carrying a striking green, white, and gold livery – tribute to the 1991 Tic Tac BMW E30 raced in DTM — the #69 entry was in contention throughout the race, benefiting from a 4^th place starting position courtesy of strong laps from McIntosh and Thompson in Qualifying and Hyperpole. After an outstanding starting two stints from McIntosh saw the car move into the lead position, Thompson delivered a clean, composed stint at the wheel, recording the team’s fastest lap of the event at 1:42.209. His consistent run left Harper well-positioned for a final push.

Victory truly came into view with 35 minutes remaining, when the pole-sitting Garage 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo suffered a sudden loss of electrical power on the start/finish straight. Harper inherited the lead but had little margin for error, navigating a nervy final lap amid fuel concerns and an oncoming challenge from the TF Sport Corvette. Ultimately, he was able to hold the lead and seal the win.

“Unbelievable. I can’t thank Tony McIntosh enough for getting me over here. The World Endurance Championship is incredible — the fans here at Imola are second to none and what I got to experience today is truly something that was on my bucket list. It’s not many drivers who can say they won their first FIA WEC race. Team WRT is just second to none. What they do behind the strategy, behind the preparation of the cars, is unbelievable. I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this.”

The result marks Team WRT’s second LMGT3 victory at Imola in three seasons — a circuit that has become a happy hunting ground for the Belgian outfit. For Thompson, McIntosh, and Harper (dubbed the Ghost Rider Squad) it is a strong indicator for their 2026 season aspirations which already saw the trio take wins in Dubai and Abu Dhabi as part of the Asian Le Mans Series.

Their momentum carries straight into next week as Thompson and McIntosh remain at Imola to contest the Italian Gran Turismo Championship Sprint Series with the #8 Ceccato Racing entry. Thompson then heads to Spa-Francorchamps for Round 2 of the FIA World Endurance Championship, May 9^th, where the #69 will appear in new colors as part of the Iconic World Racepaints Tribute series with WRT and Ghost Rider Squad.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sep 27 - WEC 6 Hours of Fuji
Oct 1-3 - IMSA Motul Petit Le Mans
Oct 9-11 - CIGT at Monza
Oct 16-18 - WEC 6 Hours of Barcelona
Nov 6-8 - WEC 6 Hours of Monza