AF Corse USA Sets Dual-Class Entry for 2026 Rolex 24 Endurance Race
The Rolex 24 at Daytona isn’t just a race. It’s a battlefield where the new season’s hopes are either launched or left in pieces on the banking. For AF Corse USA, the 2026 campaign begins with a clear statement of intent. They aren’t just showing up to fill the grid. They are bringing a two-pronged attack across two different categories to the 64th running of this endurance classic.
The team confirmed this week that they will field entries in both the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) and Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) classes, aiming to start the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with some serious hardware.
A Defense of the Crown in GTD
All eyes will likely be on the AF Corse No. 21 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO. The lineup is nothing short of formidable, featuring Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux, Antonio Fuoco, and Tommaso Mosca. For Mann and Wadoux, this race is about maintaining momentum.
AF Corse is coming off a stellar season as the reigning champions of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup in the GTD class. Defending that title starts the moment the green flag drops in Daytona. Mann, who has seen the highs and heartbreaks of Daytona before, knows exactly what it takes to survive the grueling 24-hour sprint.
“I have been in Daytona a few times now, and obviously, we’ve come close quite a few times,” Mann noted during the November test sessions. He recalled the stinging near-miss of 2024, where he finished second. “But I think every year the important thing is you just do your best. It’s a race where you need to survive until the end to have a good car, clean car at the end to do something then.”
There is a palpable sense of maturity in Mann’s approach. In endurance racing, you can’t win the race in the first hour, but you can certainly lose it. His focus is internal, blocking out the noise and managing the variables within his grasp.” Honestly, it’s just about focusing on yourself and controlling what you can control,” he added.
The Emotional Weight of Victory
Mann’s reflection on his recent successes with AF Corse offers a glimpse into the driver’s mindset. Winning the Michelin Endurance Cup wasn’t just a professional checkmark. It was personal validation.”It’s a huge milestone, especially for me personally,” Mann admitted. “I haven’t been racing as long as some of my competitors. So to be able to win such a prestigious race and to be able to wrap up the Endurance Cup, I think it’s the best scenario possible.”
He also praised his teammates, specifically highlighting Wadoux’s raw pace and the invaluable mentorship of Ferrari veteran Alessandro Pier Guidi from the previous season. “Lilou is super fast. There’s no question about her speed,” Mann said, noting that learning from experienced hands like Pier Guidi has been instrumental in his own development.
Seeking Redemption in LMP2
While the GTD entry fights to defend a legacy, the LMP2 entry is looking to settle a score. The No. 83 ORECA LMP2 07 will be piloted by Francois Perrodo, Mathieu Vaxiviere, Nicklas Nielsen, and Dylan Murry. For Murry, the lone American in the squad, returning to Daytona brings mixed emotions. In 2025, Murry, alongside Nielsen and Vaxiviere, came agonizingly close to a class victory in the No. 88 car.
They were right there, in the hunt, but the top step of the podium remained just out of reach. This year, the team returns to Perrodo’s traditional No. 83 number plate, a number that carries significant weight in the AF Corse garage. It was the No. 83 Ferrari 499P that took overall honors at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, a victory that surely fuels the hunger for the LMP2 squad to replicate that success on American soil.
Final Thoughts
With a lineup that blends raw speed, tactical experience, and the burning desire to finish unfinished business, AF Corse’s LMP2 effort is one to watch. Daytona is unforgiving. It demands perfection from the machine and crew for twenty-four straight hours. But with champions in the cockpit and a history of winning in the garage, AF Corse is arriving in Florida ready for a fight.
