- Mercedes-AMG Converts Pole to Victory
- Porsche Wins in Pro-Am
- Ferrari Victorious in Am Class
- Provisional Race Results
GT World Challenge America powered by AWS ushered in a new era on Saturday at Sonoma Raceway, as the series debuted its new three-hour race format to open the 2026 season. JMF Motorsports carried its qualifying form into race day after earning pole position, with the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT3 converting that pace into a commanding overall and Pro class victory. Meanwhile, GMG Racing surged to the top in Pro-Am, while AF Corse captured Am class honors after a steady and determined run through the season-opening contest.
Pro Class
JMF Motorsports controlled the early stages of the race in Pro, as Michaï Stephens retained the lead aboard the No. 34 Mercedes-AMG GT3 while fending off pressure from Alex Sedgwick in the No. 6 Dollahite Racing Ford Mustang GT3.
Behind them, the battle inside the class remained intense throughout the opening hour. Michael McCann Jr. lost ground in the No. 8 McCann Racing Porsche 911 GT3-R (992) as Matias Perez Companc kept the No. 12 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 firmly in the lead group. McCann also found himself embroiled in an on-track fight with Pro-Am contender JP Martinez in the No. 28 RS1 Porsche, briefly dropping to seventh before mounting a recovery to reclaim position and work his way forward again.
At the driver change, Mikaël Grenier took over from Stephens and kept the No. 34 out front, though AF Corse remained in close pursuit with Frederik Schandorff taking over the Ferrari.
The final hour brought the race’s strategic turning point as the majority of the field cycled through pit stops within a tight 50-minute window. Turner Motorsports briefly lost ground after pitting under full-course yellow conditions, but Robby Foley mounted a charge back to fourth in class with 42 minutes remaining. Up ahead, Cameron Lawrence held firm in third in the No. 6 Ford Mustang, absorbing heavy pressure from Foley in the closing laps.
Out front, however, Grenier was untouchable. The Canadian brought the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3 home for the first overall and Pro victory of the season, while Schandorff secured second for AF Corse. Lawrence completed the Pro podium after successfully holding off Foley, while fellow Canadian Zachary Vanier completed the top five in the No. 8 McCann Racing Porsche.
“We decided to start on a sticker set to try to stay in front of the Ford because they were super quick, and Sonoma is probably one of the toughest tracks to overtake at,” said Grenier. “It worked, although the first stint was difficult with traffic and I probably used the tires a bit too much. But in the end, it was enough, and the car was really strong.”
Stephens added: “It’s yet another testament to this organization and to the opportunity to be here with JMF Motorsports and Mercedes-AMG. It’s a lovely way to kick off the season. It was a rollercoaster ride for sure, and I certainly made a handful of mistakes that I’ll look to improve on moving forward.”
Pro-Am Class
The Pro-Am category delivered one of the race’s most dramatic storylines, with major recovery drives shaping the final result.
Jason Daskalos led the way early in the No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3, running an impressive third overall during the opening hour. Behind him, trouble struck for a pair of BMW entries, as Slade Stewart’s No. 14 Riley Technologies machine was forced into retirement following an incident, while Derek DeBoer’s No. 99 Random Vandals Racing BMW limped back to pit lane for repairs. Thanks to the caution period, DeBoer was able to rejoin at the tail end of the field without losing a lap, setting up an impressive comeback effort. Todd Coleman, meanwhile, managed a double stint while holding second in class.
As pit strategy began to diverge, DeBoer briefly vaulted to the overall lead on an alternate sequence, underscoring the unpredictability of the new endurance-style format.
By the second hour, Jan Heylen had assumed the Pro-Am lead in the No. 28 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3-R (992), but his charge was interrupted by a penalty for a pit stop violation. That opened the door for GMG Racing, where Tom Sargent had taken over from Kyle Washington in the No. 32 Porsche and immediately began hunting down Heylen for both the class lead and a place on the overall podium.
The final hour belonged to Sargent, who also earned the Superfuel Hard Charger award of the race.
After making his final stop with 49 minutes remaining, the GT Academy driver charged forward and laid down the fastest lap of the race on his way to the class lead. When the checkered flag flew, Sargent had climbed 10 positions to secure the Pro-Am victory and an outstanding third-place overall finish.
Ryan Yardley also impressed in the No. 31 Wright Motorsports Porsche, gaining seven spots to finish second in class, while Heylen recovered to salvage the final spot on the Pro-Am podium. Riley Dickinson delivered a strong drive in the No. 13 Kellymoss Porsche, climbing six places to finish fourth, with Thomas Merrill and Therese Lahlouh rounding out the Pro-Am top five for Wright Motorsports in the No. 242 Porsche.
“It’s always a box you want to tick,” said Sargent. “The team did an amazing job. The car was lethally quick, the engineers gave us a great setup, and everyone on the crew put it together perfectly. It’s one of the best cars I’ve ever driven, and it’s a privilege to drive it here and come away with the win.
“That’s exactly what we came here to achieve. There were a lot of unknowns coming into this new format, so to do it straight away is a huge confidence boost for the whole team. We couldn’t quite get the win last year, so it’s great to come back and get it done. And Kyle was brilliant, consistent, mistake-free, and fast the whole way. I couldn’t have done it without him.”
Am Class
In Am, AF Corse put together a clean and composed performance to take the class win with the No. 163 Ferrari 296 GT3 shared by Oswaldo Negri and Jay Schreibman.
The duo spent much of the race holding station in 16th overall, avoiding trouble and executing the new three-hour format exactly as needed in a class where consistency proved critical. By race’s end, Negri brought the Ferrari home in the same position it started, enough to secure top Am honors in the season opener.
“The car was really hooked up,” said Negri. “We had amazing pace, especially at the end of the race. I think I only had one lap above the mid-1:35s, and by the end I was running low 1:35s and able to keep up with the pros ahead. I also have to thank Jay — he made a huge step from last year, and I couldn’t ask for more from him.”
Schreibman added: “I’m looking forward to COTA. Today was fun. We had a little issue with the car when the brakes went away, but the team did an amazing job getting us back in the race. Oz did a great job finishing it off, and COTA is a fun track, so I’m looking forward to it.”
With the first three-hour race now in the books, Sonoma offered an early glimpse of the intensity and strategy the new format is set to bring throughout the 2026 GT World Challenge America powered by AWS season.
Up Next
The GT World Challenge America powered by AWS field will return for the second round of the season at Circuit of The Americas from April 24th to 26th, 2026.