Despite an early end to her first season in the Porsche 911 GT3 R, Therese Lahlouh's breakthrough 2026 campaign showcased significant growth, career-best results and continued progression through the North American Porsche Motorsport Pyramid.
A severe allergic reaction suffered during the IMSA round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway caused respiratory issues that brought her season to a premature close. Lahlouh attempted to return at Barber Motorsports Park but was forced to withdraw before race day and will now also miss the Indianapolis 8 Hour.
The setback comes after a season of significant development for Lahlouh, whose move into GT3 competition brought an early podium, two Hard Charger awards and a place in the Pro-Am championship fight alongside Thomas Merrill.
A difficult end to a promising season.
“I’m devastated to have my season end early, but I’m not going to let this take away everything we’ve accomplished this year,” said Lahlouh.
“There is so much to be proud of and so much to build on. Right now, my focus is on getting well, and then taking everything I’ve learned into 2027 with even more determination.
“I wanted so badly to be back in the car at Barber. It’s difficult to accept that you have to stop when you feel like you’ve put so much into this, but I had to accept that I wasn’t physically capable of safely continuing.”
Lahlouh had been scheduled to share Wright Motorsports’ No. 242 Porsche 911 GT3 R at Indianapolis with regular teammate and coach Merrill and Porsche factory driver Kévin Estre. The event, which brings together GT World Challenge America and Intercontinental GT Challenge, was set to provide a memorable conclusion to her first GT3 season.
The eight-hour race would also have offered an opportunity to apply the lessons of her debut campaign over a longer distance, while learning alongside one of Porsche’s leading international drivers who was part of the race-winning line-up at Petit Le Mans last weekend
“Missing Indianapolis is incredibly hard,” she said. “Thomas has been such a huge part of my development, and the opportunity to share our car with Kévin was something I had been looking forward to so much. I wanted to finish this season strong with them and have a chance to kiss bricks with Wright Motorsports.”
Breakthrough results in GT3 competition.
Her enforced absence ends a campaign in which Lahlouh and Merrill had been in the Pro-Am championship hunt, with an early podium demonstrating how quickly she was adapting to the Porsche 911 GT3 R after three seasons in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in Porsche Sprint Challenge.
In only her second GT World Challenge America race, Lahlouh joined Merrill on the podium at Circuit of The Americas, finishing second in Pro-Am and third overall. The pair also earned the SuperFuel Hard Charger award that weekend.
A second Hard Charger award followed at Road America, where they gained 15 positions overall and finished fourth in the wildly competitive Pro-Am class.
Those performances provided tangible rewards as Lahlouh adjusted to the demands of GT3 racing and a shared-car format, with Merrill’s coaching taking on an additional dimension as her teammate.
“Standing on the podium at COTA in my second race was something I’ll never forget,” said Lahlouh. “It gave me real confidence in what we could achieve together. Thomas and the team have pushed me, believed in me and helped me grow so much this season. We were still making progress, which makes stepping away especially difficult.
“Having Thomas in the same car has been such a valuable part of this year. There is always something to learn, and being able to work through that together has helped me build confidence and understand where I can keep improving.”
Progression through the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid.
Lahlouh joined Wright Motorsports in GT World Challenge America this year after progressing through Porsche Sprint Challenge USA West and Porsche Sprint Challenge North America in the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Her rise through those championships provided the foundation for the move into the Porsche 911 GT3 R, with this season marking another important step in her development within the Porsche motorsport ranks.
A member of the
That role has allowed her to share the stories of drivers and teams throughout the Porsche paddock while pursuing her own ambitions behind the wheel. Those connections have become even more meaningful during a difficult few weeks.
Support from the team and Porsche family.
“I can’t thank everyone at Wright Motorsports enough,” she said. “They’ve put so much work into this season, and their care and support through all of this have meant the world to me. They’ve made me feel supported as a person through a really difficult time.
“I’m grateful every day for Bobby V (COO Bobby Viglione) and Adam (Team owner Adam Adelson) – they took care of me as a customer and as a human and I can’t thank them enough.
“As a driver, you know how much effort goes into getting you on track, and you want to repay that every time you get in the car. I’m so grateful for everything this team has done to help me develop and for the understanding they’ve shown when I’ve needed it most.
“The same goes for my Porsche family. From everyone at Porsche Motorsport North America to the people I see throughout the paddock, I’ve felt so much kindness and encouragement. I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by people who care so much, and that support is helping me look forward.”
With her attention turning to recovery and a return in 2027, Lahlouh intends to make the lessons of her debut GT3 campaign the foundation for her next step.
“This is a tough way to finish the year, but it has given me even more motivation,” she said. “I want to use this season as a springboard for 2027. We’ve shown what’s possible, and I’m determined to come back stronger, keep improving and reward the faith my team and my Porsche family have shown in me.”
Stay up-to-date on all the latest news by following Porsche Motorsport North America on