In his return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship 2026, Robert Wickens will lead the GTD field for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, driving the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R (Chevrolet/Corvette Racing).
Wickens originally qualified second in the 15-minute session, but a ride-height violation on the No. 89 car resulted in a penalty that sent it to the back of the grid — promoting the No. 36 Corvette to pole.
Top 5 Highlights Strong Manufacturer Mix
With the revised grid, Wickens leads the field ahead of Danny Formal in the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 (Lamborghini).
Third place goes to the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo (Aston Martin), shared by Eduardo Barrichello and Spencer Pumpelly — continuing the car’s strong qualifying form this season.
The top five is completed by:
- 4th: No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 (Mercedes-AMG)
- 5th: No. 96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO (BMW)
Four manufacturers in the top five once again underline the competitiveness of the GTD class.
Wickens Makes Statement Return with First Career Pole
This marks Robert Wickens’ first pole position in the WeatherTech Championship, achieved in just his seventh start in the series.
Driving a specially adapted Corvette with Bosch hand controls, Wickens continues to push boundaries in top-level motorsport.
Wickens said: “It feels like redemption from last year. The car is amazing and the team has done a fantastic job.”
rack position is historically crucial at Long Beach: In the last five GTD races, the winner has always started inside the top three.
With multiple recent wins from pole, Wickens now has a real opportunity to convert this result into victory.
Other highlights:
- No. 46 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Temerario GT3 (Lamborghini) qualified 8th
- No. 177 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) (Porsche) will start 9th after issues
- No. 13 Corvette Z06 GT3.R (Chevrolet) drops to 16th following a qualifying incident