Lone star Le Mans 2025: Cadillac leads the charge as WEC returns to Austin

 

Imagery courtesy of Alpine Endurance Team via X

The 6 Hours of COTA, held from the 5^th to the 7^th of September marks the sixth round of the FIA WEC season. Known as the Lone Star Le Mans, the race takes place at Austin’s 5.513 km circuit featuring dramatic elevation changes and technical complexity. This is COTA’s eighth appearance on the WEC calendar since its debut in 2013, reaffirming its status as a fan favourite venue. The circuit returned in 2024 after a brief hiatus and continues to deliver close racing and strategic drama.

As the only North American round of the 2025 season, COTA draws a world class grid. Ferrari leads both the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ Championships. Porsche, Alpine, Toyota and Peugeot field competitive hypercar entries. LMGT3 features strong American representation, including Corvette, Ford and Heart of Racing Team. With 36 entries across Hypercar and LMGT3. The event showcases endurance racing at its highest level.

Fresh off a commanding 1-2 finish at Sao Paulo, Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA has surged to second in the Hypercar Manufacturers’ standings, marking its first-ever WEC win as factory backed outfit. With Alex Lynn, Earl Bamber and Will Stevens leading the charge, the team heads to COTA with a strategic edge – home advantage on American soil and deep experience with the V-Series.R platform. JOTA’s ambitions are crystal clear, convert momentum into consistency fend off fierce rivals like Ferrari and Porsche in addition to stake a serious claim in the 2025 title fight.

Imagery courtesy of Ferrari Hypercar via X

Ferrari’s #83 AF Corse crew made up of Robert Kubica, Yifei Ye and Phil Hanson arrive as Le Mans winners, looking to extend their form after a dramatic victory in June. Porsche Penske Motorsport welcome back factory aces Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet, reuniting with Estre as well as Vanthoor for a renewed title push. Toyota’s #8 GR010 Hybrid, led by Sebastian Buemi returns after missing Sao Paulo aiming to reignite their championship challenge.

Ben Barnicoat rejoins the #78 Lexus RC F after injury and IMSA commitments marking his first WEC starts since Qatar. Dereck DeBoer steps into the #10 Aston Martin Vantage LMGT3 replacing standout rookie Anthony McIntosh. Timur Boguslavskiy returns to the #31 BMW M4 LMGT3 bolstering Team WRT’s podium ambitions.

Tyre management will be crucial, especially with Michelin for Hypercar and Goodyear for LMGT3. Weather variability with high Texas heat and potential late day storms could disrupt pit strategies as well as stint lengths. COTA’s technical layout, including the steep climb into turn one and flowing sector two demands precision along with balance, especially in traffic.