Boutsen VDS will join forces with Porsche in 2026 to launch a two-car assault on GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS.
The Belgian squad switches to the Weissach marque after two successful seasons with Mercedes-AMG, which delivered a pair of Silver Cup titles for Aurélien Panis and Cesar Gazeau. Porsche also enjoyed an excellent 2025 by clinching the Endurance Cup title with Rutronik Racing.
Boutsen VDS will field a pair of the brand's updated 911s in the full 10-round championship, which is highlighted by the flagship CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa. One of its cars will be shared by a trio of official Porsche drivers, while the composition of the second entry will be confirmed at a later date.
Alessio Picariello will be among the all-factory Pro line-up. The Italian-born Belgian joins his home team on a high after winning the Endurance title with Rutronik and brings a wealth of experience with a variety of other Porsche outfits.
“First of all, I would like to thank our former partner, with whom we won the GT World Challenge Europe Silver Cup in the last two seasons,” said team principal Olivier Lainé. “However, we are taking on a new challenge which we hope will allow us to aim even higher. I am very excited about racing Porsches next year, especially as we will be a privileged partner of the marque in Europe.
"I would like to thank my partner, Marc van der Straten, as well as Rudi Penders and Lionel Hansen. They are true lovers of the brand and their collaboration in setting up this ambitious project has been invaluable. Together with the whole team, we are looking forward to starting winter testing.”
Best known for the success of his Marc VDS squad – which won the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa in 2015 – Marc van der Straten (below) has reaffirmed his commitment to the team for a fourth season. Like Lainé, he has high hopes for the new collaboration with Porsche.
“I really appreciate working with Olivier, his wife Olivia Boutsen and all the staff around them,” he said. “There is a family atmosphere, but there are also results. In three years of collaboration, we have accumulated titles: after being teams' champions in the Gold Cup in 2023, we won the drivers' and teams' classifications in the Silver Cup in the last two seasons.
"But that does not stop us from wanting more! In this respect, being able to work closely with a manufacturer as prestigious as Porsche is an honour. After tasting success at the 2015 Spa 24 Hours with my team, my dream now is to see the Boutsen VDS project win the world's biggest GT race. With the arrival of a major evolution for the 911 GT3 R and the support of Porsche Motorsport, I believe we will be well equipped to do so. Get ready, because the lions are determined to roar in 2026!”
The Boutsen VDS name debuted in 2023 following a link-up between established Belgian squads Boutsen Racing and Marc VDS. In addition to Mercedes-AMG, the team from Wavre has also run machinery from McLaren, BMW, Lamborghini and Audi.
The 2026 GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS season gets underway at Circuit Paul Ricard on the weekend of 11/12 April.