Excitement is building ahead of the 1000 km of Navarra on April 11. The stars of last year’s edition will be back, joined by a host of newcomers. Picking a favourite, though, is near impossible: the 8-hour endurance format that defines V de V Sports leaves plenty of room for the unexpected and keeps prototypes, touring cars and GTs on an equal footing.
A rich and varied prototype field
No shortage of victory contenders
The #48 Chevron B16 Bi-Rotor fielded by Atlantic Racing will be the car to beat. Romain Belleteste, winner in 2023, is back for another crack at the Spanish venue, this time alongside Daniel Roustan. But expect the Châteaux Sport Auto camp to come out swinging : they missed out on victory by a mere 20 seconds last time around!
Chevron B16 #84 – entered for Benjamin Monnay and Augustin Sanjuan, an all-new pairing compared to last year’s Navarra event – should be firmly in the mix. Another strong contender is the KMW Porsche SP30. Fresh out of the workshop just three days before the start of Les 2 Tours d’Horloge, it still managed a promising 3rd place finish. Serge Libens, Marc de Siebenthal, Henrique Gemperle and Jean-André Collard certainly have the pace to challenge at the front.
“The Chevrons were right at home in Navarra in 2024 and I’m sure the revised layout will suit them even better,” says Laure Van de Vyver. “The GTs and touring cars are always in the fight too. And I expect the S2000 machinery to be really quick. Honestly, anyone’s guess who’s going to win.”
Speaking of S2000, two Crosslé 47S entries will line up on the grid ; a first for the championship! The #40 car runs under the banner of Les 4 Fantastics, with Lionel Vancheri, Florent Cazalot, Maxime Jouvin and Romain Lachieze. The foursome made their debut at Les 2 Tours d’Horloge last November, recording just 16 stops across 24 hours and completing 343 laps (22nd overall).
The second chassis is #42, entered by team Forez Gump, with Eric Balay, Philippe Vulin, Pierrick Vulin and David Thiollier – a crew brand new to the championship. Their low fuel consumption, combined with the ability to push stints to the 2h10 maximum continuous driving limit, could be a real trump card. Also worth watching is a third Crosslé, the 9S-Zetec #28, driven by Xavier Michel and Gislain Genecand. The pair conquered Les 2 Tours d’Horloge in 2025 and will be looking to build on that momentum in 2026.
Could the Touring Cars upset the order?
A strong BMW presence
A glance at the entry list suggests the overall winner could well emerge from the touring car ranks. Far-fetched? Not at all! A BMW 635 CSi has already claimed outright victory at the V de V Sports Barcelona 6 Hours back in 2023. That very car, #183 from Châteaux Sport Auto, is entered for the Spanish round.
A second 635 CSi will be on hand: #12, driven by Anthony Schrauwen and Tom Cloet, a team making their V de V Sports debut this very weekend. The perfect stage for an upset? Sticking with BMW and newcomers, note the arrival of the 2002 TI fielded by JAC Motors, with Bart Blommaert and Rikkert Leeman (#101). Clear evidence that V de V Sports’ historic endurance racing is drawing in a steady stream of fresh competitors!
Grand Touring: expect fireworks
Will Porsche reign supreme in Navarra?
Porsches make up a full third of the grid, spanning an impressive range of models. Take the 3.0 SC #9 from GT Classic, for example.
Philippe Baert, Stéphane Moreau and Sébastien Morales ran a faultless race at Les 2 Tours d’Horloge last November, crossing the line 9th overall and first in GTS 3. They head to Navarra determined to deliver more of the same.
Two 944 S2s (#112 from JP Racing and #20 from Cudini Racing Team) along with three 964s (#24 for Christine de Siebenthal, #26 for Le Duigou Racing and #66 for Team Zoch Racing) will also be hammering the Navarra tarmac, fuelling genuine races within the race.
The German machines frequently run nose-to-tail, creating a thrilling “Cup”-style atmosphere that’s a joy to watch.
Saloon Cars: guaranteed variety
BMW, Caterham, TVR and Porsche go head to head!
Rounding out the bill is the Saloon Cars (SC) category, a perfect addition to the 8 Hours of Navarra. The popular TVR Griffith 200, entered by Eric Van de Vyver and shared with Patrick Brossard, Guillaume Maillard and Pierre-Olivier Calendini, will be on track.
Taking on the yellow Brit is the eye-catching Caterham Superseven #22. Thierry Lortal and Vincent Delarche are more than capable of a standout result.
To do so, they’ll need to see off the BMW 323i from Wassermann Racing and the Porsche 911 3.0 SC #72 from Flatsix Le Mans Circuit, a returning team proudly carrying the number synonymous with Le Mans. Or could the spoils go to #85 from Atlantic Racing? Because alongside the Chevron B16 already mentioned, the Belleteste family’s outfit is also represented in Saloon Cars with a BMW 635 Super Production, shared among Jean-Marie Belleteste, Steve Goldin and Jose Oliveira.
3 support grids for a packed weekend – ASAVE Racing and Trophée Lotus head to Spain
The Spanish meeting provides the ideal stage for both the ASAVE Racing 65 and ASAVE Racing 76 grids to kick off their seasons. These competitors will wrap up their 2026 campaigns with V de V Sports once again at Les 2 Tours d’Horloge. The Trophée Lotus, founded in 1987, celebrates the legendary Lotus Sevens of the 1960s alongside more modern Caterhams fitted with the 1600 Kent engine (subject to certain technical requirements). Around 30 cars are expected ; another season opener, and crucially, the championship’s maiden trip to Spain!
True to tradition, whether racing in the endurance event or the support races, fun and fellowship will set the tone. A welcome drinks reception on Thursday evening brings everyone together – drivers, mechanics, marshals and officials – ahead of a giant paella dinner (booking essential) on Friday night!
Partnership news for V de V Sports
On and off the track, V de V Sports’ commitment to spectacle, camaraderie and authenticity shines through its strategic partnerships.
As 2026 gets underway with plenty of activity behind the scenes, we are delighted to confirm the continuation of our collaboration with Benson & Cherry. Gifts will be handed out to every competitor at the 8 Hours of Navarra, and a new range of t-shirts and sweatshirts will soon be available online at bensonandcherry.com and at the exhibitors’ village during Les 2 Tours d’Horloge, which is shaping up to be bigger than ever.
We are also pleased to welcome Aramco and SodiGroup as multi-year partners of V de V Sports. Sodifuel, a Puy-de-Dôme-based subsidiary of Sodigroup, will handle Aramco fuel supply at the Navarra and Paul Ricard circuits for Les 2 Tours d’Horloge, while fellow subsidiary Sodipneu will provide tyre services.
The V de V Sports team is proud of both partnerships. Creating lasting ties and offering brands a platform rooted in strong values is exactly what our events are about. The decision to open Les 2 Tours d’Horloge to the public underlines that ambition. In 2026, enthusiasm for historic endurance racing will only keep growing.
Always with passion at the heart of competition.
Photo credit: Gilles Chaulet
Full press release here.
MEDIAS CONTACT:
Julien Hergault : +33 6 78 21 53 34 | contact@classic-media.fr
Geoffroy Barre : +33 6 42 12 09 36 | geoffroy@classic-media.fr
V DE V SPORTS CONTACT:
Eric Van de Vyver : +33 (0)6 09 11 28 69 | eric@vdev.fr
Laure Van de Vyver : +33 (0)6 28 53 12 99 | laure@vdev.fr
Marion Thouroude : +33 (0)6 144 144 30 | vdevsportscommunication@gmail.com
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