Cool Racing withdraws from WEC season finale, AF Corse alters line-up

Cool Racing has become the latest team to sit out the 8 Hours of Bahrain, the season finale for the 2019/20 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The Swiss outfit follows recent withdrawals from Rebellion Racing and Cetilar Racing to bring the number of entries down to 24.

The squad and its #42 ORECA 07-Gibson made its WEC debut this season, scoring victory first time out at the season opener at Silverstone last year.

In GTE Am, meanwhile, a significant number of teams have been forced to alter their line-ups due to schedule clashes. The Bahrain WEC round clashes with both the Twelve Hours of Sebring for IMSA as well as the GT World Challenge Europe’s season finale at Paul Ricard.

start of the race, depart, 12 DELETRAZ Louis (swi), STEVENS Will (gbr), NATO Norman (fra), Cadillac Hertz Team Jota, Cadillac V-Series.R #12, Hypercar, action, 20 FRIJNS Robin (nld), RAST René (ger), VAN DER LINDE Sheldon (zaf), BMW M Team WRT, BMW M Hybrid V8 #20, Hypercar, action, 35 FELIX DA COSTA António (prt), MILESI Charles (fra), HABSBURG Ferdinand (aut), Alpine Endurance Team, Alpine A424 #35, Hypercar, action during the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2026, 3rd round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship, on June 13, 2026 on the Circuit des 24 Heures du Mans in Le Mans, France - Photo Fabrizio Boldoni / DPPI

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At Team Project 1, Jörg Bergmeister returns to the line-up for the #56 Porsche 911 RSR, with which he won the GTE Am title the previous season. He replaces Matteo Cairoli, who is racing at Paul Ricard.

The same goes for Gulf Racing’s Andrew Watson, whose place in the #86 Porsche 911 RSR will be taken by newly crowned ELMS GTE champion Alessio Picariello.

Matt Campbell, normally a feature in the line-up for Dempsey-Proton Racing’s #77 Porsche 911 RSR, has been replaced by fellow Porsche factory driver Dennis Olsen. Campbell is unable to make it to Bahrain as he is racing with Porsche’s factory GTLM squad at IMSA’s Sebring season closer.

Finally, the line-up for the #88 Dempsey-Proton Porsche has also seen changes. Two-time Dubai 24 Hours winner Khaled al Qubaisi has been inserted into the line-up, joined by former Porsche factory driver Marco Holzer.

Pier Guidi out, Serra in at AF Corse

Additionally, AF Corse has been forced to alter its line-up as a result of the clashing GTWC finale.

Alessandro Pier Guidi, originally set to partner James Calado aboard the #51 Ferrari 488 GTE Evo, is in contention to take the GT World Challenge Europe title.

As a result, Ferrari has opted swap the Italian for Daniel Serra. Serra, Pier Guidi and Calado have partnered together before, most notably taking the GTE Pro class win at Le Mans in 2019.