Costa Rejoins Conquest After Season Away

Photo: Conquest Racing

Albert Costa will return to Conquest Racing after a season away, rejoining Manny Franco at the wheel of the team’s No. 34 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo for the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship campaign.

Costa, who departed the Eric Bachelart-owned squad and was hired by DragonSpeed for its GTD Pro campaign this year, will re-assume driving duties of the GTD class entry alongside Franco.

Rising Italian talent Lorenzo Patrese has been confirmed as the third driver for the Michelin Endurance Cup rounds, while Thierry Vermeulen will complete the team’s lineup for next month’s season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The 35-year-old Spaniard was dropped from Conquest’s lineup in favor of Ferrari factory driver Daniel Serra this year, despite having helped take the team to class victory in the 2024 Motul Petit Le Mans.

This past season saw Costa fight for the GTD Pro class championship, which came down to the final race in a battle between Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and the Elton Julian-led DragonSpeed squad that he drove for.

“I’m very happy to be joining Conquest Racing again,” said Costa. “It really feels like coming home.

“Conquest is the team that gave me my first chance in America and helped me start my career in the United States, so returning to this group means a lot to me.

“Our first season together in 2024 was strong. We finished fourth in the championship, but now it’s time to finish the job.

“As a team, as a driver, and as Manny’s teammate, we have everything we need: the tools, the experience, the car, the tracks.

“We’ve both grown a lot as competitors since we last raced together, and now it’s about putting all of that in the same direction and fighting for the championship. That’s the goal.

“I’m very happy to be back, and I’m looking forward to starting this mega year in Daytona.”

Franco, meanwhile, will be entering his third year of top-level IMSA competition.

“We have continued to make very good progress and we have achieved a lot each season,” he said. “This next year feels like the moment where everything comes together.

“Albert and I built great chemistry when we raced together before, and having him back is great for everyone.

“Now we also have Lorenzo coming on board, which makes for a really exciting lineup. The team has worked incredibly hard to put us in a position to fight at the front, and I’m more motivated than ever to deliver results.

“I can’t wait to get started again at Daytona.”

Bachelart added: We are extremely proud of the lineup we’ve assembled for 2026. Manny continues to grow into one of the most consistent and determined drivers in the GTD field.

“Bringing Albert back into the fold adds valuable experience and a proven winning mindset, while Lorenzo and Thierry represent the next wave of standout international talent.

“Alongside this exceptional group of drivers, we have also strengthened our engineering department with Riccardo Zani and Juli Mundet, creating a truly cohesive and highly capable technical team.

“Together, our entire team is focused on building a championship-caliber program, and we look forward to starting the season strong at Daytona.”

Image: Conquest Racing

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John