Formula E Driver Hughes to Make Sports Car Debut With APR

Former FIA Formula E driver Jake Hughes will make his endurance racing debut in the European Le Mans Series this year after he and Tristan Vautier have been announced alongside Matthias Kaiser at Algarve Pro Racing.

Hughes has extensive single-seater experience having been a race winner in FIA Formula 3 before spending three seasons competing in Formula E with the McLaren and Maserati squads.

The Briton had moved to a reserve driver role with Mahindra for the current 2025-26 campaign, alongside his duties as a test and simulator driver for the McLaren Formula 1 team.

He will now experience sports car racing for the first time at the wheel of the No. 25 APR Oreca 07 Gibson in the LMP2 ranks of ELMS.

“I’ve been knocking on the door and pushing to get into endurance racing since exiting junior single-seaters a few years ago and I’m extremely proud to be joining Algarve Pro Racing for the 2026 European Le Mans Series,” said Hughes.

“It’s very clear that APR is one of the standout teams in the global endurance racing scene and, while the level of competition will be very high, the goal can only be to bring out our full potential to challenge for race wins and the championship title.

“I immediately got on with the Oreca 07 Gibson LMP2, which suits my driving style as a powerful high-downforce car that’s akin to a single-seater, sitting somewhere between F2 and F3 cars in terms of its capabilities and behavior.

“I’ll be throwing everything at this season in an attempt to show what I can do.”

Vautier, meanwhile, is far more familiar with LMP2 machinery, and finished ninth in the ELMS Pro-Am class with APR in 2023.

He was more recently announced as taking Sebastien Bourdais’ place at Tower Motorsports within the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s LMP2 ranks.

“I had spent most of my prototype career in the USA until Algarve Pro Racing gave me a chance to compete in the 2023 European Le Mans Series, so returning to the team that broadened my horizons feels special,” said Vautier.

“Stewart [Cox, team founder] made it clear when we shook hands that he was putting this lineup together to go for the 2026 ELMS title.

“Given the team’s caliber and its ability to consistently deliver winning cars, it’s down to me, Matthias and Jake to execute and make it happen.”