Iron Lynx, Mercedes-AMG Set to Continue LMGT3 Partnership

Photo: Fabrizio Boldoni/DPPI

Iron Lynx is set to continue as Mercedes-AMG’s partner team in the LMGT3 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship according to team boss Andrea Piccini and the brand’s head of customer racing Stefan Wendl, who have both confirmed intentions of a second season together.

Its deal to run the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos will continue despite ongoing reports that parent company, Swiss-based DC Racing Solutions, is facing significant financial issues, with principal owner Deborah Mayer, who also holds a majority stake in Prema’s NTT IndyCar Series squad, having recently sold her 40-plus exotic car collection.

When pressed for an update on Mercedes-AMG’s 2026 WEC plans, Wendl insisted that all systems are a go with Iron Lynx.

“There’s no intention [to change] from AMG’s side, and I have had no indication from Iron Lynx to [end] our relationship,” Wendl told Sportscar365.

Wendl admitted that there has been a high level of interest from its customers for the coveted LMGT3 berths, although said it’s been that way “for years” and he remains faithful to Iron Lynx.

“This is not new,” he said. “With the rumors coming out and reports popping up, and there are teams that are asking for the situation, if it’s true or not.

“We are fixed [with Iron Lynx for 2026].”

Piccini added: “Between us and Mercedes-AMG, it’s confirmed that we continue for next year. The program is to be here and back in the ELMS.”

The Italian squad tested a number of prospective new drivers in Sunday’s post-season Bahrain rookie test, including Bronze-rated pilots Tom van Rompyuy, Marcelo Tomasoni and Johannes Zelger, as well as Mikey Porter and Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer, who are both Silver and Gold-rated, respectively.

It came a day after the team secured its first podium result with the Mercedes-AMG, with its No. 61 entry of Maxime Martin, Lin Hodenius and Martin Berry, which came home second.

“Of course there’s a lot of good talk going on,” said Piccini. “For sure the results of the last races have helped a lot.

“Also I think the championship is kind of expanding. There’s new Bronze [drivers] coming, new drivers interested in the championship.

“I think, in general, it’s a positive moment to be able to finalize the lineup and deal for next year.

“I would say we’re pretty positive that we can come with a nice program for next year to be back in WEC.”

Mercedes-AMG’s WEC Foray Was “Learning Season”

Wendl, meanwhile reflected on its up-and-down first year in the world championship, admitting they expected it to be a “learning season” given the short notice, in a deal that Piccini said was only agreed upon on Nov. 5 of last year.

“It was a last minute deal,” said Wendl. “When we made the handshake it was [with] Andrea and Giacomo [Piccini]. We looked in our eyes and said, ‘Hey, this will be a tough one.’

“It’s been tough and it felt weird at times. On the other hand, it was good learning [experience].

Wendl also praised the efforts of the FIA and ACO, which were accommodating in accepting the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo into the championship, through the various technical measures, in the build up to February’s season-opening Qatar 1812km.

“It’s a very complex race series,” he said. “The competition level is high. The ruleset and everything is new for AMG at least and we’re really happy with Iron Lynx that they brought us into the stable, on this platform, and we’re also very thankful for the ACO and FIA that they allowed us to do it.

“We squeezed some homologation periods and things to make it happen.

“Finally, the car is there. I think we have some learnings to take from AMG that we need to bring into the new season to make the car and several things more competitive.

“We have a long list, shared with the team, with us.

“At the same time, we are close as a team and in an exchange starting after this final round to take all the learnings we had from the AMG side with the car to improve and get better, how to adapt the car to different tracks, and also to the tires.

“There I think there is room for improvement. But I’m very optimistic that the second season will be stronger. If we don’t change too much… then we can get stronger.”

Iron Lynx Aiming to Expand ELMS LMGT3 Effort

Piccini is hoping to double the team’s program in the ELMS next year after entering a single Mercedes-AMG this past season.

“ELMS, we’d like to expand to a second car but it’s pretty difficult because everyone wants to be there at this moment, so getting the entry is really not easy,” he explained.

“We will try because that mean having two cars [in ELMS], two cars in WEC it would be a perfect plan for us.”

When asked if there’s consideration to rejoin GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS competition, where it enjoyed success in the past with Lamborghini and Ferrari machinery, Piccini said it wouldn’t come until the German manufacturer’s new GT3 contender debuts.

“It’s not in our plans [for next year],” he said. “This swap we made to Mercedes-AMG has been a challenge big enough and I think we should consolidate what we’ve learned this year into the ACO championships, the LMGT3 car.

“Honestly we’d be looking at going back to GT World Challenge [Europe] probably when the new car will be coming because this will mean starting again on a even base the teams that have, for sure, a lot more experience than we have with the Mercedes-AMG in those kind of championships with those tires.

“We think we have an advantage here because we know the championship very well. We’ve done it for a long time, we know the strategy, we know the tires. We will focus on this for next year for sure.”

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