RACING TEAM TURKEY HEADS TO LA SARTHE FOR THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS

RACING TEAM TURKEY IS FINALISING PREPARATIONS FOR THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS ROUND OF THE 2026 FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP — THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. THE CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R #34 WILL TAKE TO THE LEGENDARY CIRCUIT DE LA SARTHE FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THIS WEEKEND'S PROLOGUE TEST DAY.

Racing Team Turkey is finalising preparations for the most prestigious round of the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship — the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R #34 will take to the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe for the first time at this weekend's Prologue Test Day.

2020 Le Mans winner Salih Yoluç says he always arrives at La Sarthe with a special sense of motivation: "Le Mans is not just another race — it's the race that defines you. Now we're returning to the same track, with a new team, a new car and a new goal."

Season So Far

Racing Team Turkey opened the 2026 WEC season with the 6 Hours of Imola but suffered an unfortunate DNF. Competing in the LMGT3 class with an experienced trio of Salih Yoluç, Charlie Eastwood and Peter Dempsey, the team is targeting a strong performance across the remainder of the season. Le Mans is the third round and arguably the most critical stop on the eight-race calendar.

"We didn't get the result we wanted at Imola, but it only made us more motivated," says Yoluç. "Charlie and I know what it means to win here. We have the right car, the right people and the right mindset. Our goal is clear: we want to fight for the LMGT3 podium."

Dempsey's Le Mans Excitement

For Peter Dempsey, Le Mans will be one of the biggest milestones of his career. The Irishman could not hide his excitement in an interview with DailySportsCar: "I never thought I'd get to tick this box in my racing career, so I'm really excited. It's just about trying to stay cool, get rest when you can, and not let the event get to you."

Dempsey is no stranger to the endurance format. He has competed twice in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill in California, driving for a remarkable 12-and-a-half hours in one year. "I'm well aware of how to manage a race. I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Having completed the mandatory ACO simulator session for all Le Mans rookies, Dempsey particularly valued the opportunity to learn the race-specific procedures: "I got to learn a lot about how the safety car zones work, slow zones work, where the LEDs and boards are, and all the procedural stuff. It definitely helps you a lot."

Test Day

Racing Team Turkey's #34 Corvette Z06 GT3.R will be on track during Sunday's free practice sessions. Yoluç underlines the importance of the Test Day: "This is the only opportunity we have to work on track with this car before the race. Every lap counts. We'll be working on our night setup, tyre management, and making sure all three drivers are comfortable. Le Mans rewards patience and preparation — and we intend to be ready."

The 24 Hours of Le Mans gets underway on Saturday, June 13 at 16:00 CEST.