The Heart of Racing Team Confirms Imola Driver Line-Up

IMOLA, Italy (April 7, 2026) - The Heart of Racing Team has confirmed its driver line-up for the FIA World Endurance Championship season opener at Imola Circuit. The Prologue is set for April 14, with the race taking place on Sunday, April 19 at 1:00 PM CEST. 

Due to the first clash between the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship calendars, Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello will compete in Long Beach that weekend in the team’s No. 27 Heart of Racing Team GTD entry. As a result, Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy graduate Kobe Pauwels will join Gray Newell and Jonny Adam in the No. 23 Heart of Racing Team LMGT3 entry at Imola. 

Pauwels will make his WEC debut, bringing valuable experience both at Imola and with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3. He competed in the 2025 GT World Challenge Europe season and most recently raced alongside Adam in the Asian Le Mans Series, where the pair claimed victory in the season finale.

“This is a significant milestone in my career,” said Pauwels. “Competing in my first WEC race is both an honor and a valuable opportunity to compete at the highest level of endurance racing together with The Heart of Racing Team. I’m fully focused on maximizing every lap and contributing to the team. I already shared the car with Jonny in the past; we worked very well together. It will be my first time sharing the car with Gray. He has shown impressive pace and improvements over the last couple of years. I am sure we will form a strong trio. I’m grateful to everyone who made this possible, and I’m ready to take on the challenge.”

The double-header weekend begins with the WEC Prologue at Imola Circuit on April 14, before both championships move into race weekend action on Friday. With simultaneous on-track programs in Long Beach and Imola, the team will once again operate across two continents as it takes on a demanding start to the 2026 WEC season.