Algarve Pro seeking ELMS title glory with LMP2 newcomer Hughes, Vautier and Kaiser

Algarve Pro Racing is unequivocal about its ambitions for the 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS), as the team is looking to bring the title back to Portugal with the #25 ORECA 07-Gibson of LMP2 newcomer Jake Hughes and seasoned campaigners Tristan Vautier and Matthias Kaiser.

Hughes most recently competed in the ABB Formula E Championship with Maserati MSG Racing, but he also holds a Test and Simulator Driver role with the McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team.

The Birmingham, England-born racer first marked himself out as one to watch when he notched up four wins and six podium finishes on his way to the 2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship.

He then went on to dovetail multiple Formula Renault campaigns on the continent, finishing second in the 2015 Formula Renault 2.0 Alps before accumulating several race wins in both the GP3 Series and FIA Formula 3 European Championship between 2016 and 2021.

These efforts ultimately opened the door to FIA Formula 2 and Formula E opportunities, two full seasons with the NEOM McLaren team bearing four pole positions and a top-three result prior to a stint with Maserati.

In fact, Hughes’s time in Formula E yielded another, rather unique accolade; at the 2022-23 London ePrix, he set a new Guiness World Record for the fastest speed achieved by a vehicle indoors, hitting 135.9mph in the ExCeL Centre with a modified version of the third-generation race car.

Now, though, Hughes is set to achieve a long-held ambition by launching a career in endurance sportscar racing, as he has signed with Algarve Pro for a full-tilt assault on the 2026 ELMS.

Bullish about the team’s prospects, he said: “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. 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.

“The team, Matthias (Kaiser), Tristan (Vautier) and I worked very well together and achieved a great teamwork vibe during two days of testing in Abu Dhabi. Matthias is an impressive guy and is performing at a really high level, and I’m proud and grateful to be joining him this season. Tristan, meanwhile, has won at the top levels of endurance racing and knows all there is to know about LMP2 cars. Together, I have no doubt we will make a great team.”

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

Vautier makes a welcome return to the APR fold after three years away, having previously signed up for the team’s LMP2 Pro-Am assault on the 2023 ELMS.

The Frenchman originally stepped from his native Formula Renault championship onto the ‘Road to Indy’ in the USA during a period of time that also saw him feature in FIA F2, Formula Palmer Audi and the French GT Championship.

Vautier was particularly successful in the Star Mazda Series, as four race wins, six podiums, four pole positions and four fastest laps led him to championship glory in 2011 and onto a title-winning rookie campaign in the Indy Lights Series.

This served as a launchpad for his IndyCar Series debut, but he also dipped into sportscars on both sides of the Atlantic and has since made a career out of international endurance racing.

He brought a wealth of GT3 and prototype experience to Algarve Pro’s 2023 ELMS line-up, the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge title, 2021 Mobil1 Twelve Hours of Sebring victory and 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona podium among his many high-profile triumphs.

Vautier now returns to APR off the back of three Hypercar experiences, as he joined the factory Acura Meyer Shank Racing effort at last year’s Motul Petit Le Mans, having also had outings at Daytona and Sebring after serving as Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing’s 24 Hours of Le Mans Reserve Driver.

However, his heart lies in LMP2 and he’s excited to be reuniting with APR in the ELMS, saying: “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.

“I’m grateful to APR and Matthias (Kaiser) for having me and I can’t wait to get started, as I believe we have a strong line-up, really good chemistry and solid working relationships. These are key components to success and we got a glimpse of how well we work together while testing in Abu Dhabi.”

Vautier continued: “Stewart (Cox) made it clear when we shook hands that he was putting this line-up together to go for the 2026 ELMS title. Given the team’s calibre and its ability to consistently deliver winning cars, it’s down to me, Matthias and Jake (Hughes) to execute and make it happen.”

For Kaiser, the dream of competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans drove him from LMP3 programmes in the Ultimate Cup and VdeV Endurance Series into Automobile Club de l’Ouest-rules racing.

The Liechtenstein-domiciled driver first partnered with the Champion Algarve Pro team for the 2024 ELMS, increasing his podiums tally over the course of two years, before the team-driver partnership expanded to include the 2025-26 Asian Le Mans Series.

Kaiser contributed to a one-two finish in the title-deciding ALMS 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi, only a week after an exceptional outing at Dubai Autodrome, where Algarve Pro made history as the first LMP2 team to sweep all three podium places in ACO competitions.

These unprecedented landmark results ensured APR won a record-extending sixth ALMS title, and Kaiser is keen to harness this momentum when the Portugal-based team returns to Europe.

“I’m 100 per cent confident in Algarve Pro Racing and the talent behind the team, as they always deliver quick and reliable cars,” said Kaiser. “We enter the 2026 European Le Mans Series off the back of a solid Asian Le Mans season, which included some good results and was great for keeping warm. APR’s quality really came through and I hope we can translate that into some strong finishes in Europe.

“The fact I don’t remember where we classified in recent ELMS seasons says everything about my intentions for 2026 – I want to fight for the championship. The competition will be as fierce as ever, but we have a strong team and driver line-up, and I’m incredibly excited. It’s great to have Tristan Vautier’s experience and I’m pleased I got to know him better in Abu Dhabi testing, where Jake (Hughes) was immediately quick. He has a great deal of single-seater experience and I’m certain he has the capacity to learn the LMP2 car very quickly.”