Chevrolet Grand Prix 2026 Preview: LMP2 Contenders, GT Favorites & Predictions

This is the third consecutive season that LMP2 will be the top category in the CTMP event, replacing GTP which doesn’t enter due to the circuit’s nature as a sprint-distance round rather than an endurance event. That makes the Chevrolet Grand Prix genuinely unique on the IMSA calendar. An LMP2 crew doesn’t just win a class trophy here — they win the race outright, period. No GTP car is faster than them at this venue on this weekend.

The championship standings make every position doubly important. The most recent LMP2 CTMP winners have gone on to win the title the last two years, making this race a genuine predictor of who lifts the LMP2 championship trophy in November. In GTD Pro, the top three teams and their drivers are separated by fewer than 100 points, ensuring every pit stop and every lap at Bowmanville carries maximum championship weight.

All times below are Eastern Time (ET). Local Ontario time is also ET. Pacific Time (PT) is ET minus 3 hours. Central Time (CT) is ET minus 1 hour. The WeatherTech Championship race on Sunday is the featured event and the only race that matters for LMP2, GTD Pro, and GTD championship points at this round.

All times Eastern (ET) · Source: IMSA.com official schedule · Times subject to revision · Peacock for U.S. streaming · Check Rogers Sportsnet for Canadian broadcast

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park stands as Canada’s oldest racing facility, originally known as Mosport when it opened in 1961. That history carries serious weight. Formula 1 raced at the circuit from 1967 to 1977, with some exceptions during that period. IndyCar, Can-Am, World Sportscar Championship, and IMSA GT Championship have all competed on this historic track. CTMP isn’t just old — it’s a circuit that defined North American road racing across multiple eras.

Fast, sweeping corners combine with significant elevation changes to create one of the quickest tracks on the IMSA schedule. The layout has remained largely unchanged since 1961, though modern safety improvements have been added over the decades. Moss Corner represents the circuit’s most distinctive section — two closely linked 90-degree right-hand turns that demand precise car control, named after legendary driver Stirling Moss, who provided input on the track design. Natural amphitheater terrain around this section creates excellent viewing opportunities.

LMP2 is the headline act at CTMP — not just the class to watch, but the class that wins the race outright. This is the third consecutive season that LMP2 will be the top category in the CTMP event. With GTP absent, an ORECA prototype will take the checkered flag first across all classes on Sunday afternoon. That’s a genuinely unique scenario on the IMSA calendar, and it adds prestige to the LMP2 crown here that doesn’t exist at any other round.

Dane Cameron leads the way in CTMP wins, with three overall across both the Prototype and now LMP2 classes. Co-driver PJ Hyett won his first IMSA race at CTMP last year and has the last two poles. That combination of circuit experience and current-form momentum makes the No. 99 arguably the most dangerous car in the field despite starting from behind the championship leader on points.

The CrowdStrike No. 04 entry is hard to bet against, however. They have hardly missed a beat this year with class wins at both the Rolex 24 At Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans. A crew that can win at Daytona and Le Mans in the same season is clearly doing something right on both long stints and sprint races. CTMP, at 2 hours and 40 minutes, sits at the shorter end of IMSA’s race distances — making it closer to Daytona’s sprint format than its 24-hour endurance format. Furthermore, Ricky Taylor, a GTP star, will drive alongside Misha Goikhberg in place of Parker Thompson at the No. 52 BHA entry — a significant upgrade in the cockpit for a Canadian driver on home soil. Understanding how pit stop strategy works in endurance racing is essential context for what makes the difference in a 2h 40m IMSA race.

The GTD Pro championship is where the 2026 title fight is truly alive. Connor De Phillippi, Neil Verhagen and the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO sit atop the standings with 1,575 points thanks in large part to a win at Daytona and a second place at Watkins Glen. Hard on their heels is Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ double threat of the No. 3 and No. 4 Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs with 1,515 and 1,494 points, respectively.

Last year’s GTD PRO champs, Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims, won the first IMSA race for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R at CTMP in 2024 — the most recent of the team’s 13 wins at the Chevrolet Grand Prix. That makes Corvette’s two-car threat particularly loaded at this specific track. Moreover, the most recent GTD PRO winners (Vasser Sullivan Racing No. 14 Lexus) have three poles in the last four races, suggesting qualifying could go their way on Saturday evening.

In GTD Pro, Canadian-based Pfaff Motorsports will be racing its No. 9 Lamborghini Temerario GT3. The Pfaff squad is in its first season with the new Temerario GT3 package, and a home round at CTMP provides exactly the motivation a developing program needs to deliver its best result. The first year with the Lamborghini Temerario GT3 is trending upwards after their first podium. Therefore, a strong qualifying lap on Saturday could put them genuinely in the mix for the first time since the car debuted. For context on how different GT3 cars compare technically, our GT3 race car diagram and guide explains what separates the machinery at this level.

The GTD class at CTMP features 13 entries and a championship leader who arrives with a substantial cushion. Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello in the No. 27 Aston Martin holds a 157-point lead in GTD. That margin gives his Heart of Racing Team entry breathing room, but a 2-hour 40-minute race on a circuit as demanding as CTMP leaves plenty of room for attrition to reshuffle things.

Corvette, Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG, Mustang and Porsche will all go head-to-head on CTMP’s legendary Grand Prix circuit. That manufacturer depth in GTD alone makes it one of the most visually spectacular grids on the entire IMSA calendar. However, the championship story centres on Barrichello and whether the No. 27 team can hold its lead through another race with a guest co-driver filling in for Tom Gamble.

The No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R quietly has two podiums and three top-four finishes in the last four races, making it a legitimate dark horse for GTD victory that the championship narrative has somewhat overlooked. Furthermore, the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 of Jack Hawksworth enters as a GTD class front-runner with demonstrated pace throughout the season. Understanding how the full course yellow and safety car procedures affect Pro-Am GT strategy is critical here — the 2026 short FCY regulation change means any early caution fundamentally reshapes how teams manage their stint windows.

CTMP is Canada’s home race, and the IMSA paddock reflects that. Five LMP2 entries will feature lineups with Canadian drivers who will qualify and start Sunday’s race — Phil Fayer (No. 2 United Autosports USA), John Farano (No. 8 Tower Motorsports), Tobi Lutke (No. 11 TDS Racing), Misha Goikhberg (No. 52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen) and Chris Cumming (No. 73 Pratt Miller Motorsports). If any of the five Bronze-rated Canadians win in LMP2, it would mark their first at CTMP.

Robert Wickens makes his first WeatherTech Championship start since Long Beach after a transporter fire took the No. 36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R out of action prior to Monterey. Wickens is one of Canadian motorsport’s most inspiring stories — a race car driver who returned to competition after a life-changing 2018 crash at Pocono through adaptations including a Bosch hand control system built into the car. He finished fourth at CTMP in 2025 and arrives at his home track motivated for a stronger result. The fact that DXDT had to rebuild essentially from scratch after the transporter fire and returned to action at Watkins Glen makes his appearance here all the more significant.

The LMP2 race at CTMP is going to be decided by who can maintain pace across a 2-hour, 40-minute sprint on a circuit that rewards consistent lap times over a single-lap burst. The CrowdStrike No. 04 entry of Kurtz and Quinn is the most statistically impressive car on points, but Cameron and Hyett carry the psychological and circuit-specific edge as defending CTMP champions who know exactly where the race is won and lost.

In GTD Pro, the Corvette Racing two-car effort at Pratt Miller Motorsports is the team to watch. Their 2024 CTMP victory, combined with the tight championship battle making every result essential, gives the No. 3 entry of Garcia and Sims particular motivation. BMW’s No. 1 Paul Miller Racing entry will do what championship leaders do — manage the result rather than charge from the front — which could leave a gap for Corvette to exploit.

Meanwhile, the Canadian storylines add a layer of emotional significance this weekend. Robert Wickens returning to his home track after the transporter fire forced him out of Monterey. Orey Fidani hunting a third straight Bob Akin Award. Roman De Angelis driving for his best result on the circuit where he last won in 2024. These are the stories that make the Chevrolet Grand Prix more than just a championship round — they are the kind of human narratives that define why sports car racing at CTMP has been worth following for 65 years.