OPTIMUM MOTORSPORT COMPLETES SPA 24 HOURS LINE-UPS WITH DEL SARTE AND OWEGA

Optimum Motorsport is delighted to confirm the completion of its two-car driver line-ups for the 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa, with Ruben del Sarte and Salman Owega joining the team's McLaren GT3 Evo entries as fourth drivers for the jewel of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup calendar.

Del Sarte, who returns to the team having contested the 2024 edition of the race with the Wakefield-based squad, will join Freddie Tomlinson, Adam Smalley, and Harry George in the #4 McLaren, who will be going for gold in the Gold Cup class. Meanwhile, Owega — fresh from an outstanding debut with the team — joins Mikey Porter, Dante Rappange, and Guilherme de Oliveira in Optimum #5 Silver Cup entry.

For del Sarte, the 2026 running of the Ardennes enduro represents a welcome return to Optimum Motorsport - on what has proved to be their strongest start to a season yet. The Dutch driver made his Optimum debut at the 2024 edition of this gruelling twice-around-the-clock race, aboard the McLaren GT3 Evo - having contested the event twice previously, albeit with other marques. Since that outing, del Sarte has continued to develop his career in GT4 machinery across Europe, and he is eager to secure his first GT3 podium.

“When I got confirmation of being the fourth driver for the No. 4 car, I honestly was about to do a backflip. To have the privilege to be joining Optimum Motorsport for a second Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa is just unreal. They are such a professional team that gave a great racing package back in 2024, during my time with them. I cannot wait to get started with the prologue testing alongside the team and make sure that we are 100% ready for the big one in June. I believe we can achieve something great together. Huge thanks to Shaun Goff and the whole Optimum family for the opportunity once again and looking very much forward to this" - Ruben del Sarte, Driver, Car No. 4.

Following an incredible outing at Brands Hatch earlier this month for the team’s GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup debut, it is two-time ADAC GT Masters champion, Salman Owega, who will complete the No. 5 Silver Cup line-up for the iconic Ardennes race. The young German driver made an immediate impression on his McLaren debut with Optimum last month, producing a dominant performance to help the team secure overall victory in the MICHELIN 24H SERIES 12H SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS alongside Freddie Tomlinson and Harry George - both of whom will be aboard the sister car this time round. With two ADAC GT Masters titles and a Nürburgring 24 Hours class win to his name, Owega’s pace at Spa last month left nobody in doubt that he was hot property to contest the June enduro. Keen to continue their run of victories, Optimum ensured Owega was brought back into the fold to give the No. 5 crew the best chance of success at one of the most prestigious endurance races in the world.

"Salman impressed everyone at the 12 Hours — that's the simple version of events," said Optimum Motorsport Team Principal Shaun Goff. "He jumped into the McLaren and adapted immediately, and the pace he showed across that race was genuinely exciting. Bringing him back to Spa for the 24 Hours felt like an obvious call."

Goff added: "It's also great to welcome Ruben back. He knows this race well, he knows what it demands of a driver, and he knows what we expect. We have a lot of confidence in all eight drivers across our two cars, and we go to Spa with serious intent across both classes."

“I’m really looking forward to competing in the Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa with Optimum, and with McLaren for the first time. They’re a very experienced and successful team, and we have a very strong driver line up, so I know we’ll give it everything to bring home a good result next month” Salman Owega, Driver, Car No. 5

The 2026 CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa takes place between 25–28 June at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

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