Schmid: Why continuity is the secret weapon to No.87 ASP Lexus’ 2026 charge
- Ghazlan Atqiya Firmansyah
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
The 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is nearly here. Ahead of the Prologue in Qatar, DIVEBOMB spoke to Clemens Schmid to discuss the upcoming season. The Austrian ace reveals Auto Sport Promotion (ASP) and Lexus' secret weapon for this season.
Schmid talks about stability in the No.87 ASP Lexus
It is no secret that endurance drivers regularly jump between teams at the end of each season. But that isn't the case for the No.87 ASP Lexus for 2026. At the time of writing, they are one of only three LMGT3 entries to retain an unchanged lineup, alongside the No.21 and No.54 AF Corse Ferraris.
Schmid expressed his clear joy upon learning that Akkodis ASP would retain his services for the 2026 campaign. This mutual trust has become the foundation of the No.87 entry, with the Austrian eager to return to the cockpit to build on their race-winning momentum.
Building on familiarity as its core, Schmid will join forces once again with two-time WEC champion José María López and Petru Umbrărescu in the No.87 car. It is a clear contrast to the No.78 sister car, which is set to feature an entirely different lineup with Hadrien David, Esteban Masson and former TF Sport driver, Tom van Rompuy.
During the 8 Hours of Bahrain last year, the Mercedes and the Aston Martin cars were the ones to beat. Lexus did not have the fastest car that evening, but Schmid's strong chemistry with López and Umbrărescu was instrumental in getting Lexus' second WEC victory.
Speaking of their victory in Bahrain, Schmid recounted: "That was all down to our good teamwork.
"We three made the compromises we needed for the driving style to have the car as fast as possible for everybody, and not the fastest car for José, or me or Petru [only]. We had a really good compromise to enable everybody to make the most out of the car."
As the Hypercar factory team, Toyota Gazoo Racing took note of the strong chemistry within the No.87 entry, ultimately advising ASP to retain the same lineup for the 2026 campaign.
Rejecting the "rookie" label
While last season marked his first full WEC campaign, Schmid’s journey actually began at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, where he debuted as a late substitute for the ill Timur Boguslavskiy.
Even then, he rejected the "rookie" label; with a career spanning DTM and GT World Challenge Europe, Schmid arrived in the paddock already a seasoned veteran of GT3 machinery.
"Even last year, I wouldn't honestly select myself as a rookie with all the things I've done before.
"I know how I need to prepare myself and what I need to do to get the maximum out of myself. So over the winter, I did some slight adjustments and improvements on what I think I need to get an extra [one] percent out of my package.
"If you have something where you're comfortable with, you try to keep on going with that to be the best driver you can possibly be."
The post-Imola turning point
The 2025 6 Hours of Imola served as a definitive turning point for the No.87 crew. After a mistake, they lost out on a historic first Lexus WEC podium to their sister-car teammates. While it was disappointing, Schmid argues that the setback catalysed a stronger second half of the year.
After the race, they huddled in "open communication", discussing what they needed for the next race. The trio is not the only one continuing the partnership; they would feature the same engineer this year, and Schmid is confident they should be competitive from the start.
Schmid claimed that whenever one of them has a poor show, they will surely "regret this day", as the No.87 crew are very competitive. Every setback pushed them to achieve their maximum potential and not let others down.
This competitive fire was most evident during a gruelling weekend at Fuji, the home race for Lexus. Despite a package that wasn't on their side, the No.87 crew remained committed until the chequered flag, even attempting a risky strategy that did not pay off in the end.
"Until the last lap, everybody was pushing to the maximum.
"We all agreed on a risky strategy, which at the end didn't play out, because we had to fuel three minutes before the end of the race.
"I think that's what makes us really competitive because we know each other well, and everybody is motivated down to the small toe."
Over the winter, the trio remained in touch and would be leaving for a training camp in two weeks to be ready for a new season. Schmid said there is no change in how he communicates and approaches each race weekend.
The technical edge
Finishing third in the LMGT3 standings last season represented a meteoric rise for the No.87 crew. It was a stark contrast to their 2024 debut, where the entry languished at the bottom of the championship table.
While a top-three championship finish earned the No.87 crew a seat at the prestigious FIA awards ceremony, Schmid is quick to reset expectations for the year ahead. "Last year is last year," he insists. "Now, everybody’s starting at zero again."
The objective for 2026 is to secure a maiden Le Mans victory and bring the Endurance Trophy home to the team’s base in Rabastens. As Schmid puts it, in a field this competitive, the only way to improve on last year is to stand on the top step.
As ammunition for their 2026 championship hopes, the veteran RC F GT3 will receive a series of targeted updates. These refinements are designed to ensure the ageing platform remains on a level playing field with the latest "Evo" machinery from rival manufacturers.
"We know what the car needs to be fast.
"We have a lot of data, which I think half of the grid will have to make up again as they have updates or big facelifts on the cars. It will for sure get interesting. We will need to see how everything is balanced out with so many updated cars. But overall, I think we should have a strong package from the get-go."
Schmid believes that campaigning the most mature platform on the grid is a distinct advantage for ASP; the team already knows what the car needs to be competitive. However, he warned against complacency, noting that their head start could quickly become a deficit if they fail to make significant technical progress throughout 2026.
For the No.87 crew, 2026 is a final mission with a platform they have mastered. By choosing continuity over change, ASP and Toyota are betting on the unspoken trust of a lineup that refuses to settle for second.
As the RC F enters its swan song, the goal is no longer just to compete, but to secure a championship legacy before the next chapter of Toyota's GT3 story begins.
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