If you’re trying to keep up with the whiplash of how YRB Racing is navigating its first few months of existence, don’t worry — you’re definitely not alone.
We’re set for another round of it with ‘Car Blanche’ at next week’s GT-exclusive event at VIR, as it was confirmed through IMSA’s release of the entry list for the upcoming sprint round that YRB is set to return to the GTD Pro ranks for the second time this season.
Even more notable than that is the fact that Valentin Hasse-Clot will be paired with yet another teammate through this whirlwind of a season, and that teammate happens to be fellow Aston Martin factory talent and current Heart of Racing Hypercar driver Marco Sørensen.
Just over a week ago at the Motul Sportscar Endurance Grand Prix, the trio of Hasse-Clot, Trenton Estep and Marius Fossard claimed their second podium finish in as many tries as a grouping, repeating their P3 effort from the Glen with another P3 finish in the GTD class at Road America.
In the previous race at Mosport, YRB had announced a move up to the GTD Pro class, with Hasse-Clot being joined by Scott Andrews for the event. The duo fared less favorably, finishing last in class. After the race, both Hasse-Clot and team principal Christopher Deely expressed their views on how the rest of the season could go in terms of which class they’d continue to race in through the remainder of the 2026 season, while also looking ahead to 2027. Questions that have come of YRB’s jumping back and forth between classes revolved around their driver lineup, with Hasse-Clot serving as a Gold-rated talent, whereas Estep and Fossard are both currently Silver-rated. Andrews filled the spot for the race at Mosport, and now we have our answer for their plans at VIR with Sørensen flying in to take a spin behind the wheel.
For Sørensen, VIR will mark his first time back in IMSA’s GTD Pro raks since the 2025 Rolex 24 when he served as the fourth man in for The Heart of Racing. Later in the year Sørensen also took a ride with Magnus Racing at Watkins Glen, while his lone venture in IMSA competition this season came at the Rolex 24, again with Heart of Racing and this time in the No. 23 Valkyrie.
For YRB as an operation, the facts are starting to trickle out more and more about their sudden burst onto the scene and the financial backing that they have. At this point it’s public knowledge that a major player tied to the Aston Martin Formula 1 team is the one behind the takeover, and the understanding is that there is/has been a massive influx of cash and support to boost the team up across the board. Acquiring a driver of Sørensen’s talents is on par for how things are going with Car Blanche thus far.
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