Dylan Medler eyes GT World Challenge podiums and Italian GT title in second half of 2026

Dylan Medler is setting up for the back half of his 2026 racing season after a breakout first half that included a class win at the 24 Hours of Spa and a comeback victory at Misano. The Ferrari GT3 driver now says his focus is podiums in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and a run at the Italian GT Endurance Championship.

Why it matters: - Medler’s 2026 campaign shows a move from Ferrari Challenge success into elite GT3 endurance racing. - The second half of the season will test whether Medler can turn strong individual results into championship-level consistency. - Podiums in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and a title push in the Italian GT Endurance Championship would mark a major step forward for the driver and Rinaldi Racing.

What happened: - Medler is preparing for the second half of the 2026 European racing season after a summer break spent away from competition. - The remaining calendar includes races at the Nürburgring, Imola, Portimao and Mugello. - Medler said he used the break to meet with other drivers, team principals and sponsors while developing several projects for 2027. - Medler said Rinaldi Racing worked over the summer to give him the best car possible for the rest of 2026.

The details: - Medler won the Silver Cup class at the 24 Hours of Spa in a Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. - Medler won from 11th on the grid at the Misano season opener, helping put him near the top of the Italian GT Endurance Championship PRO class standings. - Medler swept pole positions, fastest laps and race wins in his SRO GT America debut at the Miami International Autodrome. - Medler received the Richard Mille Award during the Miami F1 race weekend for speed, precision and professionalism. - Medler completed his first DTM test at the Nürburgring as part of a possible DTM entry in 2027. - Medler won race two of Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli at Le Mans, closing out three years of Ferrari Challenge dominance. - Medler raced with Alessandro Balzan in the PRO class of the International GT Open at Paul Ricard. - Medler’s second-half goals are to fight for podiums in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and win the Italian GT Endurance Championship. - Medler said the team will be “fiercely focused” on winning the Italian GT Championship. - Medler shared his plans in a comment during his summer break, and he pointed to 2027 project development as part of the downtime. - More information is available through Medler’s Instagram account.

Between the lines: - The first half of 2026 suggests Medler is building credibility across multiple GT platforms, not just one series. - A class win at Spa and a comeback victory at Misano are the clearest signs that Medler can convert pace into results under pressure. - The mix of endurance racing, sprint success and testing activity points to a driver and team planning beyond the current season.

What's next: - Medler returns to racing at the Nürburgring before moving on to Imola, Portimao and Mugello. - His performance in those events will help determine whether the second half becomes a podium chase or a championship run. - The 2027 development work discussed during the break suggests more announcements could follow later in the year.

The bottom line: - Medler enters the second half of 2026 with momentum, a competitive car and clear targets: podiums now, a championship next.