Karen Gaillard joins Porsche Carrera Cup Italy grid for 2026 season
- RACERS
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After a 2025 campaign marked by consistent progress in Porsche Carrera Cup France, Karen Gaillard will compete in the highly competitive Porsche Carrera Cup Italy in 2026 with Ombra Racing.
Karen Gaillard will take the next step in her racing career in 2026, as the Swiss driver confirmed she will compete in the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia with Ombra Racing following a breakthrough season that highlighted her rapid development across multiple championships.
After a 2025 campaign marked by consistent progress, Gaillard will move to the highly competitive Italian one-make series in yet another important checkmark within Porsche’s racing pyramid.
In 2025, Gaillard became the first woman to win a national Porsche Junior shootout, an achievement that earned her a place in the Porsche Carrera Cup France. Competing in one of Europe’s most competitive single-make championships, she secured two rookie podium finishes, as she adapted adapt quickly to the Porsche development pathway.
Beyond Carrera Cup competitions, Gaillard demonstrated her versatility across endurance and sprint racing formats. Having joined the prestigious Iron Dames roster in 202, she impressed at the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona, finishing eighth in the GTD category after a remarkable comeback drive, leaving a strong impression within the all-female organization. In parallel, she enjoyed a highly successful campaign in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Suisse, where she claimed two pole positions, a race victory, and a second-place finish.
For 2026, Gaillard will join Ombra Racing, one of the leading teams in Porsche Carrera Cup Italia and a regular front-runner. The move places her in an environment designed to accelerate her development as she prepares to face one of the most competitive fields in Carrera Cup, while also tackling several circuits that will be new to her.
Her objectives for the upcoming season focus on continued progression and performance, with the aim of fighting toward the front of her category, strengthening her reputation on the international stage, and gaining further experience behind the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.
“I am very happy to join Ombra Racing for the Porsche Carrera Cup Italia this season", Gaillard commented. "Racing in the Italian championship will be something new for me, and I’m really looking forward to discovering it, as well as some circuits I have not yet raced on. This new season represents a key step in my career. My objective is clear: to keep improving, deliver strong performances, and establish myself sustainably at this level."
"I am also very grateful to my partners for their trust and continued support, which make these kinds of opportunities possible. As always, I will give my all on track, proudly carrying the values that drive us: working hard, pursuing our goals, and never giving up.”
Karen will be supported by key partners including DIMAB Motorsport, which provides her crucial financial backing, as well as the continued support of Iron Dames.