Huub van Eijndhoven is enjoying his first double GT3 campaign in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and European Le Mans Series thoroughly. His progress has already put him in contention for the ELMS title. With both seasons’ finales approaching, he hopes to turn a year of learning into his biggest result yet.
The switch from the Porsche one-make series to the GT3 championships was a significant step in his career. Finishing third in the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany in 2025 ended his time in the Porsche Cups on a high. He then continued his progress in endurance racing, in which he previously already expressed his liking.
It suits the 26-year-old: that already became obvious when he collected outstanding results in the 24 hours of Dubai multiple times. In January, he also added a win in the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi 2026 to it. He managed to find his rhythm quickly after getting used to Porsche’s new 911 GT3 R Evo, which proved his adaptability after spending many races in Porsche’s Cup car.
Getting to grips with the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo
“They’re both Porsches of course,” Van Eijndhoven tells GT REPORT, “but it’s still a completely different car: the GT3 is stiffer, has bigger, broader tyres and better systems.” The Dutchman refers to the adjustable ABS, traction control and engine braking systems, which offer drivers more options than in a Cup car.
Getting into the technical details is something he likes and comes in handy. “You can adjust a lot on the steering wheel and correct the balance. That’s something I’m quite fond of. The Cup car is a little more playful – you need to make a difference yourself when racing it, while the GT3 car offers a lot of tools that can help.”
That obviously doesn’t mean the Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo is a car for an easy Sunday drive. Van Eijndhoven and his teammates still make the difference through their driving skills and technical understanding. “The car also demands a different way of working with the team,” he continues.
“In the Cup car it was often a sprint race and everything came down to the driver. Here [in GT3], you have to discuss a lot with your teammates, the engineers. I like that aspect a lot. I had to get used to it, but I’ve found my place here.”
‘I’m able to get closer and closer each weekend’
Van Eijndhoven, FIA Silver-rated driver, leaves a good impression on both Proton Competition and Herberth Motorsport after each race weekend. He learns a lot from the competitive environment he’s in. ELMS and GT World Challenge are unique in their own ways. In ELMS, the Dutchman has to deal with traffic of the Prototypes and energy management, whereas GT World Challenge offers an intense grid often featuring over 50 GT3 cars.
He thinks combining the two adds to his versatility and gets him up to speed quickly. “Both are good to learn from, because I can find my own rhythm like that – I’m able to get closer every weekend and get to know the car better and better, I get to know its systems better. There is so much to learn, and the more you race, the more you learn!”
It’s clear that Van Eijndhoven’s learning curve has been steep in both championships of his double campaign. The first couple of races of the season didn’t entirely go the way of his liking, but as usual in motorsport – that’s part of the game. “We have had the pace to compete for the podium every time, and then we got some penalties that put us on the back foot.
“In Paul Ricard we started from pole position, we were very strong. But because of blue flags and too much pick-up, we lost the pace for a good result. In Monza we were on the way to P2 in class, P6 overall, but we got run off the track under the safety car two minutes before the end.” A small positive from the GTWCE weekend in Monza: Herberth Motorsport survived the carnage of the start crash. Van Eijndhoven laughs: “Yes, we still have a chassis – in contrast to the rest of the field!”
ELMS pace leads to possible championship
Weekend by weekend, it started to come together more for the Dutchman in both championships. From Imola onwards, Van Eijndhoven and Harry King have Martin Berry next to them in the fight for the title. “We recently got two podiums back-to-back. That shows what we’re capable of,” Van Eijndhoven states. “We’re still fighting for the championship in ELMS, so I hope that will be a highlight at the end of the season,” he says.
Van Eijndhoven and his teammates are on 47 points – only six points behind the leading car. ELMS will hold its season finale on the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. The same goes for GT World Challenge Europe Endurance. All the ingredients are there to finish both championships on a high on Portuguese soil.
“For me it was more a year full of learning. Every podium, every highlight is something nice. In general, I think I can be very satisfied. I’m having a good time in ELMS and GT World Challenge, so I would like to continue in both next year. I’m also interested in racing outside of Europe, for example in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, or in the USA or Asia. We’ll see.”
European Le Mans Series Season Opener – Prologue 2026 Monday 6th April 2026, Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya – in Barcelona, Spain -#77 Bankcy (JPN), Huub VAN EIJNDHOVEN (NED), Harry KING (GBR) – PROTON COMPETITION
