So how would Udell sum up winning on America’s 250th birthday in an American car? “For sure it was pretty special,” he admitted. “For me as an American getting to race the corvette internationally is a dream. I grew up watching them at Le Mans and playing all the video games I could with the car. To have the first win in it at such a spectacular venue while carrying the American flag on the 4th of July on the 250th – it doesn’t seem like a real statement. A lot of blessings in my life and I count this one as a huge one for the year.”
The 30-year-old from Austin, Texas, has been racing in the US for many years and has also taken part in European races such as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, but this is his first full season in the ELMS. How does Alec Udell sum up the first three races of the season and what challenges does he face in the second half of the ELMS season? “The last race obviously was the highlight,” he said. “The first race in Barcelona was one to forget, getting taken out from someone else’s mistake and the second race in Le Castellet was a solid run.
“I think we’re hitting a good stride now and looking toward continuing the execution of the second half of the season. The second half of the season for us is going to be the same as the first, a couple new tracks with no prior testing, so leaning on sim work and previous season setup data. We’ve got the tools and the team to handle the hurdles.”
The next race is at Spa-Francorchamps, one that almost every driver rates highly, so how does Alec Udell feel about the 7km track in the Ardennes Forest?
“Iconic is what comes to mind. I’ve had the opportunity to drive it on one other occasion, and I completely understand the love for it. All elements are there with high-speed commitment, rhythm, trust in the car and technical sections. It’s put together in a way that makes each lap so fluid; it’s a lovely place to drive at.
“I can’t say yet whether it’s my favourite, Imola is holding that spot for the moment. Maybe check in again after the weekend.”
“For me I like the flow of Les Fagnes into Stavelot. For me the rhythm sections in medium speed fit the Corvette nicely. I think that’ll be a strong area for us.”
As the current leader in the LMGT3 championship, what would Udell consider a good result at Spa? “A top five finish would be good; a podium would be electric. I think we’ll struggle for pace at Spa based on the WEC results earlier in the season. It’s hard to draw direct conclusions of course, eyes are up and focused on getting the most out of the car and seeing from there what we can do!”
So, what does Alec Udell like to do when he is not racing? “Something I’ve loved this season has been getting to attend Mass in the diverse cultures throughout Europe. Barcelona, we attended the Easter Vigil Mass in the Cathedral in the gothic quarter. Beautiful marathon.
"In Paul Ricard a small village mass right around the corner from the track, in Imola a 10-minute walk from the paddock found us at a nice little church with a lot of energy from the parishioners. For my wife and I it’s a way to keep consistency and grounded to our faith as we travel around the world.
“I manage to keep up with running in the summer, fall and spring and skiing in the wintertime.”
The 4 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is Round 4 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series and will take place from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August.
Tickets are available from just 8€ HERE
LIVE COVERAGE ON FIAWEC+ APP
A proving ground for teams and drivers with Le Mans in their sights, the European Le Mans Series is live for free on FIAWEC+, the official home of ELMS coverage, with full race broadcasts, replays and highlights throughout the season. Stream every ELMS race for free with a FIAWEC+ account on https://plus.fiawec.com/en/european-le-mans-series
