Franco Back for Full Campaign as Conquest Racing Prepares for Milestone Anniversary Season
Franco Rejoins Costa in No. 34 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO with Patrese in IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Role
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Conquest Racing is back for another crack at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, as Eric Bachelart’s team is set for its fourth consecutive season racing a Ferrari in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class in a milestone year for the program.
Bachelart, the Belgian driver-turned-owner, founded Conquest Racing in 1997, marking next year the 30th anniversary for the Indianapolis-based team. The team has 42 IMSA starts, 30 of which have come in the last three seasons in GTD. The team won twice in 2024: in Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) at Road America, then again in GTD at the season finale Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Manny Franco and Albert Costa finished fourth in that year’s championship, which was the team’s best season result in GTD.
That same duo of Franco and Costa are set for a full season in the No. 34 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO in 2027, after Franco raced selected 2026 rounds. Costa continues for the third season in four years, and second in a row. Lorenzo Patrese, who raced most 2026 events as the full-season co-driver, will shift to the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup seat in the five longest rounds of the season.
“I’m excited to return for a full season,” Franco said. “Conquest Racing has been instrumental in ushering me into the sport, and I still feel as though we have unfinished business in this championship. Having stepped away for several races in 2026, I’ve enjoyed watching the team re-develop over the year, and it really seems that all the ingredients are there to really push for results every weekend.”
Bachelart added, “Having Manny back is something we’re all very excited about. From his debut with us it was clear that he had a lot of talent, and it is very rewarding to see him continue with us into our seventh year together. The level of competition in IMSA right now is as high as it’s ever been, and if we’re going to target the objectives we all have, we need to execute on every detail to maximize the program.”
Conquest frequently showed pace throughout the 2026 season as both Costa and Patrese set fastest race laps and Patrese scored a pole at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Costa and Franco secured the team’s best finish of third on the Streets of Long Beach, with Costa finishing eighth in the championship.
“I'm extremely happy to be back with Conquest Racing for another year. After four years together, this is more than just a team to me – it’s family,” Costa said.
“After the bad luck we experienced last season, I'm grateful and excited to have another opportunity to show what we're capable of. I truly believe this is the best group of mechanics and engineers I've ever worked with in my career. I'm also really excited to be sharing the car with Manny Franco again next season. I've always loved racing alongside him and we've already shared some incredible moments together. It's time to show everyone what we're capable of. It's showtime!”
Patrese added, “I'm extremely happy and grateful to be returning to Conquest Racing for another season. Even though it's only been a few weeks since our last race, I'm already missing being behind the wheel and can't wait to get back on track at Daytona. It's also fantastic to have Manny Franco back alongside Albert and myself, bringing our driver lineup together again. I'm really looking forward to reuniting with both of them and continuing what we've started together. We have a strong team, a great group of people, and the determination to make next season a successful one.”