Jean-Luc Beaubelique GT Racing Driver Profile: France’s Gentleman Racer Making History in 2026
Jean-Luc Beaubelique GT racing tells a story that no championship spreadsheet can fully capture. Born on 23 November 1963 in Limoges, France, Beaubelique is 62 years old and currently competing in the GT3 Revival Series under car number 87. He runs his own industrial group, Beaubelique Industrie, by day. On weekends, he races a Ferrari. That combination is exactly what makes him one of the most compelling gentleman drivers in European motorsport right now.
Jean-Luc Beaubelique: Fast Facts
- Date of birth: 23 November 1963
- Born in: Limoges, France
- Nationality: French
- Series: GT3 Revival Series
- Car number: 87
Jean-Luc Beaubelique GT Racing Career Highlights
Across 399 race starts, Beaubelique has recorded 34 wins, 84 podiums, and 5 pole positions, earning a race win percentage of 8.5% and a podium rate of 21.1%. Those are not numbers you can fake. They are built over decades of serious amateur competition at circuits across Europe, in machinery that demands real commitment and real ability.
Beaubelique and his long-time partner Jim Pla continued their successful partnership in 2026 aboard a Ferrari 458 Italia, the very same car Beaubelique raced in three editions of the 24 Hours of Spa. That continuity matters. It is not just nostalgia. It is a man who knows his machinery deeply, who has built a relationship with a specific car over years.
At the inaugural GT3 Revival Series round at Circuit Paul Ricard in April 2026, Pla and Beaubelique made history, earning the first-ever Pro-Am victory and finishing at the head of the overall classification. After climbing out of the Ferrari, Beaubelique said simply: “I won with this car at Spa, so that’s very nice.” Understatement from a man who had just written himself into the record books of a brand-new championship.
2024 Season: So Close to a Title
In 2024, Beaubelique competed in the Fanatec GT2 European Series Am class with Akkodis ASP Team, finishing second in the championship with 207 points across 12 races, recording 5 wins and 9 podiums. That is a remarkable haul for an amateur competitor.
The title itself, though, slipped away in the most painful possible fashion. Despite Vannelet and Beaubelique taking the 2024 Am champion title initially, the winner of Race 2 at Barcelona was subsequently disqualified, which handed the rival French team the win and flipped the final standings. The duo had taken two victories alongside four podium finishes the previous term, so the appetite to go one better in 2024 was absolutely justified. They came agonisingly close.
2026: The GT3 Revival Series and a Historic Win
The 2026 GT3 Revival Series is the inaugural season of the championship, launched as a joint partnership between Peter Auto and SRO Motorsports Group to mark the 20th anniversary of GT3 racing. The races are contested with GT3-spec cars homologated between 2006 and 2013. For Beaubelique, this is a natural home.
After the opening round at Paul Ricard, Beaubelique and Pla had scored a maximum 52 points in Pro-Am aboard their Ferrari 458 Italia. The grid for the second round at Spa-Francorchamps grew to 44 cars, 13 more than the debut event, underscoring just how quickly the series gained momentum.
At 62, Beaubelique is not slowing down. He is winning. That says something about the quality of his racecraft, but also about his approach: precise, measured, consistent. He does not need to prove anything to anyone. He simply keeps going fast.
For more on the GT endurance racing world, check out our profile of Jules Gounon, and our feature on Dani Juncadella. For a broader look at the new-era engine battles shaping the wider motorsport landscape, read our piece on F1 2026 ADUO engine development.