SpeedHouse signed Maxim van Laere, the son of their 2025 driver Sven, to the French team’s EuroNASCAR OPEN roster in 2026.
French team SpeedHouse welcomes a new rookie for their EuroNASCAR OPEN squad. Maxim van Laere, the son of Sven van Laere, will step up to NASCAR Euro Series’ second division with SpeedHouse in 2026.
The announcement was made on 23 January 2026, making Maxim the first driver to be confirmed for Lucas Lasserre’s team for the upcoming season.
Maxim finished second in the Rookie Challenge division in 2025, only finishing behind SpeedHouse’s own young talent Jose Antonio Peñalta, whose status for 2026 is currently unknown.
“I’m really delighted to continue my journey in the NASCAR Euro Series with Lucas Lasserre and the entire SpeedHouse team,” said Maxim to nascar.eu.
“After racing against them last season and participating in the team’s Winter Camp Program, I’m fully convinced that this is the ideal environment for me to keep progressing.”
“The team’s professionalism, commitment, and quality give me great confidence that together we will optimize my learning process and be competitive throughout the season.”
Lasserre was introduced to Maxim through his father Sven, who joined the team midway through the 2025 season.
Lasserre expressed his confidence to be able to develop Maxim as a future stock car racing talent, having followed his progress closely during Maxim’s season-long duel with Peñalta in Rookie Challenge.
“I’m extremely happy to announce that Maxim van Laere from Belgium is joining Speedhouse for the 2026 season and beyond in the OPEN division,” said Lasserre in the official announcement.
“Max finished second in the Rookie Challenge last year, including a superb victory in the final at his home track Zolder, and he was a very tough opponent.”
“I was able to observe him very closely, especially since his father, Sven, was one of our drivers in 2025.”
“Max’s attitude is everything that I like and respect, both inside and outside the car. He is serious, determined, dedicated, and he listens.”
“For all these reasons, Max has always been on our list and was our priority for the upcoming season. I’m very happy, motivated, and determined to pass on to him all the knowledge that will allow us to achieve our common goals.”
“Max participated in our Speedhouse Winter Camp Program at the circuit of Fontenay-Le-Comte last November, and these trials were the key element [in signing Maxim for 2026].”
“Max was able to extract the efficiency of our car, experience our organization, meet our technical staff, and progress throughout the day. We will continue to seriously prepare him to be totally ready for the launch of the Championship in Valencia. Welcome to the blue, Max!”
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