News Summary
- Two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh will wave the green flag for the Lone Star Le Mans on Sunday at Circuit of The Americas.
- The Dallas-born former basketball star will also take part in the pre-race Lap of Honour in a McLaren.
- The six-hour race is the fifth round of the 2026 FIA WEC season and starts at 1 p.m. local time in Austin.
The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) will have a high-profile guest to signal the start of the Lone Star Le Mans this Sunday (6) at Circuit of The Americas. Chris Bosh, the former NBA power forward and two-time NBA champion, has been selected to wave the green flag for the six-hour race, the fifth round of the 2026 season.
Bosh will not only perform the traditional starting duties. According to the WEC, the former basketball star will also take part in the pre-race Lap of Honour in a McLaren. The choice has an additional local connection: Bosh was born in Dallas, Texas, and remains closely linked to the state.
The WEC’s decision comes as the Lone Star Le Mans prepares to return to the Circuit of The Americas, where the championship’s Hypercar and LMGT3 fields will contest a six-hour race. The event is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Bosh spent 13 seasons in the NBA, beginning his career in 2003 after being selected by the Toronto Raptors with the fourth overall pick in the draft. He spent seven seasons in Toronto before joining the Miami Heat, where he became part of the famous “Big Three” alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
The move to Miami produced the defining achievement of Bosh’s career. Between 2010 and 2016, he reached four consecutive NBA Finals and won championships in 2012 and 2013.
Bosh’s playing career ended in 2016 after health problems forced him to step away from basketball. He had hoped to return to the NBA but ultimately retired after repeated blood-clot complications.
His career résumé also includes 11 NBA All-Star selections and a gold medal with the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Bosh was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Away from basketball, Bosh has maintained an interest in motorsport, making his appearance at COTA a natural fit for the WEC. The former NBA star will therefore have the chance to experience the Lone Star Le Mans from inside a McLaren before officially sending the field into the six-hour contest.
The race itself promises another important chapter in the Hypercar championship battle, with Toyota, BMW and Ferrari among the manufacturers fighting at the front. Ferrari opened the weekend strongly, taking a 1-2 in the opening practice session, while Aston Martin’s #007 Valkyrie topped FP2.
The strategic picture will also be different at COTA. The WEC has reduced the maximum energy available per Hypercar stint, meaning teams are expected to make shorter runs and potentially add another pit stop to their race strategies.
In LMGT3, the title fight is also finely balanced heading into the fifth round of the season, adding another layer of competition to the six-hour event.
GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the action from the Lone Star Le Mans, the fifth round of the 2026 FIA WEC season.
FAQ
Who will wave the green flag at the Lone Star Le Mans?
Two-time NBA champion Chris Bosh will wave the green flag to start the six-hour Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas.
What will Chris Bosh do before the WEC race?
Bosh will take part in the pre-race Lap of Honour in a McLaren before carrying out his official starter duties.
When does the Lone Star Le Mans start?
The six-hour Lone Star Le Mans starts at 1 p.m. local time (CDT) on Sunday, September 6, at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
