Uruguayan driver Maite Cáceres will continue her progression in sports car racing in 2026, returning to RAFA Racing Team for her second season with the program – this time racing in the Toyota GR Cup Series.
The 23-year-old enters the year as she continues transitioning from formula racing into sports cars, building on experience gained during her first season with the team while taking on the challenge of one of North America’s most competitive one-make championships.
The season begins March 13–15 on the streets of Arlington, Texas, where the fourth season of Toyota’s GR Cup championship will open with the first of 14 races across seven rounds in identical Toyota GR86 race cars.
For Cáceres, the opportunity represents another important step in her international racing career.
“I’m really excited to start this new season,” Cáceres said. “It’s my second year in sports cars after coming from formula cars, and it’s an exciting challenge for me.
“I gained some experience in the MX-5 last year. It’s a different car, more similar to a GT-style car, so now I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and work with the team.”
Cáceres returns to a RAFA Racing Team lineup rich in experience within Toyota one-make competition. Teammates Westin Workman and Tyler Gonzalez are both past GR Cup champions, with Gonzalez securing the title in 2023 and Workman claiming the championship last year.
Workman and Gonzalez will head up the team’s Pirelli GT4 Championship assault in 2026.
For a developing driver adapting to a new discipline, having that level of experience within the same team environment provides a valuable reference point.
“I’m really excited to be working with RAFA Racing Team again,” she said. “I’m looking forward to learning from Kevin Conway and the whole group.
“We also have Tyler and Westin on the team, and we know the results they’ve had in this championship. It’s great to have them there as a reference while I continue learning.”
That environment will be important as Cáceres continues adapting to the racing style required in the Toyota GR Cup.
After building her early career in single-seater categories, the transition into sports car racing has required adjustments in both driving technique and racecraft.
“It’s very important for me because I don’t have much experience at many of the tracks they’ve raced,” Cáceres said. “They can help me understand how the car behaves and how the racing works in this category.
“Coming from formula cars, you’re not allowed to bump draft. When I moved into the MX-5, that was one of the first things I had to learn.
“In this style of racing, you work more with other cars, so I’m still adapting to the technique and how to get the most out of the car. It’s something I’m eager to keep improving.”
Preparation for the season has been intense as she readies herself for the unique challenge of opening the year on a temporary street circuit.
“I’ve been training very hard to prepare for the new season,” she said. “Starting on the streets of Arlington will be a big challenge because street circuits are very demanding.
“But I enjoy challenges, so it’s a good place to begin the year.”
Cáceres also sees the program as a natural extension of RAFA Racing Team’s growing involvement in Toyota competition in North America.
“It’s a great alignment,” she said. “RAFA has always been very supportive of women in motorsport, and it’s important to showcase that.”
A motorsport family background
Cáceres’ path into racing began long before she ever drove a kart.
Motorsport runs deeply through her family. Her father competed in rallying, while her brother, Juan Cáceres, built an international single-seater career that included winning the Formula BMW championship, test-driving in Formula 1, and making a race start in the INDYCAR series.
“I was born into motorsport,” she said. “My father was a rally driver, and my brother raced in formula cars, so I grew up around it.
“When I was eight years old, I started telling my parents that I wanted to race. But they didn’t allow it until I was 17.”
Determined to prove her commitment, Cáceres spent years demonstrating that her interest in racing was more than a childhood curiosity.
“I had to show them that this wasn’t just something I wanted to do because they did it,” she said. “It was because I was truly passionate about the sport.
“I played many different sports growing up – tennis, handball, basketball – and I made sure to keep good grades in school because that was very important to my parents.”
When she finally got the chance to drive a kart, the decision became clear.
“When I first drove a kart at 17, I immediately knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.”
Cáceres began karting in Uruguay, quickly finding success before moving into Formula 4 competition and eventually expanding her career internationally.
Her 2024 campaign in U.S. Formula 4 marked a major milestone.
“I finished third in the championship and became the first female driver to score podium finishes in that category,” she said.
“That result meant a lot to me. I’ve been competing against both men and women, and being able to bring those achievements back to Uruguay was something very special.”
A new chapter in sports cars
The move toward sports car racing came through conversations with RAFA Racing Team, whose driver development approach aligned with Cáceres’ long-term goals.
“I spoke with Rafa about moving into sports cars, and I really connected with the vision he had,” she said. “The passion and the focus on performance were exactly what I was looking for.
“I worked hard to prove that I wanted to be part of the team.”
The introduction to the program came through a mutual contact, after Cáceres had already been following the team’s progress.
“We were connected through a friend,” she said. “I had been watching what they were doing and was really interested.
“They were testing in Miami, which worked perfectly because I live there while studying business administration and finance at Miami Dade College.”
That meeting eventually led to her first opportunity with the team in 2025 and now a continued program for 2026.
Racing in the United States
Competing in the United States carries special meaning for Cáceres, who represents one of a small number of Uruguayan drivers to compete regularly in North American motorsport.
“Coming from Uruguay, very few drivers have raced in the United States,” she said. “For me, it’s a huge honor.
“I’ve experienced motorsport in both Europe and the United States, and the environment here is incredible.”
The connection between drivers and fans has been one of the most rewarding aspects of racing in North America.
“The fans are very close to the drivers here,” she said. “For people following me from Uruguay, it makes it much easier for them to feel connected to what we’re doing.”
The season ahead
The 2026 Toyota GR Cup Series features 14 races across seven rounds in identical Toyota GR86 race cars and carries a $1 million prize pool.
Following the Arlington season opener, the championship visits Sonoma Raceway, Circuit of The Americas, Road Atlanta, Road America, Barber Motorsports Park, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
For Cáceres, the upcoming season represents another step forward in a career that has already crossed continents and racing disciplines.
Now entering her second year with RAFA Racing Team – and sharing the garage with two past GR Cup champions – she approaches the season focused on learning, improving, and continuing to establish herself in sports car racing.
“It’s another big opportunity for me,” she said. “My goal is to keep learning, improving every race, and making the most of the experience with the team.”
