Photo: IMSA
*** ACO President Pierre Fillon said they currently have no plans to change the name of the hypercar class to GTP to reflect IMSA’s naming for their top category, the Le Mans Daytona Hybrid (LMDh) and Le Mans Hypercar (LMH). Machines from 2023, although he admitted they will have to take it “step by step”.
“The GTP name has been used at Le Mans in the past,” said Fillon. “I think naming the top category in WeatherTech as GTP is a great idea. In Le Mans and WEC, of course, it’s called Hypercar for the time being. Today we have no plans to change that name. We’ll see what the future will be like.”
***A decision on Scott Dixon’s participation in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring will be made next week, according to Mike Hull, general manager of Chip Ganassi Racing. “I don’t have an answer until this weekend is over,” he told Sportscar365.
*** It’s understood Dixon will likely be focused on his NTT IndyCar Series commitments at Texas Motor Speedway during the clashing weekend, with a final call pending for Jimmie Johnson’s participation.
***Hull said it was “safe to say” Kevin Magnussen will be racing with CGR in one of his Cadillac DPi-V.Rs for Sebring, with Hull confirming Dixon for Motul Petit Le Mans, which does not clash with IndyCar .
***The #01 CGR Cadillac DPi is designated a “Champions” car due to the drivers’ combined 11 IndyCar Series titles and one IMSA championship. Dixon holds six IndyCar titles, Sebastien Bourdais four and Alex Palou, who won the championship last year. They will be joined by 2016 IMSA LMPC Champion Renger van der Zande.
***Hardpoint has reinforced its GTD crew with two engineers from Manthey Racing who will be on board for the full season. One of the engineers, Andreas Kociok, has been working on the Porsche factory’s GTE-Pro effort.
***Rob Ferriol Operations is eyeing some extra-curricular GT3 appearances this year. “There are a few others, Bathurst is one,” Ferriol told Sportscar365. “I wouldn’t mind driving the Indy 8 Hour. We supported Audi the year before last and organized the cups there last year. I wouldn’t mind doing some of the one off races but we are focused on the IMSA schedule and building Hardpoint.”
*** Ferriol added that between Daytona and Sebring, Hardpoint has a lot of testing on his plate. In the latter, the team will compete for the first time in a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. “We will test with the in Sebring [GT3] R in a few weeks. At the same time, we will start to finish the GT4 RS and also test it. It’s based at VIR, so we can do rollouts and on-site testing.”
***Lamborghini is working “on a daily basis” on its proposed LMDh programme, according to its motorsport boss Giorgio Sanna, who told Sportscar365 that the Italian manufacturer had “various options” on the technical side. “It is clear that we have to make a decision very soon and that is what we are looking for.”
***Lamborghini is taking its time promoting GT3 junior drivers to factory status, according to Sanna. No signings were included in the factory lineup announced earlier this week.
***Late last year it seemed that Frederik Schandorff was on his way to being included in the factory squad. “Frederik, how [Michele] Beretta and the other GT3 juniors are always on our radar,” explained Sanna. “They are always predicted to become factory drivers. But young riders need time to grow and gain experience, especially at a certain championship level.”
***The newly announced Ford Mustang GT3 is slated to make its track debut in 2023, with a possible year-end race for track record purposes, “potentially on how things are going,” according to Mark, global motorsport director for Ford Performance Rushbrook.
*** Rushbrook would not confirm the location where the Multimatic-built GT3 car will be developed and would answer ‘yes’ to both Canada and the UK, Multimatic’s two largest motorsport bases. It is known that the 5.0-litre Coyote-based Ford V8 engine is being developed at M-Sport in the UK.
*** While not announcing any drivers beyond the already confirmed Joey Hand, Rushbrook said they were “absolutely” looking at the current pool of Multimatic-signed drivers, including former Ford GT driver Dirk Mueller and the North American Champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup, Seb Priaulx the Mustang GT3 program.
“Obviously we have a great history with Joey and Dirk winning Le Mans together,” Rushbrook told Sportscar365. “Andy [Priaulx] was a big part of our program and now to see Seb develop and follow in the same footsteps… I think we have a good pool to choose from.”
***Michelin is unveiling its ‘Regen Lab’ this weekend, researching renewable materials that the tire manufacturer will incorporate into its future racing tire line. Plastic water bottles, yogurt cups, wood shavings and tire rubber are all recycled in its concept tire, which is made from 46 percent bio-derived and recycled materials for ACO’s new hydrogen class, which will debut in 2025.
***Michelin aims to use its motorsport development to produce 100% sustainable tires by 2050 and 40% sustainable tires by 2030.
*** Notables spotted in the paddock on Friday included Haas F1 Team Principal Guenther Steiner and two-time IMSA GTD Champion Christina Nielsen, who is looking for a drive this year as a bronze-rated driver. Nielsen’s most recent start in the WeatherTech Championship was in last year’s Rolex 24 with Hardpoint.
***Daytona International Speedway has a new tri-oval turf design for its preseason major sports car and NASCAR events. The Great American Race theme was chosen in an online poll.
***CrowdStrike has been named an official partner of IMSA in an agreement that includes opportunities for the cybersecurity company to host CxO Summits for C-level executives at Michelin Endurance Cup venues, including this week. The partnership also includes on-track signage at races and IMSA VIP experiences at other IMSA races throughout the season.
*** In addition, CrowdStrike will sponsor the Endurance, Teamwork and Speed award at the Endurance Cup races, recognizing a team in each class that demonstrates the unique qualities required for endurance racing success.
*** Coverage of the 60th Rolex 24 at Daytona begins Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on the NBC network. Click here for all US TV details. IMSA Radio will host IMSA.tv’s coverage, led by the season crew of John Hindhaugh, Jeremy Shaw and Shea Adam, joined this weekend by Jonny Palmer, Bruce Martin, Peter Mackay, Andrew Marriott and Joe Bradley.
Daniel Lloyd contributed to this report
John Dagys is the founder and editor-in-chief of Sportscar365. Dagys was a motorsport correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel for eight years and has contributed to numerous other motorsport publications worldwide. Contact John
