Vasser Sullivan Lexus dominated GTD Pro class

IMSA

Jun 28

Lexus RC F GT3 #14 wins GTD Pro class

The Lexus RC F GT3 #14 dominated its class by spending the highest number of laps as leader: 132 laps (72%). The #62 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 was second in class in number of laps spend as leader with 24 laps (13%).

It was already after 45’ (lap 22) of racing that Lexus RC F GT3 #14 took the lead of combined classes several times contested by Lamborghini Huracan #63.

It was at the end of the fourth hour (lap 150) that sister #12 took the combined classes lead until the end.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen 2023. Lexus RC F GT3 #14

At that moment, Lexus RC F GT3 #14 dropped into 3rd in class behind the Ferrari and the Corvette, but took P1 back at lap 170 to finish 6.087 seconds behind her sister #12 (winner in GTD class).

Ferrari 296 GT3 second GTD Pro

The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 claimed a second-place podium finish in the GTD Pro class (3rd combined GTD).

Having qualified the #62 in the pole position of the GTD Pro class, Daniel Serra was running P2 in class for most of the first hour and regained the lead position just before pitting under yellow on Lap 20. However, with a bump from the #70 McLaren on the out lap, a cut tire forced Serra back to pit row, dropping the team to ninth. Serra reclaimed the class lead by lap 57, turning an overall fastest lap time in class of 1:45.879.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen 2023. #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3.

With an hour to go, Serra took the wheel for the final leg, quickly climbing to third place and aiming to close the gap between the #3 Corvette C8.R and #14 Lexus RC F running P1 and P2 respectively. With 22 minutes to go, both Serra and Jack Hawksworth in the Vasser-Sullivan Lexus were able to overtake the leader. Less than a half-second separated the two competitors as Serra battled to take the lead. However, a full course yellow with only three minutes remaining meant the race would end under caution, eliminating the team’s hopes for the GTD Pro win.

The Risi team’s second place finish assists the team in their hopes to repeat the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC) Championship for 2023.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen 2023. Ferrari 296 GT3 #62.

Daniel Serra: “It was a shame for the yellow in the end. It was a nice fight until then though and in the end we were P2. It is always good to be on the podium in a race like this. The problems we had in the beginning were not too bad, although we did have a drive-through penalty. Anyway, we did a good job, great pit stops. I was very fast and now we can start preparing for Petit Le Mans.”

Davide Rigon: “In the end it was quite a good result with P2. We were very close in the end. I think Daniel could have had the opportunity to overtake the Lexus. We are very happy about the result because we started in the front, but the strategy was a gamble. The team did a very good job…not one mistake and the car was okay. We had some issue during the race with the power steering that made our life difficult. But I must say it was a positive day and we are happy for the points. Now we will start working for Petit Le Mans.” Source: Risi Competizione.

Corvette third in GTD Pro

Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor drove the #3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R to a third-place finish in GTD PRO (4th combined GTD), despite two penalties (first, after #23 Aston Martin drove through the Corvette’s pitbox and hit a tire that clearly was inside the C8.R’s pit space; second, when officials required the #3 Corvette to stop about seven laps early due to a faulty tire pressure sensor).

Garcia found himself leading inside the final 30 minutes thanks to some great strategic calls, fuel-saving and maximizing performance out of the #3 Corvette. Nevertheless, Forced to save fuel, Garcia had to let go both #14 and #62.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen. Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor with #3 Corvette C8.R.

ANTONIO GARCIA: “Corvette Racing has always been good at Watkins Glen. We usually are quite decent there, and it seems like we always have a chance in this race. Watkins Glen is a track that I’ve always liked, and it’s always good to turn laps there. Being part of the Michelin Endurance Cup adds something extra for us. We are in contention in that and in the regular championship, so this weekend has added importance. This is six hours, so it’s one of those races that has something extra for the competitors.”

JORDAN TAYLOR: “It feels like we haven’t been at the track in months since Laguna, so it’ll be great to get back to racing at Watkins Glen. We didn’t have the fastest car there last year, but we somehow found ourselves in contention. I feel like we’ve made some big gains this season that should benefit us there. We haven’t had the results to show our true performance this year, so hopefully we can have a clean weekend and start getting back into the championship fight.” Source: Corvette Racing

Mercedes AMG 4th GTD Pro

Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon drove the #79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 to P4 in GTD Pro (5th combined GTD). The team was hoping for mixed conditions like they experienced throughout Friday and Saturday, but the race was dry the entire distance.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen 2023. #79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3.

“I felt we won today,” Gounon said. “We got the maximum with the way the car is with the current rules. The WeatherTech Racing/Proton team and Dani had no mistakes. We tried crazy moves with the strategy and had good pit stops. When we were in the front we just couldn’t stay there. I am looking forward to racing at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in two weeks which will be a new track for me.”

“I am happy with the result,” Juncadella said. “It was much better than what we expected. We had zero mistakes. The team is doing great. A fourth-place finish is the best we could of hoped for today.” Source: WeatherTech Racing

P5 GTD Pro: # 9 Porsche 911 GT3 R

Misfortune struck the Pfaff Motorsports customer team in the GTD-Pro class. The #9 Porsche 911 GT3 R was running in third place only to lose ground due to a puncture. The vehicle shared by drivers Patrick Pilet and Klaus Bachler finished in fifth place GTD Pro (10th combined GTD).

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen 2023. #9 Porsche 911 GT3 R

Lamborghini Huracan: a leader mirage

The #63 Iron Lynx had an impressive qualifying enabling Jordan Pepper to be launched from second on the grid, and negotiating the race’s early stages at the head of the GTD Pro field. Having pitted just in time for the Full Course Yellow, he was second in class with an hour notched. An hour later, he handed over to team mate Andrea Caldarelli.
The Italian emerged from the pits just behind the #14 Lexus and remained in close proximity of the lead car for much of his time at the wheel, despite a brush with the GTP BMW car early in his first stint.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen 2023. Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO 2 #63 ahead of all GTDs.

With two-and-a-half hours still on the clock, Caldarelli maintained the gap to the lead at around half a second. Shortly after, his race would come to an abrupt end as the #63 machine was caught in a four-car, race-ending pile-up with a fellow GTD and two LMP3s. Source: Iron Lynx