Win sufficient at first of the season, and the remainder of it may be a cruise. That was the method Winward Racing took – deliberately or not – to profitable its first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD title as a workforce, the drivers championship for Russell Ward and Philip Ellis, plus the Michelin Endurance Cup for the workforce, and Indy Dontje alongside Ward and Ellis. And alongside the way in which, they helped Mercedes-AMG to the producers championships in each.
“That is the tip objective, proper?,” stated Ward after securing the title at Motul Petit Le Mans. “You wish to win races, you wish to be aggressive; however all of us have eyes on the championship, and its been an unbelievable outcome for the workforce. It’s been troublesome however thrilling on the identical time. It’s actually good to have the ability to carry it dwelling.”
Winward has had its successes in earlier years – the workforce took victory within the Rolex 24 at Daytona its first trip in 2021, and has seen victory in every subsequent season. But it surely actually got here collectively in 2024, beginning with a sweep of the 36 Hours of Florida, the Daytona (with Daniel Morad) and Sebring double. They backed that up with a dash race win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca after which added one other endurance victory within the subsequent outing, the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.
The remainder of the season wasn’t as profitable. The workforce couldn’t defend its 2023 win at Indianapolis, and continues to be in search of a Petit Le Mans victory. But it surely wasn’t precisely a coast, both, with podium finishes at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and VIRginia Worldwide Raceway. That, mixed with the large factors lead amassed through the first half of the season, gave them the title by a hefty 230 factors over Turner Motorsport and drivers Patrick Gallagher and Robby Foley.
“The workforce actually made it straightforward this 12 months,” stated Ellis. “They did such an ideal job. We all the time had an ideal automotive, nice technique on the pit field. We have been all the time one step forward of the competitors. And as drivers we simply should carry it dwelling. I believe we did the heavy lifting earlier this 12 months, within the first half of the season, after which we had some harder races on the finish, however we nonetheless stored it collectively. We didn’t actually put a foot fallacious.”
Pasadena, Texas-based Winward doesn’t simply run in IMSA, after all, however is a worldwide operation. From its headquarters in Altendiez, Germany, the workforce additionally races DTM and GT World Problem Europe. Maro Engel and Lucas Auer claimed the GT World Problem Europe Dash Cup, and Engel was third within the DTM standings. With its European and American groups – Bryce Ward was seventh in IMSA Michelin Pilot Problem GS – Winward is among the largest Mercedes-AMG buyer groups on this planet.
“Congratulations to Winward Racing and our three drivers on profitable the GTD class championship,” stated Christoph Sagemüller, head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. “This nice success means rather a lot to us as a model and concludes our most profitable season in IMSA for the reason that begin of our Buyer Racing program. With Korthoff Preston Motorsports, Lone Star Racing and Winward Racing, now we have sturdy groups at our facet in North America, who collectively are accountable for this success with each single outcome. Many due to everybody who represented our model so effectively all through the season.”
This was a season to recollect for Winward, and one which will likely be robust to prime. But when the workforce can preserve some momentum from 2024, they’ll even be robust to beat in 2025.
