Pace is seldom the first goal of pre-season testing, though any of the 31 contributors within the IMSA take a look at at Daytona Worldwide Speedway would take satisfaction in topping the timing screens.
For many groups and producers, the November take a look at is generally about integrating new personnel and studying how their vehicles react to adjustments in chassis setup and atmospheric situations. There’s no substitute for time on observe in relation to studying.
Vehicles from all 4 lessons that contest the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship shared the three.56-mile street course Saturday, a marathon day of testing that unfold 10 hours of observe time via three periods, together with two hours of night time working. The take a look at concludes Sunday with two three-hour periods solely for the GTD and GTD PRO lessons.
Previous to the Saturday night time session, Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian’s pair of Acura ARX-06 had been the pacesetters general and for the GTP class. Nick Yelloly’s 1m35.708s lap within the Saturday morning session within the No. 93 automotive was better of all, narrowly forward of Tom Blomqvist’s 1m35.905s set Friday afternoon within the No. 60.
These occasions had been about three seconds off the GTP lap file set by Pipo Derani in qualifying for the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Yelloly is new to the MSR Acura effort this yr, having spent the final two years racing within the GTP class for BMW M Group RLL.
“We’ve been ticking off every little thing we will do on our program, ensuring we constructively take a look at every little thing we have to earlier than we come again right here for the Rolex 24 in January,” Yelloly mentioned. “All the pieces has gone easily. We had a take a look at final week at Sebring. That was my first impression of the automotive and the staff. Right here at Daytona, it’s at all times good to form of see what you’re like by way of simply normal drivability in comparison with the competitors.
“Lap time-wise, it’s at all times good to see your self additional on the entrance, however it doesn’t matter till we go racing, to be sincere. Strong couple days, and it is going to be good to really feel what the automotive is like at night time. Clearly, this automotive has very totally different tendencies to what I’ve been used to. We’ve acquired site visitors right here, so I’ve been seeing the place I can or can’t overtake, or if it’s totally different to what I’ve been used to. Working with the fellows and ladies right here at Meyer Shank and with HRC (Honda Racing Company USA) has been improbable.”
Amongst GTP rivals, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 6 Porsche 963 accomplished essentially the most laps in each of the primary 4 periods, a complete of 487 circuits. That was a sturdy 171 laps greater than the next-best whole of 316 turned by the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing V-Collection.R, and greater than BMW M Group RLL managed with each of its BMW M Hybrid V8s (390).
Whereas BMW was missing by way of mileage, its vehicles had been solidly on the tempo. They ran within the prime three in every of the primary three periods, earlier than a lowered workload Saturday afternoon noticed the No. 24 automotive run solely 10 laps. Additionally exhibiting pace was the No. 63 Lamborghini Iron Lynx Lamborghini SC63, which was quickest on Friday morning within the fingers of Andrea Caldarelli and ran P2 on Saturday afternoon pushed by Romain Grosjean.
Dennis Olsen led the way in which in GTD PRO with Ford Multimatic Motorsports’ Mustang GT3. Michael Levitt/Lumen
Mustangs off to stable begin in GTD PRO
Within the GT lessons, the Ford Mustang GT3 confirmed regular enchancment all through the 2024 season, culminating in a pair of podium finishes. The Mustang program continued its upward development on the Daytona take a look at, as Dennis Olsen led all GT-class runners within the No. 65 GTD PRO Mustang GT3 fielded by Ford Multimatic Motorsports.
Olsen was timed at 1m48.177s within the Saturday afternoon session, edging teammate Seb Priaulx within the No. 64 Mustang by 0.019s with a time additionally set in Session 4.
Eliott Skeer’s Saturday afternoon greatest was quickest within the GTD class and third amongst all GT runners at 1m48.438s.
“It’s undoubtedly very nice to be again in IMSA,” mentioned Olsen, who drove a Mustang for Proton Competitors within the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2024. “I’m actually having fun with being again driving on Michelin tires in one of the best championship on the earth.
“I’m stepping into the groove right here with Multimatic and it’s very good. The staff may be very new to me, and we’re working to get the 2 vehicles speaking strongly collectively. We’re sharing every little thing and dealing collectively as a staff and as a gaggle.
“We’re engaged on all of the methods making an attempt to organize for the massive one,” he added. “Nonetheless loads left to do, and it’s undoubtedly difficult, however we’ll carry on working and enhancing.”
Malthe Jakobsen turned the quickest lap of the take a look at for the LMP2 class at 1m38.635s on Friday afternoon.
IMSA-sanctioned testing at Daytona wraps up Sunday.
