The delayed IMSA GTD campaign with the somewhat troubled Lexus RC F GT3 will take to the track in 2017 with a new team name, and confirmation that the two men already named for the delayed 2016 start to the campaign have been retained for the team’s debut next season.
For 2017 F Performance becomes 3GT Racing where Scott Pruett and Sage Karam will feature in the two car entry in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The additional pair of full season drivers will be named in due course.
Scott Pruett started working with the team earlier this year to begin development of the team’s 2017 program. The newly-designed 2017 RC F GT3 is currently completing FIA homologation testing in Ladoux, France.
The Lexus RC F GT3, designed by Toyota Technocraft in Yokohama, Japan, has completed an extensive on- and off-track testing program.
“We recently had an opportunity to see our new 2017 car run on track at Fuji Speedway and we are very excited about its potential,” said John Gentilozzi, technical director of 3GT Racing.
The family-run 3GT Racing recently changed its name to more clearly define the team’s relationship with Lexus.
“As we continue the development of our team, we recognize that more differentiation would be beneficial. The previous team name was perceived as being tied to Lexus F, and might be confused with other Lexus racing efforts around the globe,” said 3GT Racing partner, Paul Gentilozzi. “The IMSA WeatherTech series was developed for top-tier privateer competitors, so in the spirit of the series, we are changing our name to 3GT Racing. This allows our race team to distinguish itself while we continue racing Lexus vehicles.”
Paul Gentilozzi, a five-time Trans-Am Series champion, formed the company with his sons and longtime partners, Tony and John Gentilozzi, in 2015 to race the Lexus RC F GT3. The Gentilozzi family has been involved in motorsports for more than 46 years and can claim more than 75 victories and 15 manufacturer and driver championships.
The Lexus RC F GT3 program marks Lexus’ first foray into motorsports since 2009. Pruett previously drove Lexus-powered prototypes from 2004-2007 in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Championship Series where he won three driver championships and the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2007. In addition to Pruett’s relationship with Lexus, he and Paul Gentilozzi were teammates in two Rolex 24 at Daytona victories – an overall triumph in 1994 and a GT class win in 2002. Pruett has seven total Rolex 24 wins, 60 victories in IMSA competition and is a four-time Grand-Am champion.
21-year-old Sage Karam made his debut in the IndyCar Series at the Indianapolis 500 in April 2014 and also raced in four IMSA events that year – the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and events at Sebring International Raceway, Watkins Glen International and Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Chip Ganassi racing in the team’s Riley DP.
Karam was teammates with Pruett in the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona. In 2013, the driver won three-of-12 races to become the youngest champion in Indy Lights history at 18 years old and the eighth driver to claim the title in their rookie season.
