10 further hours of testing on the second and final day of running in IMSA’s GTP and GTD BoP test which saw plenty of running, some faster times, in particular with the two Acuras both into the 1:35s, but with all runners spending time in the garages with a variety of systems issues being dealt with.
For much of the day though the vast majority of the GTP field were out and running, the two days seeing the first time that all four marques set to contest the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship had run on track together.
The second day saw both the #01 Cadillac and #24 BMW GTPs take to the track for the first time, both cars having been completed at the circuit yesterday.
The #24 is set to be a 2023 race chassis for BMW Team RLL with hands-on assistance from key team members of 2024 FIA WEC BMW factory team WRT and will be joined on the race roster by a car under construction at the team’s new Indiana operating base. The Dallara-built test car will continue on testing duties. The second race car is programmed to roll-out at a test at CoTA in Texas scheduled for 15 December.
The Porsche Penske team confirmed that the car running at the test numbered #963 will be the #6 race car for the Rolex 24 Hours.
Both Acura teams are set to be equipped with two ARX06 chassis apiece before the Rolex 24 Hours with Meyer Shank Racing set to receive their new chassis as early as next week.
Representatives from all four GTP manufacturers told DSC that whilst the homologation process for their cars was not yet finalised the remaining hurdles were almost entirely administrative, the process proceeding at some pace.
IMSA founder Jim France and IMSA President John Doonan were both in the paddock for extended periods taking in the excitement of a landmark event for the new GTP class and taking time to talk in-depth with a wide variety of paddock personnel.
Huge Demand For New GT3 Cars
After Ferrari sources confirmed in recent weeks that some 200 orders have been placed for their new 296 GT3, Porsche confirmed to DSC that their new-for 2023 911 GT3 R (Type 992) is sold out for the first year with 61 cars set for customer delivery, 60 of which are bound for owners and teams with plans to race the cars.
Seven examples of the new Porsche are set to contest the Rolex 24 Hours, understood to be the Pfaff Motorsports cars in GTD Pro and six cars in GTD. Lamborghini too confirms that their first year allocation of new-build Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 has sold out.
Tower Motorsports Closing In On Announcement Of Full 2023 Programme Plans
Tower Motorsport Owner John Farano told the DSC Editor that plans for his team’s Le Mans and full season IMSA campaigns will be confirmed shortly.
The team tested at Daytona with their 2022 Championship-winning ORECA 07, a 2021-built chassis. An un-raced car has been obtained for the 2023 IMSA campaign, the car initially purchased by the Michelin Le Mans Cup GT3 title-winning GMB Motorsport team that will instead campaign an Aston Martin AMR Vantage at Le Mans and in the ELMS. The current car is likely to be rebuilt and utilised for Farano’s automatic invitation for Le Mans which will be undertaken with the Tower Motorsport squad.
