LMP2 welcomes a healthy 10 car entry for the 2023 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
The 10 are formed of 6 full season entries , three additions for the Michelin Endurance Cup and the Proton effort which is a bridging programme until the delivery of the team’s GTP class Porsche 963.
The class has arrived into the season with a new package of ‘stratification’ measures designed to separate the performance windows of the Gibson powered P2s adnd the incoming new top-case GTPs already announced ahead of the Roar test next weekend..
The LMP2 package sees a 10 kilo weight increase – up to 950 kg, the introduction of a power-sapping 35mm air restrictor, and rev reductions for the Gibson V8 (max. 8000 rpm in each year except 6th which has a max of 8500), the latter measure compares to no restrictor and max rev range of 8700 rpm in every gear in 2022.
The minimum full refueling time meanwhile has been increased to 40 seconds from the previous 34 seconds, another move designed to increase the gap to the GTPs.
Conversely the cars will be allowed one of two optional aero configurations for both the front and rear of the cars, a relaxation on the 2022 regulations for Daytona
Despite all of that, the big question is, just how far up the order might an LMP2 finish. With nine GTPs, all previously un-raced and with testing thus far being far from drama free, there are those that are not even whispering about the potential for a race of attrition in the top class, and the subsequent potential for a fast and reliable LMP2 to finish very well up the order.
Take a look at the line-ups below and there’s an immediate conclusion to be drawn – Much will depend on the speed and consistency of the Bronze-ranked drivers here – because there are precious few weak links beyond that.
#04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA LMP2 07: Ben Hanley, George Kurtz, Matt McMurry, Esteban Gutierrez
A Michelin Endurance Cup entry blending some intriguing ingredients with their ex-Penske Oreca 07 effort including:
The return of Championship-winning race engineer Jeff Braun, multiple Championship winning squad Algarve Pro Racing (in their first season effort in IMSA), the LMP2 race and Championship-winning form of Ben Hanley, IMSA title winning experience (in LMP2 and GTD) and engineering insight from Matt McMurry, the commercial punch of increasingly able gentleman driver (and Crowdstrike founder), George Kurtz, and, for Daytona the addition of ex F1 racer Esteban Gutierrez.
There’s a lot to like here, this could shake up the established IMSA LMP2 order at the biggest races!
#8 Tower Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07: Entered for the Rolex 24 with drivers John Farano, Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden and Kyffin Simpson – Full season plans to come.
John Farano’s Tower Motorsports return to the IMSA fray in 2023 as reigning Champions with big plans, plans for the season, plans for Le Mans and a very big plan for the Rolex 24!
That involves Farano being supported at Daytona by a pair of IndyCar superstars, Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin in a pairing that promises much for the season opener.
Add in the talent of Petit Le Mans GTD winner and 2023 IndyNXT/ Lites (or whatever its called this week) racer, Kyffin Simpson and here’s another one to watch.
Louis Deletraz will be paired with Farano for the LMP2 season with Simpson in for the Enduros.
#11 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Steven Thomas, Mikkel Jensen and Scott Huffaker are set to contest the Rolex 24 Hours and the full IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Rinus Veekay is added for Daytona
TDS Racing have emerged from the debacle surrounding the premature cessation of their Racing Team Nederland programme in fighting form, this one of a pair of full season cars for IMSA competition in 2023, both with eye-catching line-ups.
Steven Thomas returns from his WEC adventure with Algarve Pro Racing, a last minute effort in the wake of the sanctions-imposed on Gazprom-ownd G-Drive, to return to his racing comfort zone with several racing boxes ticked.
He’s joined by the highly rated Scott Huffaker and the even more highly rated jack of all Sportscar trades Mikkel Jensen, the Peugeot HyperCar driver adding extra races to his 2023 calendar and the pair switching from Tower to TDS.
IndyCar standout Rinus Veekay completes the squad for Daytona.
#18 Era Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07: Dwight Merriman and Ryan Dalziel for the full season, Christian Rasmussen for the Michelin Endurance Cup and Oliver Jarvis for the Rolex 24 Hours.
Era Motorsport have had some big results and some big disappointments in recent seasons but are back for another crack in 2023 for the full season.
Dwight Merriman is once again supported by the quick and super-consistent Ryan Dalziel with the team drafting in rapid Dane Christian Rasmussen for the enduros and reigning overall IMSA Champ Oliver Jarvis adding very significant punch indeed for Daytona.
If Merriman can keep it on the island and close to the lead lap this is a combination capable of going head to head with the rest.
#20 High Class Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Dennis Anderson and Ed Jones for full season, Anders Fjordbach for IMEC rounds and Raffaele Marciello for Rolex 24.
High Class Racing may have sold the car they contested the 2022 IMSA Championship with (to Rick Ware Racing), but they are back with their other Oreca for another crack at it!
Ex IndyCar racer Ed Jones follows up a full season in the FIA WEC with a switch to IMSA and will share the drive with long-time team customer Dennis Andersen.
Anders Fjordbach again bolsters the effort for the endurance rounds with the eye-catching addition of Rafaelle Marciello for the Rolex 24, the GT racing star clearly eyeing a future in prototypes!
#35 TDS Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Giedo van der Garde, Josh Pierson and Francois Heriau will contest the full IMSA Championship. Job van Uitert joins for Daytona.
TDS’s second full-season effort in LMP2 is another one with real potential over the season. Giedo van der Garde already has a European Le Mans Series title to his name as well as a WEC race win and a collection of highlights clips to raise some smiles. The rapid Dutchman will be delighted to be retained by TDS as his Racing Team Nederland home of recent seasons departs the field.
16 year old Josh Pierson provides solid back-up in his second season in LMP2, it will be a telling one that should prove his worth on circuits he now knows well.
Francois Heriau is the latest European Gentleman driver to opt to experience the American racing adventure, after several seasons in LMP3 and latterly in LMP2 with the Ultimate team in the WEC he feels it’s time for a different challenge.
The rapid Job van Uitert joins the trio for Daytona and will relish the challenge.
#51 Rick Ware Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Eric Lux and Pietro Fittipaldi for the full season, Devlin DeFrancesco for the Michelin Endurance Cup, Austin Cindric for Daytona.
Rick Ware Racing were a late addition to the IMSA full season prospects list but they have come out of the gate running hard.
The ex-High Class Racing chassis will be looked after by a crew that includes experienced P2 hands from Eurasia Motorsport.
The driving squad looks top-notch too, defending Rolex 24 class winner Eric Lux in for the season with the rapid Pietro Fittipaldi with Devlin DeFrancesco, another of the winning DragonSpeed LMP2 team from last year in for the enduros.
The naming of reigning NASCAR Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric is the juicy cherry on top! Absolutely a car to watch.
#52 PR1 Mathiesen Motorsport ORECA LMP2 07: Ben Keating, Alex Quinn and Paul Loup Chatin for the IMEC, Nico Lapierre joins for Daytona.
Ben Keating has broken a serious habit for 2023, no, not smoking, not investing in cryptocurrency, and not spending endless hours looking at Instagram – instead he has opted – and brace yourself for the shock – only to drive one car at the Rolex 24 Hours!
The Texan auto-dealer arrives as the reigning WEC GTE AM Champion and gets back aboard a P2 car for another crack at Daytona.
He’s joined by British single-seater racer Alex Quinn who has plenty to prove here, but it wouldn’t be the first time that sportscar racing reveals talents not obvious elsewhere. He’s got speed, if he can find that consistently he’ll do fine!
Paul-Loup Chatin and Nico Lapierre are the ideal pairing to help that process along – both blindingly quick and both with a good record of helping talent to emerge alongside them.
Don’t be too surprised if this car emerges in contention for a podium or better!
#55 Proton Racing ORECA LMP2 07: Gianmaria Bruni, Fred Poordad, James Allen are confirmed with a fourth driver still to be announced (photo below stock image – not the Proton car)
The #55 at Daytona is a bridging programme ahead of the team’s Porsche 963 GTP car. The (ex Algarve Pro Racing) Oreca will be a full season ELMS effort after Daytona.
Gianmaria Bruni has been part of the plan for a while across both the IMSA and WEC programmes. James Allen has shown real form at Le Mans and in the ELMS too whilst Fred Poordad transfers from the team’s WEC GTE AM roster to fulfil the Bronze element required here. Young Italian single-seater racer Francesco Pizzi completes the quartet.
#88 AF Corse ORECA LMP2 07: Francois Perrodo, Nicklas Nielsen, Mathieu Vaxiviere and Julien Canal combine in an entry from the WEC LMP2 Pro-Am Champions that is understood to be entering the Michelin Endurance Challenge (2022 WEC livery shown below).
Francois Perrodo intends to replace his Championship-winning WEC LMP2 Pro-Am effort with a run at the IMSA enduros alongside a return to the ELMS in 2023.
And it’s an interesting blend of now Ferrari Hypercar driver (and 2022 co-champion) Nicklas Nielsen and friend and 2023 Alpine LMP2 racer Mathieu Vaxiviere for Dayona with Julien canal the required Silver for Daytona.
This is a very convincing looking quartet!
