Gunnar Jeannette is stepping in this weekend as a substitute driver for the #80 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 ‘Rowr’ (the dinosaur-liveried car dubbed as ‘Rexy’) after full-season driver PJ Hyett opted to step down for the weekend following an on-track incident in the FIA World Endurance Championship race at Spa-Francorchamps.
The incident saw Hyett suffer a lumbar sprain, PJ opting to rest and recover, prioritising next month’s running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Jeannette, who doubles as a driver and team manager at AO Racing, will compete alongside co-driver Sebastian Priaulx.
“I understand and agree with PJ’s decision to sit this Laguna Seca event out to make sure he’s recovered for Le Mans,” said Jeannette, who also raced with the team at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona and Twelve Hours of Sebring. “I’m happy to have the opportunity to race with Sebastian, Rexy, and the whole team at Laguna Seca.”
This weekend will mark Priaulx’s return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, having last competed at the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course in Salinas, California in 2020, racing a Mustang GT4.
“I’m looking forward to being back racing with AO and Gunnar this weekend, and getting back out there,” said Priaulx. “I haven’t been to Laguna Seca in a couple of years, and it will be fun to get the Porsche on track and see what we can do.”
