Riley Motorsport has announced that Felipe Massa will make his sports car racing debut this January in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Massa officially confirmed his entry on his social media accounts, during Riley’s private test session at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The 11-time Formula One Grand Prix winner and 2008 World Drivers Championship runner-up will drive the #74 Riley Oreca LMP2 07-Gibson alongside reigning LMP3 class champion Gar Robinson, fellow Brazilian Felipe Fraga, and Josh Burdon.
“I always try to do one of these races in my career and it will be the first time that I will race the 24 Hours of Daytona with Riley Motorsports,” Massa said. “It’s a very great and important team here in the US, so I want to say thank you very much to Gar Robinson for the invitation to be part of the team, together with my brother Felipe Fraga.
“We’ve been racing in Stock Car and it will be the first time we’ll be together in this very important team. Also to have Josh [Burdon] – we’re going to be four drivers here racing. I’m so happy. I’m sure it will be a great experience for me to be part of this important race.”
After departing Formula One in 2017, Massa has driven two seasons in the FIA Formula E Championship and has raced full-time in the Stock Car Brasil series since 2021. His maiden Stock Car victory this past weekend at Autodromo Internacional de Cascavel was his first professional race victory since the 2008 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix, 15 years ago.
He’ll reinforce a lineup of Robinson, Fraga, and Burdon who combined to win the LMP3 Drivers’ and Teams’ Championship in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship and Michelin Endurance Cup, with four consecutive victories during the season in what was the last year of the category in IMSA’s premier series.
“The opportunity came up and the ability to be able to share a car with a legend with Felipe Massa and Felipe Fraga is a dream come true,” said Robinson. “It checks all of the cool boxes on every box.”
“For me, it’s another year with Riley, so I’m really happy about that, again sharing the car with Gar – but now, really special to share the car with Felipe,” added Fraga. “We’re both Brazilians, and I’ve known him since I was a little kid.
“He gave me some trophies when I was younger, and now he will be in Daytona sharing the car. It’s a special moment for my career. Now, let’s prepare and be ready for the Daytona 24 Hours!”
Robinson and Fraga will run the full IMSA WeatherTech season with Burdon accompanying the team for all five Michelin Endurance Cup rounds in 2024.
Feature image © Stock Car Brasil
