Samantha Tan Racing has announced it will return to Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS for a full-season 2024 campaign, with team co-owner and namesake Samantha Tan joined by BMW M factory driver Neil Verhagen.
It will be STR’s third season in GT World Challenge America with the BMW M4 GT3, following a successful year for Tan and her team across multiple continents.
In just her second year of racing GT3 cars, Tan finished a career-best fourth place in the Pro-Am Drivers’ championship and recorded her first GT World Challenge America class victory in race two at Road America. She drove alongside the now-retired John Edwards to start the season, before being joined by Neil Verhagen beginning in June at VIRginia International Raceway.
“2023 was a season of growth. I learned so much over the course of the year from both John and Neil, and we really found our momentum as a team. After a five-race podium streak and one win, I can proudly say this was our most successful season in GT3,” Tan said in a press release issued Friday evening.
“I’m excited to announce that we will be returning back to GTWC America and Neil will be my teammate for the full season. We work very well together and I look forward to bringing home more trophies with him! We were incredibly competitive at the halfway point of the season and I can’t wait to build upon everything we learned. Happy holidays everyone and see you in 2024!”
22-year-old Verhagen was a catalyst to STR’s strong performance to close out the 2023 season, where the team recorded five consecutive Pro-Am podiums in seven races together. It marked the Connecticut-born driver’s return to racing in America after some time being stationed in Europe.
“It’s crazy to think we are already at the end of the year,” Verhagen remarked. “It seems like time has flown by since I stepped in at VIR. It’s been a very enjoyable half year for myself with STR. We had a lot of highs with 5 podium finishes in a row and 1 win in Road America.
“I am thrilled to be joining STR in 2024! I would like to say a massive thank you to Samantha, Ken (Tan, team principal/co-owner), Jon (Miller, team manager), and the entire STR team for the trust to fight with them next season! I feel we learned so much as a team together this year. I can’t wait to be able to show all of this next season! I’m looking forward to continuing working with Samantha and keep seeing her grow as a driver over the course of next year! I would like to also say my season highlight was in Road America, celebrating with the team for their first win in the series was special! I wish everyone a very happy holidays with loved ones and a happy new year. See you all in 2024!”
Tan’s on-track successes in 2023 also included a GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup campaign in collaboration with Rinaldi Racing, a partnership that yielded a Pro-Am class win in the season finale at Barcelona. Her 2024 racing activities will begin with an entry into the Dubai 24 Hours with British team Century Motorsport.
STR intends to continue in the Pro-Am class of GTWC America, in search of a championship title in year three.
Images © SRO Motorsports Group America
