With just three races remaining for the IMSA GTP cars in 2024, the points battles are heating up nicely.
This weekend the teams are all in Wisconsin for the annual stop on the schedule at Road America. For Porsche Penske Motorsport, Sunday’s race is set to be vital for its title charge.
As it stands, Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr lead the Drivers’ Championship standings with 2044 points and hope to build on what has been a remarkable campaign. Two wins (at Daytona and last time out at Watkins Glen) and a further three podiums have put them in the driving seat.
12 months ago the #7 dominated this race, leading all but one of the laps en route to victory. And the hope is that at the circuit where the #7’s fortunes changed, more trophies are in the offing this weekend.
“Last year we often referred to that race as a turning point for the programme,” Urs Kuratle, the director of factory LMDh racing for Porsche reflects.
“We had reasonable results before, but the result at Elkhart Lake was well deserved. The team grew after that race and ever since we have taken a lot of steps like this.
“So we look forward to this event again and feel well prepared. Expectations are high, we are leading all the championships and we would like to leave Elkhart Lake further ahead of our competitors.”
Delivering a repeat of last year’s performance will be tough ask, as the competition in the class is as hot as ever. However, Nasr – who has been sharing the #7 with Dane Cameron this year after his 2023 co-driver Matt Campbell shifted to the WEC programme – believes it’s a circuit that suits the 963.
“Last year Road America was a weekend where we could unlock the performance and pure speed of the car,” he explains. “Matt and I were sharing it and that was a very special one in every way.
“The #7 crew last year had a tough start to the season and that win was really the breakthrough. From then on it really clicked in terms of the car’s performance and us drivers understanding the tyres.
“If you look at the results since then, the #7 has been on a high. Ever since Porsche Penske Motorsport has given us a car at every round to fight at the front.
“This is a super demanding track with a lot of high and medium speed corners. But it’s one of my favourites on the calendar.”
However, the other contending cars in the field will be as eager as ever to reel in the #7 before the final two Endurance Cup races at Indianapolis and Road Atlanta.
Cadillac Racing’s #01 V-Series.R of Sebastien Bourdais and Renger van der Zande is closest to the leading Porsche in the points with 1951 and has finished on the podium four times in the last five races.
Van der Zande specifically has form at the Midwestern circuit with Cadillac to build on too, having recorded three consecutive podium finishes between 2020 and 2022 racing with the GM brand.
“Podiums are nice,” the Dutchman says in anticipation, “but wins are what we need, so that is what we come to Road America for.”
Then there’s the #6 sister Porsche, #40 WTRAndretti Acura and the #31 Action Express Cadillac, which are all within shouting distance of the championship lead. 350 points are awarded for a race win and they’re currently within 214.
With the pressure mounting, will Penske play favourites with the #7 and put team orders in place? What happens if Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet in the #6 are dicing with the #7 crew on the other side of the awning for podium spots or the win?
“We will try to do the best we can, and then try to manage the race,” Jaminet explains. “If we have to support, we do, this is what we have tried to do in previous events. If we can try to win the race we will as well, but it also makes sense that car #7 finishes in front to increase their lead.
“I think this pretty clear from my side, we will try to win races, if not then we will try to support car #7.”
It’s going to be an interesting dynamic at Cadillac, which has two teams running its two cars. Action Express will be pushing to gain ground for its V-Series.R driven by Pipo Derani and Jack Aitken, which sits fifth in the standings and trails the Ganassi-run example by 113 points.
“You never know what will happen in this championship,” Aitken tells DSC. “I was trying early on not to look at the championship situation too much and that still applies now. We have to take things race by race and see how it pans out on the final weekend at Petit.
“This weekend is my first race weekend at Road America,” he adds, “so it will be a special one.”
While AXR believes it has what it takes to repeat its title-winning success from last year, it is still a factory team and may have to put Cadillac’s goals ahead of its own.
The performances from Ganassi and Action Express will be in the spotlight as Cadillac looks to beat Porsche to the Manufacturers’ title. With just 41 points separating the two marques, it’s anyone’s game.
That leads us nicely to this weekend’s action. Sunday’s race is set to get underway at 15:10 ET and is one you won’t want to miss…
Images courtesy of IMSA
