Competing under its fourth name in as many seasons, the newly-rechristened Korthoff Competition Motors has announced its drivers for the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
After capturing its first GTD class win at VIRginia International Raceway, the #32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 will return for another season with a brand-new driver line-up consisting of Kenton Koch and Seth Lucas, who will run the full season. Mercedes-AMG factory driver Maximillian Götz will accompany the team in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, starting with the 63rd annual Rolex 24 at Daytona in January.
“We are excited for the return of Kenton Koch and the introduction of our newest driver Seth Lucas as our dynamic young stars,” said Team Owner, Herb Korthoff. “Their talent and energy will be complemented by the wisdom and experience of Max Götz. This combination gives us a strong lineup as we approach the season. We believe it will position us well to be competitive in the upcoming season.”
Koch appeared in seven races last year for the team formerly known as Korthoff Preston Motorsports, which finished third in the IMSA GTD Teams’ Championship and . A previous class winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2016, Koch co-authored the team’s maiden victory at VIR and scored a third-place finish in the following round at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was part of a busy year that also saw Koch race in GT World Challenge America, Michelin Pilot Challenge, and GT4 America for Random Vandals Racing.
“It’s been awesome to have been here the last two years in the endurance role and now having the opportunity to pair with Seth for the full season will be a treat,” Koch said. “I’ve known Maxi from his 24-hour runs with us the last two years and am happy to have his expertise in all the long races now. I can’t thank Herb, Walt (Preston, Team Manager) and the team enough for the opportunity.”
Lucas, who turns 19 in January, raced full-time in LMP2 with MDK by High Class Racing last year, with a best finish of fourth at Watkins Glen. Though new to the GTD category in IMSA, Lucas has previous GT3 racing experience, racing for MDK full-time in the 2023 GT World Challenge America series.
“I’m very excited to be working with Korthoff Competition Motors next season in the Mercedes-AMG,” Lucas said. “Huge thanks to Herb, Walt and the team for believing in me and giving me the chance to make my GTD debut.”
Götz, the 2021 DTM Champion, helped drive the team to a fifth-place finish in GTD at Daytona to start the 2024 season, and will now run all five Endurance Cup rounds in 2025.
The team’s new name comes via the investment from new partner Competition Motors, an Ohio-based luxury automotive dealership network owned by Chairman Chris Lucas (father of Seth). Korthoff Preston Motorsports began racing in IMSA four years ago as Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports Following the retirement of then-co-owner Henry Gilbert in 2022, the team was renamed to Team Korthoff Motorsports, then renamed again to Korthoff Preston Motorsports near the end of the 2023 season.
Feature image © Jack Webster / Dailysportscar.com
