Whether it’s GTD PRO or its predecessor GTLM, all-pro GT racing has been a strength of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the Daytona 24 Hours since the unification of American sports car racing. No matter the strength of the top prototype category, they’ve stolen the show at Daytona many times before!
15 cars from nine different manufacturers – Aston Martin, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Ford, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG, and Porsche – make up another incredible field in this category at Daytona, with premier drivers and fan-favourite teams – none more beloved than Rexy, the mascot of defending GTD PRO IMSA Champions AO Racing.
Paul Miller Racing
- #1 BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Madison Snow, Neil Verhagen, Connor De Phillippi, Kelvin van der Linde
- #48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Dan Harper, Max Hesse, Jesse Krohn, Augusto Farfus
Paul Miller Racing proved it could handle the switch from GTD to GTD PRO and not lose a step last year, taking the Michelin Endurance Cup title and a race win at VIR. The next step forward for 2025 is an expansion to a two-car operation and of course – the introduction of the new BMW M4 GT3 EVO.
We touched on it in our GTD preview but it’s safe to say that the new M4 GT3 EVO has had a great start to life, winning the Dubai 24 Hours (and the 6 Hours of Abu Dhabi the weekend after that). Can that winning form roll over to Daytona, where PMR was competitive last year?
Of course, Bryan Sellers has moved on to a managing role at DXDT Racing, but team stalwart and two-time Daytona GTD winner Madison Snow is still here in the returning #1 entry, joined now for the full season by dynamic young American, Neil Verhagen – who steps up from an Endurance Cup role last year.
PMR’s traditional number 48 graces the new car that will be driven for the full season by Verhagen’s fellow BMW Junior Team graduates, Dan Harper and Max Hesse, both brimming with talent and the potential to star in their first Daytona starts.
For Daytona, PMR welcomes former BMW M Team RLL prototype drivers Connor De Phillippi and Jesse Krohn – who each have Daytona victories on their CVs driving the big and beautiful M8 GTE. Two-time GTLM winner Augusto Farfus rounds out the #48 crew, and Kelvin van der Linde will make his debut as a BMW M works driver at Daytona in the #1 car, looking to build another legacy with a German manufacturer after his soaring heights with Audi.
“For me, it was most important to cover as many kilometres as possible in the first few days,” said the elder of the Van der Linde brothers after the Roar Before The 24. ” I feel comfortable in the car and am ready to go full attack at the 24-hour race. We’ll have to see where we stand in terms of performance this week, but the mood in the team is good.”
Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports
- #3 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Antonio García, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella
- #4 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Nico Varrone
All other teams in this GTD PRO field are measured by the standard that Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller Motorsports have established over the last 25 years, including themselves.
And by that standard, it was a frustrating year for the works Corvette team in 2024. A downbeat tone was set in Daytona when all four Z06 GT3.Rs in the field suffered moderate to severe mechanical problems during the race. But some perspective is needed as well: The two Pratt Miller Corvettes finished 1-2 at Mosport, took four GTD Pro poles, and looked better after some FIA-approved ‘erratum fixes’ were applied in the spring – along with simply learning more about the new package in the heat of competition.
Also, Daytona has been notoriously difficult on new GT models in recent years, and Chevrolet wasn’t the only one that had a tough first outing with its new car last year.
Expect Pratt Miller Motorsports to return to its old standard, eager to build on its four victories (2001, 2015, 2016, 2021) with two Velocity Yellow cars and six outstanding drivers. Garcia, Milner, and Catsburg have all won GTLM with Corvette Racing, with Garcia leading the way with three Daytona 24H overall or class victories. Juncadella and Varrone have also won Daytona in other teams and classes – and it’s great to have Varrone back after a lost season in 2024. In fairness to the odd man out, Sims was the runner-up in a 1-2 finish in 2021!
A legion of Corvette Racing supporters expect nothing less than a return to excellence, and even in a field this tough, it would be hard not to see them returning to their old form.
“There were things that can be tidied up through the experience of last year,” recounts Milner after the Roar. “It’s the first chance to prove those things. Then it’s about miles, getting all three guys in the car and getting new guys who are on the team comfortable in their positions. You try to get yourself as prepared as possible not just for the Rolex, but for the season.
“With Nico joining the team, it gives him a good chance to get comfortable again with the team and engineers, do some driver change practices and all that kind of stuff. It’s all a little bit of housekeeping things that you need to do and an opportunity to work on the car to make sure we have our Corvette as strong as we can have it coming into the race.
Heart of Racing Team
- #007 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo: Ross Gunn, Alex Riberas, Roman de Angelis, Marco Sørensen
We know you’re eager, dear reader – but we will have to wait just a little bit longer to see and hear the new V12-powered Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH in proper racing action. In its place at the Daytona 24 Hours, Heart of Racing Team is wheeling out its GTD PRO Vantage GT3 for one last run.
The results in 2024 showed that Aston Martin hit all its goals with the Vantage GT3 “Evo” to make it a more consistent, well-rounded performer for drivers of all skill levels. Wins in IMSA, WEC, Intercontinental GT Challenge, SUPER GT, and others seem like just the beginning of a great new chapter in Aston Martin’s GT racing history.
Ross Gunn finished a very close second in the GTD Pro Drivers’ Championship last year and will be rejoined in this one-off effort by Alex Riberas, his co-driver for most of 2024 – and already committed to a seat in one of the WEC-bound Valkyries. 2023 GTD class winners in this event, Roman de Angelis and Marco Sørensen, will round out the line-up for the #007 Vantage at Daytona.
HoR would love to send this chapter of its racing history out with a GTD PRO win before the Valkyrie charges full speed ahead into the rest of 2025.
Pfaff Motorsports
- #9 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2: Andrea Caldarelli, Marco Mapelli, James Hinchcliffe, Jordan Pepper
When Pfaff Motorsports travelled to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans last year, Steve Bortolotti and the rest of the crew entered the weekend knowing this would be the team’s last race in IMSA. Time had seemingly run out on finding much-needed investment to continue into 2025. A controversial switch from Porsche to McLaren never yielded significant results from Daytona onwards.
Even with their name printed on the 2025 entry list, the prospects of the fan-favourite team from Toronto actually making it to the grid were bleak. Then, in late November, Lamborghini Squadra Corse came to Pfaff in their own time of need. They needed a new team to lead its efforts in GTD PRO. Bortolotti didn’t hesitate to take the lifeline from Lamborghini, and Pfaff Motorsports will be making another fresh start at Daytona.
Yes, this will be Pfaff’s third different manufacturer alliance in three years, with a Huracán GT3 EVO2 platform that will be replaced after 2025. And yes, the timing of this move puts them on the back foot heading into the race. But they will be coming to Daytona determined to capture a second GTD PRO win in four years.
And dare we say it, after posting the fastest time in class during the Roar… It certainly isn’t a total pipedream any more!
With its fan-favourite red and black plaid livery dashed in silver restored, the #9 Pfaff Lamborghini features three of the Squadra Corse’s best GT3 drivers: Andrea Caladarelli, Marco Mapelli, and Jordan Pepper. 2020 Daytona GTD winner Caldarelli wants a fresh start after being one of those left out in the big reshuffle around the SC63 LMDh programme. He’ll reunite with his ‘SRO Triple Crown’ team-mate from 2019, Mapelli, for the full season – and his former GT World Challenge America co-driver Pepper, who won Petit Le Mans with Iron Lynx just a few short months ago.
Speaking of fan favourites, that describes James Hinchcliffe to a tee. With his new broadcast contract sorted, Hinchcliffe will return to Pfaff in the same Endurance Cup role which he held in 2024. Daytona hasn’t been kind to him in the last few attempts he’s made, but “The Mayor” is still determined to stand in Victory Lane in any chance he gets behind the wheel.
Vasser Sullivan Racing
- #14 Lexus RC F GT3: Ben Barnicoat, Aaron Telitz, Kyle Kirkwood, Townsend Bell
Vasser Sullivan Racing continues to defy what’s possible with the well-loved Lexus RC F GT3 platform in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In 2023 they won the GTD PRO title outright. 2024 wasn’t bad either, headlined by a sensational win at the Sebring 12 Hours.
All this team hasn’t done since taking over as Lexus’ flagship IMSA team is win the Rolex 24 with the RC F. Could that finally change in one of the last years this car has before its successor is finally ready to race?
The car hasn’t changed but the primary drivers have. The ever-brilliant Ben Barnicoat is still leading the way in the #14, but instead of Jack Hawksworth at his side, Aaron Telitz will step back into full-time racing and up to GTD PRO. It’s not an easy task, but Telitz has shown at times that he can meet and exceed expectations as a top GT driver.
IndyCar Series race winner Kyle Kirkwood returns as the #14 team’s Endurance Cup driver, and 2014 Daytona GTD winner Townsend Bell is back in the fold for Daytona, as a driver – and as a broadcaster, in one of his final appearances with NBC in the United States. He’ll relish the chance to drive the RC F GT3 with Vasser Sullivan again. He might also get to battle with his broadcast partner Hinchcliffe on track.
Last year could not have gone much worse for Vasser Sullivan’s two cars that met catastrophic ends at Daytona, but if the car is quick, and the team avoids the sort of catastrophes that hit them last year, a win is certainly possible.
Proton Competition
- #20 Porsche 911 GT3 R: Claudio Schiavoni, Matteo Cressoni, Richard Lietz, Thomas Preining
Proton Competition has recent winning experience at Daytona in GTD Pro. The German team was the force behind WeatherTech Racing’s class victory in 2023 with a Mercedes-AMG.
This year, one of their two GT entries at the Rolex 24 is this #20 Porsche, run by Christian and Michael Ried. It’s one of three GTD PRO cars with a Bronze driver – Claudio Schiavoni. Schiavoni and his traditional running mate Matteo Cressoni are joined by two Platinum-rated Porsche works drivers, defending Le Mans LMGT3 winner Richard Lietz and 2023 DTM Champion Thomas Preining.
At the very least, Schiavoni’s minimum drive time obligations are lower than they would be in GTD, and should his two hours go on without any major incidents, he’ll turn the car over to a trio of very capable drivers – including Lietz, who has three GT class wins at Daytona.
And from there, it could be smooth sailing to a strong result!
Ford Multimatic Motorsports
- #64 Ford Mustang GT3: Mike Rockenfeller, Sebastian Priaulx, Austin Cindric
- #65 Ford Mustang GT3: Christopher Mies, Frédéric Vervisch, Dennis Olsen
Remember how we mentioned that Corvette wasn’t the only faction with a new GT3 platform that went through a trial by fire at the Daytona 24 Hours? The new Ford Mustang GT3 was the other.
Heading into 2025, it is imperative that the Mustang GT3 not only gets that first win in global competition but begins to win and run at the front consistently. And what that means is that Ford Multimatic Motorsports must deliver strong results all season long in GTD PRO, after managing just a pair of runner-up finishes during the year as their best result with two cars.
The early 2024 issues of body panels shedding from the rest of the car for seemingly no reason? That’s been fixed some time ago, and now it’s time for the Mustang GT3 to run wild.
Both cars have brand-new line-ups for 2025, with only 2010 Daytona 24 Hours winner Mike Rockenfeller returning from last season in this capacity. Chris Mies and Frédéric Vervisch step up to full-time roles in the #65 Mustang, and second-generation driver Sebastian Priaulx will take over in the #64 car alongside “Rocky.”
2022 Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric is in the fold, taking over for the injured Ben Barker in the #64 – and Cindric has prerequisite GT3 experience going back to when he was just a teenager!
With Dennis Olsen as the other Endurance Cup specialist for Ford Multimatic, this certainly has all the ingredients on paper to make for a competitive team capable of contending for a Rolex 24 win and GTD PRO Championship honours. And with Ford seemingly eyeing bigger things in the world of sports car racing, a win here would be a delight to the ‘Blue Oval’ faithful.
GetSpeed
- #69 Mercedes-AMG GT3: Anthony Bartone, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller, Luca Stolz
With a strong reputation as a Mercedes-AMG specialist in domestic and regional endurance racing, Nürburgring-based GetSpeed makes its IMSA debut here at Daytona with assistance from RealTime Racing.
The entry is built around Anthony Bartone Jnr and his family’s team, Bartone Bros. Racing. He comes from an accomplished drag racing family but has been making a name for himself in sports cars for a couple of years. He drove for GetSpeed and won his class at last year’s Spa 24 Hours.
This is also Maxime Martin’s first race as a Mercedes-AMG factory driver, following his departure from BMW in the off-season. Expect the Belgian to come in motivated to impress his new backers. Fabian Schiller and two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner Luca Stolz round out the line-up after leading GetSpeed’s efforts in GT World Challenge Europe last year.
Like the other Mercedes-AMG customer teams in GTD, GetSpeed is also getting a crash course in understanding how the new IMSA torque sensors will benefit them. A good result isn’t out of reach.
75 Express
- #75 Mercedes-AMG GT3: Kenny Habul, Mikaël Grenier, Jules Gounon, Maro Engel
Kenny Habul’s team, now doing business in America as 75 Express, is back for another run at the Rolex 24. Under the SunEnergy1 Racing banner, Habul and company finished second in GTD back in 2021, but the last three attempts have been littered with disappointments: An accident in 2022, followed by consecutive mechanical DNFs.
By now, two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner Habul is established as one of the better Bronzes in GT racing and there might only be one better competing against him. He has three outstanding aces of the Mercedes-AMG works roster by his side – including Maro Engel and Andorra’s No.1, Jules Gounon, two drivers that led the WeatherTech/Proton Mercedes to GTD PRO victory two years ago.
A fuel system failure brought an end to 75 Express’ race last year, but Habul, Engel, and Gounon are set for another go at it together. Mikaël Grenier rejoins the team after spending the last two seasons in IMSA driving for Herb Korthoff, and scoring his former team’s first victory in GTD.
A trouble-free race is all 75 Express needs to contend for GTD PRO honours in 2025.
AO Racing
- #77 Porsche 911 GT3 R: Laurin Heinrich, Klaus Bachler, Alessio Picariello
After growing from an ambitious upstart team to the 2024 IMSA GTD PRO Champions, what’s next for AO Racing? And what’s next for Rexy the Porsche GT3 “Rawr”, who now has a diamond-capped gold fang as his champion trophy?
Well, Rexy’s still on the hunt for more success, and he’d love a Rolex watch to wear on one of his (very small) arms after finishing second in GTD PRO at Daytona last year. That performance, and Seb Priaulx’s pole-winning lap time, was the start of a special season – three wins, five podiums, and the title for the team and Laurin Heinrich, won by just 12 points. It was a night and day difference from where the Porsche GT fleet was during a painful first Rolex 24 for the 992 GT3 R, and those days are long in the past for a Porsche GT programme that’s truly firing on all cylinders now.
Rexy’s #1 fan and DSC’s most outstanding GT driver of 2024, Heinrich, is back to defend his title of course. And what’s better than having one reigning champion on board? Adding a second – Klaus Bachler, the reigning FIA WEC LMGT3 champion for Manthey Pure Rxcing, now full-time aboard Rexy after helping to fill the gaps from Priaulx’s sudden mid-season departure.
Oh, then add Alessio Picariello for Daytona and the other IMSA enduros, just to make this AO Racing team an even more formidable challenger than before. They’ll have to be, to keep ahead of their strongest rivals in such a deep GTD PRO field.
“We’ve come back even stronger than before,” said Heinrich. “I think the team is better prepared, more experienced from last year. So I feel that we have a good chance again. But obviously, the field is as competitive or even more competitive than us.”
“But with AO Racing, it’s such a big and competitive organisation already now. I’m fully confident that they will handle all the unknowns very well. With my new teammates Klaus and Alessio, I have two very strong teammates from the Porsche family as well.”
DragonSpeed
- #81 Ferrari 296 GT3: Albert Costa, Davide Rigon, Miguel Molina, Thomas Neubauer
Three-time Daytona 24 Hour winners in the LMP2 category, Elton Julian and his DragonSpeed team are beginning a new project with a customer Ferrari 296 GT3, the most popular car in GTD. DragonSpeed would have been the eighth Ferrari in GTD but instead, they’re taking on the challenge of GTD PRO.
One reason why the yellow Ferrari might be favoured to excel right out of the box? A technical alliance with last year’s GTD PRO class winner at Daytona, Risi Competizione. It’s a partnership that keeps the respected Ferrari mainstays from Houston, Texas on the IMSA grid in some capacity.
While the Risi victory last year was overshadowed by Balance of Performance breaches that impacted BMW and Ferrari customers, they were competitive for the rest of the 2024 Endurance Cup – as we fully expect – and that will be a big boost for DragonSpeed’s first full season with the Ferrari.
Albert Costa leads the way after transferring over from Conquest Racing, joined by defending Daytona GTD PRO winner Davide Rigon, and reigning Le Mans 24 Hours winner Miguel Molina, two outstanding Ferrari works drivers with strong GT racing CVs. Frenchman Thomas Neubauer is another Ferrari works driver, making his Daytona debut after some success in GT World Challenge Europe and Ferrari Challenge.
There is plenty to love about what DragonSpeed is bringing to the table in GTD PRO, the car looks quick, has the drivers and the personnel to back that up – could another Ferrari win be on the cards here?
Trackhouse by TF Sport
- #91 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Ben Keating, Connor Zilisch, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen
Last but certainly not least, there’s the star-studded crossover team fielded by Trackhouse Racing and TF Sport, a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a WeatherTech livery and four fan-favourite drivers.
Trackhouse owner Justin Marks has won the Rolex 24 as a driver before (2009 GT with The Racers’ Group) and now wants to win as the co-owner of this special entry alongside Tom Ferrier of TF Sport.
Bring on the star power of Trackhouse NASCAR star Shane van Gisbergen, Penske IndyCar ace Scott McLaughlin, and Trackhouse’s wunderkind development driver Connor Zilisch – the reigning Daytona LMP2 winner, going for two in a row at 18 years of age! Of course, the combined power of SVG and Scotty Mac – from their previous conquests in Supercars to their current American success – makes this a formidable combination.
Funny enough, all three are leaning on Super Bronze, Ben Keating, for experience – that’s just a testament to the quality that he brings, as well! Keating is a previous GTD winner at Daytona and he’d love to be part of another winning effort at this year’s Rolex 24.
There will be many, many eyes drawn towards this special car!
Missed DSC’s GTD Preview? Catch up HERE!
Images © Andrew Lofthouse
