With 22 teams representing nine manufacturers signed up for the season opener, the championship’s largest class looks set to be as entertaining and unpredictable as ever in 2025. But, despite there being plenty of standout new and returning names, there’s only one question on everyone’s lips in the GTD paddock heading into the season: “How do we stop Winward Racing?”
It’s also worth noting some of the significant changes that will impact both GTD and GTD PRO, namely the addition of torque sensors to cars in both GT classes, and the changes in race procedure that will have GTD PRO separated from its nominally Pro-Am counterpart in qualifying, starts, and restarts. While it is fun to see a GTD “Non-PRO” entry besting the pro cars on track, the reality is that it provided little value to the teams other than bragging rights.
Don’t expect it to sour what should be a fun battle for the GTD win, though, not with this amount of talent in the field!
Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo
- #19 Van der Steur Racing: Rory van der Steur, Valentin Hasse-Clot, Anthony McIntosh, Maxime Robin
- #27 Heart of Racing Team: Tom Gamble, Casper Stevenson, Zacharie Robichon, Mattia Drudi
- #44 Magnus Racing: John Potter, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly, Nicki Thiim
Heart of Racing leads the line for Aston Martin with a Vantage AMR GT3 Evo alongside its Valkyrie GTP effort, with a GTD crew featuring top talents Tom Gamble and Mattia Drudi, and Zacharie Robichon and Casper Stevenson, who both featured in the FIA WEC’s LMGT3 class last year.
HoR is not alone though in GTD, as AMR will also be represented by fan-favourite Magnus Racing in Daytona and Pilot Challenge graduate Van der Steur Racing for the Endurance Cup races. This is currently the final planned race for Magnus – though signs are that it could be back sooner rather than later after a pause. Same for five-time Rolex 24 winner Andy Lally, making his 24th and final start in this race – at least for now.
Meanwhile, VDSR returns to top-flight IMSA competition for the first time since outings in LMP2 over a decade ago, with four drivers making their first starts in this race!
The Evo-spec Vantage delivered on all its promises in year one. It’s made the platform AM-friendly, easier to service and more consistent in longer races. Look no further than the brand’s win at the Centenary Spa 24 Hours for evidence that the Evo kit has worked and put Aston Martin back on the right track.
A big result could well be on the cards…
BMW M4 GT3 EVO
- #96 Turner Motorsport: Patrick Gallagher, Robby Foley, Jake Walker, Jens Klingmann
The BMW-Turner combination should never be counted out. The longstanding fan-favourite team – and now the longest-tenured BMW M racing team of all-time – retains factory driver Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher for their third full season together, with Jake Walker Jnr and Jens Klingmann brought in for the Rolex 24.
The team is looking to build on its second-place finish in the standings last year with the new M4 GT3 EVO. The refreshed M4, which won on debut in the Dubai 24 earlier this month, promise to increase its aero efficiency and improve both tyre wear and braking performance.
Will these improvements give the team an immediate boost?
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R
- #13 AWA: Orey Fidani, Matt Bell, Lars Kern, Marvin Kirchhöfer
- #36 DXDT Racing: Salih Yoluç, Alec Udell, Charlie Eastwood, Pipo Derani
Chevrolet has two full-season customers running Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs for year two of GTD: World Challenge America standout DXDT Racing and returning Canadian outfit AWA.
AWA’s hopes and ambitions are sky-high after Orey Fidani claimed the Bob Akin Award as the category’s top-performing Bronze-rated driver in 2024. The team’s move from LMP3 to GTD was a significant step and a gamble, but by the end of the season the team, and the Z06 GT3.R, looked entirely in sync.
“There were trials and tribulations last year, especially at Daytona, but we sit here today even happier than we were when we made the decision to go for it,” Fidani’s full-season teammate Matt Bell told DSC. “The response from Corvette, GM and Pratt Miller was phenomenal, and the car improved. I can safely say that a year on, we go into Daytona expecting to compete for the win, that’s the sole goal. We’re confident.”
As for DXDT, it was the only customer team to claim a win with the Z06 GT3.R in its first year, racing in GT World Challenge. Winning in IMSA as part of a deeper field, and with a different tyre after racing on Pirelli boots in 2024, will be tough.
However, the line-up is extremely strong. Yoluç was a championship-winning GT driver as a Bronze, Udell – a key component in DXDT’s GT World Challenge success last year – has multiple GTD podiums on his CV, and Charlie Eastwood and Pipo Derani are both top-notch factory drivers. The sky appears to be the limit once the team gets up to speed with the rules and the Michelin rubber.
Ferrari 296 GT3
- #21 AF Corse: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux-Ducellier, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Kei Cozzolino
- #021 Triarsi Competizione: Sheena Monk, Stevan McAleer, Mike Skeen, James Calado
- #023 Triarsi Competizione: Onofrio Triarsi, Charles Scardina, Alessio Rovera, Eddie Cheever
- #34 Conquest Racing: Manny Franco, Daniel Serra, Cédric Sbirrazzuoli, Giacomo Altoè
- #47 Cetilar Racing: Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte, Lorenzo Patrese, Antonio Fuoco
- #50 AF Corse: Custodio Toledo, Riccardo Agostini, Arthur Leclerc, Conrad Laursen
- #70 Inception Racing: Brendan Iribe, Frederik Schandorff, Ollie Millroy, David Fumanelli
Ferrari and its fleet of seven 296 GT3s look to be strong candidates for big wins and a run at the class title in GTD this year.
Triarsi Competizione will operate two cars, one for the full GTD season and one for the Endurance Cup, with factory drivers James Calado and Alessio Rovera adding punch to both line-ups.
AF Corse brings a pair too and plans to feature in the big races. Adding to that are single entries from Cetilar Racing (which, effectively is a third AF Corse car), Inception Racing and Conquest Racing.
Might we see Conquest Racing – which won GTD at Petit Le Mans last time out – make a big run this year? Manny Franco and 2024 Rolex GTD PRO-winning factory driver Daniel Serra are confirmed for the full season, with Cédric Sbirrazzuoli and Giacomo Altoè as endurance additions. Understandably, the expectation levels within the team are sky-high.
Inception Racing too has real potential to make waves here, after switching brands from McLaren. Though the most impressive line-up may come from AF Corse’s #21 entry, with WEC regular Simon Mann partnered with red-hot talent Lilou Wadoux, Le Mans overall winner Alessandro Pier Guidi and longtime CarGuy racer Kei Cozzolino.
The 296 is a car that has proven itself as a serial winner, with 100 total wins globally in just two years of service. It’s easy to drive, easy to service and bulletproof reliable. It’s no wonder that teams are flocking to the Italian manufacturer as it closes in on introducing an Evo kit for the car.
“With the 296 anything is possible,” factory driver Serra told DSC. “It’s so strong on tracks in the US with medium and high-speed corners, that’s why there are so many on the grid.”
Ford Mustang GT3
- #66 Gradient Racing: Till Bechtolsheimer, Joey Hand, Tatiana Calderón, Harry Tincknell
Gradient Racing ensures Ford is represented in both classes this year with its brand-new Mustang. The former Acura customer has made the switch in 2025, opting to stand out from the crowd by becoming one of the early adopters of the ‘Blue Oval’s flagship GT challenger.
The hope from within is that its effort will attract plenty of attention and ensure it receives a more personal level of customer service from Ford Performance and Multimatic, particularly early on as it gets to grips with the car.
Its line-up is eye-catching, with factory drivers Joey Hand and Harry Tincknell joining Lola owner Till Bechtolsheimer and team returnee Tatiana Calderón.
We haven’t seen the best of the Mustang in IMSA racing after a tough debut season for the factory team in GTD PRO. But confidence is high that in 2025 we will start to see breakthrough results. Will the former Petit Le Mans class winner deliver the goods?
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2
- #45 Wayne Taylor Racing: Danny Formal, Trent Hindman, Graham Doyle, Kyle Marcelli
- #78 Forte Racing: Misha Goikhberg, Mario Farnbacher, Franck Perera, Parker Kligerman
Lamborghini has high hopes for its GTD customers in 2025, and for good reason. Former Petit Le Mans winner Forte Racing is in for the season, as is Wayne Taylor Racing, and the latter appears to have all the makings of a dark horse after showing flashes of promise in 2024.
Super Trofeo regular Danny Formal returns for a second year and will partner with Trent Hindman. Young prodigy Graham Doyle and veteran Kyle Marcelli will join them too, making for an eye-catching quartet aboard the #45 Huracán GT3 EVO2.
“It will be a big challenge, but we learned a lot last year, our first full GTD season with the Huracan,” Formal told DSC. “Our results progressed through the year as we learned the car and the class, which makes me think it will be an amazing 2025. Trent is a WTR alumnus, and we go way back, Graham is young and still so new to racing but impressive, and Kyle, he’s like a brother to me.”
As for the 2023 Petit Le Mans winning team Forte, it topped the times during the Roar Before The 24 and will look to make an instant impact this weekend. With factory driver Franck Perera, NASCAR Xfinity Series racer Parker Kligerman, veteran Mario Farnbacher and Rolex 24 class winner Misha Goikhberg, there’s every chance it’ll be fighting up front.
Lexus RC F GT3
- #12 Vasser Sullivan Racing: Parker Thompson, Jack Hawksworth, Frankie Montecalvo, Kyle Kirkwood
Vasser Sullivan has shuffled its driver line-ups in 2025, with Jack Hawksworth now paired with Parker Thompson for the season here in GTD, plus Frankie Montecalvo and Kyle Kirkwood – the latter pulling double-duty across both Vasser Sullivan cars – completing the line-up.
The team has proven time and time again that it can extract every ounce of performance possible from its ageing machine, having won the GTD PRO title with it just two years ago.
The question is, with the new car out testing and expected to debut next year, can this team find a way to produce a memorable farewell tour for the RC F GT3? It will not be easy, though Vasser Sullivan may thank its lucky stars that AKKODIS ASP found a way onto the grid in the FIA WEC last year for the introduction of torque sensors.
“Our advantage and our disadvantage is in the fact that we know the car so well,” Hawksworth said to DSC when asked about the team’s 2025 prospects. “The advantage is that we have so much data and have been running at these tracks for the better part of a decade. The disadvantage is that the teams bringing newer cars may have a slightly higher ceiling than we’ve got now.
“We’ve just got to be consistent. It’s no secret that we’ve got an old car and are waiting for something new.”
Mercedes-AMG GT3
- #32 Korthoff Competition Motors: Seth Lucas, Kenton Koch, Maximillian Götz, Daniel Morad
- #57 Winward Racing: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje, Lucas Auer
- #80 Lone Star Racing: Dan Knox, Scott Andrews, Eric Filgueiras, Ralf Aron
The 2024 season was full of thrills and spills, but one constant remained for almost the entire campaign: Winward Racing’s Mercedes AMG GT3 Evo fighting at the front.
The Houston-based team put together a remarkable run of four wins and two podiums in ten races, including a waltz through the ‘Florida 36 Hours’ (Daytona and Sebring). And with three of the four drivers from last year – Russell Ward, Philip Ellis and Indy Dontje – back for more, and factory ace Lucas Auer in for Rolex, the freight train may keep on rolling.
Auer has unfinished business here at Daytona as well: It’s his first time back at the circuit since a back injury suffered in a practice crash ruled him out in 2023.
Ask other members of the GTD pack why Winward stood out in a field governed by Balance of Performance, and they’ll tell you that a cocktail of year-on-year continuity for its driver roster, quick pit work and strategic nouse made the difference. Its team principal/driver Russell Ward concurs and in a recent chat with DSC, reiterated that the AMG GT3 EVO as a platform and Mercedes-AMG’s support played key roles, too.
In 2025, Winward will be joined by fellow AMG customers Korthoff Competition Motors for the season and Lone Star Racing for the endurance rounds, both teams will carry factory drivers such as Maxi Götz and Ralf Aron to strengthen their ranks.
There is one key unknown for Mercedes-AMG going into this campaign though, and that concerns the introduction of torque sensors to the category, following their GTP debut back in 2023.
This addition to each car presents a unique challenge for AMG. It is the only manufacturer in GTD not already accustomed to using the sensors via a 2024 program in the FIA WEC’s LMGT3 class. And it showed during the Roar when technical niggles severely impacted its customers’ ability to run through their planned programmes.
A software update was introduced before the end of the test weekend, which promised to rectify the majority of the technical gremlins experienced. But the situation is far from perfect and there’s more work to do.
Mercedes-AMG customer racing boss Stefan Wendl admitted to DSC that the Rolex 24 may be a tough event. “I do not see us as the favourite, based on the lack of experience with the sensors,” he said. Can the teams prove him wrong?
Porsche 911 GT3 R
- #83 Iron Dames: Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Karen Gaillard
- #120 Wright Motorsports: Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer, Tom Sargent, Ayhancan Güven
Porsche’s attack in GTD features just two teams in 2024. Wright Motorsports, in its 25th anniversary season, brings a strong quartet for Rolex – though this time, it won’t be as a tie-in to the new F1 film.
GT World Challenge America champions Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer are in for the full season and will be joined by Australian young gun Tom Sargent, and Porsche ace Ayhancan Güven. The aim for the team in 2025 is simple: improve on its haul of a win and two podiums from ’24.
The other 911 GT3 R 992 is entered by the all-female crewed Iron Dames team, which has switched from Lamborghini to Porsche for IMSA as part of its new partnership with the Stuttgart-based brand.
Sarah Bovy – now a Silver – unites with long-time WEC and ELMS driving partners Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting, and Le Mans Cup graduate Karen Gaillard.
It’s safe to say that in 2024 Iron Dames looked far stronger in the ELMS LMGT3 class with a Porsche than it did in the WEC and IMSA with Huracáns. For whatever reason, the Dames and Lamborghini were a poor fit. Will this move to Porsche translate into an uptick in form stateside during its Endurance Cup campaign?
Read DSC’s GTD PRO preview HERE!
Images © Andrew Lofthouse
