IMSA 2022 Motul Petit Le Mans GTD Race
5 GTD dominate both GTD classes.
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Road Atlanta 2022: Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 #66.
Despite starting at the back of the GTD field following an electrical issue in qualifying, the Gradient Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 #66 of Till Bechtolsheimer, Mario Farnbacher and Kyffin Simpson steadily moved to second just before the three-hour mark, with Farnbacher passing for the lead a few laps later for 21 laps.
The driving trio kept their Acura in the thick of the battle for GTD honors, with #21 AF Corse, #1 Paul Miller racing, #96 Turner Motorsport and #70 Inception Racing taking successively the class leadership.
With just under one hour remaining, Farnbacher exited the pits in the lead to record Gradient's first victory in IMSA competition and complete Acura's sweep of both the overall and GTD wins.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #70 McLaren 720S GT3
The #70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 driven by Brendan Iribe, Jordan Pepper, and Sebastian Priaulx did spend more than one third of the total laps covered during the 10 hours race (145 laps of 387) in the lead. After the eighth of the race’s nine safety car periods Farnbacher and Pepper were rarely separated by more than a second during the next 22 laps posting lap times within a thousandth of a second with 24 minutes to go. Pepper was never able to get close enough to try a move, and he was denied a final opportunity when the race ended under yellow.
the Inception team was frustrated and disappointed to come home second but their second-place finish enabled them to clinch the GTD IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #96 BMW M4 GT3
Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M4 GT3 has always been in the battle for leadership with 44 laps in P1. The driver crew of Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley and Michael Dinan secured their fourth GTD podium of the season.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #16 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
The Wright Motorsports customer team headed into the 2022 Petit Le Mans with an outside chance of winning the title. The squad from the US state of Ohio drove a flawless race with its drivers Ryan Hardwick, Zacharie Robichon and Jan Heylen, but failed to score enough points to outstrip the two top teams. The #16 Porsche 911 GT3 R crossed the finish line fourth in the GTD class. Nevertheless, the crew did not go home empty-handed: Ryan Hardwick was presented with the “Bob Akin Award” as the best amateur. This accolade guarantees the American business man a grid spot at the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours. (Source: Porsche Newsroom)
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #1 BMW M4 GT3.
Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow and Erik Johansson’s Paul Miller Racing #1 BMW M4 GT3 did fight for a GTD podium over long stretches of the race, before their BMW M4 GT3 was hit by another car, ultimately finishing fifth in class.
5 GTD PRO take next spots in both classes ranking.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022:
the #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3 driven by Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat and Kyle Kirkwood started the Petit Le Mans race from pole, ran among the leaders throughout the entire ten-hour endurance event, leading the field for 211 of the 386 laps, giving Lexus its first endurance GTD-PRO win. Note that the Lexus trio is sixth in the combined GTD - GTD PRO ranking.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022:
The #25 BMW M Team RLL squad of factory drivers Jesse Krohn, Connor De Phillippi and John Edwards finished 7th of both GTD classes and second in the GTD PRO class celebrating the second podium of the season with the #25 MOTUL BMW M4 GT3.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022:
Second title in a row for Pfaff Motorsports #9 Porsche 911 GT3 R (in 2021, they won the GTD category).
The Porsche works driver duo Campbell and Jaminet received reinforcement from Felipe Nasr for the endurance race at Road Atlanta. Nasr handed the 911 off to Campbell in sixth place. Campbell had contact with another GT vehicle, bringing his Porsche 911 GT3 R back to the pits with a puncture. Consequently, the team lost two laps to the leading vehicles. However, with a clever strategy and some conveniently-timed yellow phases, Pfaff managed to close the gap to the leaders within just one hour. Campbell and Jaminet continued their charge, at times even taking the lead. Pfaff Motorsports’ #9 car took the flag in fourth place but ultimately inherited third place in GTD PRO (8th combined GTD classes) after Ferrari #62 was handed a penalty. (Source: Porsche Newsroom).
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022:
The #23 Heart of Racing Team Vantage GT3, driven at Road Atlanta by Ross Gunn, Alex Riberas and Tom Gamble finished fourth in the GTD Pro Class (9th combined GTD classes).
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.
Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg driving the #3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8 lead 37 laps of the first 105. Near the three-hour mark, Taylor’s right-rear tire went down following contact with the #9 Porsche and Garcia spun at Turn 11 after contact with the #62 Ferrari. with those two incidents the Corvette trio end fifth in the GTD Pro Class (10th combined GTD classes).
Next 4 GTD in combined GTD ranking.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #32 Mercedes AMG GT3
The #32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG and driver Stevan McAleer arrived at Michelin Raceway second in the standings 45 points out of the lead. McAleer co-drives Mike Skeen and Dirk Mueller ran into technical issues after fighting for the lead during the first half of the race. They end sixth GTD and 11th combined GTD classes.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #27 Aston Martin Vantage.
The Heart of Racing and Roman De Angelis clinched the GTD Class Drivers’ and Teams’ titles of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
The #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, driven by De Angelis, Maxime Martin and Team Principal Ian James started the race with a slender 48-point lead over the Team Korthoff Mercedes with 350 points available. The tension ratcheted up when they encountered a small technical issue around half distance, which required a steering-wheel change that dropped them off the lead lap and down to the fringes of the top 10.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #27 Aston Martin Vantage.
But after that the Aston Martin ran faultlessly, and in the seventh hour the team’s persistence was rewarded when Team Korthoff ran into technical issues of its own. It was then a matter of staying close enough to the Wright Motorsports Porsche (which then became the team’s principal rival) to maintain a points cushion; which thanks to the #27 Vantage’s seventh-placed finish following a last stint charge from Maxime Martin, was a margin of 23 points in the end. Source: Aston Martin.com
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #21 Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo.
The #21 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo crewed by Simon Mann, Luis Perez Companc and Toni Vilander finished in eighth place in the GTD class and 13th combined GTD classes.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #79 Mercedes AMG GT3.
#79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 drivers Maximilian Götz, Maximilian Buhk and Mikaël Grenier finished sixth in GTD PRO class, 14th combined GTD classes.
Ferrari GTD #62 clinches both titles.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #62 Ferrari 488 GT3.
The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GT3 driven by Daniel Serra, James Calado and Davide Rigon crossed the finish line first after taking over the #14 Lexus for the last 14 laps. The #62 Risi Competizione was moved to the back of the class results for driver Daniel Serra exceeding the limit of driving four hours within a six-hour period.
📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta 2022: #62 Ferrari 488
📷 © Luc Warnotte @ Road Atlanta 2022
Despite the penalty, Risi Competizione claim the teams' IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GT Daytona PRO Teams title. Daniel Sera and Davide Rigon clinch the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup GT Daytona PRO Drivers title.
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