Five Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs to open 2025 IMSA season

IMSA

Dec 13

📷 © Luc Warnotte: Three of the four Corvette Z06 GT3.R among the four participating at 2024 24 Hours of Daytona. GTD PRO: P5 for #3 with A. Garcia / A. Sims / D. Juncadella and P8 for #4 with T. Milner / N. Catsburg / E. Bamber; DNF for both AWA #13 with O. Fidani / M. Bell / L. Kern / A. Lynn in GTD.

The largest number of production-based racing Corvettes in Daytona since 2007 will take part in the 63rd running of the Rolex 24 on the road course at Daytona International Speedway with seven Corvette factory drivers. Last season participating teams Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and AWA plus two new comers in the IMSA championship: DXDT Racing with Pipo Derani and Trackhouse by TF Sport will support 5 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs

24 Hours of Daytona 2025 lineups

GTD PRO

📷 © Luc Warnotte: same lineup as last year for #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports with Antonio Garcia, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella; same duo as last year for sprint races in #4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports with Nicky Catsburg and Tommy Milner, Nico Varrone replaces Earl Bamber for selected IMEC races. 📷 © Corvette Racing: #91 Trackhouse by TF Sport: Ben Keating, Scott McLaughlin, Shane van Gisbergen, Connor Zilisch.

ANTONIO GARCIA, #3 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I am more anxious to race at Daytona than I have been in several years. There is a lot that everyone at Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller has going for us ahead of the Rolex 24. Obviously we expect a lot in the second year with the Z06 GT3.R after a win and some poles last year in IMSA. The other programs in WEC and World Challenge performed really well, especially in the second half of their seasons. The pace of the car is there, and I’m confident that so is the reliability. Our lineup should be very, very strong with having Alex and Dani having another year with this team. There are big reasons for us to be confident and I hope we can achieve our goal of winning another Rolex 24 in a Corvette.”

TOMMY MILNER, #4 OSHKOSH / MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A year of racing… there’s no better test of a machine and driver than a full season of racing in IMSA. I feel like we’re not worried about or thinking about having a brand new car like we did at the start of 2024. We have a Corvette now that has had a full year’s worth of running in several series. It’s the same car with some smaller updates to make the car more comfortable to drive and more reliable. We’ve had that experience now and can focus on the things that are different this year, like the torque axle sensors. Luckily for us, the TF Sport guys and Corvette Racing in WEC have a year’s worth of experience with that. We’ll use that and all the knowledge that Corvette Racing and Pratt Miller have for Daytona and put that toward giving us the best chance to get a win.” Source: Corvette Racing

GTD

📷 © Luc Warnotte: #13 AWA: Matt Bell, Orey Fidani, Lars Kern, Martin Kirchhoeffer; 📷 © Corvette Racing: #36 DXDT Racing – GTD: Charlie Eastwood, Alec Udell, Salih Yoluc, Pipo Derani.

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, #36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “I’m really looking forward to joining DXDT Racing. I think the lineup with have in GTD is as strong as any on paper. We had a strong test with the team at Daytona. There is an amazing bunch of guys and girls within the team. You can see why they had so much success in GT World Challenge America in 2024 because they have so many great qualities and so many great people working within the team. I was looking forward to the season before the test, and now I can’t wait to get started since the test. I think we have a really good chance to get some big results, which I’m gunning to make sure that I make sure to do in 2025 and my second year with Corvette.” Source: Corvette Racing

One double and Bob Akin Award in IMSA 2024

The Corvette Z06 GT3.R was more successfull in Sprint races (three podiums including a double) than in IMSA MICHELIN ENDURANCE CUP (two podium)

Sprint races: three podiums with a double

At Laguna Seca (race 3), the corvette Z06 GT3.R scored its first podium with #4 driven by T. Milner / N. Catsburg ending third and #3 steered by A. Garcia / A. Sims ending fifth in GTD PRO class. O. Fidani / M. Bell with AWA #13 were 11th in GTD B class.

At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (race 7) for the Chevrolet Grand Prix both Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette’s scored the double (third and fourth podiums) with #3 driven by A. Garcia / A. Sims winning and #4 driven by T. Milner / N. Catsburg second. DNF for AWA #13 with O. Fidani / M. Bell

GTD PRO’s were not running in Long Beach (race 2) where AWA #13 driven by O. Fidani / M. Bell ended sixth in GTD class. Detroit Street Course (race 5) saw #4 (T. Milner / N. Catsburg) ending P9 in GTD PRO and sister #3 (A. Garcia / A. Sims) in P10. At Road America (race 9), #3 (A. Sims / A. Garcia) was fifth while sister #4 (N. Catsburg / T. Milner) was sixth in GTD PRO. P5 in GTD B for #13 (M. Bell / O. Fidani). At Virginia International Raceway (race 10), #4 (N. Catsburg / T. Milner) was 8th in GTD PRO and #3 (A. Sims / A. Garcia) 9th, 29 laps down. #13 (M. Bell / O. Fidani) was 6th in GTD.

IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (IMEC): two podiums

Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette’s scored scored two additional podiums at Watkins Glen and Indianapolis.

The start of the season was rather difficult for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a P5 at Daytona (race 1) as best result for the two first races:

Daytona (race 1): GTD PRO: P5 for #3 with A. Garcia / A. Sims / D. Juncadella and P8 for #4 with T. Milner / N. Catsburg / E. Bamber. DNF for both AWA entries in GTD #17 with A. Mantella / N. Varrone / T. Merrill / C. Eastwood and #13 with O. Fidani / M. Bell / L. Kern / A. Lynn
Sebring (race 2): P9 in GTD for #13 with O. Fidani / M. Bell / L. Kern while both Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports ended P10 for #3 with A. Garcia / A. Sims / D. Juncadella and P11 for #4 with T. Milner / N. Catsburg / E. Bamber in GTDPRO.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Watkins Glen. Second podium of the season for #3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R driven by A. Garcia / A. Sims

At Watkins Glen (race 6), the Corvette Z06 GT3.R scored its second podium of the season with a P3 for #3 driven by A. Garcia / A. Sims while T. Milner / N. Catsburg with #4 ended seventh in GTD PRO. P7 for #13 with O. Fidani / M. Bell / L. Kern in GTD B

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Indianapolis. Podium for #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R driven by A. Garcia / A. Sims

The fifth podium was clinched at Indianapolis (race 11) with a P3 for #3 driven by A. Garcia / A. Sims while N. Catsburg / T. Milner with #4 ended eleventh. #13 ended 6th in GTD with L. Kern / M. Bell / O. Fidani.

📷 © Luc Warnotte at Road Atlanta. At Road Atlanta (race 12), P5 for #3 (D. Juncadella / A. Sims / A. Garcia) in GTDPRO and P11 for #13 (L. Kern / M. Bell / O. Fidani) in GTD B. #4 (E. Bamber / N. Catsburg / T. Milner) ended 12th.