2024 By the Numbers - BoP

Season Review – BoP

Last year I called BoP the “necessary evil to prevent a single manufacturer from spending large sums of money to create the perfect race car that everyone goes and buys to win.” That has not changed, but does it still work? The most prolific GT3 cars at Daytona were Ferrari, Lambo, and Porsche with 5 cars a piece. By Petit, Ferrari led the way with 7, and the next best represented was Lambo at 4 with Porsche down to 3. So did Ferrari prove it’s worth and value as the car to have for 2025? Let’s find out.

 

Acura – 66 Gradient Racing (GTD)

               Wins – 0

               Podiums – 1

               Poles – 0

               Fast Laps – 0

               Average Fast Lap – 11.6 (worst)

               Average Finish – 11.5

               Average Time off Pace – 0.78 (worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 23.9 (worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 11.6 (worst) 

               Best Race Pace  - Laguna Seca – McAleer 2^nd in class 5^th OA 0.461 off.

 

Aston Martin – Heart of Racing Team 23 GTD Pro, 027 GTD Pro, 27 GTD. Flying Lizard Motorsports 28 GTD Long Beach. Magnus Racing 44 Enduros.

               Wins – 2 (Heart of Racing Team - GTD Pro Watkins Glen, GTD CTMP)

               Podiums – 7 (Heart of Racing Team GTD Pro 5, GTD 1, Magnus Racing 1)

               Poles – 0

               Fast Laps – 3 (Overall Long Beach & Petit, GTD Pro VIR)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 9.3, GTD 17.1. Cumulative – 13.2

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 3.8, GTD 9.8. Cumulative – 6.8

               Average Time off Pace – 0.632 (3^rd worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 14.5 (2^nd worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 7.6 (4^th worst)

 

BMW – Paul Miller Racing 1 GTD Pro, Turner Motorsports 96 GTD

Wins – 2 (Paul Miller Racing GTD Pro VIR, Turner Motorsport GTD Road America)

               Podiums – 6 (Paul Miller Racing GTD Pro 3, Turner Motorsport GTD 3)

               Poles – 1 (Paul Miller Racing GTD Pro VIR)

               Fast Laps – 1 (Paul Miller Racing GTD Pro Daytona)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 8.2, GTD 9.8. Cumulative -  9

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 5.3, GTD 4.9. Cumulative -  5.1

               Average Time off Pace – 0.579 (middle)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 9.6 (4^th best)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 6.3 (middle)

 

Corvette – Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports 3 & 4 GTD Pro, AWA 13 17(Daytona & Sebring)

Wins – 1 (Corvette Racing by PMM GTD Pro CTMP)

               Podiums – 5 (Corvette Racing by PMM GTD Pro Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP x2, Indy)

               Poles – 5 (Corvette Racing by PMM GTD Pro Laguna Seca, Detroit, CTMP, Road America, Indy)

               Fast Laps – 4 (Corvette Racing by PMM GTD Pro Detroit, CTMP, Indy, AWA GTD Indy)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 4.9, GTD 19.5. Cumulative - 12.2

               Average Finish –  GTD Pro 5.2, GTD 9.2. Cumulative - 7.2

               Average Time off Pace – 0.527 (4^th best)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 8.5 (3^rd best)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 6.1 (4^th best)

 

Ferrari – GTD Pro: Risi Competizione 62 (Enduros), Conquest Racing 35 (Detroit & Road America), DragonSpeed 82 (Petit). GTD: Conquest Racing 34, Inception Racing 70 (Indy & Petit), Triarsi Competizione 023 (Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Road America, Indy, & Petit), Cetilar Racing 47 (enduros), AF Corse 21 (enduros), DragonSpeed 56 (Indy).

Wins – 3 (Risi Competizione 62 GTD Pro Daytona, Conquest Racing 35 GTD Pro Road America, Conquest Racing 34 GTD Petit)

               Podiums – 9 (GTD Pro: Risi Competizione 62 Daytona Sebring & Petit, Conquest Racing 35 Road America. GTD: Conquest Racing 34 Daytona, Watkins Glen & Petit, AF Corse 21 Daytona, Cetilar Racing 47 Sebring.)

               Poles – 2 (Risi Competizione 62 GTD Pro Watkins Glen, Cetilar Racing 47 Sebring)

               Fast Laps – 5 (Risi Competizione 62 GTD Pro Sebring, Conquest Racing 35 GTD Pro Road America, AF Corse 21 GTD Daytona, Triarsi Competizione 023 GTD Road America & Petit)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 2.1, GTD 4.4. Cumulative - 3.3

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 4.7, GTD 6.5. Cumulative - 5.6

               Average Time off Pace – 0.411 (Best)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 6.0 (Best)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 3.5 (Best)

 

Ford – Ford Multimatic Motorsports 64 & 65 GTD Pro, Proton Competition 55 GTD.

Wins – 0

               Podiums – 2 (Ford Multimatic 64 GTD Pro VIR & Indy)

               Poles – 0

               Fast Laps – 1 (Ford Multimatic 64 GTD Pro Watkins Glen)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 8.6, GTD 20.5. Cumulative -14.6

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 5.4, GTD 12.6. Cumulative - 9

               Average Time off Pace – 0.655 (2^nd worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 14.0 (3^rd worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 8.5 (3^rd worst)

 

Lamborghini – GTD Pro: Iron Lynx 19 (enduros) & 60 (Daytona). GTD: Forte Racing 78, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosports 45, Iron Dames 83 (enduros)

Wins – 1 (Iron Lynx 19 GTD Pro Petit)

               Podiums – 3 (Forte Racing 78 GTD VIR & Petit, Iron Lynx 19 GTD Pro Petit)

               Poles – 1 (WTRAndretti GTD Laguna Seca)

               Fast Laps – 4 (Forte Racing 78 GTD Sebring, Laguna Seca, CTMP, & VIR)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 12.2, GTD 4.9. Cumulative – 8.6

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 6.6, GTD 6.4. Cumulative – 6.5

               Average Time off Pace – 0.498 (3^rd best)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 9.8 (middle)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 5.0 (2^nd best)

 

Lexus – VasserSullivan GTD Pro 14 & 15 (Detroit), GTD 12 & 89 (Long Beach).

Wins – 2 (GTD Pro Sebring, GTD Long Beach)

               Podiums – 4 (GTD Pro Sebring & Detroit. GTD Long Beach & Petit)

               Poles – 5 (GTD Pro Sebring. GTD Daytona, Long Beach, Watkins Glen, CTMP)

               Fast Laps – 1 (GTD Watkins Glen)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 12.1, GTD 10.6. Cumulative – 11.4

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 6.3, GTD 9.2. Cumulative – 7.8

               Average Time off Pace – 0.551 (middle)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 10.8 (middle)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 6.6 (middle)

 

McLaren – Pfaff Motorsports 9 GTD Pro, Inception Racing 70 GTD (Daytona, Sebring, Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP, Road America, VIR).

Wins – 0

               Podiums – 4 (GTD Pro Laguna Seca & Watkins Glen. GTD CTMP & Road America)

               Poles – 0

               Fast Laps – 0

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 10.7, GTD 7.5. Cumulative – 9.1

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 7.1, GTD 9.9. Cumulative – 8.5

               Average Time off Pace – 0.531 (middle)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 12.2 (middle)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 8.9 (2^nd worst)

 

Mercedes – GTD Pro: Sun Energy 1 (Daytona & Indy). GTD: Winward Racing 57, Korthoff/Preston Motorsport 32, Lone Star Racing 80 (enduros).

Wins – 5 (GTD: Winward 57 Daytona, Sebring, Laguna Seca, & Watkins Glen, KPM 32 VIR)

               Podiums – 9 (GTD: Winward 57 Daytona, Sebring, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP, & VIR. KPM 32 Long Beach, VIR, & Indy)

               Poles – 3 (GTD: KPM 32 Road America & Indy, Lone Star 80 Petit)

               Fast Laps – 0

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 20, GTD 5.9. Cumulative – 13

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 10, GTD 2.5. Cumulative – 6.3

               Average Time off Pace – 0.605 (4^th worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 13 (4^th worst)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 6.1 (middle)

 

Porsche – GTD Pro: AO Racing 77. GTD: Wright Motorsports 120 (all except CTMP), MDK Motorsports 86, Andretti Motorsports 43 (Daytona, Sebring, Long Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen & Indy), KellyMoss with Riley 90 (Indy) 92 (Daytona).

Wins – 4 (AO Racing 77 GTD Pro Laguna Seca, Detroit, & Indy. Wright Motorsports 120 GTD Indy)

               Podiums – 8 (AO Racing 77 GTD Pro Daytona, Laguna Seca, Detroit, CTMP, & Indy. Wright Motorsports 120 GTD Sebring, Laguna Seca, & Indy)

               Poles – 2 (AO Racing 77 GTD Pro Daytona & Petit)

               Fast Laps – 1 (AO Racing 77 GTD Pro Laguna Seca)

               Average Fast Lap – GTD Pro 5.2, GTD 8.7. Cumulative - 7

               Average Finish – GTD Pro 4.5, GTD 7.4. Cumulative - 6

               Average Time off Pace – 0.434 (2^nd best)

               Average Driver FL Position Overall – 8.3 (2^nd best)

               Average Driver FL Position Class – 5.9 (3^rd best)

 

 

The following chart really tells the tale of pace per car per race. I took the fastest lap from the fastest driver in each car from each race and averaged them out. This was the single fastest driver, regardless of class. And this showed, above all else, which cars were consistently fast and which weren’t.

 

Car of the Year: Ferrari 296 GT3

The numbers don’t lie. Ferrari had 5 Fastest Laps. They ran 7 GTD Pro races, won 2 and stood on the podium in two more. They had the best cumulative Time off Pace, yes, but how they stacked up consistently above the rest for fast lap against the rest of the competition told the biggest story. Compare the Ferrari to the Acura. It was more than three and a half tenths faster on average, but the fastest driver in the Ferrari was on average in the top 6 of drivers in the field whereas the fastest Acura driver was 24^th. Does this mean that, say, Alessio Rovera is four times better than Stevan McAleer? Hell no. It’s a testament of car performance, not singular driver performance, because it was never the same driver representing a manufacturer for each race. This allowed for the strength of the car to show through, and this year the Ferrari did just that. Will we see a lot more Ferraris on the grid in 2025 as a result? Yes, yes we will. But if I’m a team looking to run a GT3 car for 2025, I’d choose the Ferrari, Porsche, or Corvette. Mercedes DOMINATED 2024 with a middle of the pack BoP-wise car, so pace does not automatically make a team championship worthy. Which manufacturer will win the 2025 GTD Pro and GTD championships? No clue. But I promise you this: victories (plural) will come the way of a strong team with a good BoP.