GTD – 122 races
Podiums – 40 drivers, Most – 5 (Ward/Ellis)
Wins –
4 –
Winward Racing (Daytona, Sebring, Laguna Seca, and Watkins Glen)
1 –
VasserSullivan (Long Beach)
1 –
Heart of Racing Team (CTMP)
1 –
Turner Motorsport (Road America)
1 – Korthoff/Preston
Motorsport (VIR)
1 –
Wright Motorsports (Indy)
1 –
Conquest Racing (Petit)
Champions and MEC Champions – Russell Ward and
Philip Ellis, Winward Racing, Mercedes. Indy Dontje.
6975.74 miles, 4.36 more miles than 2023, one less race but
added endurance.
27 cars, only 12 full season (no podium for 13, 45, 55, 86
but 9/30 podium spots occupied by non full season cars.
Qualifying:
Poles – Thompson (Daytona, Long Beach, Watkins Glen), Fuoco (Sebring), Formal (Laguna Seca), Montecalvo (CTMP), Grenier (Road America and Indy), Levorato (VIR), Andrews (Petit)
Most Positions Gained Q to F: 13 AWA Corvette, +64
Most Positions Gained Q to F Overall: 57 Winward
Mercedes, +76
Most Positions Lost Q to F: 55 Proton Mustang, -40
Most Positions Lost Q to F Overall: 55 Proton
Mustang, -48
Most Points Gained in Q: 32 Korthoff Preston
Mercedes, 253 points
Fewest Points Gained in Q: 13 AWA Mercedes, 138
points
Team by Team:
12 – VasserSullivan – Lexus RCF GT3
Drivers: Frankie Montecalvo and Parker Thompson, Aaron
Telitz (enduros), Ritomo Miyata (Daytona)
PIC – Thompson 6th (-27 to 5th, -739
to Champions), Montecalvo 7th (-193 to 6th, -932 to
Champions)
Q vs F – Class -39 (2nd worst), Overall -40 (2nd
worst)
Avg Q – Class 7 (3rd best) , Overall 14 (t-2nd best)
Avg Finish – Class 11 (t-3rd worst), Overall 18 (4th worst)
FL – Watkins Glen (Telitz)
1 podium (Petit), 4 poles (Daytona, Long Beach [89 car],
Watkins Glen Thompson, CTMP Montecalvo), 2 DNFs (Daytona, Indy).
13 – AWA – Corvette Z06 GT3.R
Drivers: Orey Fidani and Matt Bell, Lars Kern (enduros),
Alex Lynn (Daytona)
PIC – 10th, -20 to 9th, -978 to
Champions. Akin winner.
Q vs F – Class +64 (best), Overall +67 (2nd best)
Avg Q – Class 16 (worst), Overall 26 (worst)
Best Qualifying -
Class 14th (Daytona Bell, VIR Fidani), Overall 20 (Daytona Bell)
Avg Finish – Class 10 (middle), Overall 19 (3rd
worst)
Best Finish – Class & Overall 5th (11th)
Road America
FL – Indy (Bell)
DNFs – Daytona and CTMP
27 – Heart of Racing Team – Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo
Drivers: Roman De Angelis, Marco Sorensen (Daytona), Ian
James (Daytona, Sebring, and Watkins Glen), Zacharie Robichon (Daytona,
Sebring, Watkins Glen, CTMP, Road America, VIR), Spencer Pumpelly (Long Beach,
Laguna Seca)
DID NOT DO FULL SEASON
Q vs F – Class -23, Overall -12
Avg Q – Class 8, Overall 16
Avg Finish – Class 11 (3rd worst) , Overall 19 (3rd
worst)
FL – Long Beach (De Angelis)
1 win (CTMP), 1 podium (CTMP), 2 DNFs (Daytona and Watkins Glen),
1 DSQ (VIR).
32 – Korthoff/Preston Motorsports – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Drivers: Mikail Grenier, Mike Skeen (Daytona, Sebring, Long
Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP, Indy, Petit), Kenton Koch (Daytona,
Sebring, Watkins Glen, Road America, VIR, Indy, Petit), Maxi Goetz (Daytona)
PIC – 3rd, -375 to 2nd, -605 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class -34 (4th worst), Overall -32 (4th
worst)
Avg Q – Class 5 (Best), Overall 12 (Best)
Avg Finish – Class 8 (2nd best), Overall 15 (t-2nd
best)
1 win (VIR), 3 podiums (Long Beack, VIR, Indy), 2 poles
(Road America and Indy), 1 DNF (Sebring), 1 DSQ (Petit).
34 – Conquest Racing – Ferrari 296 GT3
Drivers: Manny Franco and Albert Costa Balboa, Cedric
Sbirazzuoli (enduros), Alessandro Balzan (Daytona)
PIC – 4th, -84 to 3rd, -689 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class 0, Overall +21
Avg Q – Class 9 (middle), Overall 17 (middle)
Best Q – Costa 3 (Long Beach), Franco 8 Class (3x), 17
Overall (Laguna)
Avg. Finish – Class 9 (t-3rd best), Overall 15 (2nd
best)
1 win (Petit), 3 podiums (Daytona, Watkins Glen, Petit), 2
DNFs (Laguna and Indy).
45 – Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti– Lamborghini Huracan
GT3 EVO2
Drivers: Danny Formal, Kyle Marcelli (Daytona, Sebring, Long
Beach, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP, VIR, Indy, Petit), Graham Doyle (enduros),
Sandy Mitchell (Road America), Ashton Harrison (Daytona)
PIC – 8th, -24 to 7th, 956 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class -38 (3rd worst), Overall -36 (3rd
worst)
Avg. Q – Class 7 (t-3rd best), Overall 14 (t-2nd
best)
Avg. Finish – Class 10, Overall 18
Best Finish – 5th (Laguna Seca & Petit),
Overall 11th Laguna Seca
1 pole (Laguna Seca Formal), 1 DNF (Sebring).
55 – Proton Competition – Ford Mustang GT3
Drivers: Corey Lewis and Gianmarco Levorato, Ryan Hardwick
(Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Petit), Dennis Olsen (Daytona), Ben Barker
(Indy)
PIC – last, -57 to 13th, -1194 to Champions
Q vs F – Class -40 (worst), Overall -48 (worst)
Avg. Q – Class 9, Overall 17
Avg. Finish – Class 13 (worst), Overall 22 (worst)
Best Finish – 5 Long Beach
1 pole (VIR Levorato), 6 DNFs (Daytona, Sebring, Watkins
Glen, CTMP, Indy, Petit).
57 – Winward Racing – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Drivers: Russell Ward and Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje
(enduros), Daniel Morad (Daytona)
PIC – Champions
Q vs F – Class +47 (2nd best), Overall +76 (best)
Avg. Q – Class 8, Overall 17
Best Q – Class 3 (Laguna Ward, Petit Ellis), Overall 9 Long
Beach Ward
Avg F – Class 3 (best), Overall 9 (best)
4 wins (Daytona, Sebring, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen), 6
podiums (Daytona, Sebring, Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP, VIR).
66 – Gradient Racing – Acura NSX GT3
Drivers: Sheena Monk, Stevan McAleer (Daytona, Long Beach,
Laguna Seca, Watkins Glen, CTMP, Road America, VIR, Indy, Petit), Tatiana
Calderon (enduros), Katherine Legge (Daytona and Sebring)
PIC – Monk 12th, -17 to 11th, -1091 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class +44 (3rd best), Overall -7
Avg. Q – Class 12 (t-3rd worst), Overall 22 (t-2nd
worst)
Best Q – Class 3 Overall 5 (Daytona Legge)
Avg. F – Class 12 (t-2nd worst), Overall 20 (2nd
worst)
1 podium (Road America), 2 DNFs (Daytona and Sebring)
70 – Inception Racing – McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Ferrari 296
GT3 (Indy and Petit)
Drivers: Brendon Iribe and Frederik Schandorff, Ollie
Millroy (enduros), Tom Gamble (Daytona)
PIC – 9th, -2 to 8th, -958 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class -14, Overall +6
Avg. Q – Class 9, Overall 18
Best Q – Class 5 Overall 13 CTMP Iribe
Avg. F – Class 11 (t-3rd worst), Overall 18 (4th
worst)
2 podiums, 2 DNFs (Long Beach and VIR).
78 – Forte Racing – Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2
Drivers: Loris Spinelli and Misha Goikhberg, Devlin
DeFrancesco (enduros), Sandy Mitchell (Daytona)
PIC – 5th, -23 to 4th, -712 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class -8, Overall -9
Avg. Q – Class 8 (4th best), Overall 16 (3rd
best)
Best Q – Spinelli Class 4 (Sebring) Overall 7 (Daytona),
Goikhberg Class 7 (2x) Overall 12 (Long Beach)
Avg. Finish – Class 9 (t-3rd best), Overall 16 (3rd
best)
FL - Sebring, Laguna Seca, CTMP, VIR
2 podiums (VIR and Petit), 2 DNFs (Watkins Glen and Road
America).
86 – MDK Motorsports – Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)
Drivers: Kerong Li and Anders Fjordbach, Klaus Bachler
(Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen, Petit), Brendon Leitch (Indy), Larry Ten
Voorde (Daytona)
PIC – 13th, -46 to 12th, -1137 to
Champions
Q vs F – Class +19, Overall +26
Avg. Q – Class 13 (2nd worst), Overall 22 (t-2nd
worst)
Best Q – Bachler 2 Class 4 Overall, Li Class 11 Indy,
Overall 21 CTMP
Avg. Finish – Class 12 (t-2nd worst), Overall 19
(t-3rd worst)
Best Finish – Class 8 Watkins, Overall 13 Long Beach
1 DNF (Petit)
96 – Turner Motorsports – BMW M4 GT3
Drivers: Robby Foley and Patrick Gallagher, Jake Walker
(enduros), Jens Klingmann (Daytona)
PIC – 2nd, -230 to Champions
Q vs F – Class +6, Overall +20
Avg. Q – Class 12 (t-3rd worst), Overall 21 (4th
worst)
Best Q – Class 2 (Gallagher Laguna Seca, Foley Petit),
Overall 8 (Gallagher Laguna Seca)
Avg Finish – Class 9 (t-3rd best), Overall 17 (4th
best)
1 win (Road America), 4 podiums (Long Beach, Laguna Seca,
Road America, Indy)
120 – Wright Motorsports – Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)
Drivers: Elliott Skeer and Adam Adelson, Jan Heylen
(enduros), Fred Makowiecki (Daytona)
PIC – Not Full Season, 11th, -96 to 10th,
-1074 to Champions
Q vs F – Class +23 (4th best), Overall +43 (3rd
best)
Avg. Q – Class 6 (2nd best), Overall 14 (t-2nd
best)
Best Q – Skeer Class 3 Overall 8 VIR, Adelson 11 Long Beach
Avg Finish – Class 10 (t-4th best), Overall 17
(t-4th best)
1 win (Indy), 3 podiums (Sebring, Laguna Seca, Indy), 3 DNFs
(Long Beah, Road America, Petit)
Awards:
Before I start getting into the bit everyone’s been waiting
for (individual driver praise), I first want to take a second to look at how
this year’s GTD championship stacked up to previous ones. Was it the best year
ever? For variety of winners, perhaps. Only one team won more than one race,
and they won 40%. Mercedes won half the races on the season. In terms of
individual champion strength, it was the second most impressive we’ve seen. The
average finish displayed by the 57 Winward Mercedes was 3.3, but the best we’ve
ever seen had one more race yet an average finish of 3 (2018 PMR). The 4 wins
was the 2nd most and tied with the 2014 and 2021 championships. The podium
count (6) was only good enough for the 3rd most, tying the record
with 2014, 2020 and 2021. We had 8 podiums achieved in 2018, and 7 in 2016,
2017 and 2023. No DNFs impressive? It was also done in HALF of the GTD championship
winning seasons, in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2021. How about the fact that
the Winward team’s worst finish was 8th, that’s got to be a record
for best worst finish? Nope. In 2016 the worst finish for the champions was 7th,
and in 2018 the worst finish was 6th. So while Winward’s
championship lead was never contested and was quite substantial, it’s far from
an unsubstantiated or unprecedented performance.
Best Pro (Gold or Platinum): Albert Costa Balboa
For a category determined simply by numbers, this was
difficult to single one driver out. Should the MVP be Parker Thompson with 3
poles out of 6 attempts? Loris Spinelli who set the Fast Lap in 4 out of 10
races? Philip Ellis who anchored home the championship winning entry? The most
impressive driver was actually none of these, but rather the Spanish Ferrary
ace, Albert Costa Balboa. When researching him before Daytona, the most
impressive stat was that he won Le Mans in his only attempt. After watching his
driving for a year, I understand why. Never did a co-driver go faster than him
in his car, 10 times in 10 races posting the fastest lap in the 34 Conquest
Ferrari. He had the best Average Position out of the class, registering 6.8,
compared to Schandorff (7.1), Spinelli (9.5), or Ellis (13.9). He had the 3rd
best average for Time off Pace, but it was nearly half of the worst in class,
who was actually Mik Grenier. I want to pause for a second and talk about
Grenier, who finished 3rd in the championship but actually
registered the furthest Time off Pace average for a “pro”. He got the two
poles, but, because he shared the car with such strong co-drivers, also had the
furthest time for average off Co-drivers and was only fastest in the car 4
times all year. This is not a commentary on Mik’s lack of strength but rather a
testament to the speed displayed by Koch and Skeen, and more on them next. But
I digress. Costa was the only full season Platinum rated driver in the category
this season, but his driving was actually in a league of his own.
Best Silver: Danny Formal
At first, nominating Danny Formal for Driver of the Year
Silver seems like an odd choice. He had the 2nd best Average
Position (20.0 compared to Koch’s 18.0), the 5th best average for
Time off Pace (1.009 was slower than Fjordach, Koch, Gallagher, and Skeen), and
was the fastest guy in his car 4 times compared to Levorato’s 7 or Fjordbach’s
6. But when we look at his qualifying effort, when it was him against the world,
light fuel and new tires, and factor that in to his in-race performance as
analyzed by the numbers, he stands out. Danny’s average qualifying performance
was the best of the GTD category for full season entries. He got the pole at
Laguna Seca as well. But here’s the thing: where was he weak? It was only Road
America and VIR where he was the slowest driver in the car, and Road America
the car had a fire early on in his first stint! For a first season in
WeatherTech competition, Danny Formal showed very clearly why he’s a Super
Trofeo champion two times over.
Honorable mentions: Montecalvo (2nd best qualifying average in class with best Overall), Skeen (4th best average Time off Pace and .055 off P1), Koch (best average Position, 2nd best Time off Pace, strongest in car 3x), Levorato (best in car 7x), Fjordbach (best average Time off Pace and more than 3 seconds better on average than co-driver [who was the weakest driver in the field including Bronzes]), Gallagher (3rd best average Time off Pace, fastest in car 4x, 3rd best average Position).
Best Bronze: Brendon Iribe
Orey Fidani took the coveted Le Mans entry with the Akin award, but he was actually the weakest of the full season Bronze drivers. There were only 3 of them all year, but Iribe had numbers that would’ve put him mid-pack for the Silvers. He was between Montecalvo and Goikhberg for average Position, between Robichon and Adelson for Time off Pace. When it came to average Time off Co-drivers, it was much closer between Monk and Iribe, with both putting up impressive numbers.
Enduros Only – Best Pro: Alessio Rovera
Alessio was super human. He was best in category for average
Position (3.4), average Time off Pace (0.143) and was never bested in his
Ferrari. In his 5 races, he was fastest in his car 5 times. Scott Andrews and
Antonio Fuoco can say the same about their starts as well, but they were
significantly further away from the average Time off Pace. Rovera also set the
Fast Lap in 2 of his five starts.
Enduros Only – Best Silver: Ollie Millroy
Ollie has always been an underrated superstar, but this year
he took his super hero cape and waved it in the competition’s faces. He was the
only driver who’s average Position was less than 20. His average Time off Pace
was nearly matched by Jake Walker, but only Pumpelly was also able to get below
a second. And for a guy sharing a car with the speed that is Frederik
Schandorff, he was faster than the Dane in 2 of the 5 races. Compare him to the
weakest driver in the category and Ollie was more than 3x better in terms of
average Position and almost 6x better in terms of average Time off Pace! Iribe
needs to hang on to Millroy, because the secret is out about who you’d want in
your car!
Honorable mention: Pumpelly (average Time off Pace rivals
the Pros), Walker (first season at this level, 2nd best averages
Position and Time off Pace, just over a quarter of a second off of Foley and
Gallagher average).
Enduros Only – Best Bronze: Salih Yoluc
Yoluc was 2nd best for average Position, but was
clearly ahead for Time off Pace. Sarah Bovy had the best average Position but
struggled badly for pace overall, even though she was quickest of the Dames in
2 races. Ryan Hardwick was mediocre for average Position but had the 2nd
best average Time off Pace and the best for Time off Co-drivers.
No comments:
Post a Comment