Monterey SportsCar Championship Preview: IMSA Gears Up for Competitive Showdown at Laguna Seca
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is set for an exciting round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on May 11, featuring a provisional entry list of 36 cars across three classes.
GTP Class Dynamics
The GTP class will see an 11-car field, with Porsche Penske Motorsport aiming to extend its dominance. Drivers Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr are undefeated this season, having claimed victories at Daytona, Sebring, and Long Beach in their No. 7 Porsche 963. Tandy, who won at Laguna Seca last year with co-driver Mathieu Jaminet, is poised to continue this streak.
Porsche leads the GTP manufacturers’ championship, while Jaminet and Matt Campbell, who finished second in the last two races, remain key competitors. Notably, Earl Bamber’s commitments to Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA in the FIA World Endurance Championship will result in Frederik Vesti stepping in the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R alongside Jack Aitken.
GTD PRO and GTD Class Overview
In the GTD PRO category, 10 entries will compete for supremacy following a break since Sebring. The drivers’ championship is currently led by Ford Multimatic Motorsports’ Christopher Mies and Frederic Vervisch in their No. 65 Ford Mustang GT3. AO Racing’s Laurin Heinrich and Klaus Bachler, fresh off their Twelve Hours of Sebring win, trail by 17 points in their No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
AO Racing returns to Laguna Seca with a special pink “Roxy” livery, aiming for their first IMSA win. Additionally, Marvin Kirchhofer will replace the injured Ben Barnicoat in the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3.
The GTD class features 15 entries, led by Winward Racing with drivers Russell Ward and Philip Ellis. Their No. 57 Mercedes-AMG GT3, fresh off a victory at Laguna Seca last year and a win at this year’s Twelve Hours of Sebring, currently tops the GTD points standings.
Moreover, DXDT Racing has confirmed Alec Udell will team up with Robert Wickens in the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R. Wickens is coming off a commendable performance at Long Beach with his hand-controlled Corvette.
Triarsi Competizione will bring both Ferrari 296 GT3s to the race, with the No. 023 car featuring Onofrio Triarsi Jr. and Riccardo Agostini. Darren Turner is also confirmed to drive the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3, replacing Tom Gamble, who is on World Endurance Championship duty.
As the teams prepare for this critical round, all eyes are on Porsche’s continued success and whether other contenders can rise to the challenge at this iconic circuit.
