Manufacturers looking for reliability at Daytona

Far from the European cold, it is under the hot Florida sun that the various manufacturers met at Daytona for pre-season testing of theIMSA and the 24 Hours of Daytona (January 28-29). AUTOhebdo offers you its impressions and indiscretions from the paddock.

Of all the manufacturers present in GTP, it is Porsche which is the first to take to the track this Tuesday morning with its two 963s present in Florida. As we had guessed from the photos published from the German brand's previous test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the two prototypes offer two different liveries to differentiate them on the track: one predominantly white and another with black. Acura and Cadillac took a little longer to exit pit lane.

BMW is chasing time

Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing had difficulty stringing together laps due to various technical problems. On the WTR side, radio was particularly to blame. The striking black livery worn by the No. 06 Acura ARX-10 is not the one it will use this season. She should indeed recover some blue, but it should be darker than that of the previous season according to Filipe Albuquerque's new combination. The No. 60 of Meyer Shank Racing uses its definitive livery.

The only racing BMW present spends most of its time dismantled in the garage. The Bavarian brand is chasing the short time remaining before the start of the season and only ran a test prototype this Tuesday. AUTOhebdo has also learned that the second BMW M Hybrid V8 planned for the next IMSA season is currently under construction in Indianapolis. The German manufacturer hopes to make the first run of this second car next week.

The GT3s present for the Balance of Performance

Three teams are also running LM P2s during these two days, including TDS Racing, but also Tower Motorsport with Josef Newgarden. Note also the presence of a Frenchman during these two days, with Paul-Loup Chatin near the PR1 Mathiasen Motorsport garage, although no participation in the Florida double round has yet been announced for the Habs. 

In GT, three cars smooth the asphalt during these two days: the Porsche 911 GT3 R from Pfaff Motorsport with Klaus Bachler, the Ferrari 296 GT3 of AF Corse with Andrea Bertolini and Toni Vilander as well as the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 of Iron Lynx, not with Romain Grosjean, announced this Tuesday as the new driver of the Italian manufacturer and who will debut with the Taurus at the 24 2023 Hours of Daytona, but his future teammate Andrea Caldarelli. Three new cars whose performance levels have yet to be identified to establish the Balance of Performance. Hence their presence during these tests.

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