Glickenhaus rails against IMSA: “We suffered heavy financial damage”

Jim Glickenhaus believes that the refusal to run in IMSA on the part of the organizers is costing his team dearly.

Published on 22/02/2023 à 15:02

Gonzalo Forbes

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Glickenhaus rails against IMSA: “We suffered heavy financial damage”

Jim Glickenhaus will not see his 007 LMH in IMSA this year. © Thomas Fenetre / DPPI

In addition to 24 Hours of Le Mans and WEC, Jim Glickenhaus has never hidden his desire to send at least one of his two 007 LMHs across the Atlantic. Unfortunately for him, the general staff of theIMSA never opened the doors to his championship despite the requests of the boss of the Team Glickenhaus.

This refusal from IMSA is partly explained by the championship regulations which stipulate that any manufacturer entered in the season must produce at least 2 cars each year. A decision that Jim Glickenhaus even describes as “ dumb " and " illegal » and which translates into financial consequences in the ranks of the American structure.

« This has a huge financial impact on our ability to run, pointed out the boss of the eponymous team during a press conference. American sponsors cannot be satisfied. If we raced in IMSA, we could raise funds with American sponsors, there were some who wanted to see us race there. We suffered heavy financial damage.

I'm in motorsport because I love racing, and I have the means to do it. I do it personally. It's not something commercial. But after a while, my shareholders are going to say, 'Jim, enough is enough,' and they're not going to let me continue. That day will come. If I could race in IMSA I would have a much better chance of being able to continue in WEC."

The Wrath of Glickenhaus

Furthermore, Jim Glickenhaus assures that the promise of a commitment to IMSA was made to him a little less than 3 years ago. This then allowed him to truly launch the project of his own Scuderia because without the approval of the North American championship, he probably would not have started this new adventure. “ We were told yes, and it was the condition of our commitment, he says. Frankly, if we had known we wouldn't be able to race in IMSA, we wouldn't have followed through. There are people very high up in the WEC and the ACO who know that what I am saying is completely true and who are very disappointed »

Jim Glickenhaus, whose anger is palpable, does not rule out the possibility of taking IMSA to court to win his case. Atmosphere.

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Gonzalo Forbes

In charge of promotion formulas (F2, F3, FRECA, F4...). Carried by the grace of Franco Colapinto.

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