Opinion: GT's Time to Shine in IMSA

With a record level of manufacturer representation, the GTD Pro and GTD classes are poised to attract new and returning interest to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship...

Rewind the clock one year and the talk at Daytona International Speedway was on the new era of GTP cars in the highly anticipated debut of the LMDh platform in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

While the class has been considered a resounding success, witnessed by a down-to-the-wire battle for the inaugural championship, new and returning machinery to the GT ranks of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has seen new life added to both the GTD Pro and GTD categories this year.

From the brand-new Ford Mustang GT3 and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs to the updated Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo and McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, which all make their Daytona race debuts, there’s been a high level of excitement building in the production-based ranks during the off-season.

Both categories, run to identical FIA GT3 technical regulations, have seen year-over-year growth or increased diversity for the season-opening Rolex 24, with a series-high 13 cars in GTD Pro and 23 entries set to do battle in the Pro-Am-enforced GTD class.

IMSA stalwarts BMW, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche are represented in both categories by privateer teams, while Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus and McLaren will fight for GTD Pro honors with works-supported operations and also battle for GTD glory with customers.

Ford makes its return to the production-based ranks of the WeatherTech Championship for the first time since 2019, with its new Mustang GT3, fielded by the factory Multimatic Motorsports team in GTD Pro and GTD privateer squad Proton Competition.