The winter break in North America is over: This coming weekend sees BMW M Motorsport and BMW Team RLL start the 2020 season of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series). Traditionally the season kicks off with a real endurance classic, the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA) from 25th to 26th January. BMW Team RLL, which will contest the IMSA series with two BMW M8 GTEs, is heading to the first highlight of the 2020 racing year with a lot of momentum, after all, team principal Bobby Rahal’s (USA) crew celebrated the highly acclaimed victory in the GTLM class there last year.
Completing their tenth season as a professional racing team in 2019, the Paul Miller Racing crew is looking to kick off a new decade of IMSA competition in 2020 with a strong performance at the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.
Mark Griffith will make a full-time return to Australian GT in season 2020 with Mercedes-AMG, but unlike his cameos of recent years, the popular Queenslander will campaign an AMG GT4 – the successful twin-turbo V8 making it’s competition debut in Australia.
The Santiago round of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship was a story of highs and lows for the Nissan e.dams team. The hot, intense and action-packed race was a thriller for the fans, but ultimately the race was challenging.
After a strong podium finish at the season-opener in Diriyah (Saudi Arabia), the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team was denied a further top result in the third race of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship 2019/2020 season in Santiago (Chile). Neel Jani (CH) was forced to retire from the race after just a few laps in his #18 Porsche 99X Electric. André Lotterer (D) crossed the finishing line at the Santiago E-Prix in 22nd place in his #36 Porsche 99X Electric, but was later disqualified having exceeded the maximum permitted energy amount. Victory went to Maximilian Günther (D, BMW i Andretti Motorsport), ahead of António Félix da Costa (PT, DS Techeetah) and Mitch Evans (NZ, Jaguar Racing).
Win number two in race three of this season’s ABB FIA Formula E Championship for BMW i Andretti Motorsport: In a thrilling finale, Maximilian Günther (GER) pulled off a final-lap overtaking manoeuvre in the #28 BMW iFE.20 to take victory at the Santiago E-Prix (CHI). The 22-year-old claimed the first win of his Formula E career in only his third race for the team. In doing so, he also became the youngest winner ever in the series. The 25 points scored took BMW i Andretti Motorsport to the top of the Team standings. Alexander Sims (GBR) crashed out in Santiago.
Formula E started 2020 with a spectacular race in Santiago de Chile. Lucas di Grassi from the Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler team thrilled the South American fans with a forward charge from 22nd place on the grid to seventh place.
The Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team maintained the solid start to its debut season in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship this weekend in Chile. After two podium finishes on the opening weekend in Saudi Arabia, Nyck de Vries and Stoffel Vandoorne both finished in the Top 6 of the Antofagasta Minerals Santiago E-Prix 2020.
The new Porsche 911 RSR lines up on the grid for the first time in North America to tackle the 24 Hours of Daytona (25/26 January). At the season-opening round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship in Florida, two ca. 515-hp, 2019-generation GT racers will be fielded in the GTLM class. The new GT flagship from Weissach has already made a very successful debut, securing two one-two results and three pole positions from four races. At the first encounter with the competition in North America at the IMSA tests, dubbed the “Roar before the 24”, in early January, the new Porsche 911 RSR turned the fastest laps multiple times. At Daytona, Porsche heads into the 2020 season in North America as the title defender of the manufacturers’, drivers’ and team classifications. The manufacturer is well represented in the GTD class with three Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Aston Martin Racing’s presence at the pinnacle of US endurance motorsport is to be significantly increased, with the British sportscar manufacturer returning to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD class in 2020. Two Aston Martin Vantage GT3s will contest the blue riband Rolex 24 at Daytona race next weekend (25-26 January), while new partner team Heart of Racing will run a full season programme this year.
BMW Motorsport and BMW Team Schnitzer will, in addition to collaborating closely at race appearances, primarily work on car development together in the 2020 season. The team from Freilassing (GER) will take on a key role in development and testing with the new BMW M4 GT3. Herbert Schnitzer junior’s team will also contest races at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (GER) with the BMW M6 GT3.
After a watershed year that netted his team the Bathurst 12 Hour, the Australian GT Championship title and the Australian Endurance Championship crown – all in GT4 – M-Motorsport team-boss Justin McMillan has revealed that he is looking for a return to GT3 in season 2020, but that he would still be campaigning two GT4 cars in this year’s championship.
W Racing Team (WRT), one of motor racing’s most successful international GT teams, will make its debut in the Super Sports Car League when the new ADAC GT Masters season begins on 24th April in Oschersleben. Team Principal Vincent Vosse sets out the Belgian team’s new programme for the first time.
Entering its sophomore season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) is looking to start strong with the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona. The only female team principal in the IMSA paddock, Jackie Heinricher is aiming to lead her team to the Rolex podium on Sunday (Jan. 25, 1:30pm).
Ollie Wilkinson will take the step up to the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup for the first time in 2020 for his maiden season as a McLaren Professional Driver.
2020 marks the 17th straight Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona for reigning IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar GTD Champions, Meyer Shank Racing (MSR). A new lineup of drivers will take over the No. 86 Acura NSX GT3 for the twice around the clock event on starting on Saturday, January 25.