KC Motorgroup Ltd. (KCMG) is set to kick off the new year with an entry in the 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona on January 27 – 30, the first time the team has competed at the famous American endurance race. Taking part in the GTD Pro class, KCMG will compete in the factory-supported #2 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Since its inaugural running in 1966, the Rolex 24 has taken place on the Daytona International Speedway’s 3.56-mile combined road course, which consists of the tri-oval as well as the infield road course. As the jewel in the crown of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the historic race marks the start of the 2022 campaign and celebrates its 60th anniversary.
As well as having factory support from Porsche, the driver line-up will include three of the German marque’s drivers: Rolex 24 at Daytona class winner Patrick Pilet, two-time IMSA class champion Laurens Vanthoor and Dennis Olsen, all three having previously competed with KCMG at various events in the past. Alexandre Imperatori completes the crew, continuing his long-standing partnership with the Hong Kong outfit.
The team is excited to welcome back Adam Hardy as chief engineer for this event. Hardy previously worked with KCMG during the 2016 24 Hours of Le Mans and has since supported Porsche’s factory entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He will be joined by Kai Störling, who was the engineer behind the race-winning Porsche at the 2021 Nürburgring 24 Hours.
The annual Roar Before The Rolex 24 takes place on 21-23 January. A week before the main event, a 100-minute qualifying race known as the Motul Pole Award 100 will set the grid for the main 24-hour race that starts on 29 January.
ALEXANDRE IMPERATORI
“I’m super excited to begin the year with the Rolex 24 at Daytona. I’ve wanted to go back there for a while and KCMG has put together a great team and a lot of effort to tackle the challenge in the new GTD Pro class. I’m looking forward to sharing the car with Patrick, Laurens and Dennis in what is shaping up to be a memorable race. A big thanks to KCMG for their continued trust and we will be aiming to repay that with a strong result.”
DENNIS OLSEN
“I’m really happy to be back with KCMG and to be competing at the Rolex 24 at Daytona this year. The team has shown great performance with the 911 GT3 R both at Nürburgring and Spa so I have full confidence that we will start with a great car. The goal is clear, we have a team and a car that can win and we have a very strong line-up, but it’s a challenging race in many ways, so we need to keep focused on our objectives for the race.”
PATRICK PILET
“It’s great to join KCMG for the Daytona 24 Hours. After working together two years ago, it’s fantastic to return to the team. I won this race in 2014 so I want to win again and with this line-up, team and crew, I am sure we have a good chance of fighting for the victory. Now the main job will be to concentrate on ourselves and make sure we have the best car possible. Over the next two weeks I will give 100% in order to be fully ready for the beginning of the race.”
LAURENS VANTHOOR
“Through the years, good results at the Rolex 24 has been part of my success in winning two IMSA championships, but victory at Daytona is something I personally haven’t been able to achieve yet, and it’s very high on my list. My dream is to win all four big 24-hour races; Spa, Nürburgring, Le Mans and Daytona, and Daytona is the one missing so that is the main goal. Being part of KCMG’s crew after doing Spa together means we know each other a little bit better. We’ve got an experienced line-up and a very good engineering crew, so we will be looking forward to it. We are working really hard towards a positive weekend and I cannot wait to get 2022 and the race weekend started.”
MATT HOWSON TEAM MANAGER
“The 2022 Rolex 24 at Daytona is an exciting and significant moment in KCMG history as it marks the team’s first entry in the last of the big 24-hour races, having previously competed at Le Mans, Nürburgring and Spa events. We have a fantastic driver line-up, combining youth and experience which is capable of challenging for the inaugural GTD Pro class win. We’re also pleased to welcome back Patrick, Laurens, Dennis and Alex, all of whom competed with KCMG previously. Continuing our excellent relationship with Porsche and the 911 GT3 R is an honour and the engineering combination of Adam Hardy and Kai Störling makes for a formidable team to support KCMG’s first programme at Daytona.”
PAUL IP KCMG FOUNDER
“It is a very exciting moment to see the team getting ready to take on the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the first time. After our previous victory at Le Mans and attempts Nürburgring and Spa, we’re confident that a good result here is possible, and it is great to have Porsche onboard with us once again. The line-up is a fantastic combination of drivers that have all competed for KCMG in the past and they are ready to be a part of the team’s first programme at this historic race. The 911 GT3 R has performed very well for us since our relationship with Porsche began in 2020, so our main goal is to carry this into the new year and aim for the GTD Pro class win at Daytona.”
Source. KCMG
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