Lexus and 3GT Racing are set to compete at Lime Rock Park on Saturday in one of two GT-only races during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
3GT Racing is coming off a podium finish at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park when the No. 14 RC F GT3 earned a second-place result in the GTD class with drivers Dominik Baumann and Kyle Marcelli.
Along with the podium finish, both of the team’s RC F GT3 entries ran in the top-three for the majority of the race – with the two Lexus’ posting quickest laps among GTD entrants – and combined to lead 58 laps on the 10-corner road course in Canada. Marcelli led 25 laps late in the sprint event to register the second podium finish for 3GT Racing and the Lexus RC F GT3 after the No. 14 Lexus also claimed the team’s first victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in May. Jack Hawksworth started from the pole position and led the first 33 circuits behind the wheel of the No. 15 Lexus, including the quickest lap in class, and finished seventh in class with co-driver David Heinemeier Hansson.
Hawksworth has shown speed racing in the Lexus RC F GT3 this season. The 27-year-old Bradford, England native has registered the GTD pole position with track record times in three of the last four races, including Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio. Hawksworth has also registered the quickest lap times in class during racing competition in those same three events. He currently ranks fifth in the GTD championship point standings after six races this season. In last year’s Lime Rock event, Hawksworth led 29 laps before finishing seventh in class.
Lexus is currently fourth in IMSA’s provisional GTD manufacturer points, and the 3GT Racing No. 15 Lexus ranks fifth in the team championship standings and the No. 14 RC F GT3 sits seventh in points with five races remaining on the IMSA schedule.
Mario Farnbacher will make his second start in the 3GT Racing No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3 this weekend as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competes at Lime Rock Park. Farnbacher, who won twice in a Lexus RC F GT3 in Europe’s GT Open championship last season, also raced the No. 15 at Watkins Glen International earlier this month and will team up with Hawksworth in the GT-only race on Saturday.
The two hour and 40 minute sprint event begins at 3:10 p.m. ET
Quotes
KYLE MARCELLI, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3
What makes Lime Rock such a unique track?
“From the point you arrive it’s a beautiful part of the country, the area around the race track is gorgeous and the facility, the maintenance – it’s all high quality. The track itself has the nickname the bullring and it’s true. It’s a short track and in my mind there are six corners and one left hand corner, so you have to set the car up in a very unique way and the racing can be a bit aggressive because it’s so short unlike many on the schedule from the setup to the race craft, its very different.”
DOMINIK BAUMANN, No. 14 Lexus RC F GT3
What is your outlook for Lime Rock this weekend?
“I have not been to Lime Rock, but I trust Kyle (Marcelli) and what he tells me and I’ve been doing some sim training at home and watching videos, which I hope give me some direction in the track. I have no idea how it is in real life, but it’s a short track with less corners, so I think it will be a quick learn for me.”
JACK HAWKSWORTH, No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3
Are you looking forward to racing the RC F GT3 at Lime Rock?
“I’m really looking forward to Lime Rock. Last year, we led a lot of laps at that track, so hopefully we can evolve from last year and compete for the win. I think both of our Lexus RC F GT3s have a fantastic chance and I’m thoroughly looking forward to seeing what we can do in the Lexus RC F GT3 for 3GT Racing.”
MARIO FARNBACHER, No. 15 Lexus RC F GT3
Are you looking forward to racing the No. 15 Lexus this weekend at Lime Rock?
“I’m definitely glad to be back with 3GT Racing in the Lexus RC F GT3. It’s a really interesting race and the shortest track on the calendar for sure, so it’s really important to have good strategy. The time is short, the laps are so short and pits are important. It’s always tough with the GTLMs around Lime Rock because it is super tough to overtake, and as we know from the past that GTLM are always in packs together. So, if you don’t watch out, if you are not clever in the way you let them in, you could lose positions as well to another car.”
Source. Lexus
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