There were a variety of excellent celebrations throughout the year. Michelin North America lead motorsports photographer Rick Dole captured the shots.

EARLY MOMENTS OF GLORY

MAZDA’S OVERDUE BREAKTHROUGH AT THE GLEN

STRONG WINS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS

ENDING ON A HIGH AT MICHELIN RACEWAY ROAD ATLANTA

The post Best Photos of 2019: Time to Celebrate appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

Michelin North America lead motorsports photographer Rick Dole shot all of these with the exception of one. LAT’s Michael Levitt, IMSA staff photographer, shot the group of Canadian drivers at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

TIRE BEAUTY

“BIG PICTURE” IDEAS

Michelin created three “big picture” story lines in motorsports during the 2019 IMSA season.

At Mid-Ohio, a group of Canadian drivers gathered collectively before Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to highlight IMSA’s “Canadian Invasion.”

At Watkins Glen International, to celebrate the success of those drivers under 21 years old (or who had success before 21 and turned 21 within the last year), Michelin created the “Sparkling Cider Society.”

Then at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, to note the significant volume of women in IMSA, more than 40 women gathered early Friday morning (story part one, part two). Michelin highlights “#WomenInDrive” as one of its three stories.

DRIVER HERO SHOTS

At the preseason ROAR Before the Rolex 24 test and throughout the year, Michelin gathered shots of some of IMSA’s stars.

A SPECIAL GATHERING AT THE ROAR

Sometimes the best shots happen by accident.

While photographing Alex Zanardi, who was making his Rolex 24 At Daytona debut, longtime friends and similar one-off drivers Fernando Alonso and Rubens Barrichello saw him in the paddock.

What followed were some of the most memorable images of the year.

The post Best Photos of 2019: Getting the Shot appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

Take a look back at some of the season highlights, accomplishments and notes along the way from 13 race weekends.

The post Video: Take a look back at Michelin’s 2019 IMSA season appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

Michelin ramped up its efforts significantly in its first year as Official Tire of IMSA. Here are some of the best Michelin-specific shots captured by Michelin North America lead motorsports photographer Rick Dole.

WELCOME TO MICHELIN RACEWAY ROAD ATLANTA

The post Best Photos of 2019: Michelin in Action appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

DPi

At Acura Team Penske, the motto of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” applies. The team keeps the same six drivers as in 2019. Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron are back to defend their championship. Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor resume in the second ARX-05. Indianapolis 500 winners Simon Pagenaud (No. 6) and Alexander Rossi (No. 7) round out the lineups as endurance drivers.

Wayne Taylor Racing switches its program a bit with Jordan Taylor’s departure to Corvette Racing. Ryan Briscoe arrives to replace him in the No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R, alongside Renger van der Zande, back for a third season. Scott Dixon, like Briscoe, joins WTR from the Ford Chip Ganassi GT effort as third driver with Kamui Kobayashi back for the Rolex 24 At Daytona only in an attempt to defend his win.

Action Express Racing scales back to a single full-season car. Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr remain in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac. With Filipe Albuquerque shifting from the now-departed No. 5 car to the No. 31 as its new Michelin Endurance Cup third driver, the team has a very potent lineup. It remains to be seen whether Whelen veteran Eric Curran gets the call as fourth driver at Daytona.

Mazda has not formally announced its driver lineup or its vendor team, with multiple reports noting a potential change of team after the opening “36 Hours of Florida.” Alas, the manufacturer itself has affirmed its commitment to the RT24-P program and has already been testing for 2020 with Harry Tincknell and Tristan Nunez, among others. A continued intriguing question this “silly season” is if or when a third, customer Mazda DPi could appear.

Additional Cadillac customer teams JDC-Miller Motorsports and Juncos Racing are yet to affirm their lineups or number of races.

The Nissan DPi appears set to fall from the grid entirely as CORE autosport ended its DPi program at this year’s Motul Petit Le Mans.

GT LE MANS

Corvette Racing has won this class’ race to announce drivers for 2020. The only change in its lineup is a big one, with Jordan Taylor replacing team veteran Jan Magnussen. The remaining three drivers (Antonio Garcia, Tommy Milner, Oliver Gavin) remain intact for Chevrolet’s major shift to its new mid-engine C8.R, formally presented at Motul Petit Le Mans.

Porsche GT Team also has a new car with its second generation 991, the latest 911 RSR, which tested last week at Sebring. Drivers are usually announced at Porsche’s Night of Champions in Stuttgart, Germany in December. The 2019 champions Earl Bamber and Laurens Vanthoor would love a chance to defend in the U.S. They led a 1-2 over the sister car driven by Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy. Of note, Porsche has several either Junior drivers or Young Professionals in its stable. Might any get the opportunity to race more in North America?

BMW Team RLL’s M8 GTE has rapidly shifted from the newest car in class to the oldest, as it prepares for a third season. Like fellow German brand Porsche, its lineup and program is generally announced at its year-end celebration in Munich in December.

While a Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE return is anticipated for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, its participation in future races remains an outstanding question. Rest assured after its dominant performance at Motul Petit Le Mans though, Giuseppe Risi’s program can win whenever it races.

LMP2

The class could triple in size for 2020, although that only would mean an increase from two cars to six, all but one being ORECA 07 Gibsons. Platinum drivers can only race at the Rolex 24 At Daytona, a race which counts towards LMP2’s Michelin Endurance Cup season only, and not the regular season LMP2 title. Meanwhile, IMSA has mandated a Bronze driver for all races next season.

Both of this year’s full-season teams, Performance Tech Motorsports and PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, have expressed their intent to continue. PR1/Mathiasen has explored the possibility of a second car as well, although if or when that would come online remains unclear.

At least three other cars will join them starting at the Rolex 24. Last year’s race winners DragonSpeed is set to run two cars, one for itself (Ben Hanley and Henrik Hedman as confirmed drivers) and one supporting vintage racer Kyle Tilley’s new Era Motorsport team. Add in a planned debut for NASCAR veterans Rick Ware Racing with an ex-Riley Multimatic Mk. 30 Gibson for the Michelin Endurance Cup and that sees further cars in the field.

GT DAYTONA

Generally this class takes a bit longer for programs to come together. This often stems from the FIA driver ratings system, where teams are waiting to see whether drivers are rated Silver or Gold.

Alas, several teams have already confirmed or strongly hinted at their lineups.

Meyer Shank Racing has confirmed Matt McMurry and Mario Farnbacher in the No. 86 Acura NSX GT3 Evos. McMurry will replace Trent Hindman in this car. The team has tested other drivers, including its full-season IndyCar driver Jack Harvey, at Daytona earlier this month. But it remains to be seen how they’ll slot additional drivers between its two anticipated cars and for which races.

Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Motorsports brings in Lawson Aschenbach and Gar Robinson, formerly of Lone Star Racing, to share the No. 74 Mercedes-AMG GT3. The pairing got off to a good start with a win in the non-points Michelin IMSA SportsCar Encore at Sebring. Ben Keating has told Sportscar365 that rather than run another Mercedes-AMG of his own, he’ll join this pairing for Michelin Endurance Cup race rounds.

Turner Motorsport raced at the Encore with one of its BMW M4 GT4 cars. The team plans to run its aging but still venerable BMW M6 GT3 again in GTD. Provided Robby Foley remains a Silver-rated driver, he is a strong candidate to resume alongside Bill Auberlen. Auberlen tied Scott Pruett for IMSA’s all-time lead in race wins with his 60th at Motul Petit Le Mans.

While the team has not formally declared its intent of series, Wright Motorsports provided a strong hint of its plans by running one car at the Encore for Ryan Hardwick, Max Root and Jan Heylen. Hardwick and longtime Wright driver Anthony Imperato, who dipped his toe in the WeatherTech water with a pair of starts this year, will be split between two Porsche 911 GT3 Rs. It would not be a surprise if this team’s program, like other Porsche ones, gets formally announced in December at Porsche’s Night of Champions.

AIM Vasser Sullivan will return with a pair of Lexus RC F GT3s. Parker Chase’s first run with the team at Motul Petit Le Mans was a strong indicator of a potential full-time role in 2020, likely alongside Jack Hawksworth. NBC Sports reported during its Petit Le Mans broadcast that its IndyCar race analyst, Townsend Bell, will return to this AIM Vasser Sullivan Lexus with Frankie Montecalvo next season. The biggest story here may well be reigning and two-time NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Busch confirmed as a Rolex 24 extra driver next year.

Following a Sportscar365 report about GRT Grasser Racing Team’s planned full-time arrival to IMSA, Grasser’s first Lamborghini lineup was revealed with Katherine Legge and Christina Nielsen. The entry will be called GEAR Racing, with GEAR standing for Girl Empowerment Around Racing.

While the team hasn’t officially confirmed it, Scuderia Corsa drivers Cooper MacNeil and Toni Vilander have posted on social media their intent to continue together for a second season in the WeatherTech Ferrari 488 GT3.

Compass Racing raced the full WeatherTech Sprint Cup this year with its McLaren 720S GT3. The team is poised to repeat that effort again in 2020.

Other teams that raced in 2019 that have yet to sort their 2020 plans include Sprint Cup GTD champs PFAFF Motorsports, along with past series champs Paul Miller Racing, and veteran race-winning squads like Park Place Motorsports and Starworks Motorsport.

With Keating and Magnus Racing not expected to return at least on a full-time basis, there may be some new teams that step up.

Rumors of an Aston Martin and/or more Porsches from Alegra Motorsports have also made the rounds. As ever, whether they progress beyond the talking stage to an actual entry is subject to budgets getting approved and finalized.

More than half a dozen extra Rolex 24 entries appeared this year to provide a 23-car grid, by far the most voluminous of four classes.

The post An early look ahead to IMSA 2020 through mid-November appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

The reason for that is sparkling cider is awarded to drivers less than 21 years old that make an IMSA podium. This makes these drivers part of an exclusive club: the “Sparkling Cider Society.”

Nearly a dozen young drivers visited the podium in Michelin’s three IMSA race series before they hit the 21-year-old plateau. A handful of others turned 21 during the season.

AUSTIN MCCUSKER, JANUARY 18, 1998

The New Yorker’s second full IMSA season produced a consistent and well executed Prototype Challenge championship. In his final race before turning 21, McCusker and co-driver Rodrigo Pflucker finished second in the season opener in early January at Daytona International Speedway. That was his first of three podium finishes this season, including a win at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July.

COLTON HERTA, MARCH 30, 2000

The then-18, now-19-year-old son of past driver, two-time Indianapolis 500 winning car owner and this year’s IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge TCR driver and team champion, Bryan Herta, made an immediate impact in his IMSA debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Herta set the fastest race lap as part of the GT Le Mans class-winning No. 25 BMW M8 GTE entry in the waterlogged race. He also raced at Sebring and Motul Petit Le Mans and returned to the podium there in the IMSA season finale. In-between, he set an IndyCar record as the youngest ever winner there at Circuit of The Americas only days before turning 19 and capped off the season with his second win at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

ROMAN DE ANGELIS, FEBRUARY 15, 2001

The Belle River, Ontario driver is one of IMSA’s emerging talents, and dominated the competition en route to both Porsche GT3 U.S. and Canada series titles this year. He’s raced with Michelin in IMSA twice and been on the podium at both events. He shared the winning No. 13 ANSA Motorsports Ligier JS P3 in the non-points Michelin IMSA SportsCar Encore at Sebring in November 2018 (above). In his Rolex 24 At Daytona debut in 2019, de Angelis captured a class podium in a Canadian WRT Speedstar Audi. Only 18 and with plenty of potential, it seems likely de Angelis’ star will only continue to rise.

BRITT CASEY JR., MARCH 18, 1998

Casey entered 2019 in a strange spot having won last year’s TCR class championship but without a full-time drive. No matter; in a partial season he was one of the most impressive drivers again in the class this year. He finished on the podium with Mikey Taylor in a JDC-Miller Motorsports Audi in Sebring mere days before his 21st birthday this spring. In later starts, he scored poles at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. He won at CTMP in a comeback drive, while at Michelin Raceway they ended a hard luck second.

GABRIEL AUBRY, APRIL 3, 1998

Like McCusker and Casey Jr., Aubry scored an IMSA podium just days before turning 21 in Sebring, and therefore “slipped in under the wire” when it comes to making the “Sparkling Cider Society.” He raced the four IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup rounds for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports in its LMP2 class ORECA 07. His speed at Watkins Glen International was exemplary and his class win there was one of two he had this year, the other coming at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

DYLAN MURRY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2000

Son of veteran sports car driver and coach David Murry, the younger Murry fully came into his own this season as one of the truly emerging stars. Dylan raced both an MLT Motorsports Ligier JS P3 and Mercedes-AMG GT4 for Riley Motorsports and won in both cars. His breakout weekend came at Mid-Ohio when he finished second in the GT4 car and won in the LMP3 car. He then won a wild race at Watkins Glen, together with full-season co-driver Jim Cox and third driver Jeroen Bleekemolen. Murry’s driving against many rivals at least twice his age, while running slicks on a damp but drying track, stood out as one of the drives of the season.

Murry and Cox added a second win together to cap off 2019 in the non-points Michelin IMSA SportsCar Encore at Sebring, another four-hour race. All the while he grew with the team too as the Georgian teenager excelled as much speaking with Mercedes-AMG, Freightliner and Michelin guests as he did on track.

COLIN MULLAN, MARCH 19, 2002

The 17-year-old Mullan impressed in a debut ST class season in 2018. The Team USA Scholarship recipient advanced into one of the LAP Motorsports and L.A Honda World Civic Type Rs for a first TCR go-around this year. He was second at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to score another podium result in the No. 52 car he shared most often with Max Faulkner. The Danville, California native also visited The Torque Show presented by Michelin at his home race weekend in Monterey.

SCOTT HUFFAKER, DECEMBER 28, 1999

Like Mullan, Huffaker joined the prestigious ranks of Team USA Scholarship recipients this year and embarked on that this fall. In a handful of starts for PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports in Prototype Challenge, the Californian showed a good blend of speed and aggression. A season-best second place at the three-hour race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park demonstrated his promise.

HARRY GOTTSACKER, JULY 28, 1999 AND MASON FILIPPI, APRIL 23, 1998

Bryan Herta Autosport’s young driver tandem of Gottsacker and Filippi had considerable success throughout the year. In April, Filippi hit the 21-year-old milestone. Like Stacy, Gottsacker developed for yet another year in the sports car ranks and turned 20 during the year. The “kids” in the No. 21 Hyundai Veloster N TCR drove beyond their years all season, with three straight podiums coming from Lime Rock through VIR, and a Road America win sandwiched in the middle. Their efforts netted them a well-earned second place in the TCR standings only behind their teammates. As other members of the “Sparkling Cider Society,” they appeared on a Watkins Glen episode of The Torque Show presented by Michelin.

NATE STACY, OCTOBER 15, 1999

Stacy has seemingly been around for several years even though he is still shy of his 21st birthday. Now 20, the Owasso, Oklahoma native has had two back-to-back top-five seasons in IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge competition with Kyle Marcelli and KohR Motorsports. The pair won at VIRginia International Raceway this year.

SEB PRIAULX, JANUARY 18, 2001 AND AUSTIN CINDRIC, SEPTEMBER 2, 1998

Seb Priaulx is the son of three-time World Touring Car champion Andy Priaulx, and the younger Brit looks a potential champion of the future. Andy Priaulx starred racing BMWs and Fords, and it’s the “blue oval” only that young Priaulx has starred with so far. He won on his IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge debut in the season finale race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Working with Multimatic both in Europe and now in North America, this is a driver on the rise.

Cindric finally hit the 21-year-old mark in September after almost a third of his life spent racing a variety of machinery in open-wheel, sports cars, rally cars and NASCAR. His win at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta co-driving with 18-year-old Seb Priaulx almost marked Cindric the “old wise man” by comparison. Still, together with his success in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, he’s achieving a lot at a young age.

“SPARKLING CIDER SOCIETY” ALUMNI

Two of the regulars in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship LMP2 class can “fly the flag” as “Sparkling Cider Society” alumni. They achieved quite a bit of success in IMSA before turning 21. Both are set to turn 22 by year’s end.

KYLE MASSON, AUGUST 4, 1997

The younger Masson had the chance to race with his father, renowned spine surgeon, Dr. Robert Masson, at this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona and also raced most events in both WeatherTech Championship LMP2 and Prototype Challenge LMP3 classes with Performance Tech Motorsports. The younger Masson’s pre-21-year-old run of form came in 2017 in the former Prototype Challenge class, when he won three of the four Michelin Endurance Cup races in class.

MATT MCMURRY, NOVEMBER 24, 1997

The youngest starter in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the now-21-year-old McMurry had a breakthrough season results-wise with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports in WeatherTech Championship LMP2 this year. He won six straight races and the class championship. This capped off a run over the last few years where he’s bounced around racing various cars on a part-time basis but has not yet had a full-season opportunity. Next year, he’ll go from one championship winning team to another with Meyer Shank Racing in its Acura NSX GT3 Evo.

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These came for teams running Michelin’s range of commercial tires, the Pilot® Sport GT S8M and S9M slick tires.

These awards rewarded team members for their outstanding performance, with the following award DOT-legal street tire sets:

• GTD: 18 sets
• GS: 16 sets
• LMP3: 12 sets

Scuderia Corsa (GT Daytona), Motorsports In Action (GS) and Forty7 Motorsports (LMP3) took home the top honors.

SCUDERIA CORSA CLAIMS GTD

Scuderia Corsa’s success came with a few Michelin Endurance Cup race podiums, courtesy of Toni Vilander, Cooper MacNeil and Jeff Westphal in the No. 63 WeatherTech Ferrari 488 GT3.

“To be awarded for our consistency of speed in pit lane is a testament to the efficiency we strive for every race weekend,” Scuderia Corsa team principal Giacomo Mattioli said in a team release.

“This comes with practice and passion for what we do. It also shows that the competition does not end, you are fighting every second of the race; it is just not always the driver doing the fighting.”

MOTORSPORTS IN ACTION TOPS GS

Motorsports In Action’s performance in the pits helped propel it to the lead quite frequently during the first season of the renamed IMSA MICHELIN Pilot Challenge series.

With four podiums and the pair of Corey Fergus and Jesse Lazare leading 103 laps in the No. 69 McLaren 570S GT4, these two finished second in the championship.

“Without a doubt the most cherished award a team could be presented with,” said Motorsports In Action team principal Eric Kerub.

“This Contingency award from Michelin: ‘Least Time in Pits’ for the 2019 MICHELIN Pilot Challenge Season reflected our crew’s performance, often the unsung heroes of the race weekend, that ensured our car was not only in excellent condition prior to the start of each race, but also repeatedly executed the cleanest and fastest pitstops flawlessly all year-round.

“Although we narrowly missed the top step for the season Championship, this award from Michelin tells an important story of excellence throughout the season, and for that, we couldn’t be prouder. 

“We are sincerely most appreciative to Michelin for making this kind of award available allowing us to showcase our performance ‘behind the scenes’ after being winning recipients.”

FORTY7 WINS LMP3

Forty7 Motorsports made the most of its season in IMSA Prototype Challenge as its No. 47 Norma M30 of Austin McCusker and Rodrigo Pflucker captured the title. Oftentimes, they were in great position to secure great results thanks to its crew.

“Forty7 Motorsports is grateful to have won the Michelin Contingency awarded to the Prototype Challenge team with the least amount of time spent on pit road,” said Forty7 team principal Garrett Kletjian.

“This award recognizes the hard work and dedication of the Forty7 Motorsports pit crew and mechanics that supported the No. 47 Norma M30 during its championship winning Season.  

“Thank you to Michelin Motorsports for creating a contingency award that rewards teamwork!”

The post Michelin celebrates 2019 IMSA contingency winners appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

The 2019-’20 FIA World Endurance Championship has one more race this calendar year before the second half of its season in 2020. Meanwhile the 2019-’20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship kicks off its sixth season in Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, this weekend.

For past Michelin Motorsport check-ins from earlier 2019 races, see these links (September 30, September 3, July 6, May 28, April 30, April 1, March 11).

MotoGP^TM

MotoGP raced five times between October and November. Race winners included Marc Marquez (Honda, Thailand, Japan, Australia and Valencia) and Maverick Viñales (Yamaha, Malaysia).

Marquez’s Thailand win sealed the 2019 championship, his sixth at the MotoGP level. Meanwhile his Japan win ensured Honda won the manufacturer title on its home soil.

WRC

Estonian driver Ott Tanak claimed the WRC title in Spain, one rally before the end of the season. The Toyota driver is the first non-Frenchman, and first driver not named Sebastien, to win a WRC title since 2003. He positioned himself to capture the title with a win in Wales Rally Great Britain in the prior event.

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville won Rally Spain as Tanak clinched the title. Organizers canceled the season finale, Rally Australia in New South Wales, due to raging fires.

WEC

Regulations changes meant the Toyotas carried extra ballast heading to Round 3 of this season in Shanghai. Both Toyotas had won the first two races of 2019-’20. In Shanghai, Rebellion Racing seized its opportunity to win its first LMP1 race on the road with the two Toyotas second and third.

FORMULA E

Season six of ABB FIA Formula E Championship kicks off this weekend in Saudi Arabia. Here’s a link to the season entry list, which features some new brands and drivers competing.

The post October and mid-November recap: Michelin in WRC, MotoGP, WEC appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

The two-time prototype class champion replaces Jan Magnussen in the team’s new C8.R. He’ll share the car with Antonio Garcia.

Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner continue in the No. 4 C8.R. That car will be silver with yellow accents. Taylor and Garcia’s No. 3 car will be yellow with silver accents.

Meanwhile, Taylor’s arrival marks the first new full-season Corvette Racing driver in nearly a decade. Milner, who joined in 2011, was perpetually Corvette’s “new guy” for nine consecutive seasons.

“It’s a huge honor to be back with Corvette Racing for 2020 and part of the full-season lineup,” Taylor said. “I’m very proud to be joining one of the most successful teams in sports car racing history and to represent the Corvette and Chevrolet brands.

“I was very fortunate to spend six years with Corvette in the endurance races driving both the C6.R and C7.R. Now being back with the brand new C8.R is really special. I am especially happy to be back driving alongside Antonio, who I believe is one of the best GT drivers in the world.

“I know I will have a lot to learn over the next few months leading to Daytona, but I’m ready and looking forward to the challenge of GTLM.”

So, this means Taylor becomes the second brother to leave his father Wayne Taylor’s team. Wayne Taylor offered words of encouragement in a team statement.

“I want to congratulate Jordan on being named a factory driver for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing,” Wayne Taylor said.

“As a father, I can’t express how proud I am to have both my sons in factory rides and, even though they are no longer with Wayne Taylor Racing, I can only wish them well. Our new driver lineup for the 2020 season will be announced in the coming days.”

Still to come is the naming of Corvette’s endurance race drivers.

The post Jordan Taylor returns to Corvette Racing appeared first on Michelin Racing USA.

“The Great Dane” was a hallmark of Corvette Racing’s GT Le Mans program for 16 seasons, from 2004 through 2019.

Magnussen won 35 races with the team in that time frame and four championships. He was a regular winner at all key endurance races too, at Daytona, Sebring and Le Mans.

“I’m fortunate to have had such a long career with Corvette Racing,” Magnussen said in a team release issued last month.

“When I joined the program in 2004, I never thought this would be my home for the next 16 years. The team is like my second family. I’m very proud of the championships and race wins we achieved together against very tough competition.

“Thanks to everyone at Corvette Racing for the good times and memories.”

Until this year, Magnussen and Antonio Garcia set the standard for excellence within GTLM. They won three titles together, including back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. The pair captured the 2018 title despite not winning a race, which owed in large part to their consistency and perennial podium presence.

Magnussen’s sign-off blog, written for Motorsport.com, is linked here.

It remains to be seen whether he’ll be part of the IMSA grid in 2020. Alas, he does have one 2020 program confirmed. Sportscar365 reports he’ll race in the TCR Denmark series next year.

THERE WAS LIFE BEFORE CORVETTE, TOO

Magnussen’s run with Michelin in sports car racing predates his successful Corvette Racing tenure.

After his open-wheel career came to an end in 1999 after several years split between Formula 1 and Indy car, Magnussen raced with Panoz and Michelin for several seasons.

That included both Panoz’s GTR-1 coupe (pictured above in a 2018 demonstration lap at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta) and open-top LMP1 Roadster. Magnussen and David Brabham claimed a memorable overall victory with Panoz in 2002 on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Magnussen’s GT racing introduction came a year later in 2003 with Prodrive’s Ferrari 550 Maranello. He remained active in prototype racing racing an Audi R8 in Europe.

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