The first customer for the new-for-2024 Corvette Z06 GT3.R has already committed to a sophomore season in 2025, according to sportscar365.
Canada-based AWA confirms that it will be competing next season in the GTD class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with its No. 13 car to be driven again by Orey Fidani and Matt Bell.
Lars Kern will also be back to race in the Michelin Endurance Cup races, and the team’s fourth driver for the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona will be named later.
“It means a great deal to everyone at AWA to be returning to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for another season,” team owner Andrew Wojteczko tells sportscar365. “It’s a privilege to be competing in such a high caliber series in an incredibly competitive GTD field.”
He says the three drivers have worked “extremely well together” so far in the maiden season, and AWA is “thrilled” to keep the team intact for 2025 to continue the progress already made.
“We have big goals we are looking to achieve,” Wojteczko says, “and we greatly appreciate our relationship with Team Chevy as we continue to move forward together.”
We are thrilled to confirm our entry in next year’s 2025 IMSA season, fielding the #13 Orlando Corporation Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the GTD class. Fidani and Bell will be resuming their roles as full-season teammates, once again accompanied by Kern for the Endurance Cup rounds. pic.twitter.com/DfSmF8C7T3
— AWA (@AWARacing) August 21, 2024
Fidani, who’s been with the team since 2019, says he’s already excited about the prospects of next season.
“This year has been so important for us and we’ve learned a lot about the car throughout each round, with the help of GM and Chevrolet,” he says. “We’re getting more and more competitive as we continue to progress, and I’m confident that 2025 will be even better.”
While the debut season has been challenging, Bell says the way the team has come together and responded to the learning curve has been “fantastic.”
“I’ve been proud to be a part of it and the results are starting to show on track,” he says. “Team Chevy and Pratt Miller have been great to work with and they have helped us enormously. I can’t wait to go into this next season with AWA and the Corvette.”
It appears that AWA will continue in 2025 with only the No. 13 car. The team had started 2024 with a second car, the No. 17 Corvette driven by Anthony Mantella. Back in March, however, he withdrew after competing with factory driver Nico Varrone in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, with first electrical trouble and then an alternator failure forcing the car to retire early in both races.
Source:
SportsCar365.com
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AWA… thank You…. for keeping Corvette racing alive….
Where is the No. 17 car these days?
@Kelly , the owner of the #17 expressed his intent to sell it, so it’s likely in some collector’s garage.
Or, he is the subject of litigation that’s being kept on the down-low.
Hope one of the Corvette teams steps up next year. This year was has been disappointing for all. Car companies stop the flow of money and support when their brand is not winning.
Agreed @RC . While the car has shown immense promise (ask DXDT), despite being a first year car, the results of the Works team have been unbecoming of a program of this stature.
The other OEMs on the grid have periodic issues also, but nowhere near the level Corvette Racing does. I hate to say it being a fan, but the number of issues and bad luck that has consistently afflicted this team over the 20-plus years indicates a minimal effort not on the part of service provider (PMM) but on GM itself, which is part & parcel for them.
They will fumble a race, but then have the audacity to say to never fret, as “what we learn from racetrack failures goes into the street cars”. While that is indeed a technically factual statement, when have you ever heard something like that said from program leaders at Porsche, Aston Martin, Ferrari et al? Don’t worry, I’ll wait.
Yes, this was a development year. There are going to be teething issues. We can all agree on that.
But there will be no excuses next year, especially from the Works team.
Apparently, there is a bigger transition from front engine-rear drive to mid-engine than anticipated, but some design changes seem to create unexpected problems – witness Team Penske’s difficulties with the Porsche hypercar. Keep the faith!
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