Scuderia Corsa and the No. 63 WeatherTech Ferrari 488 GT3 take on the streets of Detroit at Raceway at Belle Isle Park in the Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lier with the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship May 31 and June 1.
Round Five of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is part of the WeatherTech Sprint Cup; the GTD sprint championship. Team and drivers Cooper MacNeil and Toni Vilander plan to grow Scuderia Corsa’s success with a second win at Detroit. In addition to winning the team has also finished on podium at Detroit twice.
The 2.36-mile, 14 turn street circuit provides drivers with a bumpy terrain and tight quarters as they battle side-by-side. The GTD class is joined by the Prototype class only, the distinct differences between the two classes is sure to add to the excitement of the one hour and 40-minute sprint race.
The Detroit street course is very tough,” MacNeil said. “There are some blind corners and it is tight racing. There are also some good passing zones, but qualifying, like on all street courses, will be a priority for us this weekend. Toni and I are ready to put a strong run together in the WeatherTech Racing Ferrari as we head into the Le Mans race this month.”
“Street courses are always a gamble,” Vilander said. “You have to have a great handling car to run close to your competitors, so you can take advantage of the smallest mistake and get by. Strategy and a good qualifying effort are key to having a successful weekend on a street course.”
The efficiency of the pit crew will be the key to getting ahead of the competition. Due to the nature of a street circuit many yellow flags are possible during the race, being prepared and quick in pit lane will help MacNeil and Vilander with track position and traffic management.
A day of practice ends with qualifying; GTD qualifying taking place Friday, May 31 at 5:20 p.m. EDT. The Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear begins Saturday, June 1 at 12:40 a.m. and is broadcast on NBCSN. Immediately after the checkered flag on Saturday the team will fly to Le Mans, France for the official practice day of the 24 Hours of Le Mans taking place Sunday. The Le Mans race will run June 15-16 at the Circuit de la Sarthe.
