MacNeil Will Drive again in Both the No. 97 Mercedes and No. 79 Porsche
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – WeatherTech Racing and driver Cooper MacNeil will double up for the second straight IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race at this month’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Presented by Advance Auto Parts.
WeatherTech Racing announced Tuesday that it will enter a second car at Sebring, the No. 97 Mercedes-AMG GT3, to run alongside the No. 79 Porsche 911 GT3 R that is set to run the full season. As he did in the Rolex 24 At Daytona season opener in January, MacNeil will spend time driving in both cars in the GTD PRO class.
Returning to partner with MacNeil in the No. 97 Mercedes are Maro Engel and Jules Gounon. Julien Andlauer and Alessio Picariello will again share the No. 79 Porsche with MacNeil in the iconic 12-hour race. MacNeil was part of the WeatherTech Porsche 911 RSR-19 entry that won last year at Sebring in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class that was replaced this year by GTD PRO.
“We are coming into the event as the defending race winners from last year,” MacNeil said. “We had a solid run going in the No. 97 Mercedes at the Rolex 24 until we had the hose issue just after taking the overall lead in the GTD PRO class. Sebring will have a few less cars (than the Rolex 24), but the competition level will be just as high.
“Sebring is probably the track I have the most laps at besides Road America,” continued MacNeil, who also won at Sebring in 2013 in the GTC class. “It has a lot of history and to win there twice is huge. With Maro and Jules, we have a great chance at getting a third win.”
Engel was part of the Winward Racing Mercedes team that won the Rolex 24 GT Daytona (GTD) class in 2021. He’s eager to return to the WeatherTech Racing team at Sebring.
“I think it’s awesome that WeatherTech Racing and Cooper are having another go in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 at Sebring,” Engel said. “We had a very strong showing in Daytona, leading the race and then our unfortunate mechanical problem. Hopefully, we can have another good go at Sebring and chase that victory.
“Sebring is an amazing track. … From a driver’s point of view, it’s one of the most amazing tracks to drive. It’s an old-school circuit with a lot of flow. I’ve been there three times so far, but it hasn’t been kind. Hopefully, the fourth time will be lucky for me. We have a good team with strong drivers, so maybe we can get that win.”