The Two-Time Champion Team Will Also Work to Increase the Brand’s Exposure at IMSA Events
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Pfaff Motorsports, the two-time champion in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, announced today that it will partner with McLaren starting in the 2024 season. The partnership includes a one-car entry in the GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class and increased activation for the manufacturer in and around IMSA events.
The Canadian-based Pfaff team has entered Porsches in the WeatherTech Championship since it first joined the series in 2019. Pfaff claimed team and driver championships in 2021 in the GT Daytona (GTD) class and last year in GTD PRO.
Pfaff and the McLaren brand already share a history together. Pfaff Automotive Partners is the official importer for McLaren in Canada, and Pfaff owns and operates McLaren retail locations in Toronto and Vancouver. Lithia Motors Inc., the parent company of the Pfaff dealerships, also owns several McLaren retail points in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
“Pfaff has been proud to represent McLaren in Canada since 2012; our partnership with the brand has spanned road and track for many years,” said Chris Pfaff, Pfaff Automotive Partners president and CEO. “Adopting the 720S GT3 Evo platform for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship demonstrates our confidence in McLaren as a business, a racing partner and retail partner. We’re excited about the future of the McLaren brand and excited to be part of building that future with them.”
The future includes Pfaff becoming more than a customer race team in the WeatherTech Championship. Pfaff plans to coordinate and/or host McLaren events at select IMSA race weekends in 2024, including car corrals and other activations to increase the famous racing brand’s exposure throughout North America.
“Pfaff Motorsports is proud to partner with McLaren in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting in 2024 – and we want to make the latest chapter in McLaren’s iconic racing history an exciting one,” Pfaff Motorsports General Manager Steve Bortolotti said. “We look forward to building an increased presence at IMSA events with them next season and sharing the thrill of sports car racing with their passionate road car customers at the track and at their retail stores.”
Ian Morgan, Director of Motorsport at McLaren Automotive, said pairing with Pfaff was a natural result of the long relationship between the manufacturer and the team.
“The IMSA series is one of the highest-profile GT championships in the world, and to be working with a team with whom we have a strong and established history, both on and off the racetrack, is fantastic news,” Morgan said. “We look forward to supporting the team with their GTD PRO campaign and building on the strong relationship, as well as the McLaren brand in North America.”