Land Planning Full-Season GTD Effort in 2018

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Land Motorsport is likely to embark on a full-season GT Daytona effort in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year, through an increased alliance with Starworks Motorsport and Peter Baron.

The German squad, which nearly claimed class victory in its IMSA debut at Daytona in January, has outlined plans to field an Audi R8 LMS for the full 2018 WeatherTech Championship season, alongside the possibility of a second entry for the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup races.

“At the moment it looks good that we can do it,” team director Christian Land told Sportscar365. “But we have to figure it out with our sponsors and what we will do for our European program. For sure, we’ll do more here.

“Our plans at the moment are to have one car full-season and add a second car for the endurance races. We’ll figure it out within the next month.”

The Wolfgang Land-owned operation, which claimed victory in this year’s Nürburgring 24, is set for its third GTD start of the year in this weekend’s season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans, with Connor De Phillippi, Christopher Mies and Sheldon van der Linde at the wheel.

All of the team’s U.S. outings to date have come with operational and logistics support from Starworks and Baron, with that relationship set to expand next year.

“We would use Peter and Peter’s crew and some of our guys would come over for the races,” said Land. “My wish is that the main part [of the IMSA program] is in Peter’s hands.

“As a European team, you cannot do it alone [in America]. You must have a cooperation.

“At the end of last year we found one of the best teams in the U.S. and one of the guys who has the most experience with IMSA and strategy. For sure we will do it with these guys.”

Land said Baron will also be part of the team’s European endurance programs next year, in helping with race strategy.

Drivers for the IMSA program have yet to be finalized but Land said both De Phillippi and Mies, who took the team to the 2016 ADAC GT Masters championship, as well as victory at the Nürburgring, are among those in contention.

24H Spa Debut Also in the Works

In addition to its expanded IMSA effort, Land said they’re looking to take part in the Total 24 Hours of Spa, a race that was originally on the schedule for this year. 

“We had so much to do in Germany and Europe this year that we thought [the 24H Spa] would be a bit too much,” Land said.

“Until now, we’ve done around 25 races this year, and overall around the world, it takes a lot of time. You can’t [do it all].”

A return to GT Masters, as well as defending its title in the Nürburgring 24, is also in the works for 2018.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John