Nielsen Looking to “Make the Most” of Bronze Rating

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Christina Nielsen is hoping her reclassification to Bronze rating could help in her search for a full-time ride after a recent dry spell for IMSA’s most successful female driver.

The two-time GTD champion has been left without a full-season drive since Hardpoint’s scaling back to a single Porsche 911 GT3 R following last year’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

While having contested the Nürburgring 24 as part of an all-female initiative in 2021, the 30-year-old Dane returned to Daytona International Speedway last month as a spectator for the Rolex 24, with the hope of sparking up new interest.

“As soon as you’re not active, it’s hard,” Nielsen told Sportscar365. “There’s a lot of good drivers out there.

“It’s just a lot and once you’re not racing it’s easy to be forgotten.

“So much happens. I think it’s not specific to me. It’s in general for everyone that if you’re out of the game for a little bit then every day goes by, it just gets harder.

“That’s why I was at Daytona. I was there to just show my face and remind everybody that I’m around and hungry for more. I’m ready for 2022.”

Nielsen said she doesn’t currently have any confirmed drives for the year but believes her new FIA rating could help.

“I’ve been having conversations with teams,” she said. “I’ve been in America for quite a few years but I have an extensive background that also includes racing in Europe.

“I’d really like to take full advantage of that and make the most of the situation that I have now.

“I have been out of higher-level racing for the last few years and haven’t done many GT3 races but it has been my background. 

“I’m trying to figure out which championships are relevant, where it’s going to make a difference with a good Bronze because I think good Bronzes are so difficult to come by.

“IMSA has been my home. I still love it here and love racing in IMSA but it’s one of the few championships where Bronze and Silver counts for the same [in GTD].

“I’ve been putting more focus on championships where there’s a bigger distinction.

“Le Mans, WEC, ELMS, SRO… There are quite a few championships where there are a difference between the Silver and Bronze.

“I’m definitely hungry to get back in GT3 racing but I’m definitely open to exploring new territories such as LMP2 or LMP3, where a Bronze is needed.”

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