Jeannette: AO Exploring “Multiple” 2025 Driver Options

AO Racing team principal Gunnar Jeannette says he is exploring “multiple” driver options for next season across the team’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship LMP2 and GTD Pro programs as the team tests new drivers in Daytona.

The Chicago area-based team, which won the GTD Pro title with Laurin Heinrich and had an encouraging first season in LMP2, has both of its Porsche 911 GT3 R and Oreca 07 Gibson in acton over this weekend’s IMSA-sanctioned test.

“We’re testing multiple people for multiple programs next year,” Jeannette told Sportscar365.

“That’s all we can say at the moment. We’re extremely fortunate to have a lot of very high-talent people that want to drive with AO.”

A variety of drivers have been on hand to test both cars including newly crowned GTP champion Dan Cameron in the ‘Spike’ liveried LMP2 machine.

Cameron, who also recently turned laps in the team’s TF Sport-run ELMS LMP2 entry in a post-season test in Portimao, has yet to announce his 2025 racing plans following a post-season departure from Porsche Penske Motorsport.

He joins Jonny Edgar, team co-founder PJ Hyett, and Christian Rasmussen in the car this weekend.

“I’ve known Dane a long time,” said Jeannette. “Quite a few people on our team have known and worked with Dane.

“We were aware of his situation and thought that it would be stupid not to get him involved with the team and see if he fits there.

“We’ll see what happens after these upcoming tests, but any time you get to test an IMSA champion in your car is a good time.

“And then Jonny won the ELMS championship with us, so [it’s a] similar thing. We’re giving him a run. Christian [Rasmussen] won the Daytona 24 Hours, so it’s a good group of people.”

Notably absent from Daytona testing duties is Paul-Loup Chatin, Hyett’s 2024 season-long LMP2 co-driver.

Meanwhile, Henrich, who paired with multiple co-drivers en route to his solo GTD Pro title this year, is making his FIA GT World Cup debut in Macau this weekend, allowing Klaus Bachler and Tom Sargent to take to the track aboard the Porsche.

Bachler, who won this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship LMGT3 title with Alex Malykhin and Joel Sturm, co-drove with Heinrich at Virginia International Raceway this season.

Sargent, meanwhile, is fresh off of 2024 competition in both Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS in Porsche machinery, having graduated from Porsche Carrera Cup North America.

“We know and have worked with Klaus before,” said Jeannette. “He’s familiar with the LMGT3 specs, being a WEC champion.

“Laurin is busy in Macau, so we thought it made the most sense to have Klaus here for the weekend.

“It’s the same approach that we’ve had all the time. We like to work with fast, smart people who fit in well with the team.”

While AO has announced a return in both GTD Pro and LMP2 for 2025, it has yet to officially announce which manufacturer GT3 car it will run in the production-based class.

However, the team arrived at this weekend’s Daytona test with a Porsche and Oreca LMP2 machine, with both cars wrapped in their typical ‘Rexy’ and ‘Spike’ liveries, respectively.

“We’ve made no announcements yet,” said Jeannette. “But yes, we are here, and we are driving a Porsche this weekend.”

When asked if there was any reason not to anticipate a continuation with Porsche in AO’s GTD Pro program, Jeannette said, “No, there is no reason to assume that.”

He added: “That being said, we’re not going make anything official until we make an official announcement.”