Bronze GTD Pro Drive Time Reduced for Rolex 24

IMSA has announced a reduction in minimum drive time for FIA Bronze-rated drivers in GTD Pro for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, bringing it back from four-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours.

As reported by Sportscar365 earlier on Thursday, 75 Express owner/driver Kenny Habul and Winward Racing driver Scott Noble were understood to have been in discussions regarding a rule change for Bronze-rated drivers in the category.

This came after a new approval process for Bronzes to race in GTD Pro, which required them to complete the same minimum four-and-a-half hours of driving time as in LMP2 and GTD.

Previously, the minimum drive time in GTD Pro was set at two hours for all drivers, regardless of their grading.

IMSA on Thursday issued a bulletin outlining a change to the minimum drive time for Bronzes in GTD Pro, scaling it back by one hour.

The statement read: “Following review of the entered three- and four-driver GTD Pro line-ups for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, IMSA determined that an adjustment was necessary to maintain competitive balance for four-driver GTD Pro configurations incorporating a Bronze-rated driver.

“Accordingly, the minimum drive-time requirement for a Bronze-rated driver in GTD Pro has been reduced by one hour to/ three and a half (3.5) hours for this event.”

The drive time change only affects Habul’s No. 75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, which he is sharing with Will Power, Chaz Mostert and Maro Engel, as well as the No. 48 Winward Mercedes-AMG of Noble and co-drivers Jason Hart, Maxime Martin and Luca Stolz.

They are the only two lineups having a Bronze-rated driver in the 15-car GTD Pro class.