Land to Focus on Remaining NAEC Rounds

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

Montaplast by Land Motorsport is set for the remainder of the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup races only, in a scaled back program than originally intended for the German squad.

The team’s Audi R8 LMS had planned to contest the balance of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season in the GT Daytona class.

While Land’s Audi was at the center of a controversial Balance of Performance penalty for a refueling advantage at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, which was within the rules, team director Christian Land told Sportscar365 that its reduced program is instead due to scheduling issues.

The WeatherTech Championship rounds at Road America, Virginia International Raceway and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca all clash with ADAC GT Masters races, which Land said has made it impossible to run.

Despite initial hopes for a parallel program, its IMSA drivers Christopher Mies, Sheldon van der Linde and Alessio Picarello are committed to full-season drives with the team in the German-based championship.

Mies and van der Linde will take part in next month’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen as a duo, with reigning Audi Sport R8 LMS Cup champion Picarello rejoining them for the season-ending Motul Petit Le Mans in October.

The team, along with several other WeatherTech Championship competitors, are taking part in a two-day test at Watkins Glen, which kicks off today.

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