Riberas: IMSA Return With Moorespeed, Audi a ‘Dream’

Photo: Audi

Alex Riberas says his return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition with the newly formed Moorespeed Audi program is a “dream come true” opportunity.

The 24-year-old Spaniard, who was part of Team Seattle/Alex Job Racing’s GT Daytona class race-winning program in 2016, will team up with Will Hardeman in Moorespeed’s new Audi R8 LMS Evo for another run at the GTD title.

Riberas credits Audi Sport customer racing North America for the chance to return to the WeatherTech Championship after two years away.

“It’s a fantastic challenge to come here Stateside with Audi and Moorespeed,” he told Sportscar365.

“I always dreamed of coming back to IMSA since I raced here in 2016. To be back in the championship is a dream come true.

“I think we have the right package to fight for the championship and that’s what we’re going to be going after.”

While having last appeared in the GTD class in a Porsche 911 GT3 R and having completed a shorted stint as a Ferrari factory driver, Riberas has since made the switch to Audi, where he finished runner-up in the Blancpain GT Series drivers’ championship with WRT.

Riberas is hopeful the experience gained in the previous-generation R8 LMS will be beneficial to the Texas-based team, which makes its top-level IMSA debut and first outing with the mid-engined GT3 contender.

“The Audi is a fantastic car,” Riberas said. “But like any other driver, you need to get used to the car. Thanks to my season with WRT, I know the car pretty well.

“I’ve done the 24-hour race at Spa with the factory team and I learned a lot.

“I’m hoping that I’m going to be able to extract everything I learned from that and bring it to Moorespeed to be able to have a winning package and have some good results.”

With the Moorespeed program taking priority, Riberas plans to move to Austin shortly after January’s season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona to fully embrace himself in the program and American culture.

“For me it was something I’ve always been dreaming of, to live in the States and being able to race as a pro. I think that has arrived,” he said.

“Most of it really is the people. I just love the American spirit and how everything is done here.”

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