Doonan: GT3 Addition to VPRC Driven by Customers, OEMs

Photo: Jake Galstad/IMSA

IMSA President John Doonan says the addition of GT3-spec machinery into VP Racing SportsCar Challenge for next year was driven by both customer and manufacturer interest.

The sprint-race series will feature three classes in 2025, with the newly formed GTDX class joining LMP3 and GSX to offer a second IMSA-sanctioned championship for GT3 cars in addition to its flagship WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Doonan believes the move will bolster its ladder system for both drivers and teams looking to eventually make their way up into the top series.

“The whole impetus on that was interest from race teams that are either already with us or racing elsewhere in the world and wanting to come and give IMSA a try,” he said.

“It was also driven by manufacturers that have a GT3 platform, have customers that they feel like may not be ready for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship yet, and give them a chance to run a couple of sprint races and learn the processes.

“It’s customer and manufacturer driven. We’re excited.”

IMSA currently expects a modest grid of GTDX cars, although Doonan indicated that interest levels have been high.

“We initially targeted about 5-8 spots,” he said. “We’ll see what comes but we’re getting a lot of inquiries and folks indicating that they’re planning to come.”

The GTDX class, which unlike GTD Pro and GTD in 2025 will not utilize torque sensors, is set to be open to GT3 cars that raced in the WeatherTech Championship this season.

This means that new or updated 2025-spec cars, such as the BMW M4 GT3 EVO, will not be eligible for the class next year.

“Run a full season in WeatherTech, give us the opportunity understand the performance characteristics of the car and then be ready to come the next season,” said Doonan.

“All the cars that have run this year are eligible for 2025.”

Doonan, however, indicated that the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, which did not compete in the WeatherTech Championship this year but is an official automotive partner of IMSA, could “potentially” become eligible.

“They have expressed a ton of interest,” he said. “We’re working out the details of paddock space and things like that.”

LMP3 to Potentially Remain With Current-Gen Prototypes in 2025

While the next-generation LMP3 platform, featuring the new Toyota V35A twin-turbo V6 engine and updated chassis, is set to debut in the European Le Mans Series and Michelin Le Mans Cup next year, IMSA has not yet made an official call on whether to adopt the new machinery in 2025 according to Doonan.

“At the moment, we’re wanting to see what the customer base feels,” he said. “We’re super sensitive to the investment they have in assets and don’t want to immediately flip on them and requiring them to bring the new vehicles.

“We’re in the process of looking at that with our partners and the ACO.”

When asked when a final decision would need to be made, Doonan said: “We’ve got to make it pretty quick.”

“Teams are making plans,” he added. “We’re super sensitive to that and we’ll bring that news soon.”

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