Trummer to Prioritize IMSA Sebring Race Over ELMS

Photo: Mike Levitt/IMSA

Simon Trummer will take part in next month’s Cadillac Grand Prix at Sebring International Raceway with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, having prioritized his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship program over his recently confirmed European Le Mans Series drive.

The 31-year-old Swiss, who was announced on Monday to drive the No. 25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca 07 Gibson alongside John Falb and Gabriele Aubry in the ELMS, has been ruled out of the season-opener at Paul Ricard, which falls on the same weekend as the Sebring race.

In a statement from Algarve, Trummer is “committed” to IMSA because the U.S.-based sanctioning body was the first to confirm its revised, post-COVID-19 calendar.

There are currently no other clashes between the WeatherTech Championship and ELMS this year.

Trummer’s co-driver, who must be Bronze-rated per series rules, has yet to be announced by PR1/Mathiasen.

Ben Keating fulfilled the team’s Bronze requirement in January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, having put the California-based team’s Oreca on class pole.

Keating, Trummer and Daytona co-drivers Aubry and Nick Boulle finished second in class in the Florida endurance classic, which doesn’t count towards full-season LMP2 points in the WeatherTech Championship this year.

Pizzitola to Sub for Trummer at Paul Ricard

Algarve regular Andrea Pizzitola, meanwhile, has been named as Trummer’s sub for the 4 Hours of Le Castellet on July 19.

“We’re disappointed for Simon, but are pleased to welcome Andrea back to Algarve Pro Racing, albeit for a one-off race in Le Castellet,” said team principal Stewart Cox.

“He’s a known quantity and highly respected within the team, as his pace is incredible and he’s a safe pair of hands.”

Pizzitola drove alongside Falb in the ELMS last year in one of the Portuguese-based team’s LMP2 entries.

“With this lineup we should be capable of a podium, and Algarve Pro Racing’s new technical partnership with Goodyear can only be positive,” Pizzitola said.

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