Scuderia Corsa has secured a second auto-invite for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, courtesy of IMSA’s selection for next year’s French endurance classic.
The two-time WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class champions have been awarded one of IMSA’s two “at large” invites, which typically goes to the top-placed Pro-Am drivers in Prototype and GTD.
Its GTE-Am class victory at Le Mans with Bill Sweedler, Townsend Bell and Jeff Segal has resulted in the California-based team having two invites for 2017.
While it’s understood Sweedler and Bell are working on a Le Mans title defense, it would be without newly signed Michael Shank Racing Acura driver Segal, who has been upgraded to Gold driver rating and therefore not eligible for that lineup in GTE-Am.
Newly crowned GTD champion Christina Nielsen is understood to be in the mix for the team’s potential two-car effort, as well as at least another Silver-rated IMSA driver that’s been in talks with the team.
The Giacomo Mattioli-led operation currently has only one Ferrari 488 GTE in its possession, although GTE-Am rules for next year will also permit older-generation GTE cars, which would allow Sweedler’s Ferrari F458 Italia GT to continue to be used, if decided.
IMSA’s second entry selection has yet to be announced but has been declared by the ACO as a LMP2 entry in the 2017 Sporting Regulations, which was released last week.
Visit Florida Racing team principal Troy Flis told Sportscar365 that he submitted an entry request via IMSA for the race but has yet to receive confirmation, with speculation that Flis could combine with Ben Keating for a joint effort with Keating’s Riley MK. 30 Gibson.