AWA Targeting 2025 Le Mans LMGT3 Entry With Corvette

Photo: AWA

AWA has its sights set on securing the Bob Akin Bronze Cup championship in next year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season that would enable the Canadian squad to take part in the 2025 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with one of its Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs.

Confirmed last week, the Andrew Wojteczko-led operation will make the switch from the soon-to-be-defunct LMP3 class to the GTD category with a pair of customer Corvette GT3 cars in next year’s WeatherTech Championship, as part of an initial two-year commitment with the brand.

While exclusively focusing on the two-car Corvette program in the WeatherTech Championship in 2024, Wojteczko has laid out ambitions of taking his team to France, courtesy of IMSA’s one-of-three auto invites to the race.

“Le Mans is the goal,” Wojteczko told Sportscar365. “If we can win the Bronze Cup next year then [we’d do] Le Mans in 2025. We’re going to try our best. We’ll see.”

While yet to announce drivers for the program, at least one of the Corvettes will feature a Bronze-rated pilot in order to be eligible for the Bronze Cup.

Orey Fidani as well as Anthony Mantella, who was part of the team’s class-winning lineup in this year’s Rolex 24 at Daytona alongside Wayne Boyd, Thomas Merrill and Nico Varrone, are currently the team’s Bronzes competing full-time in LMP3.

Wojteczko said initial conversations with Chevrolet began at the team’s home round at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last year, with the “writing on the wall” regarding the future of the LMP3 class in the WeatherTech Championship.

“After what happened with P3 at Watkins, it was clear what IMSA’s direction would be, whether it was then or this year, we knew the writing was on the wall and we needed to start looking and understanding where the team could go and what made sense,” he explained.

“We’re very grateful to what IMSA provides here, to have that ladder system in place has allowed us to incrementally move up in the classes.

“For the team, you can just see that everybody’s really excited and keen to get to it. We’re looking forward to proving ourselves in a very competitive class.”

Having made its debut in IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2018 in the GS category, AWA stepped up to LMP3 competition last year with a single-car Duqueine D08 Nissan prior to a two-car program this season.

Wojteczko said GTD was the next natural progression for the team.

“It’s always been a goal to get to this point for sure,” he said. “For the business, for me personally. But it’s also had to align with where our customers’ goals are and where they’re at in their driving careers.

“We’ve just been mindful of that and I think we’re at a point now where we’re ready to do that.”

AWA’s GTD effort will feature the same crew currently operating its LMP3 program, once the team takes delivery of the cars in early November.

“We have a great core group of people here and that’s going to continue,” said Wojteczko, who has praised their interactions with Pratt Miller, which will be providing customer support.

“Their technical support, I’d say, is second-to-none,” he said. “There’s a lot of talented people there that really understand the sport and the cars. They’ve been doing it for a really long time.

“That partnership and support there is going to be instrumental to the success of our efforts.”

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