Franchitti: “Every Lap I’m Learning” for GT3 “One-Off”

Four-time IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti says “every lap I’m learning something new” as he gets to grips with modern GT3 machinery for the first time ahead of a “one-off” outing in the Michelin 24H Dubai.

Franchitti will partner father-and-son Shaun and Max Lynn and touring car ace Rob Huff at the wheel of a Team Parker Racing-run Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo in this weekend’s Middle Eastern enduro.

Since retiring from top-level competition in 2013 – with Franchitti also having a Rolex 24 at Daytona victory to his name alongside his open-wheel success – the Scot has predominantly raced historic cars, sometimes together with Shaun Lynn, who is also the father of Cadillac factory driver Alex.

“It’s a much different discipline than I’m used to, and Jules Gounon [Mercedes-AMG factory driver] has been really helpful, he’s been fantastic,” Franchitti told Sportscar365 of his Dubai experience so far.

“Even before I showed up, he dropped me a text and he’s been super helpful.

“It’s a very different car than I’m used to and I’m getting used to the messages that it gives you, but it’s a cool thing to drive. We’re having a good time, which was the whole object.

“It’s not an intuitive thing to drive one of these – it doesn’t give you all these little messages that maybe an older car does.

“I do quite a lot of driving in the T.50s Gordon Murray track car, which is similar in some ways to a GT3, but it’s got a lot more power, it’s a lot lighter and it’s got a lot more downforce.

“As far as modern stuff, the most recent modern thing was maybe the MC12 at Estoril [when Franchitti was victorious in 2024 in the Peter Auto historic series in the Maserati GT1 machine].

“There’s a definite learning process to get used to the Mercedes-AMG GT3.”

He explained the drive came about through his friendship with Lynn and the pair had planned to enter the 24H Dubai two years ago in a Bentley before a clashing commitment ruled out Franchitti.

“Shaun and I have raced the Ford GT40 together, we’ve raced a lot of historic cars together, so it’s an extension of that,” Franchitti added.

“He said, ‘Do you want to come and do it? Max is doing it, Huffy’s doing it, I’m doing it.’ I said, ‘Count me in, let’s go and have some fun.’”

But Franchitti insists the Dubai outing is just a one-off and he is not planning other modern sports car appearances.

“It’s not a big comeback or anything,” he said. “I’ve been very lucky I’ve been offered the opportunity to drive a load of fun stuff – most of it historic – but this is the first modern-day thing.

“I don’t know what I’ll drive for the rest of the year but there are some interesting plans in the pipeline.”

Franchitti says he has “no expectations” in terms of what result is possible but just wants to “do the best that I possibly can” and that the “number one goal is to have fun.”

The Mercedes-AMG will run a special art livery designed by 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours victor Stefan Johansson.