Shlaimoun Excited for “New Challenge” in ACI Porsche GT4

Photo: SRO

Ricco Shlaimoun said he’s looking forward to the “whole new challenge” of racing a GT4 car through the streets of Long Beach, in a cameo appearance in this weekend’s GT America powered by AWS rounds.

The 25-year-old British-born American driver has taken the place of ACI Motorsports team owner Curt Swearingin in the No. 7 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport for the pair of 40-minute sprint races.

Shlaimoun, a rising star in the junior open-wheel ranks, will be making his debut at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.

“I’m really excited to make my debut at Long Beach and to join ACI Motorsports for this incredible event,” he said.

“This track has so much history, and having come from open-wheel racing, it’s going to be a whole new challenge for me.

“I’m looking forward to adjusting to the unique demands of GT racing, learning from the team, and seeing how I can adapt my driving style to one of the most iconic street circuits in the world.

“It’s going to be an amazing experience.”

Following success in the F4 ranks, where he competed in a full season of Formula Regional last year, Shlaimoun is preparing to enter FIA Formula 3 competition this year, with plans to advance to Formula 2 later in the season.

The one-off at Long Beach follows his previous experience in sports cars in GT4 and Lamborghini Super Trofeo competition.

“We’re excited to have Ricco join ACI Motorsports for Long Beach,” said team principal Swearingin.

“He’s an extremely talented young driver with a strong background across multiple series, and his track record gives us every confidence that he will thrive in the SRO environment.

“Long Beach is a challenging circuit, but we’re confident Ricco will rise to the occasion.”

The entry list for this weekend’s GT America races is down to 17 cars, from the originally published 21 entires, including a reduced field of three cars in GT4, which Shlaimoun will race.

Track action kicks off on Friday.

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