Four Pro Entries for Mercedes-AMG at Indianapolis

Four Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evos are set to compete in the top Pro class at next weekend’s Indianapolis 8 Hour, as part of an eight-car contingent for the Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli points-leading manufacturer.

Craft-Bamboo Racing, Winward Racing, DXDT Racing and US RaceTronics will represent Mercedes-AMG in the headline category, with the first two of those racing under the ‘Mercedes-AMG Team’ banner to denote extended factory support.

TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa winners and last year’s Indy 8 Hour runners-up Raffaele Marciello and Daniel Juncadella feature in Craft-Bamboo Racing’s crew for the third round of the IGTC season, which comes after the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour and Spa.

The Mercedes-AMG factory duo will share the No. 77 Craft-Bamboo car with AMG esports specialist Daniel Morad, who fulfills the requirement for a Silver-rated driver in each Pro lineup for the third-edition Indy 8 Hour.

Hong Kong-based Craft-Bamboo Racing entered the event last year with factory drivers Jules Gounon, Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, but failed to reach the checkered flag.

24 Hours of Spa winner Gounon forms part of Winward Racing’s lineup for next weekend’s race, partnering Fanatec GT World Challenge America powered by AWS co-drivers Philip Ellis and Russell Ward.

Another GTWC America pairing, Steven Aghakhani and Loris Spinelli, will race for US RaceTronics with the addition of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship DPi driver Tristan Vautier.

2018 IMSA GTD class champion Bryan Sellers is in the No. 63 DXDT Racing crew along with Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo expert Patrick Assenheimer and 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Pro class winner Dirk Mueller.

Mercedes-AMG’s representation at Indianapolis extends to the Pro-Am and Am classes.

As previously announced, 24 Hours of Spa overall winner Akkodis ASP will operate SunEnergy1 Racing’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, and will be joined by Stephen Cameron Racing in the Pro-Am class.

Another Pro-Am entry is the CrowdStrike Racing by Riley Motorsports car in which recently-confirmed GT America powered by AWS champion George Kurtz will be joined by Colin Braun and FIA World Endurance Championship GTE-Am points leader Ben Keating.

The only Mercedes-AMG in the Am class at Indianapolis will be the No. 8 DXDT Racing example driven by David Askew, Scott Smithson and Valentin Pierburg.

“In the Indianapolis 8 Hour, we are on the grid with eight cars in three classes,” said Mercedes-AMG’s head of customer racing, Stefan Wendl.

“With this wide presence and our high quality in the driver lineup, we are in an excellent position to continue our winning streak in the 2022 IGTC on one hand and to bring the World Challenge trophy to Affalterbach for the fourth time on the other hand.

“Among the four endurance races of the 2022 IGTC season, Indianapolis is the shortest. Therefore, it is even more important to be there at the front right away.

“Our primary goal will be to make optimum use of the practice sessions and to secure good grid positions in qualifying.

“I am certain that we then can also bring home the results in the various classes we are hoping for in the race with the right tactics.”