Tuesday, January 21, 2025

ROLEX 24: LMP2 Grid preview

As who’ll be taking home the Rolex watches this year?

 

Continuing on with my never ending Rolex 24 previews, we’ve come to the lower tier “Kissing cousings” prototypes category…

 

Le Mans Prototypes (LMP2)

No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR, Nos 2 and 22 United Autosport, No. 8 Tower Motorsports, No. 11 TDS Racing, No. 18 ERA Motorsport, No. 43 Inter Europol competition, No. 52 PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, No. 73 Pratt Miller Motorsports, No. 74 Riley, No. 88 Pecon Racing, No. 99 AO Racing

 

The CrowdStrike by APR Racing has a stellar lineup led by George Kurtz, which many IndyCar “Eyes” will be watching. Which I’ll dive into in another No Fenders post, as we’re almost to thee end of the road Kiddoes!

 

Current Sports Car Ace known under several nom de plumes – including le Hamburgular’, Sealmeister B’, SeaBass or simply Sebastien Bourdais will moonlight aboard the No. 8 entry.

 

Whilst Bourdais’s “Day Job” will be piloting the #12 “Weckity Wec” FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Cadillac Hertz Team Jota entry, alongside somebody named Bloody Jense’. (Jenson Button) As Bourdais takes over the seat vacated by Callum Ilott, who returnes to IndyCar with Prema Racing.

 

Team owner John Farano, Job van Uiteret and Sebastian Elvarez join Bourdais in the cockpit.

 

Defending Rolex 24 (LMP2) Class winners ERA Motorsport returns with Ryan “Razzle Dazzle” Dalziel, Paul-Loup chatin, David Heinemeier Hansen and Tobais Lutke. Although Dalziel is the only returning driver from last year’s winning quartet.

 

The No. 11 features a former Indy NXT winner, and TDF Racing won the final two races of 2024.

 

Multiple Sports Car Championship winner Dane Cameron joins the most popular racecar on the grid, ergo “Spike-the-Dragon”. With Cameron joining PJ Hyett in the No. 99 distinctive purple and orange AO Racing entry.

 

As the pair will run the full IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar campaign, joined By Johnny Edgar and a Current Danish IndyCar driver to be named later…

 

As Cameron, a longtime Penske Sports Car driver was part of its winning entry in last year’s Rolex 24. Not to mention claiming His fourth IMSA Drivers title before being dropped by Penske at age 36, Youch!

 

Is a second Rolex wristwatch as LMP2 Class winner in Cameron’s future?

 

Lead driver of the No. 74 Gar Robinson is joined by the two Felipe’s from Brazil, i.e.; Felipe Fraga and Headliner Felipe Massa, ex-Formula 1 driver. With Aussie’ Josh Burdon the only unknown commodity of the Riley entry.

 

“Gentleman” racer Ben Keating will once again be doing double duty at Daytona. Splitting seat-time between the No 52 and No. 91 Trackhouse by TF Sport entries.

 

Whilst former IndyCar Fan “Favourite” Benjamin Pederson makes up part of the drivers quartet behind the keyboard of the No. 52 entry. Alongside Keating, Mathias Betche and Rodrigo Sales.

 

The brand new Pratt Miller Motorsports LMP2 operation features a former and current  IndyCar driver, along with current Indy NXT competitor James Roe and Chris Cumming.