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2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona - GTLM Preview


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GTLM PREVIEW - A RACE ENGINEER'S PERSPECTIVE

HOUSTON - January 23, 2016: Rick Mayer, race engineer of the Risi Competizione No. 62 Ferrari 488 GTLM team, takes a look ahead at this year's Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 30-31, 2016, at the newly renovated Daytona International Speedway. Pilots of the new Risi Competizione Ferrari for the 54th annual Rolex 24 include Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy), Toni Vilander (Finland), Davide Rigon (Italy) and Olivier Beretta (Monaco).

General: The total car count of 54 cars is down one from 55 in 2015 on this 3.56 mile track. The four longer endurance series races always have a larger Pro-Am content than the shorter races, this makes getting through traffic and staying clear of trouble more difficult and risky. A driver's mental fatigue and any lapse of concentration could easily affect the outcome. Your concentration has to be high as traffic will be constant. The safety car and wave by rules will ensure a large lead lap car count for each class, as the rules make it easy to make up a small lap deficit. The IMSA WeatherTech specific balance of performance (BoP) GTLM rules evolved from the ROAR test earlier this month. All the GTLMs are new for this year, as there was a large rules change giving increased downforce across the class. This is a large reset in BoP from last year and the hope is all GTLM cars will be much closer in downforce and straight speed within the class. Clearing GTD traffic will be particularly difficult for GTLM as the GTDs have the equal or better banking speeds.

The new Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTLM

Setup: Daytona is a track that requires some reserve in setup to increase safety. Daytona setups only relate to Daytona. The mechanical setup and tire pressures we need to run (Daytona only pressure and Daytona only cambers) here are all in the direction of safety at the detriment to lap time and performance. We bias the setup to improve braking stability and traction and maximize banking speed. You don't setup for the infield as it's difficult to pass there. The required high tire pressures (+10%) reduce front and rear grip. The increased pressures tend to bias the deficit to the rear both at corner entrance and power down at the exit. The reduced camber safety requirements (more than one degree less negative camber) also decrease grip; all of these change the general setup and what you expect. We'll try and trim drag, to improve banking speed as much as you can, as IMSA rules stipulate a minimum wing angle. With 54 cars you'll be in traffic throughout the infield nearly every lap. The only legitimate passing areas are on the banking to clear slower cars, into braking at Turn 1, braking into the Bus Stop and occasionally into Turn 5. The better car to race is the low drag version (increased top speed) if the lap times are similar. Being fast in the infield section is of little advantage.

The race: The Daytona 24 is the quintessential 'crap shoot' of endurance races. The field is packed and the pit lane boxes are the smallest of the season. You have to take as much care in the pits as on the track. Luck and patience pay large dividends here more than at other tracks. The wave by rules for cautions are likely to ensure a large number of lead lap cars in each class in the last stints of the race. After the opening hour, you need to stay in touch with the class leader, ideally BE the class leader, and be positioned for the 23rd-hour sprint to the finish. Any of the 11 GTLM cars could win this race. The 488 Ferrari, the M6 BMW and the Ford GT are all new cars and all turbo charged. This is the race debut for all three. The Porsche and Corvette are more an evolution of type; they have some proven durability. We have had great success with the long races at Risi Competizione. We have just been unlucky recently. Let's hope our luck changes this year starting at Daytona.

Tune-In Information:
In the U.S., watch the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m EST. on FOX Sports 1 and 4:00-10:00 p.m. on FOX Sports 2. Overnight viewing (Jan. 30-31) from 10:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. EST watch on IMSA.tv (live video streaming and commentary). On Sunday, Jan. 31, 7:00 a.m.-10:30 p.m. EST the broadcast will be on FOX Sports 1, the 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. on FOX Sports 2, with the final two hours from 10:00-3:00 p.m. EST broadcast on FOX Sports 1. The Rolex 24 At Daytona is also available on the FOX Sports GO mobile app.