cars news 10: Lexus RC F GT3 to Compete in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Since Lexus unveiled the RC F GT3 last year at the 2015 Detroit auto show, we’ve been waiting to hear what U.S. series it would be entering. The automaker has just announced that the new race car will enter the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for a limited schedule and be piloted by Scott Pruett and Sage Karam.

“We are excited to reach this agreement with IMSA to campaign the RC F GT3 at such a high level. Our hope is to build a strong foundation for the new F Performance Racing organization during 2016 season, seizing the opportunity to develop the team and the race vehicle in anticipation of the multi-car effort during the 2017 season,” said Jeff Bracken, Group Vice President and General Manager, Lexus division.

Before joining the Lexus F Performance team, Pruett and Karam were signed with Chip Ganassi. Pruett announced back in November his plans to race with Lexus F Performance, while Karam was released from his contract in December. The two have also worked together during previous IMSA events, including Daytona and Sebring.

To prepare the RC F GT3 for the racing season, the F Performance Racing team is working closely with Lexus, with much of the focus going to safety and performance. Paul Gentilozzi, Managing Partner of F Performance Racing, stated that the plan for the team was never to race a full season this year, but to develop the car for the following season. “The program is too new. We have every intention to race hard, and compete for victories. Right now we’re going through extensive testing and engineering analysis, we hope to be racing as soon as possible.”

Source: Lexus