The weekend’s highlight of the 2023 “Motul Course de Monterey” was round four of the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Following the recent “street fight” at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, it was anybody’s guess what this season’s first natural road course race would yield. WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway opened in 1957 and ranks among the most challenging, scenic, and, yes, loved venues on the IMSA calendar. From the iconic Corkscrew plummeting 59 feet in a quarter mile to the Andretti Hairpin, its 11 turns over 2.238 miles never disappoint.
The WeatherTech Championship consists of four classes that race simultaneously. Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) are cutting-edge technological wonders that feature hybrid electrified powertrains paired with internal combustion engines. The older and slower Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class resembles the GTP cars, and they are built by ORECA to FIA specifications. Based on production cars, the GT Daytona (GTD) and GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) always produce intense racing where Porsches, BMWs, Ferraris, and Mercedes constantly lean on each other in highly engaging battles.
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