The weeks leading up to the Rolex 24 hours have begun to tell the story of the 2023 IMSA season. Last season we closed the chapter on the DPi formula in almost Shakespearean fashion with the championship coming down to the final minutes, of the final stint, of the final race.
At the end of the day Tom Blomqvist and his #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura team hoisted the trophy while Filipe Albuquerque and the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura sat in pit lane wondering what went wrong after 10 hours of racing was boiled down to a simple “DNF”.
In 2023, Albuquerque and the #10 team look to finally claim the ever illusive top class IMSA championship, and according to Albuquerque, Acura has given them both a car to fight for championships.
“The car feels right, the ergonomics and comfort all feel good. Acura put together a great car, it feels great not only for Daytona but for other tracks when compared to the DPi. It’s a long process, and we will see big evolutions” Albuquerque said on Friday to Motorsport Week.
The transition from DPi to GTP has also been a major talking point up and down the paddock this off season. The transition from the traditional ICE to the introduction of hybrid elements this year has caught certain teams and drivers on the back foot, but Albuquerque seems to have had a smooth transition.
“The transition has been so far so good, we have way more tools to set up the car electronics wise, it’s way more complex for the engineers and the drivers as well.” Albuquerque said. “Experience plays a very big role in getting comfortable with it. I’m getting more comfortable with it and learning the car like everyone else.”
The future is bright in more ways than one for the #10 outfit. A recently announced partnership between Wayne Taylor Racing and IndyCar giants Andretti Autosport spell very big things for both Indiana based teams. Andretti have also confirmed interest to bring the team across the pond to Europe to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
“Any help is important to make the difference in such a competitive field.” Albuquerque said on the partnership with Andretti. “We are big organizations in the championship and having Andretti will be a big boost for us. It will give us access to more people and more engineers. It’s about the sharing of knowledge and learning to apply that in the right moments.”
