Felipe Massa will have his first taste of IMSA Sportscar racing next January as he will enter the 24 hours of Daytona. The runner-up of the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship will join Riley Motorsports in the LMP2 category of the prestigious endurance race.
His ride in the team’s Oreca 07 Gibson LMP2 car will be shared with compatriot Felipe Fraga, full season driver Gar Robinson, and Josh Burdon, who will join Robinson in the endurance races of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
The Brazilian, who is currently in a legal battle with Formula 1 and the FIA over the 2008 championship result, was enthousiastic about this opportunity on social media.
“I always tried to do one of these races in my career and it will be the first time that I will race the 24 Hours of Daytona with Riley Motorsports.
“It’s a very great and important team here in the U.S., so I want to say thank you very much to Gar Robinson for the invitation, together with my brother Felipe Fraga, We’ve been racing in [Brazilian] stock car and it will be the first time we’ll be together in this very important team.
“Also to have Josh [Burdon], that we’re going to be four drivers here racing. I’m so happy. I’m sure it will be a great experience for me to be with this important race.”
The 42 year old former Ferrari driver first tested one of the team’s LMP3 cars in Daytona earlier in the year. Two more tests followed this month at the Daytona International Speedway and Road Atlanta respectively, after which the decision was made to join the team.
Teammate Robinson was equally enthousiastic: “The opportunity came up and the ability to be able to share a car with a legend with Felipe Massa and Felipe Fraga is a dream come true.
“It checks all of the cool boxes on every box.”
Massa is expected to join only for the Rolex Daytona 24, which is scheduled on Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th of January.
