Former F1 driver and FIA Drivers’ Commission President Felipe Massa will make a surprise IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut at the upcoming 24 Hours of Daytona, in which he will drive the #74 Riley Oreca 07-Gibson LMP2 entry.
The Brazilian will make his sportscar racing debut at the Daytona 24 on 27-28 January, in the LMP2 category.
The entry list for the 62nd running of Daytona was released two weeks ago, detailing 12 LMP2 cars which will compete for the class victory at the prestigious endurance race.
Riley confirmed three of the drivers for the #74 as the final WeatherTech LMP3 champion Gar Robinson with Felipe Fraga and Josh Burdon.
Through social media, at Road Atlanta where they were testing, Massa referred to the announcement as “a dream come true” whilst offering his “special thanks to Gar Robinson for the invite.”
He continued: “We will be four drivers together in this race, including Josh Burdon, Gar Robinson and my brother Felipe Fraga, two Brazilians in search of victory.
“Let’s get ready and go for it with our brand new LMP2.”
Massa is known for his stint in F1, where he claimed 11 race victories, 41 podiums and notably finished as a runner-up to Lewis Hamilton in the 2008 season.
His most recent professional motorsport endeavours were in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series since 2021, and two years prior was a two-season drive with the Monaco-based Venturi Team, who are currently known as Maserati.
In comparison to his vast single-seater experience, his sole sportscar endurance outing was in a Porsche GT3 Cup Brasil, one month after his Formula E retirement.
He shared a car with 2016 champion Lico Kaesemodel and they claimed third position by the end.
The 42-year-old will join another former F1 driver Jenson Button who will also compete in his first Daytona 24, albeit in the premier GTP category with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti.
The 62nd edition of the Daytona 24 will commence with a packed week of ‘Roar Before the 24’ testing, free practice, qualifying and the IMSA season-opener itself at the Daytona International Speedway (Road Course).
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