Philip Ellis of the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 appraised a “safer approach” on his and co-driver Russell Ward’s impressive domination in the IMSA SportsCar GTD championship standings.
Speaking to selected media ahead of this weekend’s round in Indianapolis, he said:
“I would say it’s been a dream to be honest that we’ve taken a safer approach.
“We won both races very early in the year.
“So we started off with a big lead compared to everybody else, especially because of the two rounds…
“That margin was actually even bigger than it would have been.
“So from there we actually took quite a safe approach but it doesn’t mean we didn’t take any risk at all in the race be it in passing cars and restarts, or like passing for the lead, for example, where we know we can make it.
“But in the end, it’s risk management.
“You don’t wanna risk having to stay with too much fuel and lose track position just to maybe squeeze that extra win in, even though we would like to have that extra win just to tie up the record of Paul Miller from last year. But that’s a very low priority.
Winward Racing’s confidence to the 2024 GTD title
“We focus on the championship and [to] do a good, clean job. And usually that’ll bring us a good top-five position.
“And in the end, it’s Turner’s point that they have to make a move on us. It’s not our turn to take any risks.
“So we’re pretty relaxed. We know we have a good team, good car behind us for the next races and it will be very tough to beat us.
This circumspect mindset began after the team won the first two races of the season, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Daniel Morad and Endurance Cup driver Indy Dontje assisted the #57 duo of Ellis and Russell Ward at Daytona, as the latter three drivers won at Sebring.
Dontje will reunite with the #57 duo for this weekend’s six-hour event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
The full-season duo finished in the top-five of all races so far apart from the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Ahead of the 10th and penultimate race of the 2024 season, Winward Racing lead over the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 by 256 points.
By scoring 385 points or more by the end of the Battle on the Bricks, they can secure the title early before Petit Le Mans on 12 October.
