A new form of race car has been introduced to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season beginning with this weekend’s Rolex 24 At Daytona at Daytona Int’l Speedway.
With the debut of the Grand Touring Prototype class, it also marked the first hybrid-powered race cars to compete in the series.
For Meyer Shank Racing’s Helio Castroneves, the new generation of prototype will bring a new set of challenge compared to last season’s Daytona Prototype International machine.
“You have so many more tools inside the car with the technology that we are facing today,” Castroneves told SPEED SPORT. “Just understanding, ‘What can I use to make my performance better?’
“Literally, everything is generated by a computer. Throttle, brakes, power. It’s not so much just you driving the car, but the computer is also trying to help you.”
Despite the early challenges, it’s been a stellar start to the week for the No. 60 group, with co-driver Tom Blomqvist notching the pole for the team ahead of the twice-around-the-clock grind.
Along with a front row start, MSR and Castroneves are the defending overall winners of the endurance race. Though any data points the Acura ARX No. 06 team had last season, are useless.
“It’s a completely different car. Start from the beginning. Even as a driving style, it’s a little bit different,” Castroneves said. “I do believe it’s the future.
“I’m not sure if I’m going to be still racing, and the technology is taking over. But I do believe the basics will be like that for the future of racing. Whether it’s GT, GTP, whatever it is, even IndyCar has moved toward that direction.
“It’s important to learn early so that you can understand the conversation when they talk about it.”
Those conversations among co-drivers Blomqvist, Simon Pagenaud and Colin Braun have been useful for the group, as they’ve adjusted to the nuances of a hybrid powertrain during the Roar Before The Rolex 24 last week.
“The biggest help has been all the drivers’ communication with each other, because everyone is learning,” Castroneves said. “So everyone is saying something that, ‘Oh, I didn’t pick up that from the engineer. I’m glad you said that.’
“So everyone has been very well communicative to make sure not only what you do when you’re driving, but when you give it to the next guy, making sure that the settings are also the same way so that nobody has any surprises.
“This feels very different than before, because of the lack of timing with this equipment. But, everybody’s been as open as they could be to make sure we know when we jump in, it has no surprise.”
Castroneves, 47, anchors the MSR group as the oldest driver in the lineup. Competing in open-wheel racing since the late 1990s, naturally doesn’t come with as much experience with the latest and greatest electric technology.
“We want to actually make sure that everybody at least knows what to do. I’m probably the worst one of them, because I’m the oldest,” Castroneves joked. “So I’m like, ‘OK guys, set up the car for me, I’ll jump in, and I’ll drive, OK?'”
Despite the lack of experience with a hybrid system, the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner is primed to find his rhythm when it’s time to maneuver around the 3.56-mile road course.
Last season, Castroneves anchored the final hour to secure the victory. Heading into Saturday, the two-time Rolex 24 overall winner expects the final push to be the same, with Blomqvist handing the reigns over to the Brazilian for the finish.
“I’m assuming it’s going to be Tom and myself just like last year, because of the seat position, and we don’t waste much time on the pit exchange,” Castroneves said.
“This time, I don’t think it’s going to be length on me, thinking about the race, but if it is, I’m ready. I feel this race is going to be if you have to push it, it’s toward the end.
“Hopefully, we won’t be worrying about that. Hopefully, we just be conservative enough that we can push even more, but the last half an hour is going to be very crucial.”
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