Daytona, FL, January 24, 2022 // Pfaff Motorsports came away from the 2022 ROAR before the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona pre-season event with plenty of positives. The team is set to start next week’s season opener – and the series’ biggest event – in second position.
The new all-pro Porsche factory driver lineup of Matt Campbell (AUS), Mathieu Jaminet (FRA), and two-time prototype-class champion Felipe Nasr (BRA) gelled with the team and its Motul-sponsored Porsche 911 GT3 R to close out preseason testing amongst the top in class.
“It was a great experience to jump into the GT3 R and get my first taste [of GT cars] in the qualifying race,” Nasr said. “I have to say that Jaminet did a great job to put the car into the lead and show the pace and potential the number nine has to be up front.
“I got my first opportunity to do a driver change and get the full experience of what I can expect in the race. I want to thank the team for giving me the time and [assistance] to learn all the procedures I needed. It was all about keeping the car on the track and learning as much as I could about racecraft, being around other GT cars, and how the traffic works. I have to check my mirrors way more often. Finishing second, it’s a great starting point for 24. Now I can digest all of this information and come back even better next week.”
For general manager Steve Bortolotti, the trio’s success comes as no surprise, though the performance gives the team added confidence heading into the toughest race of the season.“It was great to bring all three drivers together this weekend – obviously each has had a great deal of success individually, but to bring them together was exciting for all of us,” he said. “We couldn’t’ be happier with their performance throughout the weekend. We went through a number of scenarios with each driver to better prepare us for the 24, and each did an outstanding job.”
Jaminet shared driving duties with Nasr for Sunday’s 100-minute Rolex qualifying race, and the two-time Daytona podium finisher was impressed with the former F1 driver’s ability to acclimatize to the GT car in such a short period of time.
“It’s been a very smooth weekend with no hiccups,” the Frenchman said. “Felipe got well integrated with [Campbell] and myself, so that’s a very good point to start from. For myself, entering into a new team, it has worked very well. All the setup changes were very positive and we have a lot to build upon and carry into next week, so we’re definitely feeling ready for the 24.”
The 2022 IMSA season kicks off this week with practice one on Thursday, January 27 at 11:05 am ET. The 60th running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona goes green on Saturday, January 29 at 1:40 pm. Viewers can catch all the action live, starting at 1:30 pm on NBC in North America. For additional broadcast details, please visit IMSA.com/internationalcoverage (subscriptions may apply).
Stay tuned for further announcements from Pfaff Motorsports. For more exciting news and behind-the-scenes content, follow @PfaffMotorsports, @Pfaff_Porsche, @Porsche_Markham, and @PfaffAuto on Instagram and Facebook.