- Endurance classic traditionally marks the season opener of the American sports car series
- Five Customer Racing Teams form the AMG line-up in the GTD Pro and GTD classes
- Philip Ellis: “Of course, the aim is to start with a win at Daytona and to defend the title.”
The 63rd edition of the Rolex 24 At Daytona will take place from 23 to 26 January. The endurance race at the Daytona International Speedway in the US state of Florida is the opening of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. For Mercedes-AMG, this marks the start of the title defence mission. The performance and sports car brand from Affalterbach won all six titles in GTD class contested in the 2024 IMSA series and therefore goes into the new season as the reigning champion. The foundation for this triumph was laid at last year’s 24-hour race in Daytona with a GTD victory.
The first test sessions in the run-up to the endurance classic took place last weekend at the Roar Before The Rolex 24. The weather conditions were very changeable throughout the weekend. This led to delays and shortened sessions on Sunday. The Mercedes-AMG teams primarily used the test runs to optimise the torque sensors on the drive shafts – which have been mandatory in the IMSA series since this season.
A total of 61 cars have been entered for this year’s edition in the GTP, LMP2, GTD Pro and GTD classes. Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing is represented by a powerful line-up of five teams, each fielding one Mercedes-AMG GT3, and 20 drivers in the GTD Pro and GTD classes. Team GetSpeed and 75 Express will be competing in the GTD Pro class, while Lone Star Racing, Korthoff Competition Motors and Winward Racing in the GTD class. The starting positions for the 24-hour race will be determined in qualifying next Thursday.
Line-up Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams, Rolex 24 At Daytona 2025
| No. | Team | Driver | Class |
| 32 | Korthoff Competition Motors | Maximilian Götz (GER)Kenton Koch (USA)Seth Lucas (USA)Daniel Morad (CAN) | GTD |
| 57 | Winward Racing | Lucas Auer (AUT)Indy Dontje (NED)Philip Ellis (SUI)Russell Ward (USA) | GTD |
| 69 | GetSpeed | Anthony Bartone (USA)Maxime Martin (BEL)Fabian Schiller (GER)Luca Stolz (GER) | GTD Pro |
| 75 | 75 Express | Maro Engel (GER)Jules Gounon (AND)Mikaël Grenier (CAN)Kenny Habul (AUS) | GTD Pro |
| 80 | Lone Star Racing | Scott Andrews (AUS)Ralf Aron (EST)Dan Knox (USA)Eric Filgueiras (USA) | GTD |
GTD Pro class: Two Mercedes-AMG GT3
Team GetSpeed will start the race with American Anthony Bartone and AMG Performance Drivers Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz in car number #69. Belgian Maxime Martin, who has been racing for AMG since January, will drive at Daytona a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the first time.
Team owner Kenny Habul and Performance Drivers Maro Engel, Jules Gounon and Mikaël Grenier will share the cockpit of the #75 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Australian Team 75 Express. Maro Engel and Jules Gounon were part of the GTD Pro winning team in 2023.
GTD class: Three Mercedes-AMG GT3
Winward Racing will line up with AMG Performance Drivers Lucas Auer and Philip Ellis as well as Indy Dontje and Russell Ward – Dontje, Ellis and Ward were also part of the line-up for the GTD victories in 2021 and 2024. The German-Texan team has its sights set on defending the title with the #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The two Performance Drivers Maximilian Götz and Daniel Morad will line up for Korthoff Competition Motors. Kenton Koch and Seth Lucas complete the line-up of the #32. Götz and Koch have also being part of the squad last year. The team saw the chequered flag in fifth position.
Scott Andrews, Dan Knox and Eric Filgueiras will be joined this year by AMG Performance Driver Ralf Aron in the #80 Mercedes-AMG GT3 from Lone Star Racing. The 26-year-old is competing in a race at Daytona for the first time, but already tested with the team at Daytona International Speedway in December. The team made its debut at the 2024 Rolex 24 At Daytona and finished the race in place eight.
Figures, Data, Facts
| Opening Daytona International Speedway: 1959 |
| Length of Daytona International Speedway: 5.729 kilometres (24-hour race layout) |
| Number of corners: 12, including the sections of the famous Daytona oval with banked turns of up to 31 degrees |
| Premiere of the 24 Hours of Daytona: 1962 (2025: 63rd edition) |
| Qualifying: Thursday, 23 January 2025, 14:10 – 15:40 MEZ (20:10 – 21:40 local time) |
| Rolex 24 At Daytona race start: Saturday, 25 January 2025, 19:40 CET (13:40 local time) |
| Race participations Rolex 24 At Daytona Mercedes-AMG: 8 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) |
| Class victories Rolex 24 At Daytona Mercedes-AMG GT3: 3 – 2021: Indy Dontje, Maro Engel, Philip Ellis, Russell Ward (GTD) – 2023: Maro Engel, Jules Gounon, Daniel Juncadella, Cooper MacNeil (GTD Pro) – 2024: Indy Dontje, Philip Ellis, Daniel Morad, Russell Ward (GTD) |
| Mercedes-AMG secured all six GTD championships of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2024 – GTD Drivers’ Championship (Philip Ellis, Russell Ward) – GTD team classification (Winward Racing) – GTD Manufacturers’ Championship (Mercedes-AMG) – GTD Drivers’ Championship IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (Indy Dontje, Philip Ellis, Russell Ward) – GTD team classification IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (Winward Racing) – GTD manufacturers’ classification IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup (Mercedes-AMG) |
| IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup: Competition consisting of five endurance races of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, points are awarded after 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours |
| In addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (GT4 category) also kicks off the new season in Daytona |
| IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge: Winward Racing starts with a Mercedes-AMG GT4 (Daniel Morad/Bryce Ward) |
“As expected, the Roar weekend was very intensive. In the area of torque sensors, we had to solve a communication problem with individual control units at short notice. Compared to the manufacturers who started in the FIA WEC in 2024, we lack experience in dealing with the new sensors. As a result, I don’t initially see us as favourites despite our victory last year. However, as I can rely on the strengths of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 and the professionalism of our teams, I am very confident.”
Stefan Wendl, Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing
“Everyone has worked really hard to get the new system up and running. It’s quite a change compared to what we’ve been driving so far. But the balance of the car is pretty good. Most of the teams have raced here in recent years, the tyres are the same and the track feels very consistent, so it’s really just about getting the car’s performance on track in the race.”
Daniel Morad, Korthoff Competition Motors #32
“We had a fantastic 2024 season with Winward Racing and it will be difficult to top what we have achieved. As a team, we are approaching this very realistically, but also extremely motivated. Of course, the aim is to start with a win at Daytona and to defend the title. The fact that Indy, Russell and I are once again part of the line-up, supported this time by Luggi, is certainly an advantage as we have the same understanding and trust each other.”
Philip Ellis, Winward Racing #57
“It`s quite nice to be able to drive the Mercedes-AMG GT3 finally for the first time and I am looking forward to the race. I already feel that the base and the pace of the car is really good. There is still a lot do to till the weekend, but even with the experience of Mercedes-AMG and team GetSpeed I am pretty sure that we will have a competitive package for the race. My biggest challenge is to adapt perfectly to the new environment. But I know Daytona well, which is certainly an advantage.”
Maxime Martin, Team GetSpeed #69
“The 24-hour race is an absolute highlight on the motorsport calendar. The atmosphere, the track layout, the field of drivers, the duels, the restarts – all of this is unique. I have a strong, competitive line-up at Team 75 Express. We did some very good groundwork at the Roar, first and foremost to gain valuable experience with the torque sensors. We will only see what the relative strength actually is in the race.”
Maro Engel, Team 75 Express #75
“It is my first time racing in Daytona and I can`t wait for it. It was super cool to see so many fans already during the Roar. The weather has been challenging so far, but the race week looks to be dry. Team Lone Star Racing has a very quick Mercedes-AMG GT3 and obviously the expectations are pretty high. It is important to approach the race step by step. We have to make sure that we are in a good position to fight for victory right to the end.”
Ralf Aron, Lone Star Racing #80
