Yahoo Autos WTRAndretti adds GTD program with Lamborghini for Marcelli and Formal
Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTRAndretti) has been one of the top teams in Lamborghini Super Trofeo for several years, and the driver pairing responsible for much of that success is looking for their next success with the team as its joins forces with Automobili Lamborghini for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) category.
Longtime WTRAndretti drivers and reigning Lamborghini Super Trofeo PRO Champions Kyle Marcelli and Danny Formal will pilot the No. 45 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 for the 2024 season in the GTD class.
“We’re really excited that Lamborghini has come to us and regarded us as a team that is worthy of a factory program,” said team principal Wayne Taylor.
“Danny Formal and Kyle Marcelli will be doing the full season. We’ve got a long history with Lamborghini with us running four cars a year in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo series, so there’s a great relationship already built. Like I always said, everything to do with success in motorsport is to be able to have people you can communicate with and build relationships with, so very excited about that with Lamborghini.”
Coming off a second consecutive PRO class championship in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America series, Marcelli is ready to bring his experience and expertise for his first full season in the WeatherTech Championship since 2018. In 2023, the Canadian-driver pulled double duty while racing in the GTD class for the Michelin Endurance Cup events, co-piloting the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 with Formal and Ashton Harrison – even earning GTD pole for the Twelve Hours of Sebring. Marcelli, a multi-time sports car champion, also has accolades in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, SRO GT World Challenge America, European Le Mans series and more.
“I couldn’t be more excited to make my full-time return to the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship with WTRAndretti,” Marcelli said. “It has been three years in the making, first taking an opportunity with WTR to drive the Lamborghini Super Trofeo in the PRO Class in 2021, then winning back-to-back Championships in 2022 and 2023.
“It has always been the long-term plan in-house to be back at the top level of the sport. I know the team has been working so hard to put this together and we are just thrilled that it is happening. I couldn’t be prouder to be doing it with Lamborghini. It just seems like an obvious and seamless fit for the team and us. To continue to share the cockpit with Danny, we have developed a great relationship on and off the track. We complement each other very well and in different ways. Excited for the coming season. We will make the most of it.”
As co-driver pairing with his Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America teammate Marcelli, Formal joins as the other half of the partnership as they look to continue their success in a new series. Formal first joined WTRAndretti in 2021, and he and Marcelli have broken records en route to their two Super Trofeo titles. Formal also gained experience in the competitive GTD field as an endurance co-driver in the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 in 2023. Prior to his sports car experience, the Costa Rican driver worked his way up through the karting ranks, earning many championship titles along the way.
“What can I say? 2024. My dream come true!” said Formal. “My first full season, endurance, and sprint championship, in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar GTD Championship with WTRAndretti and Lamborghini Squadra Corse. My dream come true. So thankful for the opportunity to share the car with my brother, Kyle Marcelli in our fourth year together. We have been pushing each other so hard these past four years. We have two Lamborghini Super Trofeo PRO Championships. Just grateful, thankful, excited, and looking forward to starting the 2024 season with a bang at Daytona and try to get a couple wins this season and hopefully a championship.”
Since 2015, WTRAndretti has seen great success with Lamborghini, taking home nine Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Championship titles, back-to- back championships in the PRO Class Championships and a Lamborghini Grand Finals title. The team plans to continue to field four to six Lamborghini Super Trofeos in all four classes in 2024 in addition to the GTD program.
“We are particularly proud to start the GTD program with WTRAndretti, we are cooperating with success with Wayne’s team since few years in our Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America, supporting talent drivers like Danny and Kyle in their career, so we are very excited to have these drivers in our Huracán GT3 EVO 2 starting from Daytona,” said Giorgio Sanna, Head of Motorsport for Automobili Lamborghini.
The 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season kicks off with the annual three days of Roar Before the 24 testing, Jan. 19 – 21, 2024, followed by the endurance classic, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Jan. 25-28, 2024. NBC and Peacock, along with IMSA.TV, will provide flag-to-flag coverage of the race on its family of networks.
