Pfaff Motorsports captures first podium with driveway.com McLaren 720S GT3 Evo
May 13, 2024
Monterey, CA, May 13, 2024 – It was a statement weekend for Pfaff Motorsports at the Motul Course de Monterey at Laguna Seca this weekend. The Canadian sportscar team has been particularly fond of the famed California circuit, and round three of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – the first sprint race – was no exception. The weekend marked the team’s first podium of the season in its new driveway.com McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, which wore a legendary red-and-white homage livery for Motul USA at its title-sponsored race.
The team entered the weekend determined to return to the roots that brought it two IMSA GTD championships in the past three years – focusing on the camaraderie and expertise of its crew members, and on flawless execution.
Drivers Oliver Jarvis (UK) and Marvin Kirchhöfer (GER) returned to the cockpit for the first time since the team’s difficult outing in round two at the 12 Hours of Sebring, where Pfaff Motorsports suffered two issues that effectively ended any hopes of a podium.
Determined to show the true potential of the McLaren in Saturday’s qualifying, Kirchhöfer drove the 720S GT3 Evo to a strong 1:20.244 lap – good for third position ahead of Sunday’s race.
Starting behind the pair of factory Corvettes for the two-hour 40-minute sprint, Kirchhöfer held a steady chase from the wave of the green flag, jumping past the no. 4 car during the first round of pit stops, before handing the driveway.com McLaren to Jarvis, who took the lead during an opportune yellow flag on lap 45 of 111.
From there the Brit entered into a duel on strategy with the no. 77 AO Porsche; the cars traded the top spot into the second round of pit stops, where Kirchhöfer took over chasing the 77 car, sandwiched in a battle with a surging no. 3 Corvette that would go down to the wire.
At the finish, the driveway.com McLaren held on for second place, and scored its first podium of the season - the team taking the result as a positive step in the right direction given their expectations for the weekend.
The result puts the team seventh in the GTD PRO standings and within the championship hunt with seven rounds remaining.
“This is a huge result for us,” Kirchhöfer said. To take the podium, to spray some champagne is so deserved for all the work this team has put into the new car this season. Sebring was so out of our control and a huge disappointment for all of us, so to have a weekend like this where everything came together and we had a car that could fight at a track that is usually a Porsche track, it’s a huge pat on the back for everyone involved and something we can take into the next race.”
“P2 in Laguna was a fantastic result for the team and a small reward for the incredible amount of hard work they've put in,” said Jarvis. “Since receiving the car just before December, it's been a tough start to the season, but it’s been nice to get on the podium. It sets us up very nicely moving forward. So, a huge thanks to the team - they did an incredible job and we’re looking forward to fighting for more podiums and wins as this season goes on.”
General manager Steve Bortolotti added: “It felt great to get the monkey off our back here at Laguna. I felt like this was brewing since Sebring. I thought we bought a really great package to that race, but unfortunately it was over before it started. Here, we put a proper weekend together - we were fast through practice, made good gains on the car and I couldn't be more proud of the entire Pfaff Motorsports team for executing a great race and getting us a well-deserved podium finish. It feels great to kick off the summer swing with a solid result and we’re looking forward to getting after it next in Detroit.”
Pfaff Motorsports returns to the track at the Detroit Grand Prix city circuit, happening May 29 to June 1. For event information stay tuned to Pfaff Motorsports web and social media pages, and IMSA.com.
For further news, announcements and behind-the-scenes content regarding Pfaff Motorsports and the 2024 IMSA Weathertech season, follow @PfaffMotorsports on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and @PfaffMotorsport on X (twitter).
About Pfaff Motorsports
Pfaff Motorsports has established itself as one of the most successful sportscar racing programs in North America over the past decade. A professional team in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), it has established long-term partnerships with premium brands such as Lithia & Driveway, Motul, and the Automotive Owned Brands of Canadian Tire Corporation, and is one of the top-performing teams in the sport.
Pfaff Motorsports’ competition résumé includes historic victories and championships across multiple series. Since joining the top-tier IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2019, the team has won the prestigious 24 Hours of Daytona and twice at the 12 Hours of Sebring, in addition to being crowned the 2022 WeatherTech Championship GTD Pro class and 2021 GTD class champions. It has also won the 2018 GT World Challenge America championship and is a three-time Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada champion. For more information, please visit www.pfaffmotorsports.com.
Contact: Jordan Lenssen // info@pfaffmotorsports.com