Strakka switches from FIA WEC to Blancpain GT

After so many years dedicated to prototype racing, Strakka Racing is going back to the GTs after an already cut short season in the FIA World Endurance Championship, now shifting its activities to the Blancpain GT Series and becoming a partner of McLaren GT in the process.

And the program that is replacing the current Gibson 015S isn’t modest, with at least four models of the McLaren 650S GT3 to be entered in both Sprint Cup and Endurance Cup, with the aim of defending the titles to the McLaren side which were conquered by Garage 59 this year, and also promoting a new opportunity to prepare young drivers in a competitive scenario, being them from the McLaren GT Academy Driver pool and of Strakka’s list.

Three of these four entries are expected to be Pro Cup entries which would mix these young drivers with some experienced names still to be announced, with team owner Nick Leventis expcted to be driving, and according to Strakka team principal Dan Walmsley they will be there not only for performance purposes, but also as the benchmark for the young racers.

Along with the fact that the current LMP2 program in FIA WEC came to an end after engine issues and as their Gibson machine would be ruled out with the new LMP2 regulations to come next year, Walmsley mentioned that the purposed LMP1-L regulations, in which Strakka Racing had an interest in joining, simply came too late to give the possibility to start the project to bring a new car for the next FIA WEC season. But it’s not like the British team is completely ruling out a return to the worldwide competition, as the team expects to return and maybe even cooperate with McLaren if they have interest, as the manufacturer is often rumored as a future LMGTE player.

Three cars are already in Strakka’s headquarters with the fourth car to come, and tests will start in the coming weeks.

PHOTOS: Strakka Racing, McLaren GT