Drivers Taylor, Albuquerque, & Rossi Share Road Atlanta Testing Thoughts In Advance Of IMSA Season Finale

The EDJE captures a rare photographic self-portrait in the reflection of the season points prototype class leader in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The season finale will add NTT INDYCAR SERIES Andretti Autosport INDY500 winning driver Alexander Rossi to the driver line-up for the 10-Hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

Drivers Taylor, Albuquerque, & Rossi Share Road Atlanta Testing Thoughts In Advance Of IMSA Season Finale

A rare glimpse was given into the thoughts of the drivers of the IMSA season championship points leading Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi - which is to be piloted at Road Atlanta by Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, and Alexander Rossi (who is added to fill out the driver team for the endurance of the season finale  10 hour race). 

The drivers participated in a ZOOM Call from the team's transporter located at Road Atlanta during their vital road testing sessions to have the car be set up just right for the demands of the November 10th-13th 2021 IMSA WeatherTech season finale 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta - Braselton, GA.

The EDJE was able to ask INDY500 winning driver Alexander Rossi what he sees as his key points of transition going from driving NTT INDYCARs all season to then jump into these DPi sportscars? Question starts at 10:34 in the above IMSA ZOOM Call video file

Heading into the season finale at Road Atlanta in mid-November, the penultimate race result, held at the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach, ensures that Wayne Taylor Racing's No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 maintains their lead in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a total of 3,071 points and a 19-point lead of their closest rivals.

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 finished fourth in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Heading into the season finale at Road Atlanta in mid-November, the result ensures that they maintain their lead in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a total of 3,071 points and a 19-point lead of their closest rivals.

Filipe Albuquerque was aggressive but calculated at the start, passing a pair of Cadillacs and entered the Turn 2 fountain section side-by-side with second place. He filtered out in third and concluded his stint in fourth position with one hour remaining.

The team executed a one-stop strategy for the 100-minute sprint, with Ricky Taylor taking the wheel for the second stint. Taylor was fast and consistent, bringing the blue and black Konica Minolta machine home in fourth.

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team will conclude the 2021 season in November at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta for the prestigious Motul Petit Le Mans. Alexander Rossi will join full-time co-drivers, Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque for the ten-hour endurance event in hopes of mirroring the start of the season with another victory to clinch the 2021 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. 

“We got the result that we expected today,” reflected Ricky Taylor. “The Cadillacs were clearly fastest this weekend. We finished the best of the rest. Filipe made a fantastic start, and because he did, we weren’t in a position to take a huge risk on the strategy, which ultimately wouldn’t have paid off, so the guys did their thing. We had a good stop, and everyone executed well. We came home with a fourth place at Acura’s home race. It’s nice to get some points and a clean race, but it’s a shame we can’t be on the podium at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.”

“I’m happy with our performance,” said Filipe Albuquerque. “I think Ricky, myself, Wayne Taylor and the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 team maximized our Acura around Long Beach. Obviously, we would have liked a podium or finish ahead of the No. 31, but they were simply too quick. The margin is very small so it’s all about who wins at Motul Petit Le Mans in a month’s time. Let’s see how it goes. Still leading the championship, that’s what matters.”

“Coming in, we knew this was going to be a tough race for us,” said team owner Wayne Taylor. “From the off, it was all three Cadillacs first, second and third. We said, if the No. 31 wins, we have to be fourth to keep the championship lead and we’ve done that. We head to Motul Petit Le Mans where we’ll be on a more even keel, I think.”

Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta is back to promoting the Motul Petit Le Mans in-market with a Kick Off Party held at the Suwanee Town Center! Those who attend will have the opportunity to participate and witness a driver Q&A as well as a driver autograph session in advance of the race itself.

Motul Petit Le Mans Kick Off Party

Tuesday, Nov 9 - 6pm-8pm - Suwanee Town Center 

Driver Q&A - 6:30pm followed by Autographs - 7:00pm.

The No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 2021 competes for the championship at the deciding Motul Petit Le Mans - Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on November 11-13. Practice begins on Thursday at 9:20 a.m. ET. Green flag will wave on Saturday, November 13 at 10:10 a.m. ET with complete 10-hour race coverage on TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, Alexander Rossi, Motul Petit Le Mans, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, ZOOM Call, The EDJE