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| GTD cars face off at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Image Credit: IMSA Plus Gemini Reformation (2026) |
IMSA GT Drivers Preview Motul SportsCar Six-Hour Challenge At Road America
Ahead of the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix from Road America on Sunday, August 2, at 11:30 a.m. ET (broadcast on Peacock and IMSA YouTube), three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT drivers joined a Zoom press conference on July 27, 2026, to discuss their preparations and expectations for the six-hour race. Max Esterson of the No. 59 RLL Team McLaren McLaren 720S GT3 EVO (GTD PRO), Aaron Telitz of the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 (GTD), and Kenton Koch of the No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO (GTD) shared insights on strategy, car performance, the unique challenges of the longer format at the iconic Wisconsin circuit, and their personal connections to the track.
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| One of the younger drivers in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series, Max Esterson brings a wealth of international experience backed by open wheel and iRacing virtual experience.Image Credit: RLL Team McLaren (2026) |
Max Esterson of the No. 59 RLL Team McLaren McLaren 720S GT3 EVO opened the conference by sharing his unexpected path into professional racing. Growing up in New York City with limited access to karting, he progressed through high-level sim racing on iRacing before the COVID period allowed him to move to the United Kingdom, compete in Formula Ford—where he won the 2022 Formula Ford Festival as only the second American after Josef Newgarden—and advance into Formula 3 and Formula 2. With a clear Formula 1 path closed, he transitioned full-time to sports cars in 2026 for his debut WeatherTech Championship season in GTD PRO alongside Nikita Johnson. Esterson noted steady progress after an underprepared start at Daytona caused by a late program assembly and a TPMS issue, highlighting stronger performances from Sebring onward despite occasional mechanical problems and bad luck, such as a fuel shortfall that limited them to sixth at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park after a career-best second in qualifying.
Looking ahead to his first visit to Road America, Esterson explained that he had prepared extensively on iRacing and expected the high-speed, high-grip layout to suit the McLaren well, particularly after the team unlocked unexpected pace at Mosport. As one of only two drivers in the car for the six-hour race, he emphasized a more measured approach than in sprint events—avoiding early risks that could end a long race prematurely and focusing on positioning for the final one to two hours through fuel saving, short stops, or gap-building. He preferred longer formats overall because they keep drivers in contention regardless of qualifying or early setbacks, and he hoped for dry conditions given his lack of wet experience in a GT car, though years of racing in England had prepared him for rain if it arrived. Esterson also discussed the adjustment from single-seaters, where pace often dictates results rigidly, to IMSA’s emphasis on pit strategy, traffic management, and consistency, while expressing optimism that the team now possesses the pieces needed for stronger, more consistent results.
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| Champion icon for Vasser Sullivan and Lexus, Aaron Telitz expressed the desire to win at his home track. In this call, both Aaron and Kenton Koch revealed their shared connection with this Wisconsin held America's best road racing challenge. Image Credit IMSA ZOOM (2026) |
Aaron Telitz of the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 spoke with clear enthusiasm about returning to his home track of Road America, where he grew up racing karts and completed his first Skip Barber events. Currently second in the GTD championship standings and fresh off a Long Beach victory with Benjamin Pedersen plus a second-place finish at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, the veteran of 73 WeatherTech starts stressed a focused, race-by-race mindset rather than dwelling on the possibility of multiple championships in what may be the Lexus RC F GT3’s final year. Drawing on years of experience—including past near-misses—he described applying lessons about what works and what does not, maintaining the same clean, maximizing approach whether the car has outright speed or must recover from penalties or average days. For the first six-hour race at the circuit in his career, Telitz viewed it as still largely a sprint in IMSA terms, where track position remains critical throughout, though he anticipated fewer yellow flags and more green-flag running as teams prioritize reaching the finish.
Telitz identified tire management as a primary setup priority, noting that even after the relatively recent repave, Road America’s abrasive surface and rough curbs cause significant degradation over a stint, requiring a consistent car that preserves Michelin tire performance. He praised the unique atmosphere of the event—the passionate fans, the chance to see supporters in Telitz T-shirts, and the classic post-race gathering at Siebkens—calling it the most old-school sports-car experience on the calendar. On race length preferences, he singled out the 10-hour Petit Le Mans as ideal for its blend of strategy, endurance recovery potential, and sustained intensity. Regarding weather, the Upper Midwest native dismissed forecasts beyond a couple of days, predicting a typical Wisconsin mix of sunshine and possible thunderstorms, while expressing genuine enjoyment of wet racing for the added challenge, elevation-driven water pooling, and alternative lines available at Road America.
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| Kenton Koch approaches the Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO for a driver change in last year's class winning effort that will have additional challenges in store if this team looks to pull off a repeat performance. Inage Credit: Kenton Koch FB/META Timeline (2026) |
Kenton Koch of the No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO reflected on the special place Road America holds in his career, having raced there since 2011 and sharing early Skip Barber roots with Telitz. As the defending GTD winner from the previous year’s aggressive contest and now competing in a Michelin Endurance Cup-only program with Onofrio Triarsi and Robert Megennis, he expected a different complexion for the six-hour event. Koch noted that IMSA had drawn a firmer line against excessive aggression at the end of 2025 before easing slightly, resulting in controlled but still competitive racing that he considered fairer and more enjoyable than pure “track-outs.” He explained that the longer distance introduces greater strategic complexity—varying pit cycles, decisions on yellow-flag stops, and evolving driver roles between fuel-saving and full attack—while still feeling like an extended sprint compared with a true 10-hour endurance race.
Discussing the relatively new Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO package, Koch looked forward to his first true back-to-back comparison at the track, believing the car’s aero responsiveness, strong stopping power, and ability in short-duration corners would suit Road America well. Setup priorities centered on maintaining front-end sharpness over long runs to avoid understeer that particularly hurts the Ferrari’s lap times, alongside capitalizing on multi-class traffic opportunities created by prototype braking zones. He valued the team’s strong development culture and improving communication after a full year together, applying lessons from Watkins Glen’s high-grip characteristics. Koch enjoyed both sprint and endurance formats for the variety IMSA now offers with five of each, and like Telitz he welcomed potential rain for the extra driver input required and the chance for certain cars or drivers to shine. Overall, he expressed confidence and excitement about returning to a track he considers one of the calendar’s high points for its layout, fans, and atmosphere.
As the drivers concluded their remarks, a shared sense of anticipation emerged for the Motul SportsCar Endurance Grand Prix from Road America on Sunday, August 2, at 11:30 a.m. ET, available on Peacock and IMSA YouTube. Whether navigating the six-hour strategic nuances, managing tire wear on the demanding circuit, or embracing the event’s classic sports-car atmosphere, Esterson, Telitz, and Koch conveyed readiness to compete in what promises to be a compelling chapter of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
... notes from The EDJE
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