The third race on the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship schedule is a sprint race that will last for 1 hour and 40 minutes, making it the shortest race on the calendar. There will be a total of 27 entries, with 10 GTPs and 17 GTDs, providing a contrast to the endurance race that was the 12 Hours of Sebring last month. The Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place on a narrow street circuit that requires drivers to optimize their lap times, maintain a consistent race pace, and avoid any contact with the walls.
One notable characteristic of the Long Beach circuit is its narrowness, which only allows for two classes and has limited run-off areas. This means that there is little room for error, even without the GTD Pro class. Last year, there was drama at the first corner when Nick Yeloly’s #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 collided with Tom Blomqvist’s #60 Meyer Shank Acura ARX-06, involving Chip Ganassi’s Sebastien Bourdais as well. With such limited space, a similar incident could easily occur again. Therefore, the main objective for drivers and teams will be to finish the race without any damage that could affect their performance.
Managing traffic will be crucial, especially when the GTPs catch up to the GTDs. This could either hold back or benefit the GTPs, so patience will be key. Penalties could also play a decisive role in the race, as a drive-through penalty for a pit lane speeding offense, for example, could halt a team’s chances of winning. Unlike the longest races on the calendar, the Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours, there will be little time to catch up and make up ground.
While tire management and fuel saving are still important in this race, they are not the determining factors for victory. Despite being only the third round of the championship, this race holds significance for the championship contenders so far. The top of the GTP standings is currently tied between the #7 Porsche Penske and the #40 WTRAndretti teams, both with 706 points. The #7 team, with drivers Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr, took the lead after winning at Daytona and finishing third at Sebring. Meanwhile, the #40 team, with Jordan Taylor and Louis Deletraz, has a strong lineup and showed promising performance at Sebring.
The Long Beach circuit presents a contrast to the high-speed bumps of Sebring, which could favor Acura over Cadillac. BMW, who secured their first podium last year, will also be in contention for a podium finish with their M Hybrid V8 package. In the GTD class, the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 is currently leading with 725 points after winning two consecutive races. However, with seven more cars in the GTD class compared to GTP, it is difficult to predict the winner in this highly competitive atmosphere. With a mix of Bronze, Silver, and Gold-graded drivers, the race will require the skills and strategy of all participants.
With only one scheduled pitstop, the pressure will be on the teams’ strategy and pit crews to execute flawlessly.