2025 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR

The 2025 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR was a sports car race held at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia, on August 24, 2025. It was the ninth round of the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship.

Background

Preview

International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) president John Doonan confirmed the race was part of the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA SCC) in March 2024.[1] It was the twelfth consecutive year the IMSA SCC hosted a race at Virginia International Raceway. The 2025 Michelin GT Challenge at VIR was the ninth of eleven scheduled sports car races of 2025 by IMSA.[1] The race was held at the seventeen-turn 3.270 mi (5.263 km) Virginia International Raceway on August 24, 2025.[1]

Standings before the race

Preceding the event, Antonio García and Alexander Sims led the GTD Pro Drivers' Championship with 2254 points, 30 points ahead of second-placed Albert Costa. Klaus Bachler and Laurin Heinrich sat in third, 97 points behind García and Sims.[2] Philip Ellis and Russell Ward led the GTD Drivers' Championship with 2147 points, 112 ahead of Jack Hawksworth and Parker Thompson. Casper Stevenson sat in third, a further five points behind.[2] Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and Winward Racing led their respective Teams' Championships, with Chevrolet and Mercedes-AMG leading their respective Manufacturers' Championships.[2]

Entry list

The entry list was published on August 13, 2025, and featured 23 entries – 10 in GTD Pro, and 13 in GTD.[3]

No. Entrant Car Driver 1 Driver 2
GTD Pro (GT Daytona Pro) (10 entries)
1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo Madison Snow Neil Verhagen
3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R Antonio García Alexander Sims
4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R Nicky Catsburg Tommy Milner
9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Andrea Caldarelli Marco Mapelli
14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 Ben Barnicoat Aaron Telitz
48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 Evo Dan Harper Max Hesse
64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3 Sebastian Priaulx Mike Rockenfeller
65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3 Christopher Mies Frédéric Vervisch
77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) Klaus Bachler Laurin Heinrich
81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3 Giacomo Altoè Albert Costa
GTD (GT Daytona) (13 entries)
021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 Kenton Koch Onofrio Triarsi
12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 Jack Hawksworth Parker Thompson
13 AWA Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R Matt Bell Orey Fidani
27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo Tom Gamble Casper Stevenson
34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Manny Franco Daniel Serra
36 DXDT Racing Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R Alec Udell Robert Wickens
45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Danny Formal Trent Hindman
57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Philip Ellis Russell Ward
66 Gradient Racing Ford Mustang GT3 Jenson Altzman Robert Megennis
70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Brendan Iribe Frederik Schandorff
78 Forte Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Mario Farnbacher Misha Goikhberg
96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 Evo Robby Foley Patrick Gallagher
120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) Adam Adelson Elliott Skeer
Source:[4][5]

Qualifying

Qualifying results

Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold and with ‡.

Pos. Class No. Entry Driver Time Gap Grid
1 GTD Pro 81 DragonSpeed Giacomo Altoè 1:44.433 1‡
2 GTD Pro 1 Paul Miller Racing Neil Verhagen 1:44.478 +0.045 2
3 GTD Pro 48 Paul Miller Racing Dan Harper 1:44.570 +0.137 3
4 GTD 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Jack Hawksworth 1:44.860 +0.427 11‡
5 GTD Pro 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Antonio García 1:44.886 +0.453 4
6 GTD Pro 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Nicky Catsburg 1:44.891 +0.458 5
7 GTD Pro 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Sebastian Priaulx 1:44.992 +0.559 6
8 GTD 57 Winward Racing Russell Ward 1:44.998 +0.565 12
9 GTD 021 Triarsi Competizione Onofrio Triarsi 1:44.999 +0.566 13
10 GTD Pro 77 AO Racing Klaus Bachler 1:45.126 +0.693 7
11 GTD 27 Heart of Racing Team Casper Stevenson 1:45.264 +0.831 14
12 GTD Pro 65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Frédéric Vervisch 1:45.327 +0.894 8
13 GTD 34 Conquest Racing Manny Franco 1:45.335 +0.902 15
14 GTD 96 Turner Motorsport Patrick Gallagher 1:45.355 +0.922 16
15 GTD 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Danny Formal 1:45.369 +0.936 17
16 GTD 36 DXDT Racing Alec Udell 1:45.453 +1.020 18
17 GTD Pro 9 Pfaff Motorsports Marco Mapelli 1:45.628 +1.195 9
18 GTD 78 Forte Racing Misha Goikhberg 1:45.770 +1.337 19
19 GTD Pro 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Aaron Telitz 1:45.922 +1.489 10
20 GTD 70 Inception Racing Brendan Iribe 1:46.004 +1.571 20
21 GTD 66 Gradient Racing Jenson Altzman 1:46.213 +1.780 21
22 GTD 120 Wright Motorsports Adam Adelson 1:46.376 +1.943 22
23 GTD 13 AWA Orey Fidani 1:46.814 +2.381 23
Source:[6][7]


Race

Post-race

The final results of GTD Pro allowed García and Sims to extend their advantage in the GTD Pro Drivers' Championship by 23 points over second-place finisher Costa.[8] Ellis and Ward's victory allowed them to extend their advantage GTD Drivers' Championship to 271 points as Stevenson took over second.[8] Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports and Winward Racing continued to top their respective Teams' Championships. Chevrolet and Mercedes-AMG continued to their Manufacturers' Championship with 2 rounds remaining in the season.[8]

Class winners are in bold and ‡.

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Laps Time/Retired
Engine
1 GTD Pro 3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Antonio García
Alexander Sims
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 81 2:40:22.059‡
Chevrolet LT6 5.5 L V8
2 GTD Pro 81 DragonSpeed Giacomo Altoè
Albert Costa
Ferrari 296 GT3 81 +1.070
Ferrari F163CE 3.0 L Turbo V6
3 GTD Pro 4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Nicky Catsburg
Tommy Milner
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 81 +5.036
Chevrolet LT6 5.5 L V8
4 GTD Pro 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Sebastian Priaulx
Mike Rockenfeller
Ford Mustang GT3 81 +5.446
Ford Coyote 5.4 L V8
5 GTD Pro 77 AO Racing Klaus Bachler
Laurin Heinrich
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 81 +10.123
Porsche M97/80 4.2 L Flat-6
6 GTD Pro 1 Paul Miller Racing Madison Snow
Neil Verhagen
BMW M4 GT3 Evo 81 +11.339
BMW P58 3.0 L Turbo I6
7 GTD Pro 65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Christopher Mies
Frédéric Vervisch
Ford Mustang GT3 81 +13.312
Ford Coyote 5.4 L V8
8 GTD Pro 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Ben Barnicoat
Aaron Telitz
Lexus RC F GT3 81 +19.560
Toyota 2UR-GSE 5.4 L V8
9 GTD Pro 9 Pfaff Motorsports Andrea Caldarelli
Marco Mapelli
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 81 +20.113
Lamborghini DGF 5.2 L V10
10 GTD 57 Winward Racing Philip Ellis
Russell Ward
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo 81 +21.292‡
Mercedes-Benz M159 6.2 L V8
11 GTD 021 Triarsi Competizione Kenton Koch
Onofrio Triarsi
Ferrari 296 GT3 81 +22.370
Ferrari F163CE 3.0 L Turbo V6
12 GTD 27 Heart of Racing Team Tom Gamble
Casper Stevenson
Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo 81 +23.903
Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8
13 GTD 96 Turner Motorsport Robby Foley
Patrick Gallagher
BMW M4 GT3 Evo 81 +25.708
BMW P58 3.0 L Turbo I6
14 GTD 66 Gradient Racing Jenson Altzman
Robert Megennis
Ford Mustang GT3 81 +28.092
Ford Coyote 5.4 L V8
15 GTD 34 Conquest Racing Manny Franco
Daniel Serra
Ferrari 296 GT3 81 +28.457
Ferrari F163CE 3.0 L Turbo V6
16 GTD 120 Wright Motorsports Adam Adelson
Elliott Skeer
Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) 81 +28.932
Porsche M97/80 4.2 L Flat-6
17 GTD 13 AWA Matt Bell
Orey Fidani
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 81 +31.423
Chevrolet LT6 5.5 L V8
18 GTD 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Jack Hawksworth
Parker Thompson
Lexus RC F GT3 81 +33.308
Toyota 2UR-GSE 5.4 L V8
19 GTD 36 DXDT Racing Alec Udell
Robert Wickens
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R 81 +33.485
Chevrolet LT6 5.5 L V8
20 GTD 70 Inception Racing Brendan Iribe
Frederik Schandorff
Ferrari 296 GT3 81 +40.859
Ferrari F163CE 3.0 L Turbo V6
21 GTD 78 Forte Racing Mario Farnbacher
Misha Goikhberg
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 81 +48.983
Lamborghini DGF 5.2 L V10
22
DNF
GTD 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Danny Formal
Trent Hindman
Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 61 Fire
Lamborghini DGF 5.2 L V10
23
DNF
GTD Pro 48 Paul Miller Racing Dan Harper
Max Hesse
BMW M4 GT3 Evo 53 Engine
BMW P58 3.0 L Turbo I6
Source:[9]

Standings after the race

Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.

Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.

Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.

References

  1. ^ a b c O'Connell, RJ; Kilbey, Stephen (March 15, 2024). "IMSA Announces 2025 Calendar". Dailysportscar. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – Road America After Race – Championship Points Standings (Official)" (PDF). IMSA Alkamel. Alkamel Systems. August 8, 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  3. ^ "Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – Pre-Event Entry List" (PDF). IMSA. August 13, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  4. ^ Dagys, John (August 13, 2025). "23 Entries for Michelin GT Challenge at VIR". Sportscar365. John Dagys Media. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  5. ^ O'Connell, RJ (August 13, 2025). "23 Entries For VIR GT Challenge". Dailysportscar. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  6. ^ "Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – Qualifying Results" (PDF). IMSA Alkamel. Alkamel Systems. August 23, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  7. ^ "Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – Race Official Starting Grid" (PDF). IMSA Alkamel. Alkamel Systems. August 24, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – VIR After Race – Championship Points Standings (Official)" (PDF). imsa.results.alkamelcloud.com. Alkamel Systems. August 29, 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 1, 2025. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  9. ^ "Michelin GT Challenge at VIR – Race Provisional Results (2 Hours 40 Minutes)" (PDF). IMSA Alkamel. Alkamel Systems. August 24, 2025. Retrieved August 28, 2025.