Mercedes-AMG GT3
America's endurance racing series is about
to get a new challenger on its hands in the form of the Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The German automaker has announced a partnership
with Riley Motorsports that will see two of the GT racers fielded in the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: one to run under the name AMG-Team Riley
Motorsports, and another by WeatherTech Racing – supported by the series' title
sponsor. But those won't be the only examples of the Silver Star racer competing.
SunEnergy1 Racing is set to campaign a third AMG
GT3, with the Mercedes-AMG Customer Sports Program set to add additional client
teams before the start of the next season at Daytona in January. They'll be
able to count on factory support not from across the ocean, but from a
“specifically established technology and logistics center in Mooresville, North
Carolina, which ensures a fast and reliable supply of parts and service for all
teams in racing in North America.”
Based on the road-going AMG GT, the GT3
racing version ditches the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 in favor of the previous SLS
AMG GT3's 6.3-liter atmospheric V8. It'll
have some stiff competition on its hands, however, in the GTD class of the IMSA
series, including the Audi R8 LMS, Porsche 911 GT3 R, Lamborghini Huracan GT3,
Ferrari 488 GT3, and Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
