Pfaff joins McLaren for the 2024 IMSA GTD PRO campaign

Pfaff Motorsports will become manufacturer McLaren’s nominated GTD PRO class entrant in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship after switching from Porsche to fielding the 720S GT3 Evo. The entry will mark McLaren’s first foray into GTD PRO, with activations planned at future events to increase the brand’s exposure and reaffirm its commitment to the IMSA platform.

The Canadian team has won championships in IMSA competition over the past three years, winning the 2021 GTD title with Zacharie Robichon and Laurens Vanthoor and the inaugural GTD PRO title last season with Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet. The Toronto-based team has been associated with Porsche since its start in IMSA competition in 2019, but Pfaff also has a long history with the McLaren brand.

Pfaff Automotive Partners is the official importer of McLaren in Canada and owns and operates McLaren retail locations in Toronto and Vancouver. The company co-created two special editions for Canada with McLaren Special Operations and also won the McLaren Retailer of the Year award. Lithia Motors Inc., parent company of Pfaff dealerships and title partner of Driveway.com, also has a global footprint with the brand and owns several McLaren retail locations in the U.S. and UK.

“Pfaff has proudly represented McLaren in Canada since 2012; our partnership with the brand has included road and track vehicles for many years,” said Chris Pfaff, president and CEO of Pfaff Automotive Partners. “The adoption of the 720S GT3 Evo platform for the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship demonstrates our confidence in McLaren as a company, racing partner and retail partner. We are excited about the future of the McLaren brand and excited to be part of building that future with them.”

When it comes to competition, Pfaff and McLaren are no strangers to success on the track. McLaren Toronto CEO Chris Green drove the 570S GT4 in the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series, and Pfaff Motorsports also used the 570S GT4 to win the 2022 FEL Sports Car Championship GT4 class in Canada in 2022 with Zachary Vanier .

“We are delighted to have Pfaff Motorsports as one of our racing partners,” said Ian Morgan, Director of Motorsport at McLaren Automotive. “The IMSA Series is one of the most prestigious GT championships in the world, and to be working with a team with whom we have a strong and established history, both on and off the racetrack, is fantastic news. We look forward to supporting the team in the GTD Pro campaign and building strong relationships, as well as the McLaren brand in North America.”

In recent years, McLaren was represented in the WeatherTech Championship by Inception Racing, which competed in the 720S GT3 in GTD. Crucial Motorsports also raced the GTD class 720S GT3 in several events. Motorsports In Action runs the Artura GT4 in the Michelin Pilot Challenge. However, Pfaff’s single-car effort in GTD PRO takes the supercar manufacturer to a new level in IMSA competition.

“Pfaff Motorsports is proud to partner with McLaren in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting in 2024, and we want this latest chapter in McLaren’s iconic racing history to be an exciting one,” said Steve Bortolotti, CEO of Pfaff Motorsports. “We look forward to expanding their presence at IMSA events next season and sharing the excitement of sports car racing with their passionate road car enthusiasts at the track and in their retail stores.”

Driver names will be announced at a later date, but a McLaren works driver is expected to be on the list. Pfaff expects to receive the 720S GT3 Evo some time after the December homologation test, but enough time to conduct some testing before the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona in January.

Pfaff is looking to end the 2023 season and his partnership with Porsche by securing second place in the GTD PRO Championship at this weekend’s Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.