Tower Motorsport has confirmed it will return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the full season with its No. 8 ORECA in the LMP2 class, beginning with this month’s Rolex 24 at Daytona. Team principal John Farano and 2021 European Le Mans Series champion Louis Deletraz will run the full season and be joined by 2021 ELMS champ Rui Andrade for the four endurance races. Ferdinand Habsburg, 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, be the team’s fourth driver for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
Tower Motorsports took the LMP2 victory at Petit Le Mans last year, defending the team’s win at the same event in 2020. The team finished third in the class standings.
The 2022 season will mark Tower Motorsport’s third year in IMSA . Sponsored primarily by Tower Events and Tower Scaffold Services, the No. 8 ORECA will again sport its signature orange and white colors, with a black base to replace the previous year’s purple livery.
“I am very excited to be racing alongside Louis for the full 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and thrilled to have Rui join us for the full Michelin Endurance Cup Championship, and having Ferdinand anchoring the team for the 24,” said Farano. “I have already had the pleasure of testing at Daytona with these amazing drivers who immediately put their speed and talents on display. I am very much looking forward to another great season with Rick Capone (Capone Motorsports) leading our technical crew and our amazing engineering group led by Matthieu Leroy.”
Having raced primarily in single-seaters, 24-year-old Deletraz earned a name for himself climbing up to compete in Formula 2 and spending two years as a Formula 1 reserve driver with Haas F1 Team. In 2015, he became the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup champion, and in 2021, he earned top honors again with Team WRT in the ELMS.
“I’m delighted to join Tower Motorsport for the full 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” said Deletraz. Together with John, Rui and Ferdinand I think we have a super-competitive line-up. The 2022 preparation has already started with some testing at Daytona, we all have the same goals and motivation of having a successful 2022 season. The off-season preparation has already started to be ready for Rolex 24 At Daytona at the end of January where we aim to start strong!”
Andrade, the 2021 ELMS LMP2 Pro-Am champion began his racing career karting at age 12 and made his single-seater debut in 2018. The 2021 season marked his first-time racing in LMP2, claiming top honors in the ELMS and third place in the Asian Le Mans Series championship.
“I’m extremely happy with the opportunity to join John, Louis, and Ferdinand in the Rolex 24 At Daytona,” said Andrade. “It’s one of the world’s most prestigious motor races and having spent most of my childhood in America, I feel very privileged to be able to return to do what I love the most. I know Tower is an incredible team and have already had the chance to test with them and get to meet everyone has only made me more excited with what’s to come.”
The 24-year-old Habsburg has had great success in sports car racing, winning the FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Asian Le Mans Series title, all in 2021.
“Racing in America is something else,” said Habsburg. “I have raced all around the world, but nothing comes close to the atmosphere in Daytona on race day. It just drags you in and makes you want to go back again and again. I am really looking forward to sharing a car with my fellow Bullet Rui, REMUS Ambassador Louis, and Tower Motorsport stalwart John Farano. My goal is quite clear: I missed out on the (Rolex) watch in Le Mans so I will give my all to grab one in Daytona.”
Story by Richard James. Originally posted on RACER.com.