Long Beach Will Be a New Experience for IMSA Newcomers
Jake Galstad/LAT Images/IMSA
By Dennis Krause
Nearly a quarter of the number of drivers, 13 of 56, entered in Saturday’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach have never turned a wheel on the actual 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit.
But when they head out for their first practice session on Friday, most, if not all, will have driven the track virtually.
After driving for Porsche Penske Motorsport in the World Endurance Championship, Julien Andlauer will make his Long Beach debut in the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963. Along with co-driver Felipe Nasr, Andlauer has tasted victory in the first two races of the season in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.
Saturday’s 100-sprint race is a challenge Andlauer is looking forward to.
“Yeah, [it’s] gonna be my first race in Long Beach. Never drove there, even with the GT. I'm really looking forward, because I really love the track, the street tracks. I used to love Monaco when I used to drive it in [Porsche Carrera] Cup. And I'm really looking forward to Long Beach.
“I could help myself a little bit with some simulator lately, and I can say it's very challenging, but I'm looking forward to hit the track for the first time.”
Brandon Badraoui/Lumen Digital Agency/IMSA
Also making his Long Beach debut this weekend is Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) points leader Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello, co-driver of the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo.
“Yeah, well, so the car has been very good,” said the son of 11-time Formula 1 Grand Prix winner Rubens Barrichello. “I think the team has been doing such a good job, and I think the teammates are doing a very good job as well. Leading the championship is not something I thought would happen on my debut season, especially because all the tracks are new for me. So still trying to figure that out.
“But, super excited for Long Beach. I've done it a lot on the sim. Seems quite challenging. Seems like it's difficult to overtake as well. So I think qualifying will be big part of it. But yeah, I'm big trust in the team. Obviously, I'm new to the team, so still getting used to everything, still getting used to the American way of working. But so far so good.”
To prepare for a circuit he has yet to drive, Andlauer has been using the Porsche simulator and feels comfortable heading into the weekend.
“Street tracks with this car will be quite a challenge. I prepared myself on the sim in Weissach with the engineers. We spent a day together running through the testing programs and also some familiarization for me, but I have to say, I felt quite comfortable with the car on the track, so hopefully it’s realistic and I will also feel comfortable on the track. But I had good tips from Felipe already, which is great.
“The sprint races, which is [also] very new to me, and especially as it comes the same points as the long races. So it's a very important race ahead. And there is, I think, many chances to to do to go wrong in the street track. Hopefully we're gonna have a smooth preparation through the weekend and lead us to a good result.”
For Barrichello, everything will be new to him this weekend.
“Yeah, I’ve never driven a GT car in a street track, so be first time for me, but every track’s been a new track for me. So it's not like it's a lot different than any other round, really. But yeah, I've been doing a lot of sim in Phoenix, with the with the team, and also in iRacing.
“The track seems to be quite similar to real life. I have spoken a little bit with [teammate] Spencer [Pumpelly] as well. He's got some experience from the track. So, yeah, I think we'll see. But I think everybody's been doing such a good job that I'm super confident to just get there and hit the ground running.”
In his sim work, Andlauer admits a portion of the circuit is proving to be difficult.
Brandon Badraoui/Lumen Digital Agency/IMSA
“To be honest with you, I've been struggling quite a bit with the last two corners. You know, getting the right rhythm through the last two corners, I think, is, is quite a challenge. The rest seems quite okay. I like the fountain area as well as the double right after because it's a bit of like a flowy corner. And if you take the curb right or wrong, it can can go right or wrong.
“And, I'm not sure how bumpy it is, because, for sure, on the sim it gives you this impression of a bit smoother than Detroit, for example, or for sure Sebring, but for sure on the brakes is a big challenge. If you can't brake properly, have a stable car on the braking, it can lead you to some some trouble.
“So, yeah, I think I got the basics on the sim, the right rhythm.”
As far as what stood out to Barrichello from his sim work, it’s the concrete walls that line the entire circuit.
“You just have to get comfortable with the walls,” Barrichello said. “And as I said before, I've never driven a GT car at a street track, so you know, it'll be something different for me this time. But as I also said, all the tracks are new for me this year, so just approaching another race weekend, just another new track, which I have to get used to anyway, but this time, you know, if you make a mistake, you're in the wall. So I think you just have to build up to it, and that's my plan for the first practice, and the rest will we'll see how we get on.
“I think it's very easy for you to touch a wall anywhere the track, so I think it's really difficult anyway, but I think the last corner is really tight. I've never done something that tight. So, it's going to be a new experience for me.”
Dennis Krause has spent decades covering all forms of motorsports, including over 40 Indianapolis 500s, with stints at WIBA Radio, PIT PASS - Radio’s Premier Motorsports Magazine and Motorsports Minute. Follow him on X @DennisKrause500 or motorsportsminute.bluesky.social or motorsportsminute on Threads or MotorsportsMinute+ on Facebook.