Deletraz & Taylor To Share Second WTR Acura

Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport has signed Louis Delétraz and Jordan Taylor for the full 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season to compete in its second Acura ARX-06 in GTP.

This means Taylor will return to the WTR team and prototype racing for the first time since 2019. In recent years, Taylor has been competing in the GTD-Pro class with Corvette Racing and has successfully captured two GTLM championships (’20, ’21) followed up with a third place GTD-Pro championship finish in 2022 and a GTLM class victory at the 24 Hours At Daytona in 2021. During Taylor’s seven-year tenure with WTRAndretti, the 32-year-old collected two overall Prototype championships (’13, ’17) and two overall 24 Hours At Daytona wins (‘17,’19).

“After spending seven years with WTR from 2013-2019, it’ll be nice to be heading back to work with some familiar faces and some new ones,” said Jordan Taylor. “I’ve known Louis for a few years now and have obviously followed his career. I think our driving styles will complement each other very well to bring success next year.

“I’ve spent the last few years in GT cars, so there will be a lot to learn coming into GTP, but I can’t wait for the challenge. I loved my time competing in GT with Corvette Racing alongside Antonio these past few years. We had a lot of success together. I’ve learned a lot and grown as a driver, so I’m looking forward to bringing that experience back to prototype racing.”

After joining WTRAndretti as the 2023 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup driver for the #10 Wayne Taylor Acura ARX-06, Louis Delétraz will move into his first full season as a GTP co-driver in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2024.

“Sharing the car with Jordan is fantastic, having a multiple IMSA Champion in Prototypes and GT, I couldn’t ask for a better teammate, and I think with our different motorsport experiences we will have a strong package with hopefully many successes,” said Deletraz.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity and trust, I can’t wait to get started!”

Delétraz’s resume in sportscar racing includes two back-to-back European Le Mans Series Championships (’21, ’22), two-time IMSA LMP2 race winner in 2022 highlighted by an overall LMP2 class win at Petit Le Mans. To date in 2023, Delétraz has two wins in the European Le Mans Series, a class podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, two podiums in the FIA World Endurance Championship and a FIA WEC victory at Spa in Belgium.

Taylor and Delétraz will join WTRAndretti teammates Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque, drivers of the #10 Acura ARX-06, to complete the team’s full season co-driver pairings as the team expands to a two-car full factory supported programme in IMSA’s top class for 2024.

“I’m excited to announce that Louis Delétraz and Jordan Taylor will be joining WTRAndretti as full-time season drivers of our second Acura ARX-06 GTP race car,” says team owner Wayne Taylor.

“Louis has been with us for over a year in our endurance events and has quickly become an integral part of our team. I am looking forward to having Jordan back in our home stable after his great career with Corvette. It was a natural for us, since he and his brother drove together with our team and the Cadillac DPi program. With two cars and the Rolex right around the corner, we thank GM and Pratt & Miller for making Jordan available to us at this early stage.

“Now, with Ricky and Filipe in one car and Louis and Jordan in the other, it will be a great battle for the fans on who will take first and second. Not sure Shelley and I will enjoy it as much as the fans, but both cars will share the number one status and be prepared identically. There will be no team orders on who comes first and who second. They will both fight for the win.”

Notably the 2024 season will mark Jordan Taylor’s first full season campaign since 2010 in anything other than a GM-powered car.  13 years ago Taylor completed all-bar-one of the Rolex Sportscar Championship races (Grand-Am) in a Racers Edge – entered Mazda RX8 scoring a pair of GT class podiums and another pair of class pole positions.

Additional drivers for the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup and the Rolex 24 At Daytona will be announced in the coming months.

David Salters, the president of HPD, also commented on today’s news. “I’m stoked to see we have a super strong driver line-up across both our electrified Acura hypercars,” he said. Is this perhaps an indication that a third ARX-06 in 2024 for the current Acura GTP team Meyer Shank Racing is now off the table?