The Trio Will Each Have a Role in the 2024 WeatherTech Championship
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – As it launches into a new era of competition in 2024, Corvette Racing is expanding its corps of factory drivers with some names familiar to followers of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Daniel Juncadella, Earl Bamber and Nico Varrone have been added to the iconic racing brand’s factory driver roll for the coming WeatherTech Championship season. Juncadella and Bamber are joining Corvette Racing by Pratt Motorsports as third drivers for the two-car effort at the longest endurance races – the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Motul Petit Le Mans – in the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class. Varrone was previously named as a full-season driver for AWA’s two-car foray into the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class as a Corvette customer team, but the Argentine has been elevated to factory driver status moving forward.
“As we move into GT3 and customer racing, it is important that we add to our roster of drivers that are available to teams,” said Christie Bagne, Corvette Z06 GT3.R program manager. “We are excited about the wealth of experience in our Corvette factory lineup. Both GM and our teams will benefit from the learnings from each driver.”
Juncadella will join full-season co-drivers Antonio Garcia and Alexander Sims in one of the new Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs for the aforementioned endurance races. The 32-year-old Spaniard had a breakout season in 2023, winning four GTD PRO races and finishing second in the final standings with co-driver Jules Gounon in the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3. Among the victories were those at the Rolex 24 and Motul Petit Le Mans.
“I’ve been a witness to what it means to be a Corvette driver in the U.S.,” Juncadella said. “That’s means a really big fanbase. … That’s very exciting, I have to say, to see the legacy that Corvette Racing has created in the U.S. and to see the amount of awareness about the brand is very exciting. It makes me proud and it feels quite unique to be a Corvette factory driver.”
Bamber will pair with Tommy Milner and Nicky Catsburg in the second Pratt Miller Corvette at the trio of endurance events. A two-time overall winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 2019 WeatherTech Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) class champion when he drove for Porsche, Bamber has eight career series wins. He’ll be pulling double duty for General Motors in 2024 as he continues driving a Cadillac Racing LMDh in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
“I’ve been a part of some big rivalries for many years in IMSA racing,” Bamber said, “but this organization has won so many races and championships … it’s really impressive. When I did my first (Corvette) test at Road America, you could see why they’ve been so successful. I’ve driven the Z06 GT3.R and I think the package is really good. These guys have built fantastic GTLM cars over the years, and I don’t see why the Corvette GT3 should be any different.”
Varrone was part of the Corvette Racing team that captured the LMGTE Am championship this year in the World Endurance Championship, including a class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also raced for AWA in the WeatherTech Championship endurance events in a Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3), teaming with Anthony Mantella, Wayne Boyd and Thomas Merrill to triumph at the Rolex 24.
Varrone will partner with Mantella for the full ’24 season in one AWA Corvette. Orey Fidani and Matthew Bell will share the other AWA Corvette.
“First of all, it’s a big honor to be a factory driver for Corvette,” Varrone said. “It’s also nice to be back in IMSA next season with everyone at AWA. These are people that I know from this year and doing the endurance races in LMP3. It was a good year. We won Daytona and had great performances throughout the season.
“It will be a big challenge with the new car, not only for our team but everyone in the entire Corvette program. But this is also a completely new class for AWA. It will be a challenge but we will be prepared to make the most of it and get some wins with the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and have a great season.”