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AO Racing wants to enter GTP: Will “Rexy” soon be a hypercar?

The team that fields the popular characters ‘Rexy’ and “Spike” in the IMSA SportsCar Championship has ambitions to move up to the GTP class

AO Racing could compete in the GTP class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the future. Team boss Gunnar Jeannette confirms that such plans are being considered, but at the same time dampens expectations of a quick implementation: “The entry deadline for 2026 begins in a few days, so the probability is – I don’t want to say zero, but it’s very low.”

Nevertheless, intensive discussions are underway with potential manufacturer partners. “We’re talking to a lot of people,” says Jeannette. “We want to do it the right way. Not just buy a customer car and then do everything on our own – that wouldn’t be our approach.”

Instead, the team is seeking a viable partnership, ideally with factory support or at least close cooperation with a manufacturer.

Three manufacturers from the Le Mans scene will be joining the series in the next two years, although at least in the case of Ford, IMSA participation has not yet been finalized. Porsche, which has been plunged into an economic crisis, also has decisions about its future to make.

AO Racing was founded in 2022 by Jeannette and PJ Hyett and has quickly established itself in US sports car racing. In 2023, the team entered the GTD class of the IMSA, followed by the GTD Pro category in 2024 with a Porsche 911 GT3 R.

This year, Laurin Heinrich and Klaus Bachler are fighting to defend their title there, while Hyett, together with former works driver Dane Cameron, recently won the LMP2 class and is also on course for the title.

Jeannette emphasizes that the long-term plan from the outset has been to enter the top class. However, the team does not want to rush the next step. “If we couldn’t even fight for top-five places in GTD Pro, it would be pointless to spend more money just to look bad in the GTP class,” says the team boss.

A key point here is maintaining the team’s own identity. AO Racing has become known not least for the eye-catching designs of its cars, including the dinosaur-like Porsche “Rexy,” its sister car “Roxy,” and the fire-breathing LMP2 dragon “Spike.”

Jeannette makes it clear: “How we do things is just as important to us as doing them. We don’t want to get lost in a factory team and suddenly give up everything that makes us who we are.”

This is another reason why choosing the right partner is crucial – and why the decision needs time. From today’s perspective, an entry in the second half of 2026 or for the 2027 season seems more realistic. “We hope to be able to make a decision towards the end of the year,” says Jeannette.

Another possibility is the Asian Le Mans Series, which will open its top class to private hypercars from the 2026/27 season.

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