AO Racing

Last updated

Flag of the United States.svg AO Racing
AORacingLogo.png
Founded2022
Founder(s) P. J. Hyett
Gunnar Jeannette
Base St. Charles, Illinois, United States
Team principal(s)
Current series IMSA SportsCar Championship
European Le Mans Series
Former series FIA World Endurance Championship
Current driversIMSA SportsCar Championship:
77.
Flag of Denmark.svg Michael Christensen
Flag of Germany.svg Laurin Heinrich
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sebastian Priaulx
99.
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matthew Brabham
Flag of France.svg Paul-Loup Chatin
Flag of the United States.svg P. J. Hyett
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alex Quinn
European Le Mans Series:
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Louis Delétraz
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Edgar
Flag of Poland.svg Robert Kubica
Noted drivers Flag of the United States.svg Gunnar Jeannette
Website https://aoracing.com/

Autumn Oaks Racing, doing business as AO Racing, is an American sports car racing team that currently competes in the LMP2 and the GTD Pro classes of the IMSA SportsCar Championship and in LMP2 in the European Le Mans Series. [1] [2] [3] The team was founded in 2022 by P. J. Hyett and Gunnar Jeannette. [4]

Contents

History

AO Racing's Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) featuring the "Rexy" livery at the 2023 Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen AO Porsche WGI23 10.jpg
AO Racing's Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) featuring the "Rexy" livery at the 2023 Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen

AO Racing was founded in 2022 by GitHub co-founder and technology entrepreneur P. J. Hyett, and American race car driver Gunnar Jeannette. Hyett and Jeannette met through vintage racing and became friends. [4] In September of 2022, they made the decision to form an auto racing team to compete in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. [5] The name AO stands for Autumn Oaks, which is the name of Hyett's car collection that helped start the race team. [6]

IMSA SportsCar Championship

2023

At the second round of the 2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship held at Sebring International Raceway, the team debuted an all new Tyrannosaurus Rex themed livery dubbed "Rexy" by driver and team co-founder Gunnar Jeannette. [7] T. J. Harley is the livery designer. [8] The livery was culminated by team co-founder P. J. Hyett after his two children inspired him to sport a T-Rex and a Unicorn on his race helmet. "Rexy" quickly became a fan favorite, and it has easily become one of the most recognizable sportscar liveries.

2024

The team announced that they would field a second car competing in the LMP2 class in the 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship. [9] The announcement revealed that the Oreca 07 would feature a purple and orange dragon themed livery dubbed "Spike". The team signed Matthew Brabham and Paul-Loup Chatin to partner P. J. Hyett for the full season in the LMP2 entry, with Alex Quinn joining the team for the Michelin Endurance Cup. [10] The GTD Pro entry would see Michael Christensen, Laurin Heinrich, and Sebastian Priaulx drive the team's Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) for the full season.

Racing record

24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearEntrantNoCarDriversClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
2023 Flag of Germany.svg Project 1 - AO56 Porsche 911 RSR-19 Flag of Italy.svg Matteo Cairoli
Flag of the United States.svg P. J. Hyett
Flag of the United States.svg Gunnar Jeannette
LMGTE Am 30935th7th

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassNoChassisEngineDrivers1234567Pos.Pts
2023 Flag of Germany.svg Project 1 - AO LMGTE Am 56 Porsche 911 RSR-19 Porsche M97/80 4.2 L Flat-6 Flag of Italy.svg Matteo Cairoli
Flag of the United States.svg P. J. Hyett
Flag of the United States.svg Gunnar Jeannette
Flag of Portugal.svg Guilherme Oliveira
Flag of Portugal.svg Miguel Ramos
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Efrin Castro
SEB
12
POR
6
SPA
WD
LMN
7
MON
8
FUJ
5
BHR
10
11th36

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassNoChassisEngineDrivers1234567891011Pos.Pts
2023 Flag of the United States.svg AO Racing Team GTD 80 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) Porsche M97/80 4.2 L Flat-6 Flag of the United States.svg P. J. Hyett
Flag of the United States.svg Gunnar Jeannette
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sebastian Priaulx
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Harry Tincknell
DAY
14
SEB
16
LBH
DNS
LGA
11
WGL
14
MOS
8
LIM
7
ELK
11
VIR
6
IMS
10
ATL
8
13th2245
2024 Flag of the United States.svg AO Racing GTD Pro 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) Porsche M97/80 4.2 L Flat-6 Flag of Denmark.svg Michael Christensen
Flag of Germany.svg Laurin Heinrich
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Sebastian Priaulx
DAY
2
SEB
9
LGA
DET
WGL
MOS
ELK
VIR
IMS
ATL
4th*605*
LMP2 99 Oreca 07 Gibson GK-428 4.2 L V8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matthew Brabham
Flag of France.svg Paul-Loup Chatin
Flag of the United States.svg P. J. Hyett
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alex Quinn
DAY
8
SEB
11
WGL
MOS
ELK
IMS
ATL
10th*489*

* Season still in progress.

Complete European Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassNoChassisEngineDrivers123456Pos.Pts
2024 Flag of the United States.svg Orlen Team AO by TF LMP2 14 Oreca 07 Gibson GK-428 4.2 L V8 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Louis Delétraz
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Edgar
Flag of Poland.svg Robert Kubica
CAT
7
LEC
IMO
SPA
MUG
POR
7th*6*

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References

  1. "WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP AO RACING NO. 77". imsa.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. "WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP AO RACING NO. 99". imsa.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  3. "Robert Kubica with Orlen Team AO by TF in 2024". Endurance Info. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Jeannette, Hyett launching AO Racing Porsche GTD effort for 2023". RACER. September 28, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. "About". AO Racing. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  6. "AO Racing 101". Instagram. February 2, 2024. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
  7. "AO Racing reveals T-Rex livery for Sebring 12 Hours". www.motorsport.com. March 13, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  8. IMSA Sebring Paddock Tour 2023 with Marshall Pruett presented by PILOTI , retrieved March 13, 2024
  9. "AO Racing Introduce 'Spike' The LMP2 Dragon!". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  10. "AO Racing expands to LMP2 with Hyett and Chatin; Priaulx and Heinrich in for GTD PRO". RACER. November 13, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2024.