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Jack Hawksworth
Jack Hawksworth
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About this episode
Jack Hawksworth shares insights from his nearly decade-long IMSA career with Lexus, discussing the challenges of endurance racing, balance of performance (BOP) politics, and the strategic approach to marquee events like the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He reflects on adapting from sprint-style IndyCar racing to endurance racing's mechanical sympathy and consistency. Jack also talks about his move to the GTD class with a new teammate, the strengths of the Lexus program, and the excitement around upcoming developments. The episode offers a deep dive into the complexities of sports car racing and the mindset needed to succeed.
Topics:
jack hawksworth career
imsa racing
balance of performance
endurance racing strategy
rolex 24 at daytona
sports car racing mindset
gtd vs gtd pro classes
lexus racing program
driver development
team dynamics
Vasser Sullivan racer Jack Hawksworth checks in with Hinch and Rossi before the endurance race in Daytona this weekend.
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BMW M Bmw
"...were good. Yeah, I think, I think in the end, the m BMW and the Ferrari were, you know, they kind of popp..."
Car
Chevrolet Corvette
"...o we get to an end of the race and it's a, it's a Corvette against a BMW against a Ferrari, against a Lexus ..."
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Ford Mustang
"...ook at the height of like the, you know, the Ford Mustang or something and you're trying to balance those c..."
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Golf Gtd
"...an, the 12 and the 14. Initially both cars ran in GTD, then the inception of the GTD Pro car. Um, we, w..."
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This is, is off track.
Hello and welcome to, uh, one of those rare off tracks with Hinch and Rossi on a Tuesday.
Both showing up today because uh, we managed to wrangle ourselves a very special guest. It's be
Honest, it's, we got an interesting guest for once That Well, that's true.
So, yeah. So Jack, Jack Hawksworth joins us today.
Hello Jack. Welcome to the show. Um,
Evan is on.
Yeah. Yeah. Alex likes missing the Tuesday episodes.
'cause a lot of times it's just Tim and I talking about like, old racing movies or, you know, what we had for dinner. Um, exactly.
Yeah. So it's, it's understandable.
But you know, when we had the opportunity to have you on we're like, hell yeah.
And Alex said, hell yeah. And, and here you are.
Um, so look, let's, let's, let's a little bit of background, a little bit of, uh, of an intro for the fans who, uh, don't know as much about Jack.
Um, this is gonna be what year nine in IMSA with Lexus?
Yeah, it'd be, uh, year nine in IMSA and, uh, year seven with, uh, with Jimmy and so effectively.
So, uh, okay. Yeah, it's been, been quite a long,
uh, a long tenure.
And then well outside of that I did do a few IMSA races in, uh, you know, when in IndyCar as well. So yeah,
Like pc, yeah, Fulltime great.
Yeah. And that's kinda how the whole whole
whole Lexus thing came about.
But, uh, yeah, it's been a while now.
Almost 10 years. Well, we'll,
We'll, we'll get to that.
8 87 starts, 11 wins, 27 podiums a class championship.
You've won Sebring, you've won Petite.
I don't think you've won Daytona yet.
That's, that was still trying hopefully this year. .
Yeah. Uh, hopefully. Yeah, in Gt d I'm a GT pro, so you
Can still win.
Yeah. Were you in the <inaudible> bar last year with
The p Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
With the P two early on. That was brilliant. Yeah,
Because I think you guys, you guys were pretty much the class of the field all month, right?
And pretty, We were good.
Yeah, I think, I think in the end, the m BMW and the Ferrari were, you know, they kind of popped up on race date Ferrari always does.
Right. Suddenly. Yeah, always the races seems to, yeah,
they have the special map or whatever they put on the thing and they go.
So I don't think we've had anything for them, but definitely podium position probably.
So you mentioned how Ferrari and BMW popped up on race day.
James and I have, you know, dabbled in the sports car stuff.
Obviously he's, he's coming back this year with Lamborghini and we've talked a little bit, um, you know, and explained to the fans the BOP thing that exists in sports car racing and IMSA and, and the challenges that come with that.
But I'd be very interested to hear kind of your perspective, 'cause you have much more experience than us and kind of, you know, give us and our listeners a little bit of insight into like, the politics of that and how that game is played.
And, you know, as much as Daytona is the, the crown jewel race, you know, that you wanna win and the the partners wanna win.
You still have to look at the year as a whole and make sure that you don't kind of go too fast too early.
So kind of walk us through how you approach a year and, you know, starting with Daytona here in, in a week.
Yeah, it's, um, it's, I think the MTA season's, uh, it's kind of unique in that you obviously got the series, which is, you know, a highlight.
Everybody wants to win that. But then really you've kind
of got three bucket list races, start with Daytona, then Seing and then petite.
And so the other races, you know, everybody wants to do well in the short races, but ultimately, you know, if you can win one of the big ones, then that's, you know, that's kind of what, that's what the manufacturers want and that's what the teams want.
So, um, a lot of focus goes into those long races and then a lot of focus outside of that goes into almost being consistent through the shorter races to give yourself a, a shorter championship.
But Daytona's probably the most unique race we do.
'cause we have this official test the week before.
So it's been notorious for everybody comes and does this three day test that the role before the 24.
But then there's a, an opportunity for IMSA to make changes to the, you know, parameters of car.
In terms of the, the way, um, last year it was like air restricted for naturally aspirated cars or, uh, turbo boost for, um, turbo cars.
Um, so nobody ever wanted to be too shiny the weekend before the race, just in case, you know, IMSA made a change and they, they slowed you down, or if you were too slow they might bring you up.
There's, I mean, some manufacturers I think played a game a little bit more than other ones.
Um, but yeah, certainly there's some gamemanship that goes into being fast when you need to be fast is, is how I would describe it.
Like you, you to, to win the series, you need to be consistent every weekend.
Um, and you kind of, the saying goes when you've, and I guess it applies to any series, but if you've got a fast car and you're gonna show performance, then you better win that weekend.
And then the wor the worst thing you can do is obviously show good performance and, and have a poor result.
If that makes sense. Because BOP
is ultimately based off yeah.
Balance of, of the car's performance And it's, it's race to race, right?
Or is it based on the last year's event at that track?
Uh, so the rest of the season, Sebring through to petite is, is based off the seing through to petite races last year.
But Daytona standalone just 'cause the nature of the track.
'cause you've got the big long straits and stuff.
Like the balance of performance for that track ultimately would need to be different to other ones as well, just 'cause the characteristics are so different.
It's a bit like La Mon really.
Um, so that BOP is, is standalone.
Um, and, and I think as well just 'cause the fact you have the test the week perform and stuff, it's always, I'd say a bigger talking point at that race than it is at any other one.
But this year, this year's very different because they've just brought in that as, as James will know, 'cause 'cause he's racing, uh, in the GT class that they just brought in torque sensors for all of the cars.
Oh. So in the past it's been, uh,
a bit more guesswork I guess, from IMS i's perspective in understanding, you know, the straight line speed of each car and the, the power and performance and whatnot.
And this, this year they, uh, they're controlling the power, uh, a different way with these toque sensors so they can see exactly how much, uh, power we're putting to the ground during the race live.
Um, so yeah, pressure will be on IMSA to, uh, see if they can make it, make it a competitive race.
It's, yeah, it's gonna be fascinating, isn't it?
Because so, so the, the phenomenon that you're, you're describing is if, if, you know, if you're listening at home, you've probably heard the term sandbagging, right?
So that's what sandbagging is.
You go to the roar, which if you're listening to this, we've just had it, we're recording it before, so none of us have been on track yet, but this will come out the Tuesday before the race, after the war.
So in theory, Jack, you and I'll have been on track by the time people are hearing this, but yes, there is that gamesmanship.
Like you say, you don't wanna show your hand too much because changes can be made to the BOP, the balance of performance before the race.
But that's kinda where these torque sensors come in because I mean, you've probably, without giving away maybe any trade secrets from your own program , um, what are some of the clever ways that you've heard of from manufacturers and how they kind of sandbag and control their pace during the roar or practice sessions or whatever?
Well, I mean, I don't wanna get myself in trouble here, so I'll, I'll, right, yeah, kind of, uh, What have you heard someone else do?
What is BM BMW doing these days? You know, like,
Well, there you go.
I mean, that's a big one, right? So like you look at the
race last year, uh, where Ferrari and BMW were actually penalized after the race.
Um, they had all their championship, even though they were able to keep the race win, I think they were, uh, they had their manufacturer points deducted all this kind of stuff.
And that was based on the fact that, um, during the, uh, so insa can see all of the micro splits around the track, there'd be like 12 different segments, right?
So they can see, okay, exactly how fast each car is between each point of the circuit.
The race teams can only see the three sectors during the race weekend, but they see a lot more than we can see.
Um, and for instance, with like certain manufacturers not naming names are able to, or were before the toque sensors able to turn up their engines and turn down their engines quite a lot.
So for instance, you know, you've been practiced at the roar and you might be quicker on the straight than, you know, say the, say the Ferrari or, or the BMW.
And then you get through to the race weekend and suddenly that car, 10 ki kilometers an hour of whatever, you know, faster on the straight, it's accelerating harder.
They've suddenly found, you know, one second a lap time.
And a lot of it I think was done, uh, via the power plant and and manipulation there.
The other thing that, uh, people would do is that, uh, you know, you could artificially run more wing in the car.
You could artificially run drag your parts on the car.
Same obviously you go to Indianapolis for the 500, right?
You want the car to be as free as possible and, and, and you, you have all the best, best stuff on it.
The counter to that is you can turn and put the row with all the worst stuff on the car and then get to the race and, you know, put, put all your free bits on free of bearings or Bryce, all that kind of stuff.
So I think there's a little bit of that going on.
And then, uh, the big one is obviously the driver can control a lot as well.
It's very difficult when you look in the data.
Um, I'd say a driver can tell actually more than an official or more than a, a tech person, right?
Like when, when we look at an onboard video, we look at data, it's, we can see a little bit more if a driver's really pushing or not or if he's under the limit.
But yeah, as a driver you can, you know, break, break a couple of meters earlier here, pick up the throttle a couple of meters later, um, you know, just roll two mile an hour, less speed to the apexes that happens and stuff.
And yeah, you can, you can artificially manipulate it that way as well.
Uh, you could run heavy with a, with old tires, there's 1,000,001 ways you can do it.
You know, you can, you can make a car feel pretty bad if you want . Yeah.
But like you say the, sorry.
Yeah, I just, I think throughout all of that, you know, we, we complain about it.
You talk about it, but it, it is amazing that at the end of the day, you know, of these endurance races, these 24 hour races, you're still coming down, you know, to the last hour, hour and a half.
I know obviously yellows, you know, shape this up to be what it is, but across all classes most of the time, you know, you've got three or four cars fighting for the win and it's a, you know, it's a sprint race to the finish.
So I think that as much as it's a challenge and frustrating, um, for, for teams in the moment, you know, especially when, you know, you do your homework in the off season, you come with a good program and a good package and, you know, sometimes you get penalized for that.
Most of the time, you know, at the end of the race you're at least in with a shot, right?
Assuming nothing bad has happened over the 24 hours.
So I think, you know, that's still what makes IMS a so unique to, you know, IndyCar racing.
And, and we'll talk about the comparisons and, and, and differences in a second from your experience, but I just, it's amazing to me how much it's become, you know, this this 24 hour sprint race ultimately.
Oh, it's, it's unbeliev. I mean,
and this isn't a knocker, this is, I actually think they do a really good job of it, right?
Like it swings roundabout sometimes you, you know, might be on the good side of it.
Sometimes you might be on the bad side of it, but yeah, ultimately, like you say, how many times do we get to an end of the race and it's a, it's a Corvette against a BMW against a Ferrari, against a Lexus against the mc.
Like everybody's close, right?
'cause everybody's doing the, the same kind of stuff.
So ultimately, um, it works itself out and, and yeah, like, I mean, you can't knock 'em right?
Every, every, how many times have we seen like, like last five minutes of a race, you know?
That's awesome. Elbows out and, and yeah, it's, it's close.
So super competitive, not easy to do as well.
You look at how different these cars are, you know, mid engine to a front engine, you know, you look at the COG of, you know, the, the McLaren or the Ferrari and then you look at the height of like the, you know, the Ford Mustang or something and you're trying to balance those cars.
Um, not an easy job. No,
No, for sure.
And then like you say, the driver has a big part to play in that and even look all the, all the technical stuff that IMSA can look at, aside, as you say, the driver can still influence it quite a bit.
And there are a lot of times in sports car racing where you don't have to drive flat out.
You shouldn't drive flat out as someone that came from a sprint racing background, you came from open wheel, you had, was it, you were three years in IndyCar.
Yep. Right? Where predominantly,
unless you're saving fuel, it's qualifying laps all the time.
How hard was it to when you make that switch over to sports cars to kind of switch that mentality and be like, no, no.
There are times where I have to be so disciplined drive, whether it's to a lap time or to just like a mental limit.
'cause I know that going too fast is actually detrimental. Oh,
It was, it was super difficult.
It challenge, it was . Yeah.
Well, the other thing as well, right, is like, especially when you come into a team early on, right?
You, every driver wants to show, you know, what they can do, right?
There's the, there's the, the selfish part of it where you wanna show that you, you know, you can go as quick as the other guy in the car or you can go quicker or whatever.
So there's a, there's a personal element to it as well where you wanna show, you know, you wanna show your speed, right?
You're a racing driver. Um, so yeah,
certainly I remember coming, coming out of IndyCar, going to Daytona, and uh, you know, my whole mentality I think in that race was, okay, I wanna be, you know, every stint needs to be, you know, on the limit and, you know, I wanna have the, you know, you know, fastest average pay, all that kind of, all the usual stuff, right?
And then you realize exactly to your point James, that actually big pitch here.
And I don't know what it was like in the McLaren last year, but for us in the Lexus, I can tell you like, if we push for 23 hours, we get to the last hour of the race, there's the cars, there's nothing left of the car, right?
Like you, the brakes are gone.
You are, uh, you know, the, you might have lost a dive plane here or whatever.
Like actually one of the biggest skills in endurance racing is, is getting to that last couple of hours and having, you know, all the bits on the car, having some breaks to go racing with.
And like being able to really maximize what you have at the end of the race because you can, you know, all these cars start the race, right?
And you might be two tenths slower than another manufacturer.
Um, average pace when up when the cars are in great condition.
But if you can get to hour 22, hour 23 and they're carrying a little bit of damage or they've got a bit more wear on the brakes and your stuff's in perfect condition, then well, you leave your guy at the end who's closing the race with, with something to fight for.
So, and something to fight with.
So to show the first couple of years I was in, uh, um, sports cars, I definitely had the mentality of all in, uh, and then began to realize there's, oh, there's way more to, to this than that.
And I need to adapt my mindset here, especially in these longer races, um, to yeah, be, be a little bit more MEChA mechanically sympathetic would be the, the word I'd use.
So, but you, it is, it's like a switch though, right?
Because there is that element of it where you need to protect the car, but then there's also the other element of it where you need to almost click your fingers and just go into kill more, be 10, 10 again.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah.
So it's, uh, it's an interesting, mentally it's an interesting challenge for sure.
It's clearly something you picked up quick though, because I think, I think if you look at the American motorsport landscape, right?
You've got, you've got three, three things that you would dream of doing as a kid.
It's cup, it's IndyCar or it's, you know, a factory driver in sports cars, right?
So to get to the level that you have achieved and, and have been with Lexus for nine years now in a factory program, um, you know, clearly you did something right in the beginning and, and you continue to, what do you think you know, is something that differentiates you?
Um, you know, because there, there's a lot of drivers, right?
In sports cars 'cause you're sharing the car, um, a minimum of two up to four sometimes.
Like where do you think you've been able to find kind of this longevity?
And was it, was it something that you thought that when you started this program, you were gonna be here almost a decade later?
Or did you look at IMSA as maybe like a, uh, a gap here stop to, to get back to open wheel cars?
Or like where was your mindset with that?
Sounds like a job interview here.
So what are your strengths, ? Who would you bring to the
company? . .
Yeah, that's a difficult one.
Um, I mean, uh, I mean, I guess to answer the, the last question when I first came into ims, a full-time with Lexus, like what did I, how did I see it?
Did I see myself here for 10 years? Uh, that's difficult.
I don't, I have a, I dunno what you guys are like, but I have, uh, a problem looking too far, if that makes sense.
Especially as I get older now.
Like, I've just noticed in this sports, things can change so quickly, right?
And you just never, it's difficult to have a, a long-term plan.
So, uh, at the time I didn't know.
I still obviously had just left IndyCar and, um, at the time, uh, I was probably a little bit, you know, my IndyCar career hadn't ended the way I'd hoped and there was probably a little bit of bitterness there and stuff.
So I was excited to be out of that paddock in a way and, and have a new challenge.
So I wouldn't say I looked at it as a stop gap, um, so much, but, um, as a, an opportunity to uh, you know, kind of do something else and hopefully win some races.
'cause it had been a, it had been a tough couple of years where I'd not been doing any winning and I just wanted to get back to winning.
Do you know what I mean? Like, I always think for me, like
as a racing driver, that's the bit I enjoy.
I enjoy the, the, the, you know, when you can win.
And I feel like any driver who tells you, you know, oh, they just enjoy being at the track.
I dunno. I just, that's not fun for me
and I have to feel like I have a ch a chance to do well.
Is it, in terms of like, what's, I guess kept me, you know, where I am and I guess being able to, yeah, stay with the same manufacturer a long period of time because I feel like we've grown together.
'cause you look at the Lexus program, when we first came in in 20 17, 20 18, it was not, we were not very successful.
Like we didn't stand on the podium in the GTD class for the first two years.
And then, um, you know, we finally got my first winning, well second winning in so, but first win with Lexus in 2019.
Um, and so I felt like I developed a lot as a driver throughout those years as I was kind of touching on before, initially I came in and it was just bolstered a wall.
I wanna show my speed and then the program wasn't quite where it needed to be in order to win either, which meant that, uh, I had to develop other parts of my game whilst the team was developing.
Uh, and then slowly we developed the team, I began to, uh, have an understanding of these races and I think I became a more of a complete driver.
And I think now, you know, seven or eight years down the line, I just have a really, I think quite a high race IQ in terms of like, I understand, you know, how the races are gonna unfold and I have a good idea of what's important and maybe what's not so important in terms of trying to get these results.
And uh, and I just have good relationship with the team so we've grown together, if that makes sense.
Yeah, yeah. That's awesome. I've improved
and then the team's improved at the same time.
And, and that team is, it's a serious factory effort.
I mean, you, you know, everyone's gotta remember that Lexus is Toyota, right?
So you, you guys are part of the, the TRD program and again, I don't know many manufacturers, certainly not in North America that spend and prepare the way that Toyota do.
The facilities that you guys have available to you.
Um, you know, obviously I know Townsend Bell very well.
He's actually literally calling myself one at this very minute, sorry, Townsend , um, .
But he's, you know, he's told me about the, the facilities that you have, whether it's the, the training, the simulator, I mean everything at the TRD campus that you guys have access to.
I mean, this is a fully fledged factory effort.
And I, I I just wondering if you can explain for everyone how much preparation goes into, 'cause I, I kind of look at, you know, you sort of mentioned it, there's your, your championship, which everybody wants, that's the same across all motor sports, and there's a racer two that everybody wants, which I think is the same.
The Indy car equivalent obviously is the 500 Daytona is the 500, you know, how much effort goes into a Daytona 500 entry?
Is it that same kind of feeling for preparing for the 24?
Is it that much more energy, that much more effort, that much more focus that goes into it when you're starting the season off with the biggest race of the year? Yeah,
I, I would say so.
I mean, um, yeah, you're right. We're very lucky.
Like as at Toyota, we do have a lot of great facilities, especially down here in Charlotte, the simulator, the shaker rig, all kinds of bits and bulbs, which a lot of other Manu manufacturers and teams don't have access to.
So that's, yeah, pretty cool.
The training facility, I was actually training with the Townend yesterday there.
Uh, so it's funny you bring that up and he's the only person who's ever walked.
So they have a strict, like you can't train with, uh, with your top off in there.
And obviously t be walks in there first thing taps off like, yeah, it's pretty funny.
So, so California used to surfing, so, so much sense.
Yeah, Malibu Barbie is, we call was in there just with his shirt off. Yeah, I believe it. Yeah,
I get a guy kudos though.
He is like 49 and he's absolutely, he's shedding still. So
yeah, , I tell him, I was like, you're in better shape than one.
You were racing . Um, so, uh, yeah, no, I mean for,
for Daytona specifically, getting back to that, yes it is, it feels like there's a lot of prep goes into it very similar to I guess the mindset when you build up to the 500, right?
Like, you know, that's the big one.
You can win the Daytona, you can win the 24 hours a Daytona, and it's almost like the rest of the season, you know, you can, you can have have A, you're not have cruise control, but you feel, you know, you're gonna feel good at the end of the year.
Exactly. You've got it in the bag, right.
No matter what happens from there.
You, you've had a successful year.
So definitely a lot of work goes into it.
And then I just think it's just a marathon, right?
Like we have this test next week, so then there's the buildup to that test and you do the test and then you staying there.
It reminds me a lot of the five, 500, like I always felt the 500 just, it dragged on for so long, right?
There's so much buildup to it and Daytona's kind of similar.
So it feels like there's a lot of effort and it's kind of, I feel like, uh, as a driver being able to not get too excited about it and be quite, you know, levelheaded from the beginning is, is important. Yeah.
It's, it's, you know, one, one race out of a 10 race championship.
But I, I think I read somewhere one year that between the, the Roar and the race, it's like one third of the miles run of the entire season are done at Daytona.
So like, it's very heavily biased towards it as, as a driver, you know, we love asking drivers this in IndyCar as a driver, would you rather win Daytona or a championship?
And I know it's a little skewed because you've won a championship.
Yeah. And so I'm sure Daytona seems like it's so,
but like let's say you had won neither or you had one of each, you know, what would you rather have?
I'll always say championship.
And that was always like, when anyone's ever asked me that, like, I would always, it'd be awesome to win Daytona, but I just think a championship is so hard earned.
Like it's, it's such a slog, right?
Like from January through to October or whenever in IndyCar march through to October, like you've gotta be, you've gotta be the best guy over, you know, the best team over, you know, 10 month period.
So I, yeah, I'd love to win a Rolex 'cause I don't have one, but, um, I, uh, I would, I think in terms of what means the most, I think the championship in my opinion carries just a little bit more value.
Um, just 'cause it's so hard earned.
Like you, you, you can get to the end of Daytona and I always kind of say like, you're just putting yourself in the lottery ticket at the end, you know what I mean?
To shoot out hopefully, uh, that a championship, you, you, yeah.
It's just like every weekend you've gotta be relentlessly consistent.
So I think that that's very hard to do.
That's fair. That's totally fair.
So for, let's talk about the rest of the season now.
We've talked a lot about Daytona, which makes sense.
It's coming up. Um, you a little bit of a switch for you.
Um, you've been running in the GTD Pro class and you're gonna be moving to the GTD class.
Why don't you kinda just explain for everyone what that, what that change means?
Yeah, so that, uh, effectively we've always run two cars at VA Sullivan, the 12 and the 14.
Initially both cars ran in GTD, then the inception of the GTD Pro car.
Um, we, we were able to have one car in one class, uh, one car in the other.
And uh, yeah, this year I'll be, uh, moving to the 12 car.
I've raced in the 14 car for the last, I think six, seven years.
So it's a bit of a change for me.
It's new personnel, it's a new teammate in Pa Thompson, another Canadian.
Um, and I'm super excited about it.
Like, I think for us as a, as a team, it's, it basically spreads our bets a little bit more.
So we have a, I think we have, uh, more opportunity across both championships than perhaps we've had in the past.
Um, and then for me, I felt I needed a, something fresh is kind of how I would describe it.
Like, I had a great time working with that side of the garage and a lot of, I mean, the engineer who I worked with on that side of the garage was Jeff Ficklin is the same guy I was working with in Star Mazda in 2012.
So like, wow. I've been working with him for, you know,
12 years basically on and off.
And, uh, so I have such good relationships with everybody on that side of the garage.
But I got to, for me personally, I just really fancied something different.
You know, I felt like we'd had, it'd been the same driver line up, it'd been the same crew, same engineering.
I just, for me to keep growing as a driver, I felt like I needed something just a little bit different, you know?
And I felt this was exciting to me and, and it made sense for the team and we went ahead with it.
So even though it's the exact same team, do you feel like it's it's a new, it's a, it's a new opportunity, like as if you're a first day of school type thing, even though it's the same organization?
Yeah, completely. To be honest,
it's like everything that's interesting.
Wow. Yeah, it's nice. It'd be a bit, I mean, I,
I guess it'd be a bit like, um, you know, if you are in, uh, in IndyCar and you had a three or four car team, right?
And you did a complete swap, right?
And now you are with different engineer, different assistant engineer, different, uh, you know, crew, chief mechanics, yeah, crew chief, everything.
So for me, I just felt like, uh, yeah, I'm, I'm super excited about that.
Like, that's great. I mean, as a team it's,
I feel like we have a really strong team as a whole across the board.
Um, but yeah, I feel like this year it's, we we're, we're set up really nicely to have a go at both series.
Um, and it's just given me like a new, like I feel more butterflies than I did last year just because at the start of last year, everything was such a, a known quantity, right?
Okay. I, I know how my communication
with this guy's gonna be.
I know how I need to work with this guy.
And it was all so like, easy almost in terms, you know, it was too, it was too easy in a way where you just kind of, you, it's very, I dunno what you guys are like, but for me, like I can get into a rhythm with something and it just doesn't become monotonous, but you don't feel like you're challenging yourself.
Whilst now I feel like, okay, I've gotta learn new people, new characteristics, it's a different situation.
Um, different kind of pressure.
Like, so I just, yeah, I feel rejuvenated by it, to be honest.
Has it been the same car since, since the inception?
Exactly. Yeah. Same car as well. So
Yeah, that probably leads into it as well, right?
Because it's, it's like there's only so much that you can do and develop, right?
With the same package that you've had for a decade.
Exactly. Same package.
And then we've had pretty much the same tire now, I think it's the second year with this tire, but we're on Michelin's for the last six or seven years.
So not always changed there.
And that, honestly, if I'm being honest, the, the can't talk too much about the future, but there's some exciting stuff in the near future for Lexus with, with the GT program, but it's a known fact, right?
That we are racing the oldest, you know, homologated cow on the grid right now. So you've
Got the, the DW 12 of GT three cars , correct?
W with the old Arrow Kit.
I can empathize. Yeah, yeah. . So, uh,
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
It's, it's based, it's quite similar in a way.
And, uh, so also we're at a disadvantage in some ways, right?
Compared to some of these newer manufacturers who have, uh, some, some, uh, you know, newer equipment and stuff like that.
So I think having strong cars across both G-T-D-G-T-D PRO gives us a good shot of both series. So,
And, and the, the difference really between the two classes is GTD PRO is an all pro driver lineup where GTD you have to have an an am quote unquote.
Um, so your, so your argument to Im SA is that Parker Thompson is an am Is that, is that what I'm hearing?
Because I mean, I've seen that kid wheel, I don't know how that's possible.
And if I was a betting man, I'd be putting money on the 12th car to win the GTD championship today. I'm willing, because that's a,
I'm willing to throw my ad in the ring if you guys need a different Am We we're good.
I think, I think he's gonna be alright.
Yeah, I think he'd be good. No, I mean, uh,
it's the way the rules are written, right?
Like you have a, each driver's given a, you know, a, a ranking by the FIA and, and Parker is a silver, but if you look at the GTD championship, really that silver driver is extremely important.
Like if you look at the guys who've won it over the last few years, you look at when it was van th and Robeson, you look at when it was sellers and snow, the, the silver guy is always has to be exceptional, right?
And de Angelis when he won it, they're not, these guys are, you know, a, a, a proper, right?
So it's, uh, you know, bronze is kind of, if there was a bronze mandate, then it would be different.
But with the silver mandate, it means it's, you know, like a, a young open and comer.
And that's what we've got.
The young, the Canadian cruise missile. Young, young Open,
My guy, guy, my guy, the new pt. Yeah.
Yeah. I love, but just to touch on PT though, he's, uh,
yeah, I'm, I'm really excited about that as well, like working with him.
He's, uh, he's super quick and, uh, like he's, he's, he's young and that's gonna keep me on my tours.
Do you know what I mean? Like, working with him
and he's super motivated.
I, I know you guys know each other a little bit, but really, uh, yeah, professional and, uh, does kind of, does does the work.
So I'm, I'm really excited about that.
Like I say, we've got killer, killer Silver, so I'm, yeah. Yeah.
Well, like, I'm, I'm a big Parker Thompson fan.
I'm a big Jack Hawksworth fan.
Uh, I'm super impressed with the, the program that you guys run at Alexis.
It's always been, you know, one, you keep an eye out every time we show up to the track at imsa.
So Jack, thank you so much for coming on.
We wish you all the best for the 2025 Rolex 24, uh, and the entire IMSA season.
Uh, like I said, if I was a betting man, uh, you guys are looking pretty, uh, season se early season favorites, I'd say for, uh, for a good title run.
So thanks for coming along and, uh, and best of luck.
Yeah, cheers, mate. And I'll see you,
uh, see you at Daytona.
You in, uh, Lamborghini this year, right? Yeah,
Yeah.
We've swapped over to the Lambo and, uh, the plaid is back, so you won't, you won't miss us.
And uh, yeah, it should be fun.
But again, we're, so we're in the, you know, we're in slightly different classes, so we, you and I can get along on track. It's fine.
Yeah, we are you Teammates though? 14.
I'll let him know. , what's
The, uh, how's the, have you tested the Lambo yet, uh, As we're recording?
No, by the time this is aired, yes, but, okay.
It was a bit of a late swap, so, uh, I've been on, on I racing quite a bit, trying to get up to speed.
There you go. Nice. I mean, exact sounds good.
Anyway, so I've always, always wanted to, uh, the sound of it, the thing sounds better.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hopefully it
goes as good as it sounds, right?
Yeah. Yeah. And, and a are you racing Daytona Alexander?
I'm not. Um, I'm gonna be in Hawaii, but, uh, . Oh, there
You go. Fun. That
Might be better.
Enjoy, enjoy. Let's go to
Maui for a week.
I feel like we might actually be on the short end of the stick.
Yeah. I mean, I'll watch. Maybe, probably not, but yeah,
You won't watch.
He's already got his Rolex, so he's, he's good man.
He's gonna go sit on a beach. Good
To go.
Yeah. .
Yeah. As buddy as you said. Um, thanks for coming on, man.
We appreciate it. Good luck and, uh, we'll see you soon.
Yeah. Cheers, fellas. Awesome.
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