The Mercedes-AMG GT4 is set to make its North American competition debut this weekend in the Inaugural Hankook 24H COTA USA, at the Texan Circuit of the Americas. The AMG GT4 will be entered by customer racing teams Black Falcon and HTP, which will each run ‘Testteam’ entries of the car in the new for 2017 24H Endurance Series finale.
AMG is keen to highlight that the 24-hour COTA race is one of the final major endurance races of an extensive test-race program for the Mercedes-AMG GT4 that was unveiled at the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium in late July. By the finish of the COTA 24H this weekend, Mercedes-AMG GT4 ‘Testteam’ entries will have completed nearly 40,000 kilometers of race testing. The Spa unveiling of the Mercedes-AMG GT4 R was preceded by a two-car 30-hour test race at the Lausitzring in Germany. Additional races in the test program included the initial six-hour race victory at the Nürburgring and podium finishes in two other rounds.
“The GT4 segment is getting more and more popular,” stated Tobias Moers, chairman of the board of management, Mercedes-AMG. “The production-based concept is an important factor, especially when you want to get started in motorsport as a team or as a driver. For some teams, the GT4 category also serves as a sensible addition to their existing involvement in GT3, for instance to support young drivers. For us as a manufacturer, GT4 competition is a logical next step to extend our Customer Racing program. After the achievements in GT3 racing, the GT4 is opening another valuable platform for us to prove our competence as a globally successful sports car and performance brand. There is no doubt that we will once again be setting new benchmarks in the segment with the latest member in our Customer Racing program.”
