Get ready, racing fans! RLL Team McLaren is making a splash in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the lineup is something to behold. Nikita Johnson and Max Esterson are stepping into the spotlight as full-season drivers, bringing a fresh wave of talent to the team. But here's where it gets interesting: this marks a significant shift, with a team boasting only one combined sports car start among its drivers, and all four pilots are rookies at the legendary Rolex 24 at Daytona. Talk about a baptism by fire!
Joining Johnson and Esterson will be McLaren factory driver Dean MacDonald and the experienced Juri Vips, who has dipped his toes into the NTT IndyCar Series. They'll be piloting the team's GTD Pro class McLaren 720S GT3 Evo in the upcoming season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Seventeen-year-old Nikita Johnson is making the leap from FIA Formula 3, while Esterson is fresh off his impressive sports car debut at last October's Motul Petit Le Mans, racing with JDC-Miller Motorsports' Porsche 963.
While Johnson is still getting acquainted with the car, Esterson, Vips, MacDonald, and the Bobby Rahal co-owned team already had a head start, participating in a crucial IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway last November, marking their first test with the GT3 contender.
"I am very happy and honored to help build the new McLaren era with RLL and I am excited to run the full-year with Max," Johnson shared, brimming with enthusiasm. "As a Florida native, I am especially excited to start it all off in Daytona with a great four-driver lineup. Thank you to all of RLL for this opportunity."
Esterson echoed the excitement: "After racing in single seaters my whole career up to this point, making the switch to IMSA in the GTD Pro class is a very big and exciting new chapter for me. It’s great to be joining such a strong and established team like RLL and I’m excited to see what we can do together with McLaren this season starting at Daytona."
Like his full-season teammates, Estonian pilot Vips is also gearing up for his sports car debut, having recently competed in three IndyCar races with RLL over the past two years. MacDonald brings a bit more experience to the table, but even he's a rookie in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
This team is a mix of fresh talent and seasoned expertise. What do you think of this bold move by RLL Team McLaren? Will their rookies rise to the challenge? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
