COTA Thursday Notebook

Key Points:

• The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) returns this weekend at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) for the Lone Star Le Mans, marking the series' 15th North American visit and 75th six-hour race, including the 40th featuring the Hypercar category.
• Porsche Penske Motorsport, last year’s overall winner, will not compete due to Porsche's withdrawal from the Hypercar class; however, the team’s drivers Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, and Matt Campbell are expected to race with other teams next season.
• Extreme heat is forecasted for the event, with temperatures above 96°F (35°C), potentially impacting race conditions similar to last year’s heatwave and rain-affected event.
• Several teams, including Toyota and Genesis Magma Racing, conducted pre-event testing at COTA to prepare for the race, with Toyota noting track resurfacing and bumpiness as key factors addressed during testing.
• Notable driver absences include Ross Gunn and Roman De Angelis for Heart of Racing’s Aston Martin Valkyries, while returning drivers like Eduardo Barrichello and Nicky Catsburg face challenging schedules balancing WEC and IMSA commitments.