Transition to IMSA’s GTP car “eye-opening” for Jordan Taylor

After spending the earlier 4 years with Corvette Racing battling in GTLM after which GTD Professional, the 32-year-old went again residence to race alongside his brother, Ricky, at his father’s workforce, Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti (WTR Andretti).

Earlier this month, Taylor, who will co-drive the #40 Acura ARX-06 with Louis Delétraz for the 2024 season within the workforce’s expanded second entry, acquired his first style of the hybrid GTP in a check at Sebring Worldwide Raceway.

“Yeah, it was eye-opening,” Taylor informed Motorsport.com.

The mixing for Taylor began earlier than Petit Le Mans in October as he shared being “looped into” emails from drivers, engineers and even Honda Efficiency Growth, all a part of attempting to study and perceive the nuances of the methods for the GTP.

“Per week earlier than our Sebring check, we had been an Indy for 3 days on the simulator and checking the whole lot. After which getting right down to Sebring, the climate wasn’t nice, so we did not get a ton of operating, however on day one I believe I bought two runs within the automobile, and it was rather a lot occurring.

“I believe the steering wheel handbook is about 30 pages, and as soon as I began driving the automobile on the entire first day, I did not even take a look at the steering wheel as a result of I used to be simply attempting to concentrate to find out how to drive the automobile and simply drive it by itself with out even specializing in the methods and the diff (differential) adjustments, TC (traction management) adjustments, all that stuff. It was simply overwhelming.”

Taylor was bowled over by how superior the GTP in comparison with his earlier expertise racing the earlier high class prototype, DPi, from 2017 to 2019 – the final time he drove for his father’s group.

“The ability is tremendous spectacular,” Taylor stated. “I imply, coming from the DPi, I do not know if it is bought a ton extra energy or much less drag or the mixture of the 2, however the automobile accelerates like no different automobile I’ve pushed earlier than and accelerates throughout seventh gear; simply pulls each gear prefer it’s first or second gear in a traditional automobile.

“All of the methods are tremendous spectacular however understanding that was plenty of it. We solely bought two runs the primary day after which had an evening to sort of assume on it and return the second day. It felt far more pure, fortunately, on that second day to sort of get again into driving and making some changes on the steering wheel and getting a really feel for it.

“However yeah, it was good getting my first style again into it and we get to check Daytona (in a number of days), so hopefully the educational simply retains progressing.”

Up subsequent for Taylor is a personal check on the 3.56-mile highway course at Daytona Worldwide Speedway Dec. 6-9, which is the one IMSA-sanctioned check previous to the Roar Earlier than the Rolex 24 in January. Jenson Button, the 2009 System One champion, and IndyCar star Colton Herta will be part of Taylor and Delétraz for the Rolex 24.

With a flood of expertise at Daytona, the place Taylor has earned three victories within the 24-hour endurance basic, together with two total (2017, 2019), the purpose is to proceed to develop in understanding the automobile.

“Driving the automobile is not any challenge,” Taylor stated. “I used to be in a position to get comfy fairly rapidly, however then understanding the methods and the steering wheel and simply the vary of changes that the motive force has in his arms is rather a lot. I believe figuring out what all of them do is one factor, however understanding like what you feel within the automobile and find out how to then make a change on the steering wheel that is going to learn you is one other factor. So, it is a altering factor.

“Even for the present drivers, there’s at all times adjustments being made to refine that course of. I believe it is good to have. We could have eight drivers for Daytona, so it is plenty of completely different bits of enter to assist refine that course of.

Picture by: Jake Galstad / Motorsport Photos

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“Understanding all of the system stuff is tremendous difficult and technical, and I’ve undoubtedly spent most likely extra time taking a look at steering wheel notes and in-car particular notes most likely in these previous two months than I most likely have, actually, in my total profession mixed; simply to grasp how the brake system works, how all of the completely different changes works, all of the completely different TC changes.

“There’s simply a lot going into it that plenty of it is simply managed by HPD, however plenty of it’s also within the driver’s arms to regulate. I am simply attempting to get on the identical web page as all of the others who’ve been in these automobiles now for a 12 months.”