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Jonny Edgar says he is aiming to use his rookie FIA World Endurance Championship season at the wheel of TF Sport’s No. 33 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R to “show himself” as he targets an eventual step up to the Hypercar ranks.
Edgar got his season off to a perfect start in Qatar in February as he and his co-drivers Ben Keating and Dani Juncadella scored a narrow victory in the LMGT3 class.
The 21-year-old British driver made the transition from the European Le Mans Series, where he won last year’s LMP2 title together with Robert Kubica and Louis Deletraz, together with TF, which runs the Corvette LMGT3 program in the WEC.
Edgar, a race winner at FIA Formula 3 level, is hoping that his first campaign in the WEC with the Corvette brand will allow him to boost his profile.
“I was lucky last year with the teammates I had, and being with TF Sport was a great opportunity for me to learn in my first season in sports cars,” Edgar told Sportscar365.
“I’ve been lucky again to be able to stay with the team, and to be part of such a good lineup with Ben and Dani. It’s nice to have a lineup that will give you a chance to win every weekend, it gives you a lot of confidence.
“The Corvette is a competitive package at the moment, so it’s a good chance to show myself to everyone. I have been very lucky so far [since switching to sports cars].”
Despite his early success at the wheel of GT3 machinery, Edgar admits he still has further to go in order to feel fully comfortable in the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which he has found more challenging to adapt to LMP2 machinery.
“LMP2 was an easy transition for me coming from single-seaters, as it has a similar amount of downforce and demands a similar driving style,” he said.
“But in GT racing, you really feel the weight of the car. ABS is also new to me, so I am still figuring out the driving style on that side, and learning about how the car should feel when it’s at its best, which I think will take a few races.”
Edgar is combining his WEC commitments with a IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup program for AO Racing, and is making an additional one-off outing in this week’s Long Beach WeatherTech Championship round in the team’s GTD-entered Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Asked about his future aspirations, Edgar outlined a desire to land a Hypercar seat.
“I really enjoyed my first season of endurance racing last year and it’s something I can see myself doing for a long time,” he said.
“This year, being able to race in GT3 and LMP2 is nice, it’s good to get experience in both. I would be happy to carry on racing in either category, anywhere there is an opportunity, and hopefully eventually end up in Hypercar.”
Edgar remains ranked Silver by the FIA, despite his ELMS title triumph, but is relaxed about the prospect of a future promotion to Gold status.
“It’s not something I am worried about,” he said. “If you get good results, you get upgraded. But for me, the goal is to be as quick as anyone, not just compared to the other Silvers, which I think is what you need to do to show yourself.
“If you get upgraded, there’s nothing you can do about it. There are more opportunities available as a Silver, but it’s not something that worries me.”
And another new driver
Edgar got his season off to a perfect start in Qatar in February as he and his co-drivers Ben Keating and Dani Juncadella scored a narrow victory in the LMGT3 class.
The 21-year-old British driver made the transition from the European Le Mans Series, where he won last year’s LMP2 title together with Robert Kubica and Louis Deletraz, together with TF, which runs the Corvette LMGT3 program in the WEC.
Edgar, a race winner at FIA Formula 3 level, is hoping that his first campaign in the WEC with the Corvette brand will allow him to boost his profile.
“I was lucky last year with the teammates I had, and being with TF Sport was a great opportunity for me to learn in my first season in sports cars,” Edgar told Sportscar365.
“I’ve been lucky again to be able to stay with the team, and to be part of such a good lineup with Ben and Dani. It’s nice to have a lineup that will give you a chance to win every weekend, it gives you a lot of confidence.
“The Corvette is a competitive package at the moment, so it’s a good chance to show myself to everyone. I have been very lucky so far [since switching to sports cars].”
Despite his early success at the wheel of GT3 machinery, Edgar admits he still has further to go in order to feel fully comfortable in the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, which he has found more challenging to adapt to LMP2 machinery.
“LMP2 was an easy transition for me coming from single-seaters, as it has a similar amount of downforce and demands a similar driving style,” he said.
“But in GT racing, you really feel the weight of the car. ABS is also new to me, so I am still figuring out the driving style on that side, and learning about how the car should feel when it’s at its best, which I think will take a few races.”
Edgar is combining his WEC commitments with a IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup program for AO Racing, and is making an additional one-off outing in this week’s Long Beach WeatherTech Championship round in the team’s GTD-entered Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Asked about his future aspirations, Edgar outlined a desire to land a Hypercar seat.
“I really enjoyed my first season of endurance racing last year and it’s something I can see myself doing for a long time,” he said.
“This year, being able to race in GT3 and LMP2 is nice, it’s good to get experience in both. I would be happy to carry on racing in either category, anywhere there is an opportunity, and hopefully eventually end up in Hypercar.”
Edgar remains ranked Silver by the FIA, despite his ELMS title triumph, but is relaxed about the prospect of a future promotion to Gold status.
“It’s not something I am worried about,” he said. “If you get good results, you get upgraded. But for me, the goal is to be as quick as anyone, not just compared to the other Silvers, which I think is what you need to do to show yourself.
“If you get upgraded, there’s nothing you can do about it. There are more opportunities available as a Silver, but it’s not something that worries me.”
And another new driver