The American dream of Turbo Bakers. Inter Europol joins IMSA
10:22 AM EST, December 11, 2023
In 2023, the Inter Europol Competition became the first Polish team in history to win at the 24-hour Le Mans race. Now, they have set their sights on conquering the United States. This ambitious pursuit is possible thanks to a collaboration with PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports. Both teams will be competing together in the IMSA series.
The IMSA SportsCar Championship is seen as the second most significant long-distance racing series in the world, following the FIA WEC (World Endurance Championship). It includes one of motorsport's most famous events - the 24-hour Daytona race - in its series calendar.
In the past, the Polish team Inter Europol Competition participated in the WEC series. In the 2023 season, they were the runners-up in the LMP2 category, but most notably, they clinched the champion's title at the 24-hour Le Mans race. Known as the "Turbo Bakers," they became the first Polish organization to win this legendary race, with Jakub Śmiechowski also becoming the first Polish driver to achieve this feat.
There are significant changes in the WEC starting with the 2024 season. The highest Hypercar class is set for a significant expansion, as well as the GT3 category, which will be rebranded as LMGT3. With the LMP2 prototypes no longer in use in the WEC, leaving them without a spot, the Inter Europol Competition began searching for new options. Almost all of the details are now known.
Inter Europol's quest to conquer the States: A one-to-one partnership with an established team
Inter Europol has partnered with the successful PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports team and is preparing to compete in a full season of the IMSA SportsCar Championship. The team will be officially registered under the name Inter Europol by PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports.
PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports, who excelled by winning the overall pick in the LMP2 class in the 2023 IMSA season, are experts in their field. This was a continuation of their success in 2021. The team has also secured the Michelin Endurance Cup classification five times, which only counts races of longer distances.
The experience of the Polish organization will be extremely beneficial in this endeavor. Jakub Śmiechowski, among others, will be driving the car. Several IEC engineers will also be present in America, with the project to be managed by Turbo Bakers' own Sascha Fassbender. As this is a partnership on equal footing, the characteristic pale green color associated with the Polish team will feature in the IMSA lineup!
The IMSA 2024 calendar comprises 11 rounds, seven of which include the LMP2 class. The season will kick off from January 25-28, opening with a bang. According to tradition, the motorsport season in the United States begins with the legendary 24h Daytona race.
