A new season for Corvette Racing will bring a familiar look and feel to race fans across North America in 2019 as the program confirmed its lineup today for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. It’s a roster that remains intact for the fourth consecutive year.
Corvette Racing’s four full-season drivers – Antonio Garcia, Jan Magnussen, Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner – are back together for the eighth consecutive season.
These four drivers have combined for 113 victories and 13 Driver Championships with Corvette Racing. No other driver roster in modern North American sports car racing can match that level of race- and championship-winning consistency.
For the fourth consecutive year, they will be joined by Mike Rockenfeller and Marcel Fässler in the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring to start the 2019 season.
Garcia and Magnussen will return in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.R as two-time and defending GTLM Driver Champions. Since joining forces in 2012, Garcia and Magnussen have won 13 races including the Rolex 24 in 2015 and twice at Sebring – the latter two with Rockenfeller.
Meanwhile in the No. 4 Corvette C7.R, Gavin and Milner also will go for their third Driver Championship as a pairing. Like their teammates in the No. 3 Corvette, Gavin and Milner have won 13 times together. Among those are the Rolex 24 in 2016 (with Fässler), Sebring two times and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015.
Both of the Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs will officially begin the 2019 IMSA season at the annual Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway from Friday through Sunday. It is the prelude for the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona – an event Corvette Racing has won three times.
The records of each Corvette Racing driver rank among the best in endurance sports car racing:
Antonio Garcia: 16 victories; three IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (2009, 2011), Daytona (2015), Sebring (2009, 2015, 2017)
Oliver Gavin: 50 victories; five IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (five times), Daytona (2016), Sebring (five times)
Jan Magnussen: 35 victories; four IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (four times), Daytona (2015), Sebring (five times)
Tommy Milner: 14 victories; two IMSA Driver Championships; winner at Le Mans (2011, 2015), Daytona (2016), Sebring (two times)
Mike Rockenfeller: one victory; winner at Sebring (2017), Daytona (2010), Le Mans (2005 and 2010)
Marcel Fässler: two victories; winner at Daytona (2016), Sebring (2013, 2016), Le Mans (2011, 2012, 2014)
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s hard to believe this will be my 11th season with Corvette Racing and eighth as a full-time driver. We have been able to win a lot of races and championships during that time. Obviously Jan and I work very well together with our crew and engineers. That’s a large reason why we have won consecutive Driver Championships. The work begins again next week at Daytona. As a team, there have been important updates and progress to our Corvettes ahead of 2019. I think we can all feel confident in our ability to challenge for more race wins and championships.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “I can’t think of a better program to be part of than Corvette Racing. It’s like my second family, and it’s great that we’ve been able to achieve a high level of success. I can’t think of a better teammate than Antonio. We’re both highly competitive and push each other constantly. That’s the type of person you want sharing your car. With our collective group at Corvette Racing, we know that we can contend for another championship and more race wins, starting at Daytona.”
MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s been far too long since I was with Corvette Racing. The is a fun program and it’s very well-run and organized. Any professional driver would want to be part of any team like this. Having said that, Marcel and I are very determined to do our part to place Corvette Racing in the best possible position to start the GTLM Championship with a win at the Rolex. It all starts with the Roar and three very important days of testing. I’m ready to get back!”
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Being back with Corvette Racing and with Tommy is the best way to start 2019. It’s an amazing feat that we remain at the forefront of the GTLM championship each season. The people, the tools and resources we have within our program make all this possible. This may be the toughest season we will face with our Corvette C7.R. All of our competitors have had another year to fully develop their cars. But we know that this is only a single element in what makes a championship-winning team. We’ve displayed that many times and the Roar and the Rolex give us another chance to do so again.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “It’s been a short offseason for several of us but I know everyone is ready to get back to Daytona and start a new season. Winning the Rolex and the GTLM Championship are goals for Corvette Racing each season. I’m confident that our test program since Petit Le Mans is going to put us in a great position to do that. We’ll be off and running immediately with the Roar and then ahead to the Rolex. The 2016 win with Oliver and Marcel is one I’m eager to repeat… although maybe not as tense this time!”
MARCEL FÄSSLER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R: “Starting 2019 with Corvette Racing at Daytona is the perfect way to get back into the groove of competition. I’m obviously very glad to return to a team that I have gotten to know so well the last few years. Tommy, Olly and I had a great end of 2018 at Road Atlanta so our goal is improve on that for the Rolex 24. Winning the race three years ago is a highlight in my career that I always will remember. It would be nice to add more with Corvette Racing this season.”
