Conquest Racing With Ferrari concluded their time in Virginia with a sixth place finish in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, the final sprint event of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season. Manny Franco and Albert Costa Balboa overcame challenges in the 2h40min race, gaining a total of six positions in the GTD class on board their #34 Corsa Horizon Ferrari 296 GT3. With only two rounds remaining, the team retained fourth place in the championship standings, now with a total of 2,050 points.
As soon as the green flag waved, Manny Franco began to make up ground, recovering two positions on the opening lap. Once he settled into a rhythm, he was focused on managing his tires and preserving fuel. However, he faced an early setback as the team had to serve a stop and repair penalty for a failure to adhere to tire operational requirements, dropping him down the running order in the process.
Albert Costa Balboa took over from Franco with 1h45min remaining on the clock and got up to speed quickly, putting in some of the fastest lap times of the race throughout his stint. Although he was experiencing vibrations in the car, he continued to make progress through the field, both as a result of overtakes as well as other competitors serving drive-through penalties.
The team completed their final pit stop with just over 50 minutes to go, and Costa Balboa went on the charge from there. He returned to the track in eleventh, but a full course caution emerged and closed the gap to the cars ahead. As the green flag running resumed, the Spaniard efficiently picked off competitors ahead of him one by one, before crossing the finish line to claim sixth place.
“I think the start was strong; we gained some positions,” explained Manny Franco. “I felt a little limited at VIR as there’s just not a lot of space or time before the next braking zone to make a move. I shifted strategies to focus on fuel and tire saving, which paid off in keeping some cars behind for my whole stint.”
When reflecting on the championship implications, Franco went on to say “our expectations this year weren’t focused on fighting for a podium spot in the championship, but that’s where we find ourselves. So, while we’re in this position, we’re going for it. The next two races in the Endurance Cup—Indianapolis and Road Atlanta—are where we believe we can make up points.”
“I’m really happy with how things turned out, it wasn’t easy,” added Albert Costa Balboa. “We had an issue with some vibrations and it was difficult at times to focus during the first hour of my stint. My vision from inside the car was also affected, especially at higher speeds, making it hard to see clearly. I started to feel dizzy and even nauseous, but the team did a great job at keeping me calm and motivated, and continued to encourage me during every lap. By the time we pitted and got a new set of tires, I felt much better. Once I felt good again, I managed the tire degradation well, and the timing of the safety car worked in our favor. I had tires left to fight and could capitalize on others’ mistakes to move up.”
“In the end, everything worked out, and I’m very happy,” he stated. “Finishing in the top six and showing good speed at the end of the weekend makes me really proud of the team. Now we can move on to the next race at Indianapolis, which is a home track for the team. We’ve tested there before, so we know the setup, and I’m confident we can do a great job. We will stay focused because we have the potential to do something special.”
The team will be back on track for the penultimate round of the season, the Battle On The Bricks, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from September 19th to 22nd.