During the final practice session for IMSA’s season opener on Friday morning, Clément Novalak encountered a pit lane incident that resulted in a leg and hip injury. While the injuries were deemed non-serious, they were significant enough to force the Frenchman to sit out the remainder of the event.
Consequently, Pietro Fittipaldi will step in alongside Nick Boulle, Jakub Śmiechowski, and Tom Dillmann in the No. 52 entry, competing in the LMP2 category.
Pietro Fittipaldi, set to compete full-time in the 2024 IndyCar Series with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, brings prior experience with Inter Europol Competition. In 2022, he piloted the ORECA 07 in the European Le Mans Series, showcasing an impressive podium finish after starting from the back at Spa-Francorchamps.
Expressing regret for the team and Novalak, Fittipaldi acknowledged the team’s diligent preparation for the Daytona 24 Hours. He received a last-minute call from the team to join the race, drawing on his familiarity with the car and previous 24-hour experience.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Fittipaldi eagerly anticipates the challenge and pledges to deliver the best possible performance for the team.
While the team secured the second position in class during qualifying, IMSA SportsCar Championship rules will likely necessitate starting from the rear of the LMP2 grid due to the driver change. Nick Boulle will take the helm for the race’s start, which is scheduled for Saturday at 1:40 pm ET.