With 2024 coming to a close, I'm sure you all have seen a myriad of 'Driver of the Year' and 'Team of the Year' awards being handed out. So, instead of adding another to the long list of similar awards, we thought we'd add an award with a bit more RSC-specificity. Given how much effort we put into keeping track of chassis numbers over the course of the racing season, it only made sense that our award ought to be something to do with that. And thus, the "Chassis of the Year" award was born. It is, of course limited to the chassis numbers that we have been able to track down over the season. But, given the more notable a chassis is, the more likely it is we know it, I can be fairly sure the award will be given to the best chassis of the year. With all of that preamble out of the way, it's time to award the RSC Chassis of the Year
1. Porsche 963 Chassis #963_115
Chassis 115 is the Porsche 963 that has started more races than any other. It has been used as the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport in the IMSA SportsCar Championship since the start of the 2023 season. Before 2024, it had already claimed victory at the IMSA SportsCar Weekend at Road America, along with two podiums at Long Beach and Indianapolis. 963_115 started the 2024 season off with a bang, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona in January being driven by Dane Cameron, Felipe Nasr, Matt Campbell & Josef Newgarden. From then on, it only finished two races off the podium, and collected another win at the Sahlen's 6 Hours of the Glen in June. Two wins, two second places, and four thirds out of a 9-race season is nothing to be sniffed at, and nearly double any other chassis competing in IMSA GTP. This secured it first place in the IMSA GTP Teams' Championship. This success can be attributed to the car's two full-season drivers, Dane Cameron and Felipe Nasr. The only weak point of its season was a 15th place at the Tirerack.com Battle on the Bricks in September, but this was a small mark on an otherwise spotless season. For these reasons, chassis 963_115 is our Chassis of the Year.
Honourable mentions
Any award would be incomplete without its honourable mentions, those who came close to claiming the crown, but were outclassed by others.
2. Ferrari 499P Chassis #12 16P
Chassis 12 16P was new for 2024, and ran as the #50 Ferrari AF Corse in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Its crowning achievement was winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans certainly the crown jewel of the sportscar racing calendar. However, it was held back from winning from its lack of other achievements. It did have two third places at the 6h of Spa, and Lone Star Le Mans, but its season was otherwise unspectacular. It was driven by Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina and Nicklas Nielsen en route to the trio's second place finish in the Hypercar World Endurance Drivers' Championship.
3. Toyota GR010 Hybrid Chassis #22-08
22-08 was also new for the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2024. It used the number 8 for the entirety of the season and was driven by Brendon Hartley, Sebastian Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa. The highlights of its season were victories at the 6 hours of Sao Paulo and the season closing 8 hours of Bahrain. It was the only chassis to win more than one race in WEC competition this year. Its remarkable performance at the 8 hours of Bahrain helped Toyota seal and almost unimaginable comeback to win the Hypercar World Endurance Manufacturers' Championship by just two points, a feat that seemed almost impossible a mere few hours prior. Despite its flashes of brilliance, its full season drivers finished in 4th in the Drivers' championship, four points behind its sister car, highlighting its inconsistency.
Thus concludes the 2024 RSC Chassis of the Year. We wish you all a Happy 2025!