JMF Motorsports Ushers in New Three-Hour Race Era of the SRO GT World Challenge America in a Competitive and Controlled Overall and Pro-Class Victory from the Pole in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3. The Victory is a Milestone Repeat for the Duo and the Second-Year JMF Motorsports Team that Won in Their Series Debut at Sonoma Last Year
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team JMF Motorsports ushered in the new three-hour race era of the SRO GT World Challenge America series in a convincing and controlled fashion this weekend with a commanding victory at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday from the pole with co-drivers Mikael Grenier and Michai Stephens in the No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The win marked a milestone historic repeat for the duo and JMF Motorsports team as the group also stood atop the podium at Sonoma last year in the team’s series debut. This year, however, the win came in the series’ newly formatted three-hour endurance format that will be the series standard for all but the season-ending Indianapolis 8 Hour race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this October.
The strong victory was a near flag-to-flag triumph for the No. 34 JMF Motorsports team. Starting driver Stephens relinquished the point only briefly at the end of the race’s first hour before reclaiming the lead before pitting to hand the car over to closing driver Grenier just before the race’s halfway mark. Grenier led every lap of his race-closing run and withstood the pressure of more than one fast challenger for a close but secure 0.922-second margin of victory.
The win followed a double-pole qualifying effort earlier on Sunday for the expanded JMF team that runs two Mercedes-AMG GT3 entries in GT World Challenge America this season. Stephens and Grenier posted the quickest combined time for the overall and Pro division pole while their new teammates Jason Daskalos and Lorcan Hanafin won the Pro-Am pole with a stout third fastest overall combined qualifying time in the No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3.
The No. 27 team’s good fortune in qualifying unfortunately didn’t continue in the race, however, as a pair of pit stop-related penalties in the opening hour dropped Daskalos and Hanafin from winning contention to an eventual ninth place Pro-Am finish.
Returning Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing team TR3 Racing also encountered an early issue after a contact incident in the race’s opening laps thwarted an otherwise competitive weekend. A trip to the paddock for repairs put the No. 9 TR3 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 several laps down but the team and co-drivers Brayton Williams and Will Bamber persevered to the finish.
Next up for Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Customer Racing teams in SRO America competition is Round 2 of the 2026 season at Circuit of The Americas (COTA), April 24 – 26.
Mikael Grenier, Driver - No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
"We were able to control the race even though it was obviously clear others were quick. My first stint was a bit tricky because I had a back marker in front, but he didn't want to let us go. So, I kind of killed the tires, and I was on a used set as well, so I was struggling a bit. The last stint, pace wise, was much better. Still some work to do, but we're super pleased. First place in the first race of the year. We have to score as many points as possible early in the year, which we didn't do last year, so we have to keep doing that, keep our nose clean, keep pushing, and then we will see where we are in Indianapolis at the end of the year."
Michai Stephens, Driver - No. 34 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
"It's tremendous to be here on the forefront of a new era for SRO America's three-hour GT World Challenge format. To be able to have the privilege to walk home with the big trophy, all credit goes to JMF Motorsports and the partnership with Mercedes-AMG. It's more fuel to strive to move forward, just more motivation to keep digging. It's critical to get some momentum and some championship points early, because all we have now is one shot per weekend. So, you have to make it count, and it's a real privilege to be able to make it count this time."
Jason Daskalos, Driver - No. 27 JMF Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3
"The car handled so well and the JMF team is incredible. I had great pace, leading everybody in class, but I made a mistake coming into the pits. I left it in second gear, instead of going down to first. So that's on me, but there's still so many positives. Lorcan is so fast and a joy to work with. With the team, the car and the Pro driver that I have, it should be our year. I just can't make little mistakes like that."
Brayton Williams, Driver - No. 9 TR3 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3
"Coming into the weekend we had a pretty strong package. We knew we were going to be up there and fighting. It was just unfortunate about the damage at the start, but the boys got it back together, and it's a great TR3 team we are here with. They are a family, and we all work hard together, we learned a lot and brought it home. Down to the setup changes, the Mercedes-AMG GT3 is pretty easy to dial it in. Overall, the car is a lot of fun."
Contacts:
Adam Saal, +1 321-890-2848, saalgoodpr@gmail.com
Andrew Brudnicki, +1 470-409-8048, andrew.brudnicki@mbusa.com