Why did Lexus just commit the 2016 RC F to a race series?

Lexus’ F Performance Racing group will join the IMSA Weather Tech SportsCar Championship. The Lexus RC F GT 3 will race in the GT Daytona (GTD) class series through the 2018 season. Drivers Sage Karam and veteran racer Scott Pruett will be behind the wheel for F Performance Racing when the East Lansing, Michigan-based team campaigns the Lexus RC F GT3 for part of the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. Both of the drivers had previously been under contract with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Paul Gentilozzi, Managing Partner of F Performance Racing, commented on the drivers, saying, “We have had our eye on Sage for some time. His experience in IMSA events with Scott at Daytona and Sebring showed us great maturity. Our program is a building experience, and having Scott Pruett as a teammate/mentor is really a priceless commodity. I am sure Sage will fit in with our group and help us get a first victory for Lexus and F Performance Racing.”

F Performance Racing was formed in 2015 to prepare for the RC F GT3’s entry into racing. John Gentilozzi, the group’s Technical Director, has over 45 years of racing experience. The 2016 was never a target for full competition. Being part of it for the 2016 season will enable the team to prepare better for the full two seasons to come that have been committed to.

Lest anyone wonder why Lexus is putting the RC F on track, Gentilozzi made it perfectly clear, saying, “They make great cars that have a high-performance ability, and they needed to authenticate that by competing in motorsports. That’s a fact around the world. You can talk about how your car performs, but the public requires you to authenticate that.” Authentication is under way. Torque News has significant first-hand track time in the RC F. For our reports on how well the street-legal RC F performs on-track please see:
2015 Lexus RC F destroys the 2014 IS F on track
Track day comparison – Cadillac ATS-V vs. Lexus RC F
2015 Lexus RC F’s most amazing feature is the transmission
2015 Lexus RC F Compared to Muscle Cars and Sporty Cars On a Racetrack