Iron Lynx Faces Challenges in Qatar 1812 km Test for New Mercedes-AMG Machinery

Iron Lynx used the Qatar 1812 km to test their new Mercedes-AMG machinery. The team faced a challenging debut, with technical issues leading to car retirements. Nonetheless, valuable lessons were learned, which they intend to apply in future races, particularly at the upcoming 6 Hours of Imola, their home circuit.
Iron Lynx utilized the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship season opener, the Qatar 1812 km, as a testing ground for their new Mercedes-AMG machinery. The team faced significant challenges in their debut with two new Mercedes-AMG LMGT3s, as the 10-hour race primarily served as a test session rather than a competitive outing. This was also the inaugural entry of Mercedes into the FIA WEC, featuring innovative torque sensors introduced to customer teams at the IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona.
During the third racing hour, driver Christian Reid encountered a technical issue, losing control of the 61 Mercedes-AMG and getting stuck in a gravel trap. As a result, the 61 retired from the race while the 60 car also faced difficulties, requiring a lengthy three-hour repair. Andrea Piccini, team principal and CEO of Iron Lynx, acknowledged the challenges but noted, “We knew it was going to be a hard challenge, but we were hoping for something better.”
Piccini further emphasized that despite the setbacks, the latter part of the race provided valuable testing opportunities which contributed positively to their development. He expressed confidence in taking the lessons learned into future races, indicating, “We will now be taking all the learnings and improvements into the next round of the year.”
Maxime Martin, one of the co-drivers of the 61, shared his insights on their experience, stating, “It was big learning curve, and not the easiest weekend, but we had a lot of testing that allowed us to try different things.” Although disappointing, he remained optimistic about upcoming improvements and stated eagerness to perform better at the next race in Imola, which is their home circuit.
The 6 Hours of Imola is scheduled for 20 April and presents Iron Lynx with an opportunity to leverage local advantages. The lack of classification for the 60 car, in addition to the retirement of the 61 vehicle, highlights the team’s aspiration for enhanced performance in subsequent outings. Iron Lynx aims for a more favorable competitive result as the season progresses.
Iron Lynx faced challenges during their first event with Mercedes-AMG machinery at the Qatar 1812 km, primarily focused on testing. Despite setbacks, the team gained valuable insights and aims to leverage these experiences for improved performance at the upcoming 6 Hours of Imola. Team leaders expressed hope and confidence for future races based on the learning opportunities provided during this debut.
Original Source: www.motorsportweek.com