# 2022 Grand Prix of Long Beach

The 2022 Grand Prix of Long Beach (formally known as the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach) was a sports car race held at Long Beach street circuit in Long Beach, California on April 9, 2022. It was the third round of the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship and the first round of the 2022 WeatherTech Sprint Cup.

## Background

International Motor Sports Association's (IMSA) president John Doonan confirmed the race was part of the schedule for the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA SCC) in August 2021. It was the eighth year the event was held as part of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the fourteenth annual running of the race, counting the period between 2006 and 2013 when it was a round of the Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series respectively. The 2022 Grand Prix of Long Beach was the third of twelve scheduled sports car races of 2022 by IMSA, the shortest of the season in terms of distance, and it was the first round held as part of the WeatherTech Sprint Cup. The race was held at the eleven-turn 1.968 mi (3.167 km) Long Beach street circuit in Long Beach, California on April 9, 2022.
On March 31, 2022, IMSA released the latest technical bulletin outlining Balance of Performance for the DPi, GTD Pro, and GTD classes. In DPi, the Acura ARX-05 received a 10 kilogram weight break. In GTD Pro and GTD, the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD received a 10 kilogram weight increase, a 0.4mm smaller air restrictor, and a fuel capacity reduction of 4 liters. The BMW M4 GT3 lost 17 horsepower as well a 20 kilogram weight break and a fuel capacity reduction of 8 liters. The Porsche 911 GT3 R was given a 2mm larger air restrictor while the Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 received an increase in turbo boost pressure. The McLaren 720S GT3 was given a 15 kilogram weight break.
Before the race, Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook, and Loïc Duval led the DPi Drivers' Championship with 676 points, 11 points ahead of Filipe Albuquerque, Ricky Taylor, and Will Stevens in second followed by Tom Blomqvist and Oliver Jarvis in third with 663 points. With 668 points, the GTD Pro Drivers' Championship was led by Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, and Felipe Nasr with a thirteen-point advantage over Antonio García, Jordan Taylor, and Nicky Catsburg. With 672 points, Stevan McAleer and Mike Skeen led the GTD Drivers' Championship, 53 points ahead of Luís Pérez Companc, Simon Mann, and Toni Vilander in second followed by Ryan Hardwick, Jan Heylen, and Zacharie Robichon in third with 615 points. Cadillac, Porsche, and Ferrari were leading their respective Manufacturers' Championships, while JDC-Miller MotorSports, Pfaff Motorsports, and Gilbert Korthoff Motorsports each led their own Teams' Championships.

### Entries

A total of 26 cars took part in the event, split across three classes. 6 were entered in DPi, 6 in GTD Pro, and 15 in GTD. The only change from the previous round in DPi was the absence of Ally Cadillac Racing. In GTD Pro, Risi Competizione, TR3 Racing, and Racers Edge Motorsports with WTR were absent. BMW M Team RLL scaled down to 1 car in order to focus on development for LMDh in 2023. WeatherTech Racing also scaled down to 1 car and changed its full season entry from using the Porsche 911 GT3 R to the Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo. In GTD, NTE Sport skipped after its transporter suffered a tire blowout en route to the event. GMG Racing made its first appearance since the 2021 Long Beach round while Crucial Motorsports made its sprint debut at this event. Rick Ware Racing made its season debut with drivers Ryan Eversley and Aidan Read.

## Practice

There were two practice sessions preceding the start of the race on Saturday, one on Friday morning and one on Friday afternoon. The first session lasted 90 minutes on Friday morning while the second session on Friday afternoon lasted 105 minutes.

## Qualifying

Friday's afternoon qualifying was broken into two sessions, with one session for the DPi, GTD Pro and GTD classes, which lasted for 15 minutes each, and a ten minute interval between the sessions. The rules dictated that all teams nominated a driver to qualify their cars, with the Pro-Am (GTD) classes requiring a Bronze/Silver Rated Driver to qualify the car. The competitors' fastest lap times determined the starting order. IMSA then arranged the grid to put DPis ahead of the GTD Pro and GTD cars.

### Qualifying results

Pole positions in each class are indicated in bold and by ‡.
| Pos. | Class | No. | Team | Driver | Time | Gap | Grid |
| 1 | DPi | 01 | Cadillac Racing | Sébastien Bourdais | 1:09.472 | - | 1‡ |
| 2 | DPi | 02 | Cadillac Racing | Alex Lynn | 1:09.833 | +0.361 | 2 |
| 3 | DPi | 60 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian | Tom Blomqvist | 1:09.939 | +0.467 | 3 |
| 4 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Pipo Derani | 1:10.001 | +0.529 | 4 |
| 5 | DPi | 5 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Tristan Vautier | 1:10.376 | +0.904 | 5 |
| 6 | DPi | 10 | WTR - Konica Minolta Acura | Filipe Albuquerque | 1:10.576 | +1.104 | 6 |
| 7 | GTD Pro | 3 | Corvette Racing | Jordan Taylor | 1:18.048 | +8.576 | 7‡ |
| 8 | GTD Pro | 25 | BMW M Team RLL | Connor De Phillippi | 1:18.115 | +8.643 | 25 |
| 9 | GTD Pro | 9 | Pfaff Motorsports | Mathieu Jaminet | 1:18.173 | +8.701 | 8 |
| 10 | GTD Pro | 23 | Heart of Racing Team | Ross Gunn | 1:18.437 | +8.965 | 9 |
| 11 | GTD | 1 | Paul Miller Racing | Madison Snow | 1:18.487 | +9.015 | 10‡ |
| 12 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport | Robby Foley | 1:18.599 | +9.127 | 18 |
| 13 | GTD Pro | 14 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Jack Hawksworth | 1:18.627 | +9.155 | 11 |
| 14 | GTD | 32 | Team Korthoff Motorsports | Mike Skeen | 1:18.918 | +9.446 | 12 |
| 15 | GTD | 59 | Crucial Motorsports | Jon Miller | 1:18.932 | +9.460 | 13 |
| 16 | GTD | 57 | Winward Racing | Russell Ward | 1:18.973 | +9.501 | 14 |
| 17 | GTD | 66 | Gradient Racing | Marc Miller | 1:19.146 | +9.674 | 15 |
| 18 | GTD | 27 | Heart of Racing Team | Roman De Angelis | 1:19.181 | +9.709 | 16 |
| 19 | GTD | 12 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Frankie Montecalvo | 1:19.181 | +9.709 | 17 |
| 20 | GTD | 51 | RWR Eurasia Motorsport | Aidan Read | 1:19.366 | +9.894 | 19 |
| 21 | GTD | 70 | Inception Racing with Optimum Motorsport | Brendan Iribe | 1:19.385 | +9.913 | 20 |
| 22 | GTD | 39 | CarBahn with Peregrine Racing | Robert Megennis | 1:19.742 | +10.270 | 21 |
| 23 | GTD Pro | 79 | WeatherTech Racing | Cooper MacNeil | 1:19.743 | +10.271 | 22 |
| 24 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports | Ryan Hardwick | 1:20.072 | +10.600 | 23 |
| 25 | GTD | 99 | Team Hardpoint | Rob Ferriol | 1:21.079 | +11.607 | 24 |
| 26 | GTD | 34 | GMG Racing | Kyle Washington | 1:23.938 | +14.466 | 26 |
| QUALIFYING RESULTS STARTING GRID ||||||||
* ↑ The No. 25 BMW M Team RLL qualifying time was invalidated post-session due to a technical infraction, and remaining valid time of 1:21.425 was used for grid instead.
* ↑ The No. 96 Turner Motorsport qualifying time was invalidated post-session due to a technical infraction, and remaining valid time of 1:19.254 was used for grid instead.

## Race
### Post-race

As a result of finishing second place, Bamber and Lynn took the lead of the DPi Drivers' Championship with 1005 points. Bourdais and van der Zande advanced from seventh to fifth while Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor dropped from second to fourth. As a result of winning the race, Gunn and Riberas advanced from tenth to fifth in the GTD Pro Drivers' Championship. Jordan Taylor and Antonio García jumped from second to first while MacNeil advanced from ninth to fourth. GTD drivers, teams, and manufactures did not score full season points due to the event only counting towards the WeatherTech Sprint Cup. Cadillac continued to top the DPi Manufactures' Championship while Chevrolet took the lead of the GTD Pro Manufactures' Championship. Cadillac Racing and Corvette Racing leaders of their respective class Teams' Championships with ten rounds remaining.

### Race Results

Class winners are denoted in bold and ‡.
| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Chassis | Laps | Time/Retired |
| Pos | Class | No | Team | Drivers | Engine | Laps | Time/Retired |
| 1 | DPi | 01 | Cadillac Racing | Sébastien Bourdais Renger van der Zande | Cadillac DPi-V.R | 73 | 1:40:48.134‡ |
| 1 | DPi | 01 | Cadillac Racing | Sébastien Bourdais Renger van der Zande | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | 73 | 1:40:48.134‡ |
| 2 | DPi | 02 | Cadillac Racing | Alex Lynn Earl Bamber | Cadillac DPi-V.R | 73 | +3.761 |
| 2 | DPi | 02 | Cadillac Racing | Alex Lynn Earl Bamber | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | 73 | +3.761 |
| 3 | DPi | 5 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Tristan Vautier Richard Westbrook | Cadillac DPi-V.R | 73 | +9.048 |
| 3 | DPi | 5 | JDC-Miller MotorSports | Tristan Vautier Richard Westbrook | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | 73 | +9.048 |
| 4 | DPi | 60 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian | Tom Blomqvist Oliver Jarvis | Acura ARX-05 | 73 | +10.014 |
| 4 | DPi | 60 | Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian | Tom Blomqvist Oliver Jarvis | Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 | 73 | +10.014 |
| 5 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Pipo Derani Tristan Nunez | Cadillac DPi-V.R | 73 | +10.535 |
| 5 | DPi | 31 | Whelen Engineering Racing | Pipo Derani Tristan Nunez | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | 73 | +10.535 |
| 6 | DPi | 10 | WTR - Konica Minolta Acura | Filipe Albuquerque Ricky Taylor | Acura ARX-05 | 73 | +11.979 |
| 6 | DPi | 10 | WTR - Konica Minolta Acura | Filipe Albuquerque Ricky Taylor | Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 | 73 | +11.979 |
| 7 | GTD Pro | 23 | Heart of Racing Team | Ross Gunn Alex Riberas | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps‡ |
| 7 | GTD Pro | 23 | Heart of Racing Team | Ross Gunn Alex Riberas | Aston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8 | 69 | +4 Laps‡ |
| 8 | GTD Pro | 14 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Jack Hawksworth Ben Barnicoat | Lexus RC F GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 8 | GTD Pro | 14 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Jack Hawksworth Ben Barnicoat | Toyota 2UR 5.0 L V8 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 9 | GTD | 1 | Paul Miller Racing | Madison Snow Bryan Sellers | BMW M4 GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps‡ |
| 9 | GTD | 1 | Paul Miller Racing | Madison Snow Bryan Sellers | BMW S58B30T0 3.0 L Twin Turbo I6 | 69 | +4 Laps‡ |
| 10 | GTD Pro | 3 | Corvette Racing | Jordan Taylor Antonio García | Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 10 | GTD Pro | 3 | Corvette Racing | Jordan Taylor Antonio García | Chevrolet 5.5 L V8 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 11 | GTD | 66 | Gradient Racing | Marc Miller Mario Farnbacher | Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 11 | GTD | 66 | Gradient Racing | Marc Miller Mario Farnbacher | Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 12 | GTD | 12 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Frankie Montecalvo Aaron Telitz | Lexus RC F GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 12 | GTD | 12 | Vasser Sullivan Racing | Frankie Montecalvo Aaron Telitz | Toyota 2UR 5.0 L V8 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 13 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport | Robby Foley Bill Auberlen | BMW M4 GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 13 | GTD | 96 | Turner Motorsport | Robby Foley Bill Auberlen | BMW S58B30T0 3.0 L Twin Turbo I6 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 14 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports | Ryan Hardwick Jan Heylen | Porsche 911 GT3 R | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 14 | GTD | 16 | Wright Motorsports | Ryan Hardwick Jan Heylen | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 15 | GTD | 32 | Team Korthoff Motorsports | Mike Skeen Stevan McAleer | Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 15 | GTD | 32 | Team Korthoff Motorsports | Mike Skeen Stevan McAleer | Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 16 | GTD | 99 | Team Hardpoint | Rob Ferriol Katherine Legge | Porsche 911 GT3 R | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 16 | GTD | 99 | Team Hardpoint | Rob Ferriol Katherine Legge | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 17 | GTD | 51 | RWR Eurasia Motorsport | Aidan Read Ryan Eversley | Acura NSX GT3 Evo22 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 17 | GTD | 51 | RWR Eurasia Motorsport | Aidan Read Ryan Eversley | Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 18 | GTD | 70 | Inception Racing with Optimum Motorsport | Brendan Iribe Frederik Schandorff | McLaren 720S GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 18 | GTD | 70 | Inception Racing with Optimum Motorsport | Brendan Iribe Frederik Schandorff | McLaren M840T 4.0L Turbo V8 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 19 | GTD Pro | 79 | WeatherTech Racing | Cooper MacNeil Raffaele Marciello | Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 19 | GTD Pro | 79 | WeatherTech Racing | Cooper MacNeil Raffaele Marciello | Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 20 | GTD | 34 | GMG Racing | Kyle Washington James Sofronas | Porsche 911 GT3 R | 67 | +6 Laps |
| 20 | GTD | 34 | GMG Racing | Kyle Washington James Sofronas | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | 67 | +6 Laps |
| 21 DNF | GTD | 39 | CarBahn with Peregrine Racing | Robert Megennis Jeff Westphal | Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo | 57 | Accident Damage |
| 21 DNF | GTD | 39 | CarBahn with Peregrine Racing | Robert Megennis Jeff Westphal | Lamborghini 5.2 L V10 | 57 | Accident Damage |
| 22 DNF | GTD | 27 | Heart of Racing Team | Roman De Angelis Maxime Martin | Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 | 48 | Accident |
| 22 DNF | GTD | 27 | Heart of Racing Team | Roman De Angelis Maxime Martin | Aston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8 | 48 | Accident |
| 23 DNF | GTD | 59 | Crucial Motorsports | Jon Miller Paul Holton | McLaren 720S GT3 | 47 | Alternator Belt |
| 23 DNF | GTD | 59 | Crucial Motorsports | Jon Miller Paul Holton | McLaren M840T 4.0L Turbo V8 | 47 | Alternator Belt |
| 24 DNF | GTD | 57 | Winward Racing | Russell Ward Philip Ellis | Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo | 33 | Accident Damage |
| 24 DNF | GTD | 57 | Winward Racing | Russell Ward Philip Ellis | Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 | 33 | Accident Damage |
| 25 DNF | GTD Pro | 9 | Pfaff Motorsports | Mathieu Jaminet Matt Campbell | Porsche 911 GT3 R | 29 | Radiator |
| 25 DNF | GTD Pro | 9 | Pfaff Motorsports | Mathieu Jaminet Matt Campbell | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | 29 | Radiator |
| 26 | GTD Pro | 25 | BMW M Team RLL | Connor De Phillippi John Edwards | BMW M4 GT3 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| 26 | GTD Pro | 25 | BMW M Team RLL | Connor De Phillippi John Edwards | BMW S58B30T0 3.0 L Twin Turbo I6 | 69 | +4 Laps |
| Sources: ||||||||
* The #25 BMW M Team RLL entry was demoted to last in the GTD Pro class as Connor De Phillippi exceeded maximum drive time for the race.

## Standings after the race

* Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
* ‡: Points count towards WeatherTech Sprint Cup championship only.
* Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
* ‡: Points count towards WeatherTech Sprint Cup championship only.
* Note: Only the top five positions are included for all sets of standings.
* ‡: Points count towards WeatherTech Sprint Cup championship only.