The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and SRO Motorsports Group have cancelled their planned joint Balance of Performance (BoP) test at Daytona International Speedway in December 2026, citing substantial additional costs for manufacturers and customer racing teams.
The two organisations confirmed their decision on Thursday, 15 October, following extensive discussions with their manufacturer partners. The cancellation brings an end to a testing initiative that IMSA and SRO announced in June, which would have brought every eligible FIA GT3 model to Daytona ahead of the 2027 racing season.
Despite abandoning the dedicated test, IMSA and SRO intend to continue exchanging technical data and expertise to improve their respective BoP systems. Meanwhile, IMSA will proceed with its regular two-day sanctioned test at Daytona on 10–11 December, maintaining an opportunity for WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams to prepare for the upcoming season.
IMSA and SRO cite unplanned costs behind cancellation
IMSA and SRO originally announced their collaboration during the CrowdStrike 24 Hours of Spa weekend in June, outlining plans to conduct a dedicated GT3 BoP test at Daytona International Speedway.
However, subsequent discussions with manufacturers highlighted the financial implications of staging an additional test at the end of the season. Both organisations concluded that proceeding would place unnecessary pressure on manufacturers and customer teams, particularly given the resources required to prepare cars and personnel for the event.
In a joint statement, IMSA and SRO explained their decision to abandon the December programme.
“SRO and IMSA have agreed not to proceed with the dedicated joint BoP test at Daytona International Speedway in December following considerable dialogue with manufacturer partners. Through this process, we discovered that the proposed BoP test would have created substantial unplanned costs for both the manufacturers and customer teams, and we believe it is in our collective best interests to refrain from putting additional strain on their resources at this time.”
The decision reflects the organisations’ willingness to reconsider their plans following feedback from participating manufacturers. Although the test promised additional technical information, its financial demands ultimately outweighed the anticipated benefits of conducting a separate evaluation at Daytona.
Original plans aimed to strengthen GT3 performance evaluation
The joint initiative would have represented a significant development in the technical relationship between IMSA and SRO, bringing the two organisations together for a dedicated evaluation of FIA GT3 machinery.
Under the original testing agreement, every eligible GT3 manufacturer would have supplied a car for the December sessions. The programme aimed to gather performance data ahead of the 2027 Rolex 24 At Daytona while allowing both organisations to compare their existing approaches to BoP.
The proposal drew on SRO’s established pre-season testing programme at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. During those sessions, independent professional drivers evaluate eligible GT3 models under controlled conditions, allowing SRO to collect information that supports its BoP decisions.
The Daytona test would have brought a similar approach to North America, where IMSA manages GT3 competition through the GTD PRO and GTD classes of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Importantly, the collaboration did not aim to establish one universal BoP for both organisations. Instead, IMSA and SRO intended to exchange information while retaining responsibility for their respective championships.
Daytona’s importance shaped original testing proposal
IMSA and SRO selected Daytona because of the circuit’s importance to international GT3 racing and the distinctive characteristics of its road course.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona traditionally attracts one of the largest GT3 fields in endurance racing, with more than 35 GT3 cars competing on average since IMSA adopted the specification across both GTD categories in 2022.
Furthermore, Daytona presents a different technical challenge from many conventional circuits. Its combination of high-speed banking, long flat-out sections and slower infield corners places particular demands on engine performance, aerodynamics and vehicle stability.
The organisers therefore identified the venue as an opportunity to assess how different GT3 models performed under conditions relevant to the season-opening endurance race.
IMSA had originally intended to use the additional data to support its BoP preparations for the 2027 Rolex 24, scheduled for 30–31 January.
However, the requirement for every manufacturer to provide a car for dedicated testing would have introduced logistical and operational commitments beyond the existing pre-season programme. Following manufacturer consultations, both organisations opted against imposing those additional demands.
Regular IMSA testing to continue in December
Although IMSA and SRO have cancelled the dedicated BoP sessions, the decision will not eliminate December testing at Daytona altogether.
IMSA will retain its previously scheduled sanctioned test on Thursday, 10 December and Friday, 11 December. The programme will remain open to WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams from all four classes: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GTD PRO and GTD.
The cancellation specifically affects the additional GT3 BoP sessions that organisers had planned for Saturday, 12 December and Sunday, 13 December.
Consequently, teams can continue their preparations through the conventional testing programme without the additional commitment of the joint evaluation.
The distinction is particularly important for GTD and GTD PRO competitors, whose cars still require appropriate BoP parameters ahead of the 2027 season. However, IMSA has not announced a replacement dedicated joint test, leaving the organisations to continue their technical collaboration through other methods.
The regular December programme will therefore proceed, while the additional manufacturer-focused sessions will no longer form part of the Daytona schedule.
Technical collaboration remains a priority
Despite the cancellation, IMSA and SRO have reaffirmed their intention to work together on GT3 Balance of Performance.
Their technical departments will continue exchanging information and expertise, with both organisations seeking opportunities to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of their respective systems.
The joint statement emphasised that the cancellation would not end their broader cooperation.
“SRO and IMSA remain committed to our technical collaboration through shared data and expertise to support Balance of Performance for the GT3 category. Both organizations will continue working together on viable opportunities to refine and improve our respective BoP processes with the goal of providing a fair and equitable platform for all manufacturers and competitors and close competition for race fans all over the world to enjoy.”
The commitment reflects the importance of BoP within international GT3 racing, where manufacturers compete with cars featuring different engine configurations, aerodynamic characteristics and performance profiles.
Both organisations must balance those differences while maintaining competitive racing and ensuring that their technical requirements remain manageable for participating teams.
Although the planned Daytona test will not proceed, the continued exchange of information could provide opportunities for cooperation without requiring manufacturers to support an additional dedicated event.
BoP remains central to competitive GT3 racing
Balance of Performance plays a crucial role in GT3 racing because competing manufacturers develop cars with fundamentally different technical characteristics.
Unlike single-make championships, GT3 competitions feature machinery from manufacturers including Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, BMW, Lamborghini and Aston Martin. Their cars employ different engine layouts, aerodynamic concepts and chassis configurations, creating inherent performance differences.
To address those variations, organisers use technical adjustments to bring eligible cars into a comparable performance range. These measures can include changes to minimum weight, engine power, boost pressure and other parameters, depending on the championship and its regulations.
However, BoP does not guarantee identical lap times or race results. Teams must still maximise their machinery through driver performance, strategy, pit-stop execution and reliability.
As the technical principles behind Balance of Performance demonstrate, effective performance management requires extensive data collection and continuous assessment rather than reliance on a single test.
Consequently, IMSA and SRO must continue refining their processes even without the additional Daytona sessions, particularly as manufacturers introduce new GT3 models and updates to existing cars.
Focus shifts towards 2027 Rolex 24 preparations
The decision brings an early conclusion to a joint testing initiative that had promised to strengthen cooperation between two of the leading organisations in international GT racing.
Although the proposed December event offered an opportunity to gather additional data ahead of the 2027 Rolex 24, its cancellation highlights the importance of managing costs within manufacturer and customer racing programmes.
Both IMSA and SRO must now pursue their technical objectives without the dedicated four-day testing arrangement originally planned at Daytona. Nevertheless, the two organisations have left the door open to future initiatives that could deliver similar benefits through more financially sustainable methods.
IMSA’s regular December test will provide the next opportunity for WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams to prepare at Daytona, before the 2027 season opens with the Rolex 24 in January.
For now, the organisations have prioritised financial considerations while preserving their technical partnership, maintaining their shared objective of competitive and equitable GT3 racing.
