3GT Racing, formerly F Performance Racing, has signed drivers Scott Pruett and Sage Karam to pilot its new Lexus RC F GT3 in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. 3GT Racing is running two cars next year, and two more drivers will be named “in the near future,” the team said.

Pruett started developing 3GT Racing’s 2017 program earlier this year. The new RC F GT3 is completing FIA homologation testing in Ladoux, France. Toyota Technocraft in Yokohama, Japan, designed the car and completed an on- and off-track testing program.

“We recently had an opportunity to see our new 2017 car run on-track at Fuji Speedway and we are very excited about its potential,” said John Gentilozzi, 3GT’s technical director.

3GT Racing’s recent name change from F Performance Racing more clearly defines the team’s relationship with Lexus.

“As we continue the development of our team, we recognize that more differentiation would be beneficial,” said 3GT Racing partner Paul Gentilozzi. “The previous team name was perceived as being tied to Lexus F and might be confused with other Lexus racing efforts around the globe,” he said. He added that since IMSA’s WeatherTech series was developed for top-tier privateers, the name was changed to 3GT Racing.

Paul Gentilozzi, a five-time Trans-Am Series champ, formed the company in 2015 with his sons and longtime partners, Tony and John, to race Lexus’ RC F GT3. The Gentilozzi family has been racing for more than 46 years and can claim more than 75 wins and 15 manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships.

The RC F GT3 marks Lexus’ first foray into motorsports since 2009. Pruett previously drove Lexus-powered prototypes from 2004-2007 in the Grand-Am series, where he won three drivers’ titles and the 2007 Rolex 24 at Daytona. In addition to Pruett’s relationship with Lexus, he and Paul Gentilozzi were teammates in two Rolex 24 at Daytona wins -- an overall win in 1994 and a GT class win in 2002. Pruett has seven Rolex 24 wins, 60 IMSA wins and is a four-time Grand-Am champion.

The 21-year-old Karam made his debut in the IndyCar Series at the 2014 Indianapolis 500 and also ran four IMSA events that year. He partnered with Pruett in the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona. When he was 18 in 2013, Karam won three Indy Lights races to become the series’ youngest champion and the eighth driver to claim the title in their rookie season.

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