Jonny Edgar has set his sights on landing a factory contract, ideally with Corvette Racing, after what he feels has been a “quite a big step” in his performance this year with TF Sport’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R effort in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
The current LMGT3 points leader has already had several memorable performances this year in the No. 33 Corvette, including a marathon drive to class victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Edgar, the 2024 European Le Mans LMP2 champion, is only in his second season of GT3 racing, both with Ben Keating in the WEC, but is understood to be on GM’s shortlist for a potential factory drive after the Genesis-bound Dani Juncadella was not replaced in the Corvette Racing roster this year.
“That’s definitely a goal of mine,” Edgar told Sportscar365. “In an ideal world, I’d love to be at Corvette. I really enjoy working with all of the people.”
“Especially this year, I’ve really liked driving the car. I feel like with my own personal performance that I’ve made quite a big step, this being my second year in GT cars.”
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot.”
“The team has done a great job and I feel like you also need the luck to be in a position to have those performances at Le Mans, and the car was really strong in Imola.”
“It’s been good and everyone’s done a good job. It takes everyone to do their job right to allow the driver in the car to be the one that maybe stands out.”
“There’s a lot of people that have to do everything right to get the results we’ve been having so far.”
Edgar nearly didn’t continue with Keating’s LMGT3 effort this year after he was initially upgraded from Silver to Gold rating by the FIA last fall, although won his appeal to remain Silver for this year.
Given his recent performances, also in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup races with AO Racing’s LMP2 effort, the 22-year-old Englishman is almost certainly set to be promoted to Gold next year.
He credits Keating’s program, which has seen the likes of Nico Varrone and Henrique Chaves, who are now Corvette and Aston Martin factory drivers, plus Porsche single-make ace Dylan Pereira, all graduate to works or factory-supported drives, for serving as an incubator for up-and-coming talent.
“When you see most the drivers that have been a Silver with Ben, nearly all of them have gone on to be a factory driver somewhere,” said Edgar. “When I was going to drive with Ben last year, that was already in my mind.”
“I’d love to make that next step. Ben obviously gives people the opportunity to do that. I think what helps is that with Ben you’ve got a strong Bronze.”
“He’s always in a good team so you know you’re going to be part of a really good group of people to be in that position.”
“When I knew I was going to drive with him, that was already in my mind, hoping that would kind of be the way it went.”
“Especially this year, I’ve been really happy with how everything’s gone.”
