Winward Locks Ward and Ellis for Third Straight GTD Title Push

Winward Racing has locked in its 2027 IMSA driver lineup. Team co-owner Russell Ward and factory driver Philip Ellis will continue their partnership. They will pilot the #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO for the sixth consecutive season.

The decision cements a streak of stability rare in professional motorsport. Since their 2021 debut, the duo has anchored the Pasadena, Texas-based squad. Their consistency has yielded two GTD championships and 15 race victories.

A decade of shared speed

The pair’s resume reads like a highlight reel of endurance racing. They have claimed three Rolex 24 At Daytona wins. They also took two triumphs at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

Their synergy extends beyond the track. As a factory-supported team, they benefit from deep technical integration. This bond has allowed them to dominate the GTD class year after year.

Chasing a historic triple crown

Winward enters the season finale at Road Atlanta with a lead. A victory here secures a third consecutive title. It would make them the first team since Scuderia Corsa to achieve this feat.

More importantly, they would be the first to do it with the same drivers. No team has ever held the GTD crown for three years with an unchanged lineup. The pressure on Ward and Ellis is palpable.

Turning a deficit into dominance

The 2026 season was a rollercoaster. Early setbacks at Sebring and Watkins Glen left them in the dust. They fell 300 points behind the pace-setters.

Then the momentum shifted. Three consecutive victories followed the Six Hours of the Glen. Their season total jumped to a class-high four wins. Ward notes that bad luck early on cost them significant ground.

He believes the team’s underlying speed remains elite. Without those early issues, he suggests the gap could be even wider. The focus now is singular: the Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.