Gradient Racing Confirms Rolex 24 Lineup with Bechtolsheimer, Calderón, Hand, & Tincknell
Austin, Texas (January 10, 2025) – As the grid prepares for the first event of the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, Gradient Racing is thrilled to announce their drivers for the upcoming Rolex 24 at Daytona, marking an exciting new chapter as a part of the Ford Performance family. Till Bechtolsheimer, Tatiana Calderón, and Joey Hand will be coming together for the Endurance Cup rounds, with Harry Tincknell completing the lineup for the 24 Hour race, sharing the team’s new #66 Ford Mustang GT3.
Till Bechtolsheimer is rejoining the team as a valued Gradient Racing alumnus, with his origins with the group dating back to 2019. Over the years, they have achieved two wins and one podium finish together, and are looking forward to collaborating again and further expanding on their success.
“The Rolex 24 is obviously one of the biggest races in the world and I am delighted to be a part of it,” said Till Bechtolsheimer. “I’m thrilled to be back with Gradient Racing and Andris, whom I have a longstanding history with. We have a great group of drivers with an incredible amount of experience, and I believe that if we go into these next couple of weeks with the right mindset, we can come away with a top result.”
Till Bechtolsheimer is set to make his return to Gradient Racing after two full years away from the team.
Colombian talent Tatiana Calderón will be returning to Gradient Racing once again, having previously competed with the group as the Endurance Cup driver the season prior. As she resumes her role, the experience gained over the course of the last year will greatly contribute to the team’s competitive and collaborative abilities.
“I’m super excited to be returning for another opportunity to win the Rolex 24,” commented Tatiana Calderón. “I know we can continue to build on the experience gained with Gradient Racing in 2024, but this time driving the Ford Mustang GT3 beast. We have a fantastic driver lineup with Joey, Harry and Till, and although there is a lot to learn in what will be our debut with the Mustang, I’m confident we can deliver a strong start to the year. I want to thank Karol G, la Bichota, for her continued belief in me and her support through her Foundation Con Cora and also to Wandr.studio, AVL RaceTech, Escudería Telmex and Rimas Sports.”
Colombia’s Tatiana Calderon returns for her second IMSA season with Gradient Racing
Factory driver Joey Hand, who is recognized as one of the elite road racers in the world, has been committed to Ford Performance for a decade, having originally joined the program in 2015. He has a proven track record and race winning caliber, having previously claimed victories at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and 24 Hours of Le Mans, among others. More recently, he was one of the lead development drivers for the GT3 effort, with his wealth of knowledge being an incredible asset to both the team and Ford alike.
Ford Pro, Joey Hand will drive in the Michelin Endurance Cup for Gradient Racing
“I love starting out the year by racing at Daytona,” added Joey Hand. “I’m really looking forward to this new endeavor with Gradient Racing. I’ve felt right at home with them from the start, and can’t wait for this program to get underway and getting to know and work with my new teammates. It’s going to be fun to have my pal Harry Tincknell in the driver lineup with me as well. It’s exciting to come into the season with a new car for the team, but obviously I am extremely familiar with the Ford Mustang GT3 and I’ll be aiming to help with getting everyone up to speed quickly so we can all be comfortable driving it over the course of 24 hours. The first win for the Mustang is still up for grabs, and nothing would make me happier than to be able to achieve that feat.”
Multimatic Motorsports driver Harry Tincknell will serve as the fourth driver for the team for the opening event. The British competitor boasts a highly impressive racing resume, including two wins at the coveted 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as being a European Le Mans Series champion. Additionally, working alongside Joey Hand, he also served as a fellow lead development driver for the GT3 project.
Experienced Englishman, Harry Ticknell will be the fourth driver at Daytona.
“I’m really excited to get going at Daytona with Gradient Racing,” echoed Harry Tincknell. “I’ve been following their successes over the past few years while I’ve been competing in IMSA, and I know they are a tight knit team and I’m looking forward to racing with them. I also know Joey extremely well as we were a part of the Ford factory team last year, and I also raced with Tatiana in Formula 3 back in the day. I’m eager to work with Till for the first time, I know he has a lot of experience. I am very familiar with the Mustang, having developed it from the beginning and been a part of that journey. I feel proud to have helped Ford achieve their first podiums with this new edition of the car, and hopefully we can bring home its first win here at Daytona.”
Gradient Racing will be back on track for the Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway, starting on January 17th, 2025.