Conquest Racing is gearing up for another campaign in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, marking its fourth consecutive season fielding a Ferrari in the Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) class during a landmark year for the organization.
Established in 1997 by former Belgian driver Eric Bachelart, the Indianapolis-based squad will celebrate its 30th anniversary next season. Conquest boasts 42 total IMSA starts, with 30 coming across the past three GTD campaigns. Highlights include a stellar 2024 season featuring two victories – one in GTD PRO at Road America and another in GTD at the Motul Petit Le Mans season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta – alongside a fourth-place championship finish by Manny Franco and Albert Costa, which stands as the team’s top GTD result to date.
For the 2027 season, Franco returns to a full-time seat in the #34 Ferrari 296 GT3 EVO after competing in select rounds in 2026. Costa remains with the team for his third season out of four (and second consecutively). Meanwhile, Lorenzo Patrese – who served as the primary full-season co-driver through most of 2026 – transitions to the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup role, covering the five longest events on the calendar.
“I’m excited to return for a full season,” Franco said. “Conquest Racing has been instrumental in ushering me into the sport, and I still feel as though we have unfinished business in this championship. Having stepped away for several races in 2026, I’ve enjoyed watching the team re-develop over the year, and it really seems that all the ingredients are there to really push for results every weekend.”
#34 Conquest Racing: Albert Costa, Lorenzo Patrese
Photo by: Art Fleischmann
Bachelart added, “Having Manny back is something we’re all very excited about. From his debut with us it was clear that he had a lot of talent, and it is very rewarding to see him continue with us into our seventh year together. The level of competition in IMSA right now is as high as it’s ever been, and if we’re going to target the objectives we all have, we need to execute on every detail to maximize the program.”
Throughout the 2026 season, Conquest consistently demonstrated competitive speed. Costa and Patrese both clocked fastest race laps, Patrese secured a pole position at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and the pairing of Costa and Franco scored the team’s best finish of the year with a third-place podium on the Streets of Long Beach, helping Costa secure eighth in the overall driver championship.
“I’m extremely happy to be back with Conquest Racing for another year. After four years together, this is more than just a team to me – it’s family,” Costa said.
“After the bad luck we experienced last season, I’m grateful and excited to have another opportunity to show what we’re capable of. I truly believe this is the best group of mechanics and engineers I’ve ever worked with in my career. I’m also really excited to be sharing the car with Manny Franco again next season. I’ve always loved racing alongside him and we’ve already shared some incredible moments together. It’s time to show everyone what we’re capable of. It’s showtime!”
Patrese added, “I’m extremely happy and grateful to be returning to Conquest Racing for another season. Even though it’s only been a few weeks since our last race, I’m already missing being behind the wheel and can’t wait to get back on track at Daytona. It’s also fantastic to have Manny Franco back alongside Albert and myself, bringing our driver lineup together again. I’m really looking forward to reuniting with both of them and continuing what we’ve started together. We have a strong team, a great group of people, and the determination to make next season a successful one.”
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