Birmingham, Alabama – It was an eventful weekend for Jean-Frédéric Laberge, Kyle Marcelli, and the GT Racing team at Barber Motorsports Park during the penultimate round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge. The Canadian outfit took to the track in Alabama for their second event of the season.

Friday saw both Laberge and Marcelli set competitive times during the practice sessions. They secured 6th place in the Pro-Am class during the morning session and posted the fastest overall lap time in Practice 2. Despite persistent rain, the duo, with their extensive experience in wet conditions, navigated the challenges confidently.

For Laberge, who was racing at Barber Motorsports Park for the first time, it was an important opportunity to familiarize himself with the track. The Québec native maximized his time on the track by running in both the GT America and Fanatec GT World Challenge practice sessions.

However, qualifying proved more difficult for the team. They were unable to replicate their practice success, with Laberge placing the No. 92 Dagobert / Éclair Porsche 992 GT3 R in 9th position in the Pro-Am class for Race 1. Marcelli qualified 7th in class for Race 2.

“The car setup gave us trouble, and the lack of testing became apparent,” said Laberge. “The car was highly sensitive, with oversteer in high-speed corners. I spun in a fourth-gear corner during qualifying, which damaged the tires, forcing us to change two tires and start Race 1 from the back.”

Race 1 turned out to be a disaster for the team, as a mechanical failure cut Laberge's stint short. Despite their best efforts, the GT Racing crew battled several mechanical gremlins throughout the weekend, with the clutch ultimately failing. The crew worked tirelessly through the night to repair the car.

On Sunday, Marcelli took the green flag for the 90-minute race, with Laberge stepping in for the final stint. The pair ultimately finished 8th in the Pro-Am class and 12th overall.

“The results didn’t meet our expectations,” Laberge admitted. “We faced challenges with tire pressures, especially since the new tire warmers were unfamiliar to us, leading to unwanted variations. Race 1 was cut short on lap 4 due to a clutch failure, and although the team worked hard to fix the car by 1:00 AM, a persistent mapping issue remained. We leave this weekend with valuable experience but are disappointed with our on-track performance.”

“Our goal this weekend was to get J.F. more seat time and continue learning the car,” added Marcelli. “This is a new car for both of us, and we’re still benchmarking ourselves against the other Porsches. Qualifying was tough—we struggled to put together a clean lap—but we made significant progress by Race 2, moving from 13th to 10th overall. J.F. did a great stint, setting his fastest lap toward the end of the race. We’re improving, and that’s what these races are all about as we prepare for a full season.”

Laberge and Marcelli will return to action in the No. 92 Dagobert / Éclair Porsche 992 GT3 R for the final round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge at the famed Indy 8 Hour, held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from October 3rd to 6th.