Nielsen to leave Scuderia Corsa

Reigning IMSA GT Daytona champion Christina Nielsen will be parting ways with her title-winning Scuderia Corsa team at the end of the season. The Dane, a revelation in the Pro-Am No. 63 Ferrari 488 GTE she shares with Alessandro Balzan, is leaving on good terms with the Los Angeles-based outfit.

"Scuderia Corsa is a winning group of people, [but] unfortunately, I'm not going to be back next year," she told RACER. It's believed the budget required to continue with the Ferrari-affiliated program has become untenable for the 25-year-old.

Related Stories

A move to another works-related GTD program, or offers to compete in GT Le Mans or Prototype are among the rising star's interests.

"I love racing in America and want to stay here if I can, but I can't control the doors that might open or close for me," she continued. "There are people I'm going to miss very much. My dad always said you might cry a little, you might be sad, but it's only because it's that good. They've given me a lot of tools, a lot of knowledge to wherever I go in the future."

On the cusp of a second GTD title, Nielsen would like her body of work in IMSA to be deemed worthy of landing a job elsewhere in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship paddock.

"Hopefully someone will give me a shot and see I've been in contention for a championship the last three years in a row," she said. "Finished second, first, and now [we're] leading going into the final two rounds."

Multiple sources have told RACER the WeatherTech Racing duo of Cooper MacNeil and Gunnar Jeannette are headed to drive the No. 63 Ferrari next season. The MacNeils have a longstanding relationship with Mattioli's program, having competed with the team in North America and at Le Mans.