Albuquerque tipped to join WTR Acura DPi program

Filipe Albuquerque is tipped to partner with Ricky Taylor at Wayne Taylor Racing when it returns next season as a factory-affiliated Acura DPi effort.

Multiple sources have told RACER the Portuguese sports car ace is the leading candidate to share the No. 10 ARX-05 prototype with Taylor as Acura transitions from working with Team Penske to WTR and Meyer Shank Racing in 2021.

The signing of Taylor and Albuquerque would represent a complete changeover of full-time drivers, with the championship-leading duo of Ryan Briscoe and Renger van der Zande expected to depart the team after the November 14 season finale at Sebring.

Yet another change is expected for WTR with endurance driver Kamui Kobayashi. The factory Toyota WEC pilot, a back-to-back winner with the team at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in the No. 10 Cadillac DPi-V.R, received clearance to drive for the American brand, but with the program’s switch to a direct rival in the marketplace with Honda/Acura, the Japanese driver’s tenure at WTR has come to an end.

Of the four drivers to share the No. 10 entry this season, only IndyCar champion Scott Dixon remains a question mark as to whether he will be returning in 2021.

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While the change for Briscoe was not entirely unexpected after his manager and former WTR co-owner Max Angelelli parted ways with Taylor over the summer, van der Zande’s situation runs counter to ongoing beliefs the Dutchman would be retained.

It’s unclear if or where Briscoe and van der Zande might land next year. Owing to the late finish to the season, and the start of a new WeatherTech SportsCar championship in January, few employment opportunities remain in DPi as most line-ups have been solidified.

In Albuquerque, WTR would receive a veteran of IMSA’s prototype competition who is having a banner year with leads in both the ELMS and WEC LMP2 championships, and a LMP2 class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all with United Autosports.

Taylor and Albuquerque were either unable or unavailable to comment when reached by RACER.