"No mistakes": WTR's Formal and Doyle on the Huracán's perfect Daytona farewell
- Ghazlan Atqiya Firmansyah
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
The upcoming 24 Hours of Daytona is not just any race for Wayne Taylor Racing's (WTR) GTD drivers Danny Formal and Graham Doyle. It is the final Daytona 24 for a legendary car, and the duo spoke to DIVEBOMB about the key to acing the gruelling nature of Daytona.
WTR's unfinished Daytona business and a familiar foundation
The excitement always rises for IMSA's biggest race on the calendar, but for WTR's Danny Formal and Graham Doyle, this year's 24 Hours of Daytona is a chance to settle unfinished business from last year.
The No.45 Huracán started third in a 22-car GTD field during last year’s race. The silver-chrome Lamborghini was a fierce contender throughout the event, but heartbreak at the very last moment as Formal came to a halt with a mechanical issue in the final hour.
This year's Daytona 24 features the same number of cars in the GTD class, and the competition is expected to be fierce. Formal says the team is "very ready" for another Daytona challenge, as the Costa Rican knows exactly what to bank on heading into this race.
Formal credits WTR’s lineup continuity, noting the strength of his "awesome" teammates Doyle and Trent Hindman. The 2026 Daytona 24 marks Formal’s third time teaming up with Doyle, and the second year the duo has joined forces with Hindman.
In particular, Formal has been coaching Doyle since 2023 and has been impressed with his stellar development, especially after the American was crowned 2025 Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America AM class champion.
The prospect of teaming up with a former Formula One driver and Indy 500 winner, Marcus Ericsson, excites the duo. While the Swedish driver lacks vast experience in GT racing, the pair welcome the chance to work together to take the crown.
Formal said: "Having Marcus is just going to be beneficial in all aspects.
"He doesn't have a ton of GT experience, but he knows the systems, he knows how we work. And, I just won the world championship with his younger brother, Hampus, in the Lamborghini Super Trofeo.
"I've gotten pretty close with Marcus. I know Graham has a great relationship with him, and Trent hasn't really had too much of a relationship with Marcus, but I know he will get along with him great because Trent gets along with everyone. I don't think it'll be complicated."
Doyle emphasised that team chemistry is "probably the most important thing" a driver can possess, particularly in a collaborative environment such as IMSA. He observed that Ericsson integrated seamlessly into the team, mirroring the long-standing rapport already shared between Formal and Hindman.
Running on a seasoned platform, the Huracán has been a staple of GT3 competitions worldwide since 2015, evolving through two EVO variants. As one of the most successful cars in IMSA history, it claimed three consecutive GTD class victories in Daytona from 2018 to 2020.
When asked which aspect the team understood most, Formal pointed to the car itself. He noted that after years of development, the team has identified the Huracán’s specific quirks and established a baseline setup that allows them to play to its strengths from the moment it rolls off the trailer.
"The Lamborghini Huracán package has been around for a very, very long time, but not everywhere in the world has [it] been run with the Michelin tyre.
"This new Michelin tyre we have in 2026 is quite a bit different from the prior compound tyre. And in the November test, we found a baseline setup that we had pushed towards the end of the season of 2025.
"So I believe we found what the car likes and what the car doesn't like. We're probably not going to go away too much from that baseline all season long. And I think that's a huge advantage to roll off the trailer and be competitive right away. It would be a huge thing for Wayne Taylor Racing and the No.45 Lambo this year."
From learning to contributing
The upcoming 24 Hours of Daytona is not Doyle’s first appearance at the "World Centre of Racing." Heading into his third start in the endurance classic, he noted a significant shift in his mindset compared to his rookie debut.
"I would say arriving now, I feel like you come in with a little bit more pressure, I would say, but a little less stress, which is quite nice on that aspect.
"[In] my first year, to be honest, I didn't really know what I was doing. I think it was my ninth race ever, [and my] first Daytona. And now I'm going into my third Daytona with last year [after] winning a championship.
"I've been working with Danny now for four years. It's just quite different. So I feel like now I'm able to go in with an added pressure of, 'okay, I need to know what I'm doing. I need to be able to push myself.' But then again, I'm here. I've done that before."
On his part, Doyle is focusing on consistency, which is the key to winning a 24-hour race. He mentioned how being consistent over stints and quick pit stops would pay dividends for the entire team when the sun comes up on Sunday.
Doyle praised WTR's drivers' chemistry, giving them an edge over rivals who are still navigating new working dynamics, particularly those facing the hurdle of major lineup changes heading into the season opener.
Formal and Doyle are ready to give maximum effort for WTR's Daytona dream
Formal lamented the end of last year’s race, noting that the outcome was entirely beyond the team's control. The No.45 crew was firmly in contention for the win until a brake change dropped them a lap behind the leaders. Despite the setback, the drivers fought back through a nearly incident-free night, relying on pure resilience to stay in the hunt.
The 30-year-old echoed Doyle’s focus on consistency, urging the entire crew to avoid the minor mistakes that could result in a significant loss of time.
As "one of the cruellest races in the world", Formal believes the best outcome for the marathon is for the drivers to execute their roles flawlessly, avoiding penalties and on-track errors, while the crew aces its pit stops, which he noted can reach "crazy" levels of intensity.
Formal spoke with pride regarding his team, praising his pit crew for always being on standby. With the WTR GTD mechanics featuring a consistent lineup this year, he argued that the crew does not always receive the love they deserve online for their tireless work.
While winning with dominant pace would be the ideal scenario, Formal noted that even without the fastest car, a flawless execution of the game plan would start the team's 2026 season in the right direction.
Doyle agreed with his co-driver’s assessment, stating he will do his best to keep the car intact and on the lead lap during his stints. He emphasised the importance of returning a "perfect" car to his teammates, noting that even the slightest mechanical disadvantage could prove costly to the team’s momentum in the final hours.
As the curtain rises on another exciting IMSA season, WTR isn't just looking to add another Daytona trophy to its cabinet, but also seeking the perfect goodbye for a legendary car.
Formal concluded the interview with a reminder of the team’s pedigree: "We're Wayne Taylor Racing, one of the winningest teams at Daytona.
"We always want to give 110%, and that's what we're going to do. She's one of the cruellest races in the world, and we're just going to give it our all because a lot of things can happen in 24 hours.
"Graham and I have known each other for four years. This is my second year with Trent. This is our third year with the car. I believe we have the greatest chance we've ever had to go fight for a win, and that's what we're going to do."
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