Dudu Barrichello questions "harsh" penalty after VIR clash costs Heart of Racing shot at win

Brazilian Eduardo 'Dudu' Barrichello expressed dissatisfaction following Sunday's Michelin GT Challenge, deeming a crucial late-race drive-through penalty against co-driver Tom Gamble to be excessively severe after a collision during a GTD class race at Virginia International Raceway. The #27 Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, piloted by Barrichello and Gamble, engaged in a fierce battle for lead with Philip Ellis in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

As the race entered its final six minutes, Ellis briefly took the lead by making a deep dive into Turn 3, but was subsequently overtake by Gamble through the next complex of corners. Following the collision, Gamble conceded the position to Ellis a few corners later, leading to the issuance of a drive-through penalty to the #27 Heart of Racing entry by IMSA Race Control.

Barrichello, 24, discussed the frenetic final moments and tire degradation conditions, stating, "It’s difficult to tell because the deg is so high and the cars get really tricky to drive in the end." While acknowledging that their teammate had likely made an ill-advised move, Barrichello maintained that the penalty was unjustified, arguing that the other car had not strayed from the track and had likely continued to pull ahead.

The penalty relegated Barrichello and Gamble to a fourth-place finish, a blow to the championship campaign as Barrichello entered the weekend as the GTD points leader. The result marked a continuation of Heart of Racing's struggles, with the team failing to secure a podium in their last five races, following an impressive start to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.