Now, here is a proper step up for the endurance racing faithful. Bartone Bros. Racing with GetSpeed is taking its successful GTD PRO operation and expanding it into a full 2027 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup program with the No. 69 Mercedes-AMG GT3. After dipping their toes into the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a pair of Rolex 24 At Daytona starts, the Miami-based outfit and their Germany-based partners are ready to tackle the entire endurance calendar.
Anthony Bartone will share the machine with Fabian Schiller from Mercedes-AMG's factory driver roster, with additional drivers to be named later. It is a natural continuation for a partnership that has already seen Bartone and Schiller share duties across the Asian Le Mans Series and International GT Open. Bartone, who made his WeatherTech Championship debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2025, has built a solid portfolio with GetSpeed through GT World Challenge Europe Endurance and Sprint Cup campaigns alongside appearances at the Road to Le Mans event.
The team's history at Daytona tells a story of both speed and heartbreak. During a record 15-car GTD PRO field in 2025, the Bartone Bros./GetSpeed entry punched above its weight to finish an impressive fifth, with Bartone and Schiller joined by Luca Stolz and Maxime Martin. Stolz noted post-race that the team was always in the game and even led at times before a roll-of-the-dice strategy call in the final hour.
Unfortunately, lightning failed to strike twice during the 2026 encore. Despite leading 27 laps and sitting firmly in winning contention, electronic gremlins cruelly derailed the effort, dropping Bartone, Schiller, Jules Gounon, and Maxi Goetz to an unrepresentative 11th-place finish in GTD PRO. Goetz admitted that an electronic problem ruined their shot at the class victory after a race where they executed their fuel saving and energy management cleanly. Goetz even joked that driving behind the safety car for over three hours under full course yellow was far more exhausting than driving at full speed.
That said, the expansion means Mercedes-AMG will have a permanent fixture in the Endurance Cup alongside multi-time GTD champions Winward Racing. The full 2027 campaign will see the No. 69 squad take on the Daytona 24hr, Sebring 12hr, Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen, Motul Endurance SportsCar Grand Prix at Road America, and Motul Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta.
Team Principal Adam Osieka emphasized the continuity of the program, while Schiller noted the immense depth of the IMSA GT class. For Bartone, stepping up to the full Endurance Cup fulfills a lifelong dream alongside his longtime teammate and friend, backed by the support of his father, Tony Bartone, and the mentoring of Andy Pilgrim.
