AO Racing Bio
AO Racing is an American motorsports team founded in 2022 by software entrepreneur P. J. Hyett and racing driver Gunnar Jeannette. Based in St. Charles, Illinois, AO Racing fields entries in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and the European Le Mans Series, competing primarily in LMP2 and GTD Pro classes. The organization is noted for distinctive creature-themed liveries and fan-focused branding that helped the team achieve championship success in 2024.
Early Life and Background
AO Racing began as Autumn Oaks Racing, a project that grew from the founders’ shared interest in vintage car collecting and racing. P. J. Hyett, co-founder of GitHub, contributed the Autumn Oaks name from his car collection, while Gunnar Jeannette brought extensive driving and team management experience. The founders met through vintage racing and decided in late 2022 to establish a competitive sports car program aimed at professional endurance series.
From its outset the team combined Hyett’s financial backing and brand vision with Jeannette’s operational expertise. AO Racing established its base in St. Charles, Illinois, and aligned with established manufacturers and partners, including Porsche for GT machinery and Oreca for LMP2 competition. The early identity emphasized playful mascots and bold liveries to stand out among established teams and to attract a wider fanbase.
Path to MotorSports
AO Racing pursued a direct path into major international endurance championships rather than progressing through a long junior ladder. The team entered the IMSA SportsCar Championship and planned an LMP2 program for the European Le Mans Series, leveraging partnerships with experienced suppliers and technical collaborators. Early alliances included cooperative efforts with Project 1 Motorsport in the FIA World Endurance Championship and partnerships with TF Sport in the European Le Mans Series.
AO Racing recruited a mix of factory-supported drivers and experienced endurance racers to accelerate competitiveness. The roster strategy focused on pairing professional factory talent in GTD Pro with strong lineups in LMP2 to establish credibility quickly on both sides of the paddock. This approach positioned AO Racing as an ambitious newcomer with resources to contend for class victories and championships.
AO Racing Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
The team made its on-track debut at the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona, entering a Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Harry Tincknell, Sebastian Priaulx, Gunnar Jeannette and P. J. Hyett. The entry ran a tribute livery referencing a historic Porsche and completed the event but finished many laps down on class leaders as the team learned endurance race operations at the top level.
AO Racing continued its 2023 program with a full IMSA campaign that included the 12 Hours of Sebring, where the team unveiled its Rexy dinosaur livery. The season proved formative: the team experienced reliability and pace challenges and finished the year without top class results, but it used the experience to build infrastructure, refine operations, and expand its program for the following year.
IMSA SportsCar Championship Breakthrough (2024)
AO Racing secured its first major success in the 2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro class. The team fielded a Porsche 911 GT3 R with a driver lineup that included factory-supported talent; Laurin Heinrich took a leading role in the championship campaign. AO Racing captured its first race victory at Laguna Seca in 2024 and followed with additional wins that season.
The 2024 campaign culminated in AO Racing and driver Laurin Heinrich winning the GTD Pro championship. The title represented a rapid ascent from the team’s debut season and validated the founders’ investment in professional personnel, factory partnerships, and a distinctive brand approach. The GTD Pro championship win established AO Racing as a serious competitor in North American endurance racing.
European Le Mans Series Breakthrough (2024)
AO Racing expanded into the European Le Mans Series in 2024 with an LMP2 entry run in partnership with TF Sport and sponsored by Orlen. The LMP2 car carried a full-season driver lineup that included experienced endurance racers and a former Formula One driver among its ranks. The team adapted quickly to prototype competition and endurance formats across European circuits.
AO Racing secured the 2024 European Le Mans Series LMP2 championship, marking a major international achievement in the team’s second full year of operations. The ELMS title demonstrated the program’s ability to manage technical complexity in prototype racing and to win across differing series regulations and competitive fields.
Current Team Era (2024–Present)
Following its championship season in 2024, AO Racing continued to run entries in IMSA and ELMS with a mix of professional and owner-drivers. The team fielded multiple car numbers including 77, 99 and 177 and expanded its lineup across GTD Pro and LMP2 platforms. AO Racing maintained technical relationships with Porsche for GT machinery and Oreca for LMP2 prototypes and worked closely with sponsors such as Orlen for European entries.
Operationally the team emphasized continuity in crew leadership and driver pairings to build on the momentum from 2024. AO Racing used its on-track success to deepen partnerships, attract additional sponsorship support, and to promote fan engagement through distinctive liveries and mascots applied to both GT and prototype cars.
Driving Style and Strengths
AO Racing’s strengths lie in endurance race strategy, professional driver pairings, and rapid adaptation to circuit and technical demands. The team combines factory-backed driving talent in GTD Pro with experienced prototype drivers in LMP2, enabling strong qualifying performances and consistent race pace. Operational teamwork between crew chiefs and drivers has been a foundation of the team’s championship campaigns.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include the team’s endurance debut at the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona, the public debut of the Rexy livery at the 2023 12 Hours of Sebring, the first race victory at Laguna Seca in 2024, and the 2024 championships in both IMSA GTD Pro and ELMS LMP2. AO Racing’s distinctive mascot-driven liveries have become a signature element of the team’s identity.
AO Racing Career Wins
AO Racing recorded breakthrough victories and season-long consistency that produced two major championships in 2024: the IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro title and the European Le Mans Series LMP2 title. Those results reflect race wins and strong points accumulation across each series’ calendar and endurance events.
IMSA SportsCar Championship Highlights
The team’s IMSA highlights center on the 2024 GTD Pro campaign. AO Racing achieved its first organizational race win at Laguna Seca in 2024 and added further victories later that season. The consistent results and late-season performance produced the GTD Pro class championship with Laurin Heinrich as a key driver in the title run.
Other Wins & Perfromances
Beyond championship-winning seasons, AO Racing’s notable performances include endurance race finishes that demonstrated growth from the team’s debut. The organization has also participated in the FIA World Endurance Championship via a joint effort with Project 1 Motorsport and later refocused resources toward IMSA and ELMS competition.
AO Racing Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
AO Racing’s ownership reflects a partnership between P. J. Hyett, an entrepreneur and car collector, and Gunnar Jeannette, an experienced racer and team principal. The Autumn Oaks name links back to Hyett’s collection and personal interest in historic and vintage racing. Jeannette’s racing background provided day-to-day leadership and operational knowledge as the team scaled into professional endurance series.
Personal Life
The team projects a playful public persona through mascots such as Rexy, Roxy and Spike that were inspired in part by Hyett’s helmet designs and family influences. AO Racing’s identity leverages these creative elements as part of a fan engagement strategy rather than as private personal details about the founders.
2025 Season Performance
AO Racing returned for the 2025 season with continued entries in IMSA and the European Le Mans Series. The team retained championship-winning personnel in GTD Pro and expanded prototype efforts in LMP2. Driver lineups for 2025 included a mix of returning factory talent and new signings intended to maintain competitiveness across sprint and endurance rounds.
For 2025 the team focused on consolidating its operations, refining pitstop and strategy processes, and applying lessons from prior seasons to sustain results. AO Racing entered the season with expectations set by its rapid 2024 rise and with sponsorship and manufacturer support in place to pursue further class successes.