Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver Ryan Yardley joins RS1 for IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition at Road America, the latest opportunity in his journey through the North American Porsche Motorsport Pyramid.
Porsche Carrera Cup North America 2025 champion and Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver
Yardley will share the team’s Porsche 911 GT3 R with Jan Heylen and Devlin DeFrancesco in the GTD class, adding a second IMSA start to a 2026 schedule that includes a full GT World Challenge America campaign.
Porsche Selected Driver Program fuels Yardley's progression.
The opportunity came together shortly before the Road America weekend through the combined efforts of RS1 and Porsche Motorsport North America.
“I’m super excited to be joining RS1 this weekend at Road America in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and GTD,” Yardley said. “A big thank you to Justin Bellinzoni and everyone at RS1, and Volker Holzmeyer and everyone at Porsche Motorsport North America, for putting this deal together.
“It all happened in the space of the last week or so. I’m glad we got everything sorted and that I can be in the car this weekend.”
The Road America appearance represents the latest step in Yardley’s rise through Porsche’s North American driver development structure.
Since arriving in the United States in 2018, Yardley has competed and coached in Porsche Endurance Challenge North America, achieved championship success in Porsche Carrera Cup North America and advanced into GT4 and GT3 competition.
His 2025 Carrera Cup North America championship established him within the North American sports car racing landscape and led to his selection for the Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver program.
Less than a year after securing the title, Yardley is competing full-time in a Porsche 911 GT3 R and preparing for his second IMSA WeatherTech Championship race.
From Carrera Cup Champion to GT3 competitor.
“Ryan’s success this season has fully justified his selection as a Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver,” says Volker Holzmeyer, Porsche Motorsport North America President & CEO. “He has continued to perform at a very high level and has earned this opportunity through his results, preparation and professionalism. It is another strong example of how the North American Porsche Motorsport Pyramid works as a key driver development tool, providing talented drivers with a clear pathway to progress to the next level.”
Yardley clinched his Carrera Cup championship last year during the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas when the Texas-based New Zealander stamped his claim to the crown with back-to-back victories in Austin.
“Winning Carrera Cup was a massive milestone in my career and helped establish me here in North America,” Yardley said. “I love the racing here, whether that’s on the GT World Challenge side or the IMSA side.
“The Carrera Cup Championship and now being here is pretty special. Having a full schedule in a Porsche GT3 R is pretty awesome. I’m really thankful to be part of the Porsche Motorsport North America Selected Driver program. Without being part of that, some of these opportunities wouldn’t come about.”
A journey through the North American Porsche Motorsport Pyramid.
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The North American Porsche Motorsport Pyramid provides drivers with a structured route from entry-level competition through one-make racing and into professional GT championships.
Yardley has competed across almost every stage, racing and winning in Porsche Endurance Challenge North America, taking the 2025 Carrera Cup crown and this year racing in GT4 America while advancing into the Porsche 911 GT3 R in both SRO & IMSA competition.
“I think that’s what’s special about the Porsche brand—the whole pyramid they have,” Yardley said. “For myself to have climbed every step of the pyramid, from Endurance Challenge and Porsche Carrera Cup to GT4 America and IMSA, has been pretty special.” Yardley made his IMSA WeatherTech Championship debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona earlier this year with Mühlner Motorsports. Road America will provide another opportunity to build experience in the championship during a six-hour race featuring more than 50 cars across multiple classes.
“Daytona was super special at the start of the year,” Yardley said. “It’s an iconic event, and to make my IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut there was pretty special.
“Now, to get another race under my belt at Road America is exciting. It’s another iconic track in North America, and with the race being part of the endurance championship this year, that makes it even cooler.”
Yardley will arrive at Road America with half a season of Porsche 911 GT3 R experience through his GT World Challenge America campaign with Wright Motorsports.
Together with David Musial Jr., Yardley has adapted to the move from one-make competition into GT3 racing, highlighted by an overall victory at Circuit of The Americas.
“SRO has been awesome so far,” he said. “It’s a big challenge and a big step up for both myself and David. To get a class win is amazing, but to win overall at COTA was massive.
“Wright Motorsports has done a fantastic job for us. There are some seriously quick drivers out there – a lot of them in Porsches – and for us in our first year, it has been a steep learning curve.”
That experience will help Yardley quickly reacclimate to the car at Road America, although IMSA presents different challenges.
The return to Michelin tires, IMSA’s sporting procedures and the management of faster prototype traffic will require a different approach from GT World Challenge America’s sports car-only competition.
“There are still plenty of challenges this weekend,” Yardley said. “I have to get back onto the Michelin tire and get used to the way the IMSA championship is run, with multi-class racing and more than 50 cars on track.
“It’s going to be a busy track. Thankfully, Road America is slightly bigger than places like Road Atlanta and Watkins Glen, but it will still be busy throughout a long six hours of racing.”
Continuing the ascent.
Although Yardley’s journey from arriving in the United States to becoming a Carrera Cup champion and GT3 driver has progressed rapidly, he views Road America as another step in the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid rather than a final destination.
“It has been a pretty crazy journey, and the way it has all unfolded is really cool,” Yardley said. “It has taken a lot of hard work, and I’ve had the support of PMNA and a lot of awesome people along the way.
“The journey isn’t over. It’s great to get another IMSA start this weekend, but I want to keep getting better, keep improving and keep moving up. I’m looking forward to this weekend, but there is plenty more to come in the future.”
