Ian James (born 22 July 1974 in Epsom) is a British-American racing driver and principal of the Heart of Racing Team, competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship. James has 11 total sportscar wins.
In 2004, James had a class victory (LMP2) at the 2004 12 Hours of Sebring and won the LMP2 driving title in the 2004 American Le Mans Series.
In 2015, James had a class victory (GTD) at the 2015 12 Hours of Sebring.
In 2020, James founded the Heart of Racing Team.
In 2023, James not only won the GTD class at the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona, but was the top GTD performer, beating out the more highly structured GTD Pro teams. This win was the first for Aston Martin at the 24 Hours of Daytona, 59 years after their first attempt.
Racing record
Career summary
SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition2000 American Le Mans Series - GT Michael Colucci Racing/ Nygmatech200002739th2003 American Le Mans Series - LMP900 Sezio Florida Racing Team100000NC2004 American Le Mans Series - LMP2 Miracle Motorsports930081431st2005 American Le Mans Series - LMP2 Miracle Motorsports11001268th2006 American Le Mans Series - GT2 BMW Team PTG20000845th2007 American Le Mans Series - GT2 Tafel Racing100001436th2009 American Le Mans Series - GT2 Panoz Team PTG100002958th2011 American Le Mans Series - GT Panoz Racing100000NC JaguarRSR100002014 United SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Seattle11000223415th2015 United SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Seattle1020042674th2016 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Team Seattle400012742nd2017 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD 3GT Racing300003851st 24H Series - SP3-GT4 Rotek Racing100001210th Brookspeed International Motorsport100002018 24H GT Series - GT4 Brookspeed International Motorsport2019 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Audi Sport Team WRT Speedstar100013047th2020 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Heart of Racing Team9000219915th2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Heart of Racing Team71003194912th 24H GT Series - GT42022 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Heart of Racing Team40001104825th 24H GT Series - GT42022–23 Middle East Trophy - GT3 Heart of Racing Team by SPS2023 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Heart of Racing Team41101112523rd FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Northwest AMR40001519th 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am10000N/A6th 24H GT Series - GT3 Heart of Racing by SPS2024 IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD Heart of Racing Team20000395*15th* FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT31000127*2nd* 24H Series - GT3 Heart of Racing by SPS Intercontinental GT Challenge Le Mans Cup - GT3 GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup CrowdStrike Racing by Riley100000NC2025 Middle East Trophy - GT3 Heart of Racing by SPS 24H Series - GT3 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 Heart of Racing Team80101864thGT World Challenge Europe Endurance CupCrowdStrike by SPS100000NC2026 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 Heart of Racing Team 2026–27 Asian Le Mans Series – GT Heart of Racing Team * *
Complete American Le Mans Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) +YearTeamClassMakeEngine123456789101112RankPointsRef2000Michael Colucci Racing/ NygmatechGTPorsche 911 GT3-RPorsche 3.6 L Flat-6SEB7CHA11SILNÜRSONMOSTEXROSPETMONLSV39th272003Sezio Florida Racing TeamLMP900Norma M2000Ford (Kinetic) 6.0 L V8SEB10ATLSONTROMOSAMEMONMIAPETNC02004Miracle MotorsportsLMP2Courage C65MG (AER) XP20 2.0L Turbo I4SEB1MID3LIM1SON2POR2MOS2AME1PET4MON3†1st1432005Miracle MotorsportsLMP2Courage C65AER P07 2.0 L Turbo I4SEB1ATLMIDLIMSONPORAMEMOSPETMON8th262006BMW Team PTGGT2BMW M3BMW 3.4L I6SEB13HOUMDOLRPUTAPORELKMOSPET9†LAG45th82007Tafel RacingGT2Porsche 997 GT3-RSRPorsche 3.8L Flat-6SEB5STPLBHHOUUTALRPMDOELKMOSDETPETLAG36th142009Panoz Team PTGGT2Panoz Esperante GT-LMFord 5.0 L V8SEB3STP3LBH6UTA4LRP6MDO7ELK11MOS6PET9LAG48th952011Panoz RacingGTPanoz AbruzziChevrolet 6.5 L V8SEB18LBHLRPMOSMDOELKBALLAGPETNC0JaguarRSRJaguar XKR GTJaguar 5.0 L V8SEBLBHLRPMOSMDOELKBALLAGPET16Panoz RacingNCPanoz AbruzziChevrolet 6.5 L V8SEBLBHLRPMOS1MDOELKBALLAGPETNC0 † Did not finish the race but was classified as his car completed more than 70% of the overall winner's race distance.
Complete WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) Year Team Class Make Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank PointsRef 2014 Team Seattle GTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY SEB LGA DET WGL MOS IMS ELK VIR COA PET 15th 234 2015 Team Seattle GTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY SEB LGA DET WGL LIM ELK VIR COA PET 4th 267 2016 Team Seattle GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY SEBLGA BEL WGLMOS LIM ELK VIR AUS PET 42nd 27 2017 3GT Racing GTD Lexus RC F GT3 Lexus 5.0 L V8DAY SEB LBH AUS BEL WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR LGA PET 51st 38 2019 Audi Sport Team WRT Speedstar GTD Audi R8 LMS Evo Audi 5.2 L V10DAY SEB MDO DET WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR LGA PET 47th 30 2020 Heart of Racing GTD Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Aston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8 DAY DAY SEB ELK VIR ATL MDO CLT PET LGA SEB 15th 199 2021 Heart of Racing GTD Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Aston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8 DAY SEBMDO DET WGLWGL LIM ELK LGA LBH VIR PET 12th 1949 2022 Heart of Racing Team GTD Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Aston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8 DAY SEBLBH LGA MDO DET WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR PET 25th 1048 2023 Heart of Racing Team GTD Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Aston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8 DAY SEB LBH MON WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR IMS PET5 23rd 11252024Heart of Racing TeamGTDAston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 EvoAston Martin 4.0 L Turbo V8DAY22SEB4LBHLGAWGLMOSELKVIRIMSPET15th*395*Source:
† James did not complete sufficient laps in order to score full points.
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points 2023 Northwest AMR GTE Am Aston Martin Vantage AMR Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 SEB PRT SPA LMS MNZ FUJ BHR3 9th 51 2024 Heart of Racing Team LMGT3 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 QAT IMO SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ BHR5th83 2025 Heart of Racing Team LMGT3 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 QAT ITA SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ BHR 4th 86 2026 Heart of Racing Team LMGT3 Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo Aston Martin M177 4.0 L Turbo V8 IMO SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ CAT MNZ 17th* 19*Sources:
* Season still in progress
24 Hours of Le Mans results 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 2005 Miracle Motorsports John Macaluso Andy Lally Courage C65-AER LMP2 115 DNF DNF 2006 Miracle Motorsports John Macaluso Andy Lally Courage C65-AER LMP2 324 14th 3rd 2023 Northwest AMR Daniel Mancinelli Alex Riberas Aston Martin Vantage AMR GTEAm 310 33rd 6th 2024 Heart of Racing Team Daniel Mancinelli Alex Riberas Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo LMGT3 196 DNF DNF 2025 Heart of Racing Team Mattia Drudi Zacharie Robichon Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo LMGT3 341 36th 4th 2026 Heart of Racing Team Mattia Drudi Zacharie Robichon Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 Evo LMGT3 291 DNF DNFSources:
12 Hours of Sebring results Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps 2000 Michael Colucci Racing Nygmatech João Barbosa Tim Robertson Porsche 911 Carrera RSR GT 276 18th 7th 2003 Sezio Florida Racing Team Patrice Roussel Allen Ziegelman Norma M2000-Ford LMP900 71 DNF DNF 2004 American Spirit Racing Miracle Motorsports Mike Borkowski John Macaluso Lola B2K/40-Nissan LMP2 264 23rd 1st 2005 Miracle Motorsports Jeff Bucknum Chris McMurry Courage C65-AER LMP2 311 12th 1st 2006 BMW Team PTG Bill Auberlen Joey Hand BMW M3 GTR GT2 197 DNF DNF 2007 Tafel Racing Dominik Farnbacher Jim Tafel Porsche 997 GT3-RSR GT2 314 17th 5th 2009 Panoz Team PTG Dominik Farnbacher Panoz Esperante GT-LM GT2 329 10th 3rd 2011 Panoz Racing Benjamin Leuenberger Panoz Abruzzi GT 19 DNF DNF 2014 Alex Job Racing / Team Seattle Mario Farnbacher Alex Riberas Porsche 911 GT America GTD 278 25th 3rd 2015 Alex Job Racing / Team Seattle Mario Farnbacher Alex Riberas Porsche 911 GT America GTD 318 15th 1st 2016 Alex Job Racing / Team Seattle Mario Farnbacher Alex Riberas Porsche 911 GT3 R GTD 229 25th 4th 2017 3GT Racing Sage Karam Scott Pruett Lexus RC F GT3 GTD 269 35th 18th 2020 Heart of Racing Team Roman De Angelis Darren Turner Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 GTD 319 19th 2nd 2021 Heart of Racing Team Roman De Angelis Ross Gunn Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 GTD 320 20th 3rd 2022 Heart of Racing Team Roman De Angelis Tom Gamble Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 GTD 256 43rd 15th 2023 Heart of Racing Team Roman De Angelis Marco Sørensen Aston Martin Vantage AMR GT3 GTD 287 DNF DNFSource:
References