Daytona 24 Hours: Porsche Secures Back-to-Back Wins in GTP Class
Porsche captured victory in the 63rd running of the Daytona 24 Hours, with the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 LMDh, driven by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, and Laurens Vanthoor, fending off final-hour challenges from both Acura and BMW. The triumph adds to Porsche’s rich history at Daytona, marking its 20th overall win in the endurance classic.
With just 22 minutes remaining, Nasr passed his teammate Matt Campbell to reclaim the lead at the Le Mans chicane, solidifying Porsche’s dominance. Despite strong competition, particularly from Tom Blomqvist in the #60 Meyer Shank Acura AR-06, Nasr maintained his advantage to secure the win.
Acura and BMW had both led earlier in the race, showcasing competitive pace. However, as night fell and temperatures dropped, Porsche established itself as the benchmark in the GTP class. A late caution period temporarily revitalized the hopes of the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 and the #60 Acura, setting the stage for an intense concluding segment.
As the race neared its end, Nasr expertly navigated a restart but faced immediate pressure from Dries Vanthoor in the #24 BMW. A mistake by Vanthoor allowed Nasr to retake the lead, which he defended fiercely until the finish. Blomqvist managed to secure second place, denying Porsche a 1-2 finish, while Campbell’s efforts in the #6 Porsche left them with a disappointing third-place finish due to late-race setbacks.
Cadillac struggled throughout the event, with its best entry finishing a lap down in fifth place. The #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, despite early promise, lost crucial time due to penalties and technical issues.
LMP2 Analysis
Tower Motorsports emerged victorious in the LMP2 category, with Sebastien Bourdais driving the #8 ORECA to a commanding win over the #22 United Autosports entry, which finished second after incurring a drive-through penalty.
In a dramatic series of events, the #18 Era Motorsport Oreca led briefly before succumbing to a mishap, ultimately finishing fifth.
GTD Pro and GTD Results
In the GTD Pro class, Ford claimed victory through a hard-fought performance from the #65 Multimatic Ford Mustang GT3, driven by Dennis Olsen, Frederic Vervisch, and Christopher Mies. They emerged victorious amid a chaotic final hour that included critical incidents between BMW and Corvette entries.
Meanwhile, the regular GTD category saw the #13 AWA Corvette Z06 GT3.R clinch a hard-earned win, fending off challenges from Aston Martin and Porsche entries.
Summary of Results
The event proved to be a blend of strategy, skill, and endurance, reinforcing the competitive nature of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as teams gear up for the upcoming season.
