Porsche Penske Motorsport Secures Another Victory in Dramatic Finish at Monterey
MONTEREY, CA — Sunday’s Monterey SportsCar Championship concluded with a nail-biting finish as Nick Tandy of Porsche Penske Motorsport clinched victory, followed closely by teammate Dries Vanthoor, who encountered a last-lap collision.
In a tense final lap, both drivers faced a GT car—the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini—into Turn 10. This momentary obstruction allowed Vanthoor to attempt an overtaking maneuver on Tandy into Turn 11. However, the situation escalated when Tandy moved back to navigate around the Lamborghini, resulting in a collision with the No. 7 Penske Porsche and No. 24 RLL BMW. Vanthoor skidded off into the sand, ultimately finishing in third.
Despite the setback, Vanthoor expressed his disappointment but acknowledged the challenges of racing dynamics. “I do give the blame to the Porsche, in my view. I think these things shouldn’t be part of racing,” he stated. He advocated for a discussion with race officials to improve racing standards.
Conversely, Tandy downplayed the collision, asserting, “It was just a racing thing… I think that the car inside came across – and Dries was coming the other way.” He reflected positively on the team’s performance, as they secured a 1-2 finish for Porsche Penske Motorsport.
Vanthoor’s third-place finish marked BMW M Team RLL’s continued struggle, as they have yet to secure a race win this season despite consistently competitive qualifying. “We had to try everything we could. Of course, we didn’t have a flawless race at the end, either,” Vanthoor remarked, acknowledging the need for further improvements ahead of the next event.
The outcome held significant implications for the championship standings, with Tandy noting that despite BMW’s current struggles, they remain a formidable threat on the grid. “They’ve got a good package at the moment… for sure, they’re going to win races,” he asserted.
As IMSA prepares for its next round, both teams will aim to resolve their respective issues, with Vanthoor emphasizing the necessity of maintaining a positive momentum despite ongoing challenges.
