Rolex 24 At Daytona Updates: Four Hours Remaining
As the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona approaches its final hours, 54 of the 60 starters remain. A Full Course Yellow was prompted by an incident involving Sébastien Bourdais and Logan Sargeant in the LMP2 class, yet the GTP battle intensifies under caution, with ten cars on the lead lap.
Key Incident and Strategies
The Full Course Yellow emerged after Bourdais, driving the #8 Tower Motorsports ORECA, collided with Sargeant’s #18 Era Motorsport entry, which suffered a starter motor failure and was towed back to the garage. Notably, the #25 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, now in the hands of Marco Wittmann, strategically remained on track during the caution, gaining critical position.
Current Standings
As it stands, Wittmann leads overall, followed closely by the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 driven by Felipe Nasr and the #6 Porsche of Kévin Estre in third. The #40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, piloted by Jordan Taylor, sits fourth.
LMP2 Dynamics
In the LMP2 category, António Félix da Costa has taken command in the #43 ORECA 07-Gibson, with the #99 AO Racing ORECA of Dane Cameron trailing. Nolan Siegel, despite suffering a slow pit exit, is back in contention at third in the #343 Inter Europol car.
GTD Pro Developments
The GTD Pro class has seen a competitive exchange; the #911 Manthey “Grello” Porsche, driven by Ayhancan Güven, moved to the front before Max Hesse’s #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO reclaimed it, only to be overtaken by Tommy Milner’s #4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R in a commanding outside move.
GTD Class Shakeups
In GTD, Scott McLaughlin leads in the #36 DXDT Racing Corvette, closely followed by Riccardo Pera in the #912 Manthey Porsche. The #96 Turner Motorsport BMW remains in contention, while the #66 Gradient Racing Ford has retired after a radiator issues.
Technical Remarks
The race has showcased strategic pit stops and the impact of mechanical failures, underscoring the high stakes and intricate team strategies present at Daytona.
Summary
With four hours remaining, teams are all fighting for position as the Rolex 24 At Daytona enters its pivotal closing stages. Stay tuned for further developments as the race unfolds.
