Winward Racing Secures Third Rolex 24 Victory in Thrilling Finale
Daytona Beach, FL – Winward Racing solidified its dominance in the GTD class by clinching its third Rolex 24 title in six years, following a dramatic late-race showdown between Philip Ellis and Magnus Racing’s Nicki Thiim. The #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO triumphed with a winning margin of 1.367 seconds.
The race began with Winward posting a strong start, but after leading for a brief period, it fell back and spent much of the day in the midfield. The team’s strategy shifted dramatically as the race neared its conclusion, with a crucial shorter pit stop allowing Ellis to emerge amidst fierce competition from the Aston Martins of Thiim and Mattia Drudi.
With just over 20 minutes remaining, Ellis executed a decisive move on the exit of Turn 6, regaining the lead. However, tension escalated when contact occurred in the Tri-Oval, as Ellis attempted to block Thiim’s run. Remarkably, both cars remained intact despite the scare. Ellis later remarked, “It was a fun fight with Nicki, and I’m glad we both continued and nothing bigger happened.”
Thiim mounted an aggressive challenge in the final minutes, but Ellis successfully held off his rival, turning in a disciplined performance until the finish line. Ellis expressed surprise at Thiim’s pace in the closing laps, noting, “It was a hard-fought battle, very on edge.”
The #57 team, consisting of Ellis, co-drivers Russell Ward and Indy Dontje, has now achieved three Rolex 24 victories together. Ward highlighted the team’s camaraderie: “We’re just here to race as hard as we can and win, with no animosity between us.”
Joining the driving squad for this event was Lucas Auer, who secured his first Rolex 24 victory after recovering from a serious injury endured during the 2023 event. Auer noted, “To win it now is really an amazing story.”
Winward now leads the IMSA GTD standings by 47 points, positioning them strongly for the season ahead, with the next challenge being the 12 Hours of Sebring, a track where they have seen prior success. As the competition intensifies, teams will need to strategize effectively to counter Winward’s momentum.
