Porsche Penske Motorsport secured its third consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona victory on Sunday, fighting hard for the whole race to win the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season opener.
The team kicked off the new year in style, following up back-to-back wins in 2024 and 2025 with another victory in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Julien Andlauer, Felipe Nasr and Laurin Heinrich piloted the #7 Porsche 963 to victory. Nasr was at the helm for both the 2024 and 2025 wins, while the race marked the first IMSA GTP win for both Andlauer and Heinrich.
The sister #6 entry of Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor and Matt Campbell battled back from significant early damage to finish fourth overall.
The 64th running of the Floridian endurance classic featured a six-and-a-half-hour Full Course Yellow period - the longest in the event’s history, running from around the hour 12 mark for 6.5 hours.
Lining up third, the #7 car battled high up the order throughout. Despite needing work on the front end on Sunday morning, the caution worked in the team’s favour and allowed it to stay in contention.
The sister #6 car also led for long periods, but a difference in pitstop strategy saw the #7 car edge back in front around three hours before the end of the race.
From there, the drivers fought valiantly and Nasr put in an incredible final stint to hold off a late challenge from the #31 Cadillac.
Speaking after the race, Roger Penske, Founder and Chairman of the Penske Corporation, said: “Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona three consecutive times with this Porsche Penske Motorsport team is an incredible accomplishment.
“That sustained success is only achieved with great team work, focused and determined drivers, a resilient crew and a commitment to winning.
“Our success at this event helped put our team on the map over six decades ago and winning here in Daytona is a perfect way to celebrate the start of Team Penske’s 60th anniversary season.
The #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963, shared by Nico Pino, Tijmen van der Helm and Kaylen Frederick put in a brilliant effort to finish seventh in the GTP class.
On its IMSA debut, the two Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R both finished the race, with the #911 Grello sixth in GTD Pro and the sister #912 GTD car in 12th.
The #77 AO Racing Rexy car was ninth in GTD Pro, while the #123 Mühlner Motorsport entry finished 15th.
Story of the race
The two Porsche Penske Motorsport cars lined up third and fifth for the 24 Hours of Daytona, with the #7 car ahead of the sister #6 entry.
Nasr, at the wheel of the #7 car, was straight up into second before Turn 1, taking the lead soon after before the first full course yellow was waved, while Estre in the #6 also made up a place.
Estre then took third at Turn 3, applying pressure on the second-place running #93 at the Western Horseshoe before taking the position at the Le Mans Chicane.
The #6 took the lead before the Horseshoe on Lap 32 before the first pitstops, exiting in third and fourth with the #6 ahead at the end of hour two.
Both cars pitted at the start of the third hour, with Vanthoor now driving the #6 and Andlauer in the #7.
Unfortunately, the #6 car had suffered damage in earlier contact with an LMP2 car on the pit exit after the first stop, and was forced to make another trip down pitlane for repairs to the right-hand bodywork.
This left the #6 at the back of the GTP field, while the #7 opened up the gap at the front to 3.7s by lap 85.
Another full course yellow at the end of the third hour prompted more stops, and the #7 car exited a busy pitlane in sixth.
But they quickly made their way back towards the front, running second behind the #31 Cadillac soon after, as the #6 made progress to sixth behind.
There was a lengthy full course yellow throughout the night, lasting over six hours, during which the #6 made further additional stops to mend the side damage.
The #7 soon also encountered issues, putting twice for remedial work under the front of the car which saw the nose cone removed twice.
When the green flag was finally waved around 6:40am local time, both cars were ready to attack, and quickly moved into first and second positions with the #7 ahead.
The pair swapped positions during hour 19 in the pits, with the #6 out front, but a difference in strategy under a later full course yellow meant the #7 took over soon after. The #6 had to stop twice, putting it back in sixth place.
With two hours remaining, the #7 was secure in the lead, having built up a comfortable gap, and by the final stops it held the advantage over its rivals. The #6 exited its final stop in sixth.
Though the #31 Cadillac mounted a strong challenge in the final 30 minutes, Nasr expertly fended off the rival car, aided by traffic on a busy course.
He made it across the line in first place for his third consecutive win at Daytona International Speedway.
The #6 car began to suffer the effects of the early damage late on, and though it passed the #25 BMW for third with less than 40 minutes remaining, fell back late on to finish fourth.
GTP Customer Racing
The JDC-Miller MotorSports #85 team - the sole customer Porsche in the GTP class - finished seventh in the season opener, kicking off their season with a good points haul.
Nico Pino, Tijmen van der Helm and Kaylen Frederick started seventh, having showed good pace throughout the Roar Before the 24 and practice.
Running on an alternate strategy, the #85 Porsche 963 led at times in the night. Despite falling off the lead lap in the foggy night, they were back out front come morning, albeit on an alternate strategy.
Sadly, a drive-through penalty for refuelling harmed their chances, but strong pace and good work from all three drivers saw them cross the line in seventh.
GTD Pro
The best finishing Porsche in the GTD Pro class was the Manthey #911 car, piloted by Klaus Bachler, Ricardo Feller, Thomas Preining and Ayhancan Güven, which crossed the line in sixth.
Starting in 14th, the crew were running sixth by nightfall. By the morning, their strong form continued, and some brilliant fighting for fifth ensued with reigning DTM champion Güven at the wheel.
Though their pace put them in contention for a podium late on, they went on to finish in sixth.
The AO Racing #77 car of Harry King, Nick Tandy and Alessio Picariello was ninth in the GTD Pro category.
After a difficult qualifying put them 15th on the grid, they made up six places on the opening lap with 2024 GTP winner Tandy at the wheel.
They too made good effort in the opening few hours, but a brief issue in hour four saw the power cut out briefly and dropped them to the back of the pack.
Battling on, the crew all put in a great effort, but damage inside the final hour forced a stop for a new front bumper, and the team finished in ninth.
GTD
The Manthey 1st Phorm #912 Porsche was driven by former WEC team-mates Ryan Hardwick, Richard Lietz, Morris Schuring and Riccardo Pera.
Starting 18th, they had made good progress inside the top 10 before a penalty for improper final wave-by procedure - a stop and wait for 3:36 - halted their charge.
They continued to fight, but a late penalty, this time a drive-through for blocking, dropped them back outside the top 10 to finish 12th in the GTD class.
The Mühlner Motorsport #123, shared by Dave Musial Sr., Dave Musial Jr., Peter Ludwig and Ryan Yardley, started 19th.
Having suffered damage after contact with the #28 RS1 Porsche, they soldiered on, but they were hit in the rear during a full course yellow period in hour three and had to make an extra stop with a puncture.
The team went on to finish 19th in GTD.
The RS1 #28 Porsche, shared by Jan Heylen, Eric Zitza, Dillon Machavern and Sven Müller, had its race ended with a crash in the first hour, though Zitza luckily escaped unscathed.
The car suffered heavy damage after minor contact with the #123 Porsche sent it into the tyre barrier on the end of the pit exit wall, and was forced to retire.
The #120 Wright Motorsports car driven by Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer, Tom Sargent and Callum Ilott was also an early retirement after a collision with an LMP2 car.
Shortly after 9pm on Saturday, the #83 AF Corse LMP2 car spun at Turn 5, kicking up a plume of dust which left it impossible to see.
The approaching #120 Porsche, which was running eighth in class with Adelson at the wheel, was unable to avoid it and made contact, bouncing into the tyre barrier and ending that car’s race.
Both Zitza and Adelson were released from the medical centre soon after their incidents uninjured.
The next challenge: 12 Hours of Sebring
With one IMSA round now complete, the championship looks to round two: The 12 Hours of Sebring, taking place on March 21.
The second leg of the Triple Crown of endurance racing, along with the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the championship will return to Florida in just under two months for another chance for victory.
With last year’s race covering 2,124.70 km / 1,320.23 mi, it will be another huge challenge of team and machine.
The #7 crew of Nasr, Nick Tandy and Vanthoor went on to win last year’s 12 Hours of Sebring after also winning at Daytona - can that feat be repeated this year?
Follow all the live action from March 18 to 21 at
Full Porsche 24 Hours of Daytona results:
GTP class (Porsche 963):
P1 Porsche Penske Motorsport #7: Julien Andlauer / Felipe Nasr / Laurin Heinrich P4 Porsche Penske Motorsport #6: Kévin Estre / Laurens Vanthoor / Matt Campbell P7 JDC-Miller MotorSports #85: Nico Pino / Tijmen van der Helm / Kaylen Frederick
GTD-Pro class (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
P6 Manthey #911: Klaus Bachler / Ricardo Feller / Thomas Preining / Ayhancan Güven P9 AO Racing #77: Harry King / Nick Tandy / Alessio Picariello
GTD class (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
P12 Manthey 1st Phorm #912: Ryan Hardwick / Richard Lietz / Morris Schuring / Riccardo Pera P15 Mühlner Motorsport #123: Dave Musial Sr. / Dave Musial Jr. / Peter Ludwig / Ryan Yardley DNF RS1 #28: Jan Heylen / Eric Zitza / Dillon Machavern / Sven Müller DNF Wright Motorsports #120: Adam Adelson / Elliott Skeer / Tom Sargent / Callum Ilott
