All articles tagged with #endurance racing
At the Nürburgring 24, Dani Juncadella’s Verstappen Racing Mercedes-AMG led until a driveshaft failure forced an unscheduled pit stop, handing the on-track lead to a Winward Mercedes; Maro Engel’s car was in front as the issue worsened, with Nicki Thiim’s Walkenhorst Aston Martin second after a prior penalty and Sheldon van der Linde’s ROWE BMW M4 GT3 third.
ADAC's pre-race Balance of Performance adjustments hit the defending race-winning BMW M4 GT3 EVO hardest with a 10 kg weight increase to 1350 kg; Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2 takes a 5 kg bump plus a 0.5 mm air restrictor reduction (roughly 9–10 hp); Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo adds 5 kg; Ford Mustang GT3 EVO’s second air restrictor returns to 35 mm after a Friday bump; Mercedes-AMG GT4 in SP10 sees a fuel-capacity tweak. Nürburgring 24 starts at 3 p.m. CEST.
Felipe Nasr led Porsche Penske Motorsport to its second consecutive Rolex 12 Hours of Sebring victory, becoming the first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar driver to win Daytona and Sebring in consecutive years. Nasr, Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich clinched the No. 7 Porsche 963 after a late pass on Kevin Estre, with the No. 6 Porsche finishing second and the No. 10 Cadillac third. In other classes, United Autosports USA won LMP2, Matheny Porsche won GTD Pro, and AF Corse Ferrari won GTD.
Felipe Nasr led a late, tactical dash for Porsche Penske Motorsport to claim a dramatic 1-2 finish at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, retaking the lead from teammate Estre in the final minutes and surviving a 16-minute shootout to seal Porsche's 20th Sebring victory.
BMW is entering a wagon-version of its GT3-based M3 for the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, debuting the M3 Touring 24H in the SPX class with a higher rear wing and GT3-style chassis. Driven by Jens Klingmann, Ugo de Wilde, Connor De Phillippi, and Neil Verhagen, the project grew from an April Fool's joke into an official program, with the highlight the Nürburgring 24H race in May. The entry underscores the endearing evolution of the family station wagon into a high-speed endurance contender, joining a legacy of racing wagons like the Volvo 850 Estate in BTCC.
Dense fog forced a six-hour safety-car period at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the longest in the race’s 64-year history, before racing resumed with Porsche Penske Motorsport’s Laurin Heinrich leading overall in the GTP class. Sebastien Bourdais led LMP2, Tommy Milner led GTD Pro, and Robby Foley led GTD with six hours to go; 55 of 60 starters remained active as NBC/Peacock and IMSA.TV prepared to air the finale.
Porsche led the opening six hours of the Rolex 24 at Daytona with the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 ahead of the field, while the No. 93 Acura and No. 24 BMW pressed behind. AO Racing’s Jonny Edgar led LMP2, and GTD Pro saw BMW and Corvette near the front as Ferraris led the GTD class; the race featured five cautions and 55 of 60 cars still running as IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup points began to accrue.
At Daytona, a field of IMSA’s top contenders—including Corvette Racing, Lexus/Vasser Sullivan and Turner Motorsport—pursues its first Rolex 24 victory, with near-misses, seasoned veterans, and new stars aiming to kickstart a championship bid in the brutal 24-hour classic.
Sixty cars across four classes and 228 drivers from 32 countries will compete in the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, opening the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship; NBC will air the start at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday and finish coverage Sunday, with flag-to-flag streaming on Peacock and IMSA platforms.
Jeff Zwart, a seasoned racer, called the East African Safari Classic Rally the hardest event he's ever participated in, highlighting the challenging terrain and his experience racing a vintage Porsche 911 across Africa, finishing 17th amidst tough conditions and car issues.
NASCAR rookie Connor Zilisch will compete in the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Action Express Racing, marking his third consecutive appearance in the race and his debut in the GTP class, as he continues to build his racing career across different series.
AO Racing will continue its dual LMP2 and GTD Pro efforts in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2026, fielding the No. 99 Oreca 07 Gibson and No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R, with driver lineups to be announced later, and both cars still in championship contention.
Alpine achieved a significant victory at the 6 Hours of Fuji in the FIA World Endurance Championship, overcoming early setbacks and a competitive field including Peugeot, Porsche, and Ferrari, with Ferdinand Habsburg, Paul-Loup Chatin, and Charles Milesi leading the team to its first overall WEC win since Monza 2022.
Ferrari dominated the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours, but the race was ultimately won by Robert Kubica and his team, with the #83 crew and Porsche #6 making significant impacts. Kubica's remarkable performance, overcoming personal and physical challenges, was the standout story, cementing his legacy in endurance racing history.
The Le Mans 24 Hours has introduced a new qualifying format that separates Hypercar from LMP2 and LMGT3 categories, with two Hyperpole sessions to determine the grid, aiming to enhance excitement and fairness. Drivers and teams have mixed feelings about the changes, which include driver driver changes between sessions and new tyre regulations.