Daytona Beach, Fla. — In a dramatic 64th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona this past weekend, Porsche Penske Motorsport captured a third consecutive overall victory, completing a historic 3-PEAT in one of motorsport’s most grueling endurance races. The race was marked by heavy fog, an unprecedented race delay, and intense battles for class honors across the four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship categories.
Overall & GTP (Grand Touring Prototype): No. 7 Porsche 963 — Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer, Laurin Heinrich (Porsche Penske Motorsport) secured the overall win, edging out Jack Aitken’s Cadillac by just 1.569 seconds in the closing laps. This victory marked Nasr and Porsche’s third consecutive Rolex 24 triumph.
Felipe Nasr, driver of the winning No. 7 Porsche: “Three in a row, it’s just a very special day — I dreamed of that… the Cadillac was a strong car.” Roger Penske, team owner: “Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona three consecutive times with this Porsche Penske Motorsport team is an incredible accomplishment … a perfect way to celebrate the start of Team Penske’s 60th anniversary season.” (IMSA)
LMP2: No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR — George Kurtz, Alex Quinn, Toby Sowery, Malthe Jakobsen clinched the LMP2 class after overcoming an early incident.
Photo Credit: Eric Moore/FMN
GTD PRO: No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO — Neil Verhagen, Connor De Phillippi, Max Hesse, Dan Harper drove from the back of the class grid to take home GTD PRO honors.
Photo credit: Eric Moore/FMN
GTD: No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 — Philip Ellis, Russell Ward, Indy Dontje, Lucas Auer battled tightly with Magnolia Racing to secure the GTD win.
Daytona International Speedway was blanketed by dense overnight fog that severely limited visibility — forcing officials to neutralize the race under a full-course yellow for 6 hours and 33 minutes, the longest continuous caution period in Rolex 24 history. Cars circulated behind the pace car from shortly before 1 a.m. until just after 7 a.m. due to the fog.
According to IMSA’s official race control, the decision to keep the cars circulating under caution rather than red-flagging the race was driven by concerns about engine health, drive-time regulations and sporting fairness. IMSA President John Doonan explained on broadcast that stopping the cars entirely could have complicated team strategies and affected minimum drive-time requirements.
The fog not only stalled green-flag racing but also challenged drivers and teams mentally. NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch described the fog period as “miserable,” noting that it was difficult to see even parts of the track while piloting his Cadillac during the extended caution.
IMSA President John Doonan (via broadcast): Kept the race under caution rather than red-flagging to protect car health and preserve sporting regulations.
The fog reset much of the race strategy, turning what had been a long endurance test into a late-stage sprint for victory. Several teams used the extended green-flag hiatus to adjust setups and catch up on service. In GTD PRO, Paul Miller Racing overcame a last-minute radio issue to hold onto the class lead, while in GTD, Ellis and his teammates fought wheel-to-wheel for a thrilling late-race win.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona traditionally kicks off the IMSA season, and this year’s race did not disappoint — combining historical significance with weather drama and competitive racing across multiple categories. The series now turns its attention to the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, scheduled for March, as teams look to build early momentum in the 2026 championship.
GALLERY
ALL PHOTO CREDITS: Eric Moore/FMN
