Hani Joudi 
| Porsche Penske Motorsport has clinched its second consecutive victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Last year’s winner Felipe Nasr from Brazil, Nick Tandy from the United Kingdom, and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium steered the number 7 Porsche 963 to the top step of the podium. This milestone marks Porsche’s 20th overall win at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship opener, further cementing its illustrious legacy. The number 6 Porsche 963, piloted by Matt Campbell (Australia), Mathieu Jaminet, and Kévin Estre (both France), rounded out the team’s success with a third-place finish. Once again, the Porsche 963 demonstrated its dominance as the most successful LMDh prototype since its racing debut. |
The works drivers and the whole Porsche Penske Motorsport team delivered a flawless performance over the 5.73-kilometer Daytona circuit. By late evening, both Porsche 963 entries had established themselves at the front of the field. They maintained their commanding positions through to the final hours of the race, with a decisive sprint to victory occurring in the last 40 minutes after the final yellow flag period.
Ultimately, Felipe Nasr in the number 7 car emerged victorious after an intense battle between both Porsche 963 for the lead, showcasing precision and endurance. Despite traffic complications in the closing stages, the number 6 sister car relinquished second place but secured a commendable third. For Nasr, this victory marked his second consecutive Daytona triumph. Vanthoor and Tandy celebrated their first overall wins at this prestigious event. Tandy also achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first driver to win all four major 24-hour endurance races: Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps, Nürburgring and Daytona.
“My emotions are difficult to put into words,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “Winning the 24 Hours of Daytona twice in a row – one of the longest and toughest races in the IMSA series – is a monumental achievement. The tension was huge. We did not always have the fastest car, but we were consistent and made the fewest mistakes. This is a fantastic result for our drivers, mechanics, engineers, and the entire team, including our colleagues back home in Weissach. I am absolutely delighted. This victory is a perfect start to the new season!”
Roger Penske, founder and CEO of Penske Corporation, echoed this sentiment: “What an incredible day for the entire Porsche Penske Motorsport organization. Both of our Porsche 963 and the drivers showed great speed and reliability. The crews performed flawlessly which is a result of meticulous preparation by everyone on the team. 2024 was an unmatched season of success starting with a win at the 24 Hours of Daytona and it’s great to repeat that success to start 2025 with the 3rd overall win for Team Penske and the 20th victory for Porsche.”
Urs Kuratle, Director of Factory Motorsport LMDh, added: “An ideal season opener. This year’s result, with first and third place, surpasses last year’s success. The factory cars performed impeccably over the long distance, with perfect strategy and pit stops – a phenomenal effort by the entire team. I could not be prouder!”
“It’s impossible to put this success into words. The crews of number 6 and number 7 did an outstanding job,” summarised Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director of Porsche Pense Motorsport. “This triumph is not down to the fact that our car was the strongest – it was down to the impeccable work of the drivers and the team. We led the race for very long stretches and were rewarded. Now I hope that things continue like that and that we finish this year just as successfully as last year.”
With this success, Porsche has taken the lead in the championship standings of the top GTP class. The 24-hour race at Daytona also marks the start of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. In this classification, the lead in the manufacturers’, team and drivers’ championships also goes to Porsche. The special classification within the IMSA season also includes the 12 Hours of Sebring, the two 6-hour races at Watkins Glen and Indianapolis as well as the “Petit Le Mans” at Road Atlanta.
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