Porsche Penske Motorsport made it two from two in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s so-called ‘Florida 36 Hours’ with a commanding 1-2 finish in the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring overnight.
If the Daytona 24 Hours back in January hinted at a pecking order, Sebring did little to alter it as the #7 Porsche 963 of Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich emerged victorious with another authoritative display.
After the opening phase – led by Action Express’ Cadillac – concluded, the pair of factory Porsche 963s moved to establish control at the head of the GTP field, before circulating in formation for long stretches as their rivals were left to play catch-up. Only through pit cycles and a handful of late-race restarts did the grip on the race ever appear to loosen, as the 963s were the class of the field on pace both in the sunshine and under the cover of darkness.
In truth, it wasn’t a totally clean race for either car – the #7 served an early drive-through for causing contact, and the #6 required a nose change with eight hours to go after tagging the back of the AXR Cadillac under an early safety car. But once the race settled down, the end result rarely felt in doubt.
The pattern felt familiar. Much like January’s Rolex 24 Hours, the Penske-run operation absorbed late pressure to convert track position into victory, keeping the best that Cadillac and BMW had to offer at bay when it mattered most.
There were, however, subtle differences. PPM’s sister #6 Porsche enjoyed a stronger outing, running in lockstep with the eventual winner and even threatening to take control in the closing stages before ultimately securing second. By contrast, BMW’s challenge faded as the race came to a close, leaving the #31 and #10 Cadillacs to fight over the final podium place.
At the front, though, Nasr, again the star, ultimately sealed the win with a decisive move in the final phase, diving to the inside of Kevin Estre at Sunset Bend to reclaim track position in a moment that underlined both intent and confidence within the #7 crew, and created a bit of needle between the two PPM camps.
“We were on a similar strategy, we stopped at pretty much the same time, just at some point different tyres, and we were back and forth,” Estre said in the post-race conference.
“At some point, though, there was a call from the pit stand which was not respected. I was driving the car (and leading), expecting what we were saying to optimise the strategy to get to the end because we needed to save some fuel.
“But somehow Felipe did something else. That’s when the pass happened, and towards the end, he had pace in clear air, and he was fast enough that I couldn’t really attack. I would have done it, but there were no more opportunities.”
Nasr opted to stand his ground. “I can’t go into details,” he responded. “I’m here to race, and that’s what I did. There’s always going to be three sides to the story. What matters is we came out winning for the team and the brand.”
Nevertheless, the result marks the Brazilian’s third Sebring victory, and a second in succession, as he moves to anchor another Porsche Penske Motorsport title charge.
For Porsche, the victory carries added significance. Achieved amid the marque’s 75th anniversary celebrations, it represents a record-extending 20th overall win at Sebring. For Team Penske, now in its 60th anniversary year, it is a fifth outright triumph at the Florida airfield classic.
The wider picture is becoming increasingly clear, too. With back-to-back victories across Daytona and Sebring, Porsche Penske Motorsport has completed consecutive sweeps of the championship’s opening, and most iconic, endurance races. The #7 trio, in particular, leave Sebring with two wins from two starts in 2026 and a growing advantage in the Drivers’ standings.
“Sebring is usually an intense race, and that’s exactly what we found out today from beginning to end,” Nasr, now a three-time Sebring 12 Hours winner, commented.
“I signed up for this programme because I believe I can win for this programme. My teammates did everything perfectly today. We did everything we needed to do to be in front at all times. These guys deserve all the credit. I can only say it’s another dream start.”
With PPM having led 273 of the 343 laps at Sebring and 794 of the 1,048 laps this season, questions now inevitably turn to the chasing pack.
Pre-race Balance of Performance adjustments had fuelled optimism that the competitive order might shift, but once again, Porsche executed with precision and pace to maintain its advantage. Two rounds into the season, the early narrative of 2026 is beginning to echo that of the year prior — one defined by Penske’s control.
There were positives elsewhere. Cadillac, once again, proved itself a genuine contender, with Action Express Racing in the fight deep into the race. Equally significant was the presence of Wayne Taylor Racing at the sharp end, the #10 entry delivering a podium finish, which the team hopes signals a step forward after its tough 2025.
Whether that progress will be enough to disrupt Porsche’s rhythm remains to be seen.
Attention now shifts to the streets of Long Beach, where a different challenge awaits. For now, though, the story is a familiar one — Porsche Penske Motorsport firmly in command, and the rest left searching for answers.
Images courtesy of Porsche & Jack Webster
