Fans have been treated to a fireworks show tonight at Daytona International Speedway, but the first premier class flashpoint of the 62nd annual Rolex 24 at Daytona has only just been ignited.
Eight hours and 10 minutes into the race, while running third, the black and blue #10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura ARX-06 broke down at the International Horseshoe (turn three). It was the first major mechanical drama in the GTP class.
Filipe Albuquerque told IMSA Radio that he noticed a burning smell in the cockpit, and almost immediately, the car shut down and ground to a halt. The car has only just returned to its garage.
The #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac Racing V-Series.R, currently driven by Pipo Derani, is leading the race by seven seconds with the race now back to green flag conditions.
Sebastien Bourdais was running second aboard the Chip Ganassi-run #01 Cadillac, but just 15 minutes before the top of the hour, Bourdais struck a piece of debris, locked up big time going into the West Horseshoe (turn five), nudged the tyre wall, and then slowly returned to the pits with a left-front puncture.
Now running second is the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, which led until Josef Newgarden was swarmed on old tyres – Felipe Nasr has now taken the wheel, and the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 of Connor de Phillippi now runs third.
The sister Porsche, the #6, clawed back from a stack of penalties (first for powertrain parameters, then entering a closed pit) to reach second place but then received another penalty for a powertrain parameter infringement, resulting in a 10-second penalty stop.
In LMP2, the #99 AO Racing ORECA 07 was leading with Alex Quinn pulling away from a pack of gentleman and semi-pro drivers, but now PJ Hyett is clearing the last of his required drive time.
Now, it’s the #2 United Autosports USA ORECA of Patricio O’Ward that leads LMP2, pulling out a gap over the #74 Riley ORECA of Josh Burdon that has worked its way into second. Nick Boulle runs third in the #52 Inter Europol by PR1 Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA, with Hyett in fourth.
It has been a rough race for Sean Creech Motorsports’ #33 Ligier JS P217. The car suffered another alternator issue which caused the car to shut down at the Le Mans Chicane and brought out a Full Course Yellow at the six hour, 40 minute mark.
Remarkably, the car returned from behind the wall just over an hour ago and has, thus far, avoiding becoming the fourth LMP2 retirement of the race (alongside TDS Racing, United Autosports’ #22, and AF Corse).
However, a fourth retirement has come out of the GTD Pro class. The #75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 began from suffering from a fuel pump issue that proved to be fatal. Maro Engel and Jules Gounon will not repeat their 2023 class victories.
At the seven hour, eight minute mark the car slowed down out of the International Horseshoe and several cars had to take evasive action to avoid a mighty shunt – including Kevin Estre in the #6 Penske Porsche 963.
GTD Pro currently sees a number of contending cars using different pit strategies at the moment.
The #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R, #4 Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R, and #64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3 all seem to be half an hour further into their stints than the #3 Corvette and #19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini.
The #3 Corvette of Antonio Garcia just took the class lead after the #4 Corvette and #64 Ford pitted at the top of the hour. The #19 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 of Andrea Caldarelli now runs second, and the #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 of Davide Rigon is now third – one to keep an eye on.
The #60 Iron Lynx Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 spent significant time behind the wall with a power steering problem, that has since been rectified – the car is now 26 laps off the class lead.
While in GTD, the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, the hard-luck fighting favourite of last year’s race, has worked its way back into the class lead gradually after wrestling it from the #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3.
Philip Ellis leads in the #57 Winward Mercedes, followed by Tom Gamble in the #70 Inception Racing McLaren 720S GT3 EVO. Aaron Telitz runs third in the #12 Vasser Sullivan Lexus.
Recently, the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo has gone behind the wall with a mechanical issue, its cause to be determined.
On top of all this, there’s one more looming spectre in the distance: Rain clouds are on the weather radar and bearing down on Daytona Beach!
Images © Jack Webster, Graham Goodwin, Stephen Kilbey / Dailysportscar
