Photo credit: Porsche
In the second round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Porsche secured first and second places at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The No. 7 Porsche 963, driven by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, and Laurens Vanthoor, achieved victory, adding to their earlier success at the 24 Hours of Daytona. The No. 6 Porsche 963, piloted by Matt Campbell, Mathieu Jaminet, and Kévin Estre, finished closely behind in second place.
During the race, which took place under summer conditions with temperatures reaching 88 degrees Fahrenheit, Nasr moved to the front shortly after the start, having begun in third position. Although the team lost the lead temporarily, they managed to regain it later in the race, overcoming challenging track conditions. The critical moment occurred after the final full course caution, leading to an intense sprint finish. Nasr successfully defended against competitors to secure Porsche’s 19th overall victory at this endurance event, the first since 2008.
The performance of the No. 6 car was also noteworthy, finishing just 2.239 seconds behind the winning vehicle. This one-two finish has allowed Porsche to extend its lead in the manufacturers’ championship, with both driver crews now occupying the top two spots in the drivers’ championship.
Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, stating, “Congratulations to the whole team for a flawless performance.” Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Racing LMDh, highlighted the significance of the wins at both Daytona and Sebring, referring to it as a remarkable achievement. Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director of Porsche Penske Motorsport, noted the close finish between the two cars, emphasizing the overall strong pace throughout the race.
In the GTD Pro class, the AO Racing team achieved its first victory in the IMSA series with the Porsche 911 GT3 R. The team, consisting of Laurin Heinrich, Klaus Bachler, and Alessio Picariello, won by a margin of 4.371 seconds after a competitive race. In the GTD class, Wright Motorsports faced challenges despite showing competitive pace, ultimately finishing fifth in their class.
The next round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will take place at the Long Beach street race on April 11-12, which will feature a different format compared to the previous endurance races.