Fog, Fury and a Photo Finish: Porsche Penske’s Historic Three-Peat at the 64th Rolex 24

Porsche Penske Motorsport emerged victorious at the 64th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, but the headline result only tells part of the story of a race that will be remembered as much for its interruptions as for its on-track drama.

The 2026 edition of the twice-around-the-clock classic was shaped by a historic six-and-a-half-hour Full Course Yellow caused by dense fog that blanketed Daytona International Speedway through the heart of the night. With visibility reduced to the point that marshals could not see post-to-post, IMSA Race Control had little choice but to neutralise the field for an unprecedented stretch, dramatically altering strategies, compressing the order, and setting the stage for a tense, action-packed run to the finish once racing finally resumed after sunrise.

When the fog lifted, the race burst back into life. Porsche Penske Motorsport’s factory Porsche 963s reasserted their authority in GTP, but not without pressure, as Cadillac, BMW, and Acura all remained in striking distance during a frantic final quarter. Behind the overall fight, hard-fought class battles unfolded in LMP2, GTD Pro, and GTD, each influenced by the long caution and decided only in the closing hours.

In the end, the 2026 Rolex 24 combined endurance, patience, and precision in equal measure—delivering a race defined by resilience in the face of extraordinary conditions, and a finish worthy of Daytona’s place at the very top of global sports car racing.

Hour 1

Felipe Nasr wasted no time asserting Porsche Penske Motorsport’s intent for the 24-hour. From the drop of the green flag, the Brazilian powered the #7 Penske Porsche 963 into the lead on the opening lap, edging ahead of the field in the GTP class and seizing early control of the race.

But the opening lap was barely underway before the first major incident unfolded. Just moments after the race start, contact between Naveen Rao in the #18 Era Motorsport LMP2 and Tobias Lütke in the #11 TDS Racing car triggered a chain-reaction accident. Lütke was turned around in traffic, collecting Rao, Phil Fayer in the #2 United Autosports USA entry, and George Kurtz in the #4 CrowdStrike Racing by APR. The heavy impact immediately brought out a full-course yellow, neutralising the field before the first lap had even been completed.

The stewards placed responsibility on Rao, issuing the #18 Era Motorsport entry a 120-second stop-and-go penalty. The consequences were severe for United Autosports, with Fayer’s #2 car suffering significant damage and spending approximately 40 minutes in the garage, emerging 20 laps down and effectively out of contention for class honours.

The chaos continued even before the caution period had fully stabilised. Dries Vanthoor, starting eighth on the grid in the #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, dropped a wheel onto the grass at the Esses, spinning the BMW and losing crucial track position in the GTP class. Despite the turmoil, Nasr maintained control at the front, leading Renger van der Zande before the race was officially neutralised.

Racing resumed briefly, but the green-flag action was short-lived. Rookie Eric Zitza lost control of the #28 RS1 Porsche 911 GT3 R at Turn 1, slamming heavily into the barrier between the racetrack and pit lane. The impact destroyed the GTD entry, bringing out another full-course yellow and marking the first official retirement of the race and the GTD class. Zitza was able to exit the car under his own power, though visibly uncomfortable, and was transported to the infield care centre where he was evaluated and later released.

The opening hour also saw a flurry of penalties across multiple classes. In GTP, Jack Aitken in the #31 Whelen Cadillac received a drive-through penalty for jumping the restart. In GTD, Giacomo Altoè in the #81 DragonSpeed Corvette was penalised after spinning Manny Franco’s #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari at Turn 6. Jon Field of Intersport Racing was hit with a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane, while Sheena Monk in the #16 Myers Riley Motorsports Ford was forced to pit after being shown a mechanical black flag for tyre operational requirements.

In just 60 minutes, the Rolex 24 had already delivered multiple multi-car incidents, two full-course yellows, the race’s first retirement, major LMP2 contenders heavily delayed, and early penalties that reshaped class battles before any rhythm could form. At the front, Nasr and Porsche Penske Motorsport emerged unscathed, holding the early advantage as the race began to stabilise, but the opening hour had already set the tone for a long, brutal night of attrition, precision, and survival with 23 hours still to run.

Hour 2

Hour two of the Rolex 24 at Daytona saw the race begin to settle into a rhythm, but the intensity at the front of every class remained relentless as pace, strategy and early tyre management started to shape the emerging picture.

Kévin Estre produced a stunning charge in the GTP class, climbing from fifth to second in the #6 Penske Porsche 963 and setting the fastest lap of the race in pursuit of Felipe Nasr. The Frenchman then passed the #7 Porsche with ease, taking control at the front before the first major cycle of energy replenishment stops. After both 963s — along with most of the GTP field — pitted for energy, Estre led the race, stretching his advantage over Nasr to around three seconds.

As both drivers reached the end of their stints, the battle reignited. Nasr drew alongside Estre into Turn 1, held his line, and squeezed ahead through the Esses to reclaim the position. Both cars then pitted at the top of the hour, swapping drivers and positions in the process. The #6 Porsche, now driven by Laurens Vanthoor, emerged in P1, followed by the #7, now in the hands of Julien Andlauer. The #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 ran third, with Álex Palou having taken over driving duties from Renger van der Zande.

In LMP2, PJ Hyett delivered a commanding opening stint in the #99 AO Racing ORECA 07-Gibson, opening up a lead of around 40 seconds over the chasing pack. Jakub Śmiechowski moved into second in the #34 Inter Europol Competition entry, with Grégoire Saucy running third in the #22 United Autosports USA car.

The GTD Pro class saw an early intra-team battle at the front, with the two Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Z06 GT3 R machines trading places. Nicky Catsburg in the #4 Corvette stayed out a lap longer than teammate Alexander Sims in the sister car, allowing the Dutchman to jump ahead in the pit cycle and take the class lead, with Sims settling into second.

In GTD, Russell Ward delivered a strong first stint for Winward Racing, stretching the #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3’s advantage over Patrick Gallagher’s #69 Turner Motorsport BMW to almost 10 seconds at one stage. Ward’s co-driver Philip Ellis, who started the race, highlighted the early advantage on the new Michelin Pilot Sport GT tyre compound, noting that the black-and-blue Mercedes was adapting quicker than its rivals. Ellis explained that many teams were still being cautious on the new tyre in cooler conditions, with limited long-run data available, but felt confident that Winward had found a strong early balance and tyre management window.

Behind them, polesitter Zacharie Robichon drove the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 back up into third place, while Antonio Fuoco dropped out of the top three after receiving a drive-through penalty for improper pit entry. It was one of several early pit lane infringements, with penalties also handed to the #9 Pfaff Lamborghini for pit lane speeding and the #69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG for mechanics working on the car from behind the wall.

By the end of the second hour, the Rolex 24 had transitioned from opening chaos into strategic warfare, with Porsche asserting early control in GTP, AO Racing dominating LMP2, Corvette leading GTD Pro, and Winward Racing setting the benchmark in GTD — but with tyre strategy, driver rotations, and endurance management only just beginning to define the race’s long-term narrative.

Hour 3

The third hour of the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona unfolded under growing tension as the race was neutralised once again by a Full Course Yellow, with the complexion of several class battles shifting dramatically through incidents, contact, and early mechanical trouble.

The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 continued to control the race at the front, but the dominant Porsche 1–2 in GTP was broken after trouble for the sister #6 Porsche 963. Laurens Vanthoor was forced to bring the car into pit lane for damage repairs to the right-hand side after contact with an LMP2 car while exiting the pits. Although the damage proved repairable, the delay sent the #6 to the rear of the GTP field, though it remained on the lead lap. Kévin Estre later explained the incident as a minor squeeze in traffic that resulted in contact and bodywork damage.

Estre also survived a separate close call at NASCAR Turn Four while overtaking the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, brushing the GTD Pro car as it moved left while he passed low on the banking, narrowly avoiding further drama.

The GTD Pro field suffered heavy losses during the hour. The #62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo was eliminated from the race after a crash at the International Horseshoe. The incident began when Daniel Serra dropped a wheel onto the grass exiting the Esses and collided with the #033 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari driven by James Calado. While Calado escaped major damage, Serra’s Ferrari sustained critical left-front suspension damage, forcing him to stop on the backstretch and triggering the race’s third Full Course Yellow. The Risi Ferrari became the second official retirement of the race, following the early exit of the #28 RS1 Porsche.

Further trouble struck before the field returned to green when the #59 RLL Team McLaren GT3 Evo, which had been running inside the top four, was pushed into the garage with a suspected electrical issue shortly after Jüri Vips had taken over from Dean MacDonald. At the same time, Will Power served a 100-second penalty stop in the #75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO after the car failed to meet its stint energy requirements at the start of his opening stint.

Only minutes later, the race was neutralised for a fourth time after a heavy incident between the #83 AF Corse USA ORECA LMP2 of Dylan Murry and the #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Adam Adelson. Murry spun approaching the West Horseshoe, and Adelson, blinded by a dense smoke cloud, struck the stationary LMP2 car. Both drivers exited their cars under their own power, but the incident brought out another Full Course Yellow.

At the time of that caution, Julien Andlauer led overall in the #7 Porsche 963, ahead of Álex Palou in the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06, with AJ Allmendinger holding third in the #60 MSR Acura. The Cadillac contingent followed, with Ricky Taylor in the #10 WTR Cadillac fourth and Earl Bamber in the #31 Whelen Cadillac fifth, while Vanthoor had recovered to ninth after restarting near the back of the GTP field.

In LMP2, PJ Hyett continued to control the class in the #99 AO Racing ORECA 07-Gibson, pulling clear of a pack of young Silver drivers. Grégoire Saucy ran second in the #22 United Autosports USA entry, with Sebastian Alvarez third in the #8 Tower Motorsports car after setting the fastest LMP2 lap of the race.

GTD Pro saw a major shake-up when the two Ford Racing Mustang GT3s pitted before the caution triggered by the Risi Ferrari incident, cycling to the front of the class. Ben Barker led in the #64 Mustang, ahead of the sister #65, now driven by Sebastian Priaulx. Behind the Fords, the Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Z06 GT3.Rs followed, with Tommy Milner running third in the #4 and Antonio García fourth in the #3.

In GTD, Patrick Gallagher moved into the class lead for Turner Motorsport, ahead of Tom Gamble in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo, with Albert Costa advancing to third in the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari.

By the end of hour three, the Rolex 24 had already become a race of attrition. Multiple Full Course Yellows, two official retirements, significant class leaders delayed by damage and penalties, and constant traffic chaos had reshaped the field — with the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry still leading, but the endurance battle clearly only just beginning.

Hour 4

As the sun began to dip over Daytona International Speedway, the complexion of the 64th Rolex 24 shifted again, with Cadillac moving to the front as the race settled into its early evening phase.

The #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R emerged as the new race leader after a reshuffle in the GTP order following the earlier incident involving Adam Adelson and Dylan Murry. Julien Andlauer had brought the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 into pit lane from the lead for routine service, but his stop was compromised when the sister #6 Porsche required a nose change and repairs to the right-hand sidepod in the same pit box area. The congestion forced Andlauer to be held and pushed clear, costing him multiple positions as the field cycled through.

That delay allowed Earl Bamber to move the #31 Cadillac into the lead — a position he retained as the race moved toward the 20-hour remaining mark.

Andlauer recovered well, climbing back up the order and regaining second place. He had briefly run third before the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 was forced to pit from second with a puncture. During that stop, Kakunoshin Ohta took over driving duties from Álex Palou, further reshuffling the top order.

Behind the leaders, Dries Vanthoor charged the #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 up into third place, while the #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963, driven by Kaylen Frederick, held firm in fourth. Laurens Vanthoor continued his recovery drive in the #6 Penske Porsche, moving up into fifth after earlier damage.

In LMP2, AO Racing strengthened its control of the class by installing Dane Cameron into the #99 ORECA 07-Gibson, with the popular “Spike the Dragon” machine opening a lead of more than ten seconds at the front. The #04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR entry, driven by Toby Sowery, ran second, followed by Chris Cumming in the #73 Pratt Miller Motorsports car.

GTD Pro was shaken up by traffic chaos. Tommy Milner led the most recent restart in the #4 Corvette, but was forced into heavy avoiding action after an LMP2 incident between George Kolovos (#343 Inter Europol Competition) and David Heinemeier Hansson (TDS Racing). The evasive move dropped Milner down the order to seventh.

That opened the door for Antonio García to take control of GTD Pro in the #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Z06 GT3.R. Andrea Caldarelli stormed through the field in the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, moving into second and applying sustained pressure on García. Behind them, the two Ford Racing Mustang GT3s ran third and fourth, with Ben Barker in the #64 ahead of Sebastian Priaulx in the #65, followed by Dan Harper in the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

In GTD, Albert Costa delivered a strong stint to place the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo into the class lead, just ahead of Indy Dontje in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO. A gap had opened back to third, where Tom Gamble ran in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. The #96 Turner Motorsport BMW dropped out of the top ten after an unscheduled stop to clear a radiator blockage.

IMSA later confirmed that Adam Adelson had been transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation following his collision with Dylan Murry, but was awake and alert. Murry was evaluated and released from the infield care centre. The #120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R was officially recorded as the third retirement of the race.

As darkness approached, the race entered a new phase: Cadillac led overall, AO Racing controlled LMP2, Corvette and Lamborghini were locked in battle in GTD Pro, and Ferrari and Mercedes fought for supremacy in GTD — with strategy, traffic management, and night-time endurance now set to define the next chapter of the Rolex 24.

Hour 5

Night had fully fallen over Daytona International Speedway as the fifth hour of the 64th Rolex 24 unfolded, and the battle for overall control swung back in favour of Porsche.

The #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 briefly relinquished the lead but reclaimed the top spot in both GTP and overall after a strategically decisive energy stint. Julien Andlauer managed to extract two additional laps of energy compared to the surrounding cars, allowing the #7 to pit from second place, hand over to GTP newcomer Laurin Heinrich, and cycle back out ahead of the #31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R, which was now being driven by Connor Zilisch in his first-ever GTP race appearance.

Earl Bamber praised Zilisch’s transition into the car, highlighting that the primary challenge for the young driver was learning the systems and controls, rather than outright pace, and describing his debut stint as remarkably composed for a 19-year-old in the top prototype class.

The GTP lead group continued to rotate through strategy cycles. Kakunoshin Ohta briefly led overall in the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 while running off-sequence due to an unscheduled stop earlier in the race. As the pit cycles played out, Ohta settled into second place, while Zilisch dropped to fourth, and René Rast held position in fourth in the #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, keeping BMW firmly in the front fight.

There was heartbreak for Aston Martin as the #23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie suffered repeated drive loss during Alex Riberas’ first stint. After losing propulsion twice, the V12-powered hypercar was brought into the garage and remained sidelined, a bitter blow in its first race appearance at Daytona following its debut outings at Sebring and Le Mans.

In LMP2, the #99 AO Racing ORECA 07-Gibson continued its commanding run. Dane Cameron extended the class lead to over 30 seconds before handing the car over to Jonny Edgar, who maintained and grew the advantage to around 40 seconds. Behind them, Toby Sowery ran second in the #04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR entry, with Ben Keating third in the #52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen machine.

GTD Pro saw another momentum shift. A long, controlled 33-lap stint by Antonio García in the #3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Z06 GT3.R had set up co-driver Marvin Kirchhöfer well for the next phase, but Andrea Caldarelli surged to the class lead in the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2. Kirchhöfer remained in close pursuit, while Mike Rockenfeller ran third in the #64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3, keeping the pressure on the front two.

In GTD, Thierry Vermeulen held a narrow class lead in the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, fending off the closing Eduardo Barrichello in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. Behind them, Danny Formal broke into the top three for the first time in the #45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini, establishing a new contender in the GTD podium fight.

Further down the field, the #59 RLL Team McLaren GT3 Evo returned to the race after extended electrical repairs but remained more than 20 laps down. The #83 AF Corse ORECA LMP2 briefly rejoined the track following a repair lasting nearly two and a half hours, but after Nicklas Nielsen reported the car was unfit to continue, the team confirmed its retirement.

By the end of hour five, Porsche had reasserted control at the front, AO Racing dominated LMP2, the GTD Pro battle tightened between Lamborghini and Corvette, and GTD remained finely balanced — with the Rolex 24 now fully immersed in the night phase and the true endurance test beginning to unfold.

Hour 6

The Rolex 24 reached its quarter-distance milestone with Porsche back at the head of the field, as the #7 Team Penske Porsche 963 led overall with Laurin Heinrich at the wheel — but the headline position only told part of the story of a strategically complex sixth hour.

For much of the hour, it was the privately-entered #85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963 that controlled the race. With Tijmen van der Helm in the cockpit, JDC-Miller gambled on track position when a Full Course Yellow was triggered by the DragonSpeed Corvette going into the barriers following contact between Matteo Cairoli and the #73 Pratt Miller Motorsports ORECA. While much of the field pitted, JDC stayed out — a call that vaulted the customer Porsche to the front of the field.

When the race restarted midway through the sixth hour, van der Helm initially pulled clear, building a small but visible gap. However, Heinrich methodically closed him down in the factory #7 Penske Porsche and made a decisive move for the lead into Turn 2 with just two minutes remaining in the hour.

Moments later, Nick Yelloly followed Heinrich through in the #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura, demoting the JDC-Miller entry to third as the race transitioned into hour seven.

Behind the leading trio, the two Team WRT BMWs ran in close formation, with the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 ahead of the #25, holding fourth and fifth as the race began its push toward the halfway mark.

In LMP2, AO Racing and Jonny Edgar continued to lead in the #99 ORECA 07-Gibson, though their previously dominant margin was wiped out by the DragonSpeed caution. CrowdStrike Racing by APR moved into second with Quinn at the wheel, while Inter Europol Competition’s #43 ORECA ran third.

In the GT classes, Paul Miller Racing’s BMW M4 GT3 EVO led GTD Pro, with the two Pratt Miller Corvettes in pursuit. In GTD, Ferrari asserted control with a 296 GT3 Evo 1–2. Thierry Vermeulen put the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari into the lead after passing Eduardo “Dudu” Barrichello in the Heart of Racing Aston Martin, while Frederik Schandorff then worked his way into second in the Inception Racing Ferrari.

There was brief confusion at the front of GTD when the #912 Manthey Porsche appeared to take the lead with Ryan Hardwick driving and a substantial gap behind. However, the advantage was the result of an improper final wave-by under caution. IMSA issued a heavy penalty — a three-minute, 36-second hold — which dropped the Manthey Porsche off the lead lap and down to 16th in class.

DragonSpeed fared even worse. Its Corvette, already damaged in the earlier incident, rejoined after repairs but fell to 18th in class, sitting 15 laps down and effectively out of contention.

At the end of the sixth hour, the Rolex 24 had fully transitioned into its strategic phase — factory teams versus privateers, track position versus pit cycles, and calculated risks reshaping the order — with Porsche once again controlling the lead, but the endurance battle far from settled.

Hour 7

The seventh hour of the Rolex 24 produced another reshuffle at the front as pit strategy and traffic once again dictated the GTP order.

A rapid cycle of pit stops saw the #93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 emerge in the overall lead with Nick Yelloly at the wheel. The advantage was short-lived, however, as the #7 Team Penske Porsche 963 remained within striking distance. Just as in the previous hour, Porsche reclaimed control before the hour expired, with Felipe Nasr executing a clean, decisive move to retake the lead for the factory Penske entry.

The momentum continued for Porsche, as the sister #6 Penske Porsche 963 charged back into contention. Kévin Estre climbed through the order to second place, following his teammate’s progress to re-establish a Porsche one-two at the front. Yelloly began the eighth hour in third, ahead of the #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 in fourth, while the strongest Cadillac at that stage was the #40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, holding fifth.

Off track, members of the Cadillac camp reflected on their opening stints. Connor Zilisch, driving for Action Express Racing, remained upbeat after completing his first-ever GTP race stint, acknowledging Porsche’s early strength but expressing confidence that Cadillac remained firmly in the fight. Will Stevens confirmed that the #10 Cadillac had suffered early delays due to an air jack lance issue, costing time across multiple pit stops, but noted that the problem had been resolved and the team was now able to push while staying on the lead lap.

In LMP2, the class lead changed hands as CrowdStrike Racing by APR moved to the front after AO Racing rotated Bronze driver PJ Hyett into the #99 ORECA as darkness settled in. United Autosports’ #22, with Paul di Resta at the wheel, climbed into second, relegating AO Racing to third in the order.

GTD Pro saw Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports reclaim control of the class, with the #3 Z06 GT3.R leading the sister #4 Corvette. The #69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 ran third, while the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO, which had led earlier in the race, dropped back to fourth.

In GTD, Heart of Racing built a healthy advantage, with the #27 Aston Martin Vantage GT3 holding a nine-second lead over the Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG. The highest-placed Ferrari, the #21 AF Corse 296 GT3, completed the top three in class.

By the end of hour seven, Porsche had once again asserted itself at the front of the field, Cadillac remained strategically poised, and the class battles in LMP2, GTD Pro, and GTD continued to evolve as the Rolex 24 pushed deeper into the night.

Hour 8

With 16 hours remaining, the Rolex 24 at Daytona moved fully into its most demanding phase as the night closed in and conditions deteriorated around the circuit. Visibility dropped steadily as mist settled over the speedway, to the point where even the spotters high above the main grandstand struggled to clearly track cars on the back straight. Despite the worsening conditions, the field managed a sustained green-flag run, allowing the race to stretch out strategically.

At the front, Porsche maintained control of the overall contest. The factory #7 Team Penske Porsche 963 continued to dictate the pace through the latter part of the hour, but Felipe Nasr pitted just as the hour expired. That stop handed the lead to the sister #6 Penske Porsche 963 for the start of the eighth hour, completing another seamless position swap within the Porsche camp.

Behind the leading pair, the #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura held third place, with the #10 Cadillac and the #31 Cadillac completing the overall top five as the race pushed deeper into the night.

Further back, trouble struck BMW. The #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 dropped to 10th place and off the lead lap following an extended pit stop. Robin Frijns reported a “strange feeling” in the car, forcing the team into precautionary checks and system resets before confirming that everything was functioning normally again — but the time loss proved costly in the tightly packed GTP field.

In LMP2, AO Racing reclaimed control of the class, with PJ Hyett rebuilding a margin at the front of the category. He established an 8.6-second lead over George Kurtz in the CrowdStrike Racing by APR entry. Daniel Goldburg ran third in the #22 United Autosports car, with Misha Goikhberg fourth aboard the Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen ORECA.

GTD Pro remained firmly in Corvette’s grasp. Both factory Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Z06 GT3.Rs continued to lead the class, separated by seven seconds, and holding a commanding 90-second advantage over the GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG in third. The Paul Miller Racing BMW sat just outside the podium in fourth, but the team remained optimistic. Neil Verhagen confirmed that the BMW squad had pushed hard for Endurance Cup points at the six-hour mark while Corvette conserved, leaving them temporarily on the back foot but still confident in their long-run pace and race strategy.

In GTD, Mattia Drudi led for Heart of Racing, with AF Corse’s Ferrari running second as the class continued to stabilise after earlier chaos.

There was disappointment for Riley, as one of the Ford Mustang GT3 Evo entries was officially retired during the hour due to a steering rack failure after completing 115 laps. It marked an early setback in the team’s Mustang programme, ending its Daytona debut prematurely and underscoring the unforgiving nature of endurance racing.

As hour eight came to a close, the Rolex 24 had entered its true endurance phase — mist, darkness, fatigue, and mechanical reliability now becoming just as decisive as outright speed — with Porsche still in control up front, but the long night at Daytona only just beginning.

Hour 9

The ninth hour of the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona continued to showcase Porsche’s dominance, though the misty night conditions and a flurry of strategy calls ensured plenty of twists in the order. Visibility remained low, making wheel-to-wheel battles and on-track incidents hard to track for teams and spectators alike.

The first round of pit stops during the hour saw Julien Andlauer in the #7 Team Penske Porsche 963 snatch the lead from Laurens Vanthoor, exploiting cold tyres on the sister #6 Porsche to make a clean pass up the inside at Turn 1. However, the advantage was short-lived. The fifth caution of the race was triggered when marshals removed a stray wheel from the circuit after a Pratt Miller ORECA went off-track, prompting a second wave of pit stops mid-hour. Penske used the opportunity to execute a tactical swap between its two cars, returning Vanthoor to the front by a slim margin of two seconds, with Alex Palou in the #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura climbing to third, five seconds adrift after overtaking Louis Deletraz’s Cadillac at the restart.

As teams settled into a rhythm through the night, Filipe Albuquerque in the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac offered insight on the competitive picture, noting that six cars were realistically in contention for overall victory. With double-stinting tyres to preserve sets for the closing stages, Albuquerque highlighted that while the Porsches were quick, Cadillacs and Acuras remained very close, and that the ultimate balance would emerge as temperatures rose with the sunrise and cars transitioned to single-stint tyre runs.

LMP2 saw a dramatic shake-up. George Kurtz had led for CrowdStrike Racing by APR at the restart, but a spin at the International Horseshoe dropped him to seventh after struggling to rejoin cleanly. AO Racing regained the class lead with Christian Rasmussen at the wheel, while Bijoy Garg ran second in the #43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA, ahead of the team’s second entry. Misha Goikhberg also lost time in the #51 Bryan Herta PR1 ORECA after a spin but remained sixth, ahead of Kurtz, keeping him in the mix for a strong finish.

In GTD Pro, strategy again reshuffled the order. Tommy Milner led in the #4 Corvette after the Pratt Miller team left him out during the caution period. Max Hesse ran second in the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW, while the #3 Corvette sat third following the stop cycle.

Meanwhile, AF Corse took control of GTD, with the #21 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo of Antonio Fuoco moving to the front. Zacharie Robichon occupied second in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, having taken over from Mattia Drudi, who reflected on his stint: “I found myself leading with fresh tyres. We need to do a certain number of double stints, but the car is working nicely, and the team is working well. Triple stints are not on our radar at the moment.”

By the end of hour nine, Porsche had maintained its grip on the overall lead, AO Racing had seized back LMP2 supremacy, and GTD and GTD Pro battles continued to cycle through strategy and tyre management, with the misty night making every stint and decision even more critical in shaping the first half of the 24-hour endurance classic.

Hour 10

The tenth hour of the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona passed largely under green, with few major incidents, but a brief moment of drama at the Le Mans Chicane reminded teams that even in a quiet hour, endurance racing can turn on a single corner.

Early in the hour, Mikkel Jensen, newly signed as a McLaren Hypercar factory driver in the #2 United Autosports ORECA, made contact with Chris Cumming in the Pratt Miller ORECA, sending both cars into a spin off the racing line. The collision forced Alex Palou in the #93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura to take evasive action while navigating the chaos. Though Palou avoided contact, he lost a second as the team worked to restore the car to top-two contention. Both ORECA entries eventually rejoined the race, and Jensen was later assessed a drive-through penalty for causing the incident.

Porsche once again benefited from the disruption. Matt Campbell brought the #6 Penske Porsche 963 through the smoke to regain second, restoring a Porsche 1–2 at the front of the field. As the eleventh hour began, the #7 Penske Porsche led by 8.5 seconds, with Palou’s Acura holding third, seven seconds ahead of Earl Bamber in the #31 Action Express Cadillac, the highest-placed prototype not running a Porsche.

In LMP2, Christian Rasmussen maintained control for AO Racing in the #99 ORECA 07-Gibson, keeping the team firmly in contention as driver rotations continued. Inter Europol Competition’s #343 ran second, while United Autosports’ #22, recovering from earlier setbacks, occupied third.

GTD Pro remained a Corvette affair at the front, with Tommy Milner in the #4 Z06 GT3.R leading. Behind him, the #3 Corvette regained second from the #1 Paul Miller BMW, maintaining close proximity in a race defined by pit strategy and traffic management.

In GTD, AF Corse’s #21 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo continued to dominate, with Antonio Fuoco running consistently and building a gap lap by lap. Scott McLaughlin, in the #36 DXDT Corvette, remained second, while Turner Motorsport’s BMW quietly moved into third, with Jens Klingmann ahead of Zacharie Robichon in the Heart of Racing Aston Martin.

By the end of hour ten, Daytona had settled into its night rhythm: Porsche held the upper hand in GTP, AO Racing controlled LMP2, and Corvette and Ferrari were firmly in command in the GT ranks. Despite the largely uneventful hour, the long night ahead promised more strategy, mistakes, and drama before the halfway point of the 24-hour classic.

Hour 11

The 11th hour of the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona was dominated by the challenges of night, mist, and fog, which continued to make life difficult for drivers, pit crews, and spotters atop the main grandstand. After a brief improvement, conditions worsened again, reducing visibility and forcing teams to remain hyper-vigilant. Despite the tricky environment, incidents were relatively rare — though a major setback struck Meyer Shank Racing in the form of the #93 Acura.

During its 13th pit stop, Kakunoshin Ohta lost the right-front wheel of the car at the International Horseshoe, forcing him to nurse the machine slowly back to the pits. The team spent additional time replacing the nose and repairing the damage, ultimately leaving the #93 a lap down and in 10th overall. While caution periods and wave-arounds could allow them to regain lost ground, the timing of the setback was a serious blow to the only car consistently challenging the factory Porsches overnight.

With the Acura temporarily out of contention, Porsche’s dominance at the front went largely unchecked. Laurin Heinrich led in the #7 Penske Porsche 963, while Matt Campbell brought the sister #6 car through to second, carrying floor damage and sitting 22 seconds behind. Earl Bamber was third overall in the #31 Action Express Cadillac, just three seconds further back.

In LMP2, AO Racing held the class lead as Dane Cameron took over for a night stint. The US-flagged team faced a strong challenge from United Autosports’ #22 ORECA, with Paul di Resta closing in — the gap was under two seconds and promising a tense battle in the coming hours.

GTD Pro saw a shuffle at the front during the latest round of pit stops, with Paul Miller Racing emerging on top thanks to Dan Harper’s stint. The two Corvettes ran second and third, leaving the top trio separated by just 3.8 seconds, illustrating how tightly contested the class remained through the night. The #911 Manthey Porsche ran fourth, while AO Racing’s Rexy Porsche dropped to sixth after a front bumper change during its 12th stop.

In GTD, DXDT Racing moved into the class lead, followed by the Lone Star Mercedes in second and the Turner Motorsport BMW in third, highlighting the continuing shuffle as teams balanced tyre strategies and stint lengths in the overnight darkness.

By the close of the 11th hour, Porsche retained control overall, AO Racing led LMP2 narrowly, and GTD Pro and GTD were locked in close battles — with the fog, mist, and long night ensuring that every decision, pit stop, and lap would count as the Rolex 24 edged toward its halfway point.

Hour 12

As the 12th hour of the 2026 Rolex 24 began, the race was immediately placed under Full Course Yellow due to severely reduced visibility at Daytona. The overnight mist, which had been fluctuating for hours, worsened to the point where race control deemed it unsafe to continue under green. Officials explained on the IMSA broadcast that post-to-post visibility was too poor for marshals to operate safely and that the race would likely remain under caution until conditions improved. Red-flagging the event was avoided, as it would have complicated compliance with driver stint regulations.

During the extended FCY period, teams took advantage of the pause to perform pit work, particularly on brakes and bodywork. Among the cars receiving attention were the leading Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.Rs in GTD Pro, as well as AO Racing’s “Rexy” Porsche, which underwent both front and rear brake changes and had a front bumper replaced.

With half the race now completed, the GTP order saw the #7 Penske Porsche leading overall, ahead of the #31 Action Express Cadillac, while the sister #6 Porsche had slipped to third.

In LMP2, AO Racing’s #99 ORECA remained in front, with United Autosports’ #22 and Inter Europol Competition’s #43 ORECA running second and third, respectively.

GTD Pro was led by Paul Miller Racing’s BMW, followed closely by the #911 Manthey Porsche, with the two factory Corvettes occupying third and fourth after service.

In GTD, the class lead belonged to DXDT Racing, with the defending champions from 13 Autosport in second and Turner Motorsport’s BMW quietly holding third, continuing its consistent night-long run.

As the race reached its halfway point, five retirements had been confirmed: the RS1 Porsche and Wright Motorsports Porsche from GTD, the Riley Ford Mustang GT3 Evo, and the AF Corse ORECA in LMP2.

With no immediate end to the caution period in sight, the Rolex 24 remained under controlled conditions, with teams focusing on maintenance and strategy while awaiting improved visibility. Hourly updates from DSC will resume once green-flag racing returns.

Hours 13-15

Hours 13 through 15 of the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona were dominated entirely by the persistent fog, which forced the race to remain under Full Course Yellow from 12:45 AM onward. Visibility was so poor that race control maintained the FCY rather than risk green-flag running, with a dense fog advisory in effect until at least 9:00 AM local time.

With the field moving slowly under caution, much of the action came in the pits, as teams took advantage of the extended FCY to perform maintenance, brake changes, and strategic tyre swaps. Position changes were largely dictated by these stops rather than on-track battles, as overtaking was impossible under the neutralised conditions.

In GTP, the #6 Penske Porsche 963 remained at the head of the field with Kévin Estre in the car. The #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, with René Rast behind the wheel, ran second, while Connor Zilisch kept the #31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R in third. Porsche’s advantage at the front was evident, but the BMW and Cadillac teams stayed in close proximity, ready to capitalise when green-flag racing returned.

LMP2 saw Misha Goikhberg in the #52 Bryan Herta Autosport with PR1/Mathiasen ORECA 07-Gibson holding the class lead. He was followed by Bijoy Garg in the #43 Inter Europol Competition ORECA and Kyffin Simpson in the #8 Tower Motorsport ORECA, with margins compressed due to the strategic pit stops under caution.

In GTD Pro, Christopher Mies guided the #65 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 to the top spot, with Alessio Picariello in the #77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R running second. The #14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3, driven by Kyle Kirkwood, completed the top three.

The GTD class saw Tomasso Mosca in the #21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo leading the field, while Nicki Thiim kept the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo in second. Ralf Aron in the #80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO ran third.

With nine hours remaining in the race, the first half of the Rolex 24 had already seen five retirements and multiple incidents, but the overnight FCY ensured that teams could focus on strategy, maintenance, and tyre management. Track positions continued to shuffle in the pits, setting up an intense restart once conditions finally improved.

The long caution period highlighted the endurance aspect of the race, as driver concentration, mechanical preservation, and team coordination were tested under extreme low-visibility conditions, rather than outright speed.

Hours 16-18

Hours 16 through 18 of the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona finally saw green-flag racing resume after six hours, 33 minutes and 25 seconds behind the safety car due to persistent fog. At 7:19 AM, just after sunrise, IMSA Race Control deemed visibility sufficient to bring the field back to the track, wave cars by, and restart the race, marking a welcome return to full-speed competition for drivers, teams, and the fans awake to witness it.

Laurin Heinrich in the #7 Penske Porsche 963 led the restart, having opted to stay out while several rivals completed pit stops during the last Full Course Yellow. Matt Campbell in the #6 Penske Porsche immediately launched a charge, setting consecutive fastest laps and moving from fourth to second. Kevin Magnussen in the #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, who also stayed out during the caution, ran third, positioning the top three prototypes in close contention for the first time since the early morning fog period.

Early pit infractions shook up the field. The #31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R received a 60-second stop-and-go penalty for exiting pit lane under a red light, dropping Frederik Vesti to tenth overall. The #24 BMW and #85 JDC-Miller Motorsports Porsche also incurred drive-through penalties for pit work violations, further compressing the order.

In LMP2, Sébastien Bourdais had established the class lead for Tower Motorsport in the #8 ORECA 07-Gibson, with Nick Cassidy moving from sixth to second in the #343 Inter Europol ORECA and hunting down Bourdais. Inter Europol’s second car, driven by Tom Dillmann, ran third, keeping the Polish team in strong contention in the closing half of the race.

GTD Pro saw a shake-up at the front as Ben Barker initially led in the #64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3, only for Tommy Milner in the #4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R to overtake and take the lead. Barker remained second, while Antonio García in the #3 Corvette ran third. A notable move came from Maro Engel in the #75 Express Mercedes-AMG, who executed a daring three-wide pass to move into fifth, overtaking both the #912 Manthey Porsche and #1 Paul Miller BMW in one sweeping maneuver.

In GTD, Robby Foley advanced the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO into the lead, passing Lilou Wadoux in the #21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, with Russell Ward in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG rounding out the top three. Contact between Thierry Vermeulen in the #34 Conquest Racing Ferrari and Spencer Pumpelly in the Magnus Racing Aston Martin, which saw Pumpelly spun at the Le Mans Chicane, was deemed incidental and did not result in further action.

After hours of pacing under caution, the race had finally returned to full-speed endurance racing, with the top GTP cars tightly bunched, LMP2 battles intensifying, and both GTD Pro and GTD seeing aggressive position changes. The restart injected new energy into the field, setting the stage for a tense and strategic push as the Rolex 24 entered its final quarter.

Hour 19

After 19 hours of the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona, Matt Campbell in the #6 Penske Porsche 963 held the lead with five hours remaining, continuing the green-flag racing that had resumed following the long overnight caution period. Despite bright sunlight, the lingering fog remained dense in places, creating tricky visibility for drivers as they pushed hard in the final third of the race.

Campbell had inherited the lead following a round of green-flag pit stops and immediately demonstrated the pace he’s carried all day. In a car carrying right-side floor damage from incidents the previous afternoon, he set the fastest lap of the race, building and maintaining a three-second gap over teammate Felipe Nasr in the sister #7 Penske Porsche 963, who was running second. The #25 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8, now driven by Kevin Magnussen, was more than 20 seconds adrift in third. Rounding out the top five prototypes were the #40 and #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillacs, driven by Jordan and Ricky Taylor.

In LMP2, a routine pit cycle shuffled the order. Nick Cassidy had led in the #343 Inter Europol ORECA 07-Gibson, but Nolan Siegel, now at the wheel, inherited the lead, with teammate António Félix da Costa in the #43 car running second. Sébastien Bourdais in the #8 Tower Motorsports ORECA held third, keeping the class battle tight.

GTD Pro saw Tommy Milner in the #4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R continue to lead after a critical blow to his teammate’s chances. Antonio García, running second in the #3 Corvette, suffered a right-rear suspension failure approaching Turn 6 and had to nurse the car slowly back to the pits, effectively ending his team’s hope of contesting the victory. Behind Milner, Ricardo Feller guided the #911 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R into second, while Jules Gounon in the #69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO ran third and Ben Barker in the #64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 held fourth.

In GTD, Robby Foley continued to lead in the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO, with a margin of just under ten seconds over Antonio Fuoco in the #21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo. Philip Ellis in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG remained third, maintaining a strong battle for the final podium positions in the class.

With five hours remaining, the race had settled into a crucial phase. Porsche controlled the overall lead, LMP2 remained tightly contested, and the GT classes were still fiercely competitive — every pit stop, lap, and overtaking move poised to shape the outcome of the Rolex 24 as the clock ticked toward the final stages.

Hour 20

With four hours remaining in the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona, the race continued to deliver drama as 54 of the 60 starters remained on track. After a recent Full Course Yellow, the GTP field was tightly bunched, with ten cars on the lead lap, led by the #25 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8.

The caution came following an incident in LMP2 involving Formula 1 alumni Sébastien Bourdais and Logan Sargeant. Bourdais in the #8 Tower Motorsports ORECA made contact with Sargeant’s #18 Era Motorsport ORECA, which was already many laps down. With a failed starter motor, Sargeant’s car could not restart and was towed back to the garage, ending its race.

Before the incident, all GTP cars had completed green-flag pit stops, but the #25 WRT BMW, now driven by Marco Wittmann, stayed out under the FCY to gain track position. Wittmann led the field overall, followed by the #7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, with Felipe Nasr moving past the #40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R of Jordan Taylor. Kévin Estre in the #6 Penske Porsche advanced into third, relegating Taylor to fourth.

Inter Europol Competition remained at the forefront of LMP2, though the #43 ORECA 07-Gibson now led the class following pit stops, with António Félix da Costa at the wheel. Dane Cameron in the #99 AO Racing ORECA ran second, while Nolan Siegel recovered from a slow pit getaway caused by a starter motor issue to third in the #343 Inter Europol ORECA, ahead of Malthe Jakobsen in the #04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR car.

GTD Pro saw multiple lead changes as the field battled aggressively on track. Ayhancan Güven in the #911 Manthey “Grello” Porsche 911 GT3 R had pulled off a daring three-wide move around the #1 Paul Miller BMW of Max Hesse and the #64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 of Mike Rockenfeller following a sketchy restart in which Harry King earned a 60-second stop-and-go penalty for a jump start. Hesse briefly regained the lead at the West Horseshoe, only for Tommy Milner in the #4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R to sweep past both around the outside in the Tri-Oval. Milner now led from Güven, Hesse, and Fabian Schiller in the #69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3.

In GTD, Scott McLaughlin had muscled the #36 DXDT Racing Corvette into the lead, with Riccardo Pera in the #912 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche in second. Jens Klingmann in the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW remained in fourth, behind Madison Snow in the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin, now third.

Elsewhere in GTD, the #66 Gradient Racing Ford retired due to a punctured radiator, while the #3 Corvette returned to action after a 48-minute repair on its right-rear suspension.

As the Rolex 24 entered its final four hours, the race remained fiercely competitive across all classes, with strategic pit decisions, penalties, and on-track overtakes continuing to shape the battle toward the finish.

Hour 21

With three hours remaining in the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona, the fog that had plagued much of the race finally lifted, giving teams and drivers clear, sunny conditions as the Rolex 24 entered its final quarter.

Porsche Penske Motorsport reclaimed control at the front of GTP, with both factory 963s running first and second following green-flag pit stops. Kévin Estre in the #6 car held a slim advantage over teammate Julien Andlauer in the #7, running nose-to-tail in a commanding display of Porsche pace. Behind them, BMW M Team WRT filled third and fourth, with Marco Wittmann in the #25 BMW M Hybrid V8 ahead of Sheldon van der Linde in the #24. Earl Bamber kept the highest-placed Cadillac competitive in fifth in the #31 Whelen V-Series.R.

In LMP2, Malthe Jakobsen put CrowdStrike Racing by APR in prime position for a first Rolex 24 class win, taking the #04 ORECA 07-Gibson past António Félix da Costa in the #43 Inter Europol ORECA. With the top of the hour approaching, both the #04 and #43 cars, along with the #343 Inter Europol ORECA, came in for pit stops, keeping the class battle close as the final hours ticked down.

GTD Pro remained led by Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports’ #4 Z06 GT3.R, now driven by Nico Varrone, who was starting to extend his advantage. Ayhancan Güven in the #911 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R continued to hold second, fending off Max Hesse in the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

In GTD, Robby Foley in the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO looked set for a breakthrough Daytona victory, holding a six-second lead over Tom Gamble in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo. Riccardo Pera in the #912 Manthey 1st Phorm Porsche was running third in the class.

Some teams suffered late setbacks. The #69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO spent more than 15 minutes behind the wall for a mechanical issue, knocking it out of GTD Pro podium contention, while the #36 DXDT Racing Corvette, leader from the previous hour, went behind the wall for a suspected transmission fluid leak, losing valuable time. Both cars had returned to the track, but the #73 Pratt Miller Motorsports ORECA remained sidelined.

With clearer conditions and the final three hours underway, Porsche looked in control at the front of GTP, LMP2 was wide open, and both GT classes were set for a dramatic finish, with every pit stop and lap more critical than ever.

Hour 22

With just two hours remaining in the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, a Full Course Yellow once again reshaped the running order. The caution came after Mike Rockenfeller pulled the #64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 over with what appeared to be an engine failure, leaving a long trail of fluid. Rockenfeller exited safely, but the car became the seventh retirement of the race.

Porsche Penske Motorsport, which had dominated GTP for much of the day, split its strategy during the pit cycle. The #6 Porsche 963 stayed out on the first stop while the #7 car came in for routine service, then pitted the following lap for energy. This temporarily shuffled the order, placing the #6 at the back of the GTP field at the restart.

Julien Andlauer in the #7 led the restart and maintained his advantage, followed by Sheldon van der Linde in the #24 Team WRT BMW, Earl Bamber in the #31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R, Philipp Eng in the #25 BMW, and Tom Blomqvist in the #60 Acura Meyer Shank ARX-06. Dries Vanthoor climbed from tenth to sixth in the #6 Porsche after the restart, rejoining the battle for the final podium positions.

Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing suffered a devastating blow as the #10 Cadillac suffered an engine failure. Ricky Taylor safely brought the car to pit lane, preventing another caution, but the team’s chances of victory were ended. “Something in the gearbox let go, then I saw the smoke,” Taylor said after climbing from the car.

In LMP2, CrowdStrike Racing by APR held the lead with Alex Quinn at the wheel of the #04 ORECA 07-Gibson, but the two Inter Europol Competition cars were right on his heels. Tom Dillmann in the #43 and Nolan Siegel in the #343 ran second and third, keeping the class battle tight as the race approached its final hours.

The Full Course Yellow also proved pivotal in GTD Pro, allowing Manthey Racing to take advantage. Ayhancan Güven had pitted the #911 Porsche just before the caution, cycling the car to the lead, which was now held by Thomas Preining. James Calado in the #033 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari restarted second but received a drive-through penalty after an incident with the No. 4 Corvette driven by Nico Varrone, promoting Dan Harper in the #1 Paul Miller BMW to second, with Maxime Martin in the #48 Winward Mercedes now third. Varrone was working to recover, running sixth.

In GTD, Nicki Thiim seized the moment in the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin to take the lead. Mattia Drudi in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin ran second, while Jens Klingmann in the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW held third, giving Aston Martin a 1-2 position in the closing stages.

The stage was set for a dramatic final two hours, with GTP, LMP2, GTD Pro, and GTD all poised for tense battles as the 64th Rolex 24 headed toward its conclusion.

Hour 23

Heading into the last hour of the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, Porsche Penske Motorsport held a slender advantage at the front, with their two factory Porsche 963s running first and second.

Felipe Nasr pursued his third consecutive Rolex 24 victory in the #7 Porsche, leading by roughly a second and a half over Laurens Vanthoor in the #6 car, who was aiming for back-to-back Daytona wins. Behind them, Jack Aitken in the #31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R closed in, threatening to disrupt Porsche’s hopes of a 1-2 finish. With only one final pit stop remaining for the leaders, any misstep could reshuffle the GTP podium. The #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing ARX-06 of Tom Blomqvist and the #24 Team WRT BMW M Hybrid V8 of Dries Vanthoor waited in fourth and fifth, ready to capitalize on any trouble ahead.

In LMP2, it remained CrowdStrike Racing by APR’s race to lose, with Alex Quinn at the wheel of the #04 ORECA 07-Gibson. Inter Europol Competition maintained second and third, with Tom Dillmann in the #43 car over six seconds behind and Nick Cassidy in the #343 holding third.

The GTD Pro class saw the order shift yet again as the final hour commenced. Maro Engel had taken the lead in the #75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO, overtaking Andrea Caldarelli in the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2, who had earlier undercut the field during pit stops. Thomas Preining in the #911 Manthey Porsche 911 GT3 R ran third, while Nicky Catsburg in the #4 Corvette and Dan Harper in the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW remained in contention for a podium. Engel led Caldarelli by just under three seconds.

In GTD, the top two Aston Martins continued to run first and second. Nicki Thiim in the #44 Magnus Racing Vantage GT3 had overtaken Mattia Drudi in the #27 Heart of Racing Vantage about fifteen minutes prior. Thiim received a warning for contact with Drudi, but no further action was taken, leaving the pair at the head of the class. Robby Foley in the #96 Turner Motorsport BMW held third, while other contenders such as Matthew Bell (#13 Autosport Corvette), Philip Ellis (#57 Winward Mercedes-AMG), and Kenton Koch (#023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari) remained in striking distance.

Several retirements had impacted the closing stages, including the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac, the #36 DXDT Racing Corvette, and the #23 Aston Martin THOR Team Valkyrie, all sidelined by mechanical or steering issues.

With just sixty minutes to go, all classes were set for a tense and dramatic conclusion, as every leader and challenger prepared for the final showdown at Daytona.

Hour 24

Porsche Penske Motorsport secured its third consecutive Rolex 24 at Daytona victory, but the final hour delivered a tense, high-pressure showdown as Felipe Nasr fought off a relentless charge from Jack Aitken to seal a landmark win.

Nasr brought the #7 Porsche 963 to the flag after 705 laps, joined by Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich, in a race heavily shaped by a six-and-a-half-hour fog interruption. When the race finally reached its climax under clear skies, Nasr produced a composed and defensive final stint, holding Aitken at bay to win by just 1.569 seconds in one of the closest finishes in modern Rolex 24 history.

The victory marked a historic achievement on multiple fronts. Porsche became the first manufacturer to win the Rolex 24 three straight times since Acura’s 2021–2023 streak, Penske became the first team to achieve three consecutive overall victories since Wayne Taylor Racing (2019–2021), and Nasr became only the third driver in Daytona history to win three consecutive Rolex 24s, joining Peter Gregg and Hélio Castroneves.

The win also carried personal milestones. Julien Andlauer claimed victory in just his second IMSA appearance for Porsche Penske Motorsport, while Laurin Heinrich won in his first-ever IMSA start with the factory GTP program.

Second place went to the Action Express-run #31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R of Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, Frederik Vesti, and Connor Zilisch, while BMW M Team WRT completed the overall podium in its first IMSA GTP race, with the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 of Dries Vanthoor, Sheldon van der Linde, Robin Frijns, and René Rast finishing third.

In LMP2, CrowdStrike Racing by APR finally converted years of near-misses into a breakthrough Daytona victory. The #04 ORECA 07-Gibson of George Kurtz, Alex Quinn, Toby Sowery, and Malthe Jakobsen controlled the closing stages with precision strategy and execution, delivering the team’s long-awaited Rolex 24 class win.

GTD Pro honors went to the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Connor De Phillippi, Neil Verhagen, Max Hesse, and Dan Harper, after a decisive fuel-only final stop placed Harper in the lead during the last hour. The victory marked the team’s first Rolex 24 class win since 2020.

The GTD class produced one of the most dramatic finishes of the entire race. Winward Racing’s #57 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO prevailed after a thrilling final-stint duel, with Philip Ellis holding off Nicki Thiim in the Magnus Racing Aston Martin by just 1.367 seconds. Ellis, Russell Ward, Indy Dontje, and Lucas Auer delivered Winward Racing its third Rolex 24 class victory in six years.

After 24 hours of endurance, chaos, fog, strategy, and relentless pressure, the 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona ended with Porsche Penske Motorsport writing history, and a finish worthy of one of endurance racing’s greatest stages.

GTP Results

LMP2 Results

GTD Pro Results

GTD Class