IMSA is barely two races into its 2025 season, and already it has offered a formidable 36 hours of racing between 4 lessons, with greater than 200 drivers and over 60 vehicles that includes future applied sciences — vehicles you might have in your individual storage (simply racier). Few collection can tout that form of span or depth, and that’s earlier than the inexperienced flag drops at a notoriously troublesome Sebring Raceway observe.
Sebring is a particular place, not only for the followers — some who camp out weeks in superior, and have executed the identical routine, in the identical spot for many years. This 12 hour race has established itself as distinctive place for drivers, vehicles and the groups, the place unexpected challenges lurk round each nook. If drivers make a fallacious transfer, or hit the fallacious line, it will probably finish their luck and their staff’s probabilities pretty rapidly.
On that be aware, a take a look at who was in a position to tame Sebring’s surprises, and who’re hoping to redeem themselves going into Lengthy Seashore subsequent month.
#23 Aston Martin Thor Workforce Aston Martin Valkyrie: Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis, Alex Riberas
Picture by: IMSA
Winner: Aston Martin’s Valkyrie LMH
There’s no doubting that the Aston Martin was the fan favourite this weekend (behind the #77 AO Racing Rexy, in fact), and everybody needed an opportunity to see and listen to its new prototype machine in particular person. Already spectacular is its naturally aspirated V12 paired with the homologated GTP hybrid system that jogged my memory of an older System 1 automobile at first “sound.”
An essential lesson from this weekend was that Aston understood the fact of the race, contemplating the trials Sebring would current. The expectations of its new Valkyrie GTP entry had been to not conquer right here, however merely end the race. And so they did, ending ninth within the class with 13 complete entries. Though two laps down, it completed forward of the #60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian, the #40 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac (retired), #24 BMW M Workforce RLL, and the #63 Automobili Lamborghini Squadra Corse (retired).
In good enjoyable and video games, Aston Martin Racing took to trolling the #63 Lamborghini on social within the warmth of the battle. The funnier a part of this, is at the least they did end forward of them (by a couple of spots). It’ll be thrilling to see this automobile developed over the season and see the place it and the way it turns into extra aggressive in an already extremely aggressive class. (Additionally hoping this entices much more producers to take part, and produce some bigger engines [re: V12s] with them.)
#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V- Collection.R: Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz, Brendon Hartley
Picture by: IMSA
Loser: Wayne Taylor Racing
It’s not that WTR isn’t a profitable outfit, quite the opposite, the staff is normally fairly exceptional at getting back from setbacks after they do come about. However the quantity of occasions the WTR outfit has had a automobile concerned in an incident in simply the primary two races is notable. And Sebring wasn’t any much less forgiving than Rolex.
Saturday kicked off the string of poor luck with the #10 bumping a GTD automobile clear off of the observe. The #40 despatched it into the wall of Flip 7. The #40 was in a position to recuperate, briefly, however ended up retiring close to the tip of the race. And to actually cap issues off, the #45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini (GTD) additionally joined in on the string of “no good very dangerous issues” as properly. At the least two of the three vehicles completed.
Wayne Taylor was additionally in an exceptionally pissed off temper, clear in his interview with IMSA Radio throughout the yellow flag pit cycle the place the #60 Acura and #24 BMW incident occurred. Who can blame him?
#77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992): Laurin Heinrich, Klaus Bachler, Alessio Picariello drives beneath fireworks
Picture by: James Gilbert – Motorsport Photographs
Winner: Porsche and Penske Motorsport
For those who had sat within the media heart, you additionally would have sat patiently whereas IMSA communications director Nate Siebens learn by way of a really lengthy listing of accolades not just for Nick Tandy, however for Porsche and Porsche Penske Motorsport. It was a protracted sufficient listing that at occasions, it elicited a shocked look from Tandy, like even he too, was studying simply how profitable he and his staff and model had been.
It actually leaves you questioning “what’s left for Penske to win?” (The reply: Le Mans and Petit Le Mans are precedence). Porsche kicked off the final hour main the entire “branded” classes: GTP, GTD Professional and GTD, and would come dwelling with victories within the first two. Considered one of their drivers is now a Triple Crown of endurance winner (Tandy), and one other (Laurin Heinrich), set a finest race-lap report for the GTD Professional class, and broke it once more, within the final hour of the race as properly.
With Penske’s GTP vehicles operating “flawlessly” for 36 hours firstly of the season, you don’t need to jinx it, however his final two huge wins on the listing is likely to be properly inside attain in 2025.
#21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3: Simon Mann, Lilou Wadoux Ducellier, Alessandro Pier Guidi
Picture by: IMSA
Loser: AF Corse
What a forwards and backwards weekend for the AF Corse storage, particularly its Ferrari saga. Friday, the #21 automobile earned the pole for the GTD class, however actually couldn’t cease Saturday firstly of the race, touchdown the automobile in pit lane for repairs as they attempt to tackle a braking concern. However fret not, it appears anytime Alessandro Pier Guidi was behind the wheel, magic was taking place, and the Ferrari greater than made up any misplaced floor, finally main the class. In a while there was the off-roading incident in Flip 1, involving a brutal knockout of one of many WeatherTech indicators, and the #21 made it recognized it had not been a fan. A pit cease to deal with the injury and a driver change didn’t appear to do it, as a result of Lilou Wadoux was pressured to limp it again inside the first laps of her stint, earlier than it was retired.
It’s #88 LMP2 automobile made it additional into the race, however suffered a worse destiny than its GTD counterpart. In the beginning of the tenth hour of the race, the course lastly went inexperienced after a protracted warning, and as everybody acquired to hurry, the #88 missed its flip, hitting the wall of Flip 17, and triggering one other warning. Everybody was okay, egos had been doubtless bruised, and the #88 had actually seen higher days.
#48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Max Hesse, Dan Harper, Jesse Krohn
Picture by: IMSA
Winner: Sebring’s Notorious Bumps
It’s a well known and extremely utilized phrase when conversations heart on Sebring: “Respect the bumps.” Its a number of observe surfaces, together with the cracks and pitting it wears like growing old badges of honor, create a really distinctive observe, one which groups and drivers internationally agree makes it some of the difficult tracks to drive on this planet. Working a automobile for twenty-four hours on a observe like Daytona or Le Mans is one feat — however actually pitting it towards the pits of Sebring for 12 hours is much more harsh.
This yr, with GT vehicles now donning the identical torque sensors of the prototype lessons, it seems lots of them had been supplied a tough lesson of studying to high quality tune a automobile’s efficiency to account for the tough surfaces that you just purpose to hit (and those you might need to out of necessity) trigger these sensors to react extra usually. Any bump may trigger a spike in knowledge, which may end up in a warning on the primary spike, and eventual penalties following for additional infractions.
Whereas the sensitivity was a priority at Daytona – the inaugural race for GTs to run with sensors — the warnings and errant spikes had been really fairly minimal. However Sebring was fast to remind groups that they nonetheless had so much to be taught within the season forward, with a number of warnings for infractions issued all through the 12 hours, and some penalties (for a second offense). Lengthy stay the bumps.
#14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3: Ben Barnicoat, Aaron Telitz, Kyle Kirkwood, Jose Maria Lopez
Picture by: IMSA
Loser: The #14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus
Wayne Taylor Racing was having a nasty day, however when you put all these collectively for one automobile, then it’s the #14 Vasser Sullivan Racing. In simply the third hour of your complete 12 hours, the staff had obtained a penalty for altering a tire with out the correct crew, after which discovered itself in an incident with the #48Paul Miller Racing BMW, that despatched it behind the whereas having to deal with a messy entrance finish and suspension points.
It did return within the subsequent hour, solely 20 laps down, which isn’t not possible to recuperate in an endurance race of this size, however there could possibly be different mishaps that might lend to its higher putting if it makes it to the tip. It will definitely retired having solely accomplished 255 laps (the lead GTD Professional, #77 AO Racing Porsche accomplished 329 complete), whereas it’s GTD brethren, the #12, would battle a tricky battle to earn a podium and second-place end.
#96 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3 EVO: Patrick Gallagher, Robby Foley, Jake Walker
Picture by: IMSA
Winner: Turner Motorsport
You’ll not have seen a lot about Turner Motorsport on the Sebring weekend race studies, however the #6 BMW M4 GT3 Evo completed Sebring solely a lap down and sixth within the GTD class. And so they owe it to Mandy Moore — having posted a photograph of their divine Mom Mandy Moore prayer candle on social. She actually appeared to have delivered on their prayers.
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