Porsche Penske Motorsport's campaign at the 24 Hours of Daytona is set to commence from an advantageous third position on the grid. This striking starting spot was secured by Brazilian ace Felipe Nasr in the #7 Porsche 963 during the qualifying rounds for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship opener. His colleague, Britain's Nick Tandy, achieved a respectable seventh position in the #6 car.
In a session marked by rising tyre temperatures and a new lap record for prototypes at Daytona, Nasr’s eight-lap effort culminated in a lap time of 1:32.876 minutes. Though Tandy strived for improvement in the decisive final lap, he ultimately settled in seventh place.
Reflecting on the qualifying, Urs Kuratle, Director of Factory Racing LMDh, acknowledged the fierce competition, particularly from Cadillac, stating, “We would’ve loved to have secured pole position, but unfortunately, that didn’t quite work out. Congratulations to Cadillac. Their crew simply did it better. We didn’t make any mistakes. All teams were very close together. I think we have a decent grid position for the race. After all, the event runs over 24 hours so anything is possible. The forecast for the race weekend is for warmer temperatures. We’re ready for this and so we’re feeling optimistic for the season opener.”
Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director of Porsche Penske Motorsport, commended the team's efforts, expressing confidence in the cars' race trim handling: “The drivers in our two Porsche 963 did a great job, and so did the entire crew. Felipe turned the third quickest time. Even though the sister car is only seventh on the grid, I’m confident that we managed to achieve a good starting position. The drivers are very happy with the car’s handling in race trim. So I’m feeling positive about the 24-hour event.”
From the drivers' perspective, Nick Tandy shared his thoughts: “Cadillac was incredibly strong, which surprised me a little. Still, we want to win the race – not the qualifying. In Daytona, it’s all about being the fastest in the final and decisive phase next Sunday. We’re contesting an endurance race here, and the focus is always on reaching the finish. Our cars are running flawlessly. We’ve worked hard over the winter, and we’re seeing the results. I’m heading into the upcoming race week feeling good.”
Felipe Nasr also commented on his performance and the team's prospects, “Third place is okay. I got everything I could out of our car today. The crew did a great job. I’m totally convinced that we’re contesting the race with a strong package. We’ll continue to focus on working on consistency over long distances in the upcoming practice sessions starting on Thursday. We need to be perfectly prepared to be in the fight for victory next weekend.”
As the teams gear up for four more practice sessions before the endurance classic, the excitement builds for a thrilling and unpredictable 24-hour race set to start on the 27th of January. With a blend of optimism, preparedness, and confidence, Porsche aims to add another chapter to its storied legacy at Daytona.