Twenty-Four Hours of Hope, One Brutal Finish: Rolex 24 Recap

The 64th Rolex 24 at Daytona delivered the kind of intensity and unpredictability that has defined this race for decades. What began under clear skies turned into a full day and night of strategy swings, weather interruptions, mechanical setbacks, and a final‑hour showdown that will be remembered for years.

When the checkered flag finally waved, Porsche Penske Motorsport stood on top once again, securing a historic third straight victory with the No. 7 Porsche 963. Felipe Nasr brought the car home after a tense final stint, holding off Jack Aitken in the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V‑Series. R by just 1.569 seconds. It was a finish worthy of the Daytona legacy with two elite drivers pushing to the edge after 24 hours of racing.

A Fast Start and Early Rhythm

The race opened under ideal conditions, and the GTP field wasted no time settling into a fast, aggressive pace. Porsche, Cadillac, and BMW all showed early strength, while Acura flashed the kind of speed that suggested they would be in the mix. The No. 31 Cadillac, forced to start from the back after Aitken’s pole‑winning lap was disallowed, charged through the field with purpose.

Up front, both Porsche Penske entries established control, managing traffic cleanly and setting the tone for the early hours. The GT classes were just as lively. The Paul Miller Racing BMW and SunEnergy1 Mercedes traded the lead repeatedly in GTD Pro, while Winward Racing’s Mercedes showed early signs of the pace that would carry them to victory.

Nightfall and the Six‑Hour Fog Delay

As darkness settled over Daytona, the race entered its unpredictable phase. Traffic thickened, temperatures dropped, and the first mechanical issues began to surface. Then came the moment that defined the overnight hours: a dense fog bank rolled across the speedway, reducing visibility to almost nothing. Race control had no choice but to deploy a Full Course Yellow that lasted more than six hours, which is the longest recorded in the event’s history.

Cars crawled around the banking at reduced speed, headlights cutting through the haze. Tire temperatures plummeted, strategy windows collapsed, and teams were forced to rethink their approach. The fog delay compressed the field and set up a frantic sprint once the race finally resumed under green.

Morning Reset and Mid‑Race Challenges

When the sun finally broke through, the race came back to life with renewed intensity. The No. 31 Cadillac was hit with a 60‑second stop‑and‑hold penalty for a pit exit violation by Connor Zilisch, a setback that would have ended most teams’ hopes. Instead, the Cadillac group responded with relentless pace and clean execution to claw back into contention.

The No. 6 Porsche Penske entry lost time to mid‑race bodywork repairs, while Acura’s Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti cars struggled to convert raw speed into sustained momentum. BMW’s No. 24 WRT entry, meanwhile, quietly executed one of the cleanest races in the field, positioning itself for a podium.

In LMP2, CrowdStrike Racing by APR began to take control, while Inter Europol kept the pressure on. In GTD, Winward Racing survived a heart‑stopping moment when Philip Ellis caught a 175‑mph slide that looked destined to end in disaster, a save that would later prove crucial.

The Final Six Hours: A Sprint to the Finish

With the field compressed after the fog delay, the final quarter of the race felt more like a sprint than an endurance contest. Porsche and Cadillac traded the lead repeatedly, using traffic to their advantage whenever possible. Strategy windows tightened, pit stops became critical, and every mistake carried enormous consequences.

The No. 7 Porsche and No. 31 Cadillac emerged as the clear favorites, with BMW’s No. 24 WRT car holding steady in third. Acura and the second Penske Porsche stayed within reach, but the top two had separated themselves from the rest of the field.

The Final Hour: A Duel Worthy of Daytona

The final hour delivered one of the most memorable battles in recent Rolex 24 history. Felipe Nasr and Jack Aitken went head‑to‑head in a contest defined by precision and nerve. Aitken closed the gap to under two seconds and launched several attempts to unsettle Nasr, including a daring move on the front‑stretch apron with 21 minutes remaining.

Nasr responded with flawless defensive driving, placing the Porsche exactly where it needed to be. Every lap felt like a chess match at full speed. In the end, Nasr held firm, crossing the line just 1.569 seconds ahead of the Cadillac after 24 hours of racing.

Top 10 GTP Finishers

• 1. No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport: Porsche 963 (Nasr, Andlauer, Heinrich)
• 2. No. 31 Whelen Cadillac Racing: Cadillac V‑Series.R (Aitken, Bamber, Vesti, Zilisch)
• 3. No. 24 BMW M Team WRT: BMW M Hybrid V8 (Van Der Linde, Vanthoor, Frijns, Rast)
• 4. No. 40 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti: Acura ARX‑06 (Delétraz, Taylor, Herta, Button)
• 5. No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport: Porsche 963 (Tandy, Jaminet, Estre, Campbell)
• 6. No. 01 Cadillac Racing: Cadillac V‑Series. R (Van der Zande, Bourdais, Dixon, Palou)
• 7. No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti: Acura ARX‑06 (Albuquerque, Taylor, Hartley, Ericsson)
• 8. No. 25 BMW M Team RLL: BMW M Hybrid V8 (De Phillippi, Yelloly, Wittmann)
• 9. No. 5 Proton Competition: Porsche 963 (Jani, Andlauer, Brunia)
• 10. No. 85 JDC‑Miller MotorSports: Porsche 963 (Westbrook, Hanson, van der Helm)

GTD Pro: BMW’s Clean Execution

The GTD Pro class delivered its own share of drama, but the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO rose above the chaos. Neil Verhagen, Connor De Phillippi, Max Hesse, and Dan Harper executed a clean, disciplined race, staying out of trouble and capitalizing on their pace when it mattered most. Their victory came at the expense of the No. 75 SunEnergy1 Mercedes, which mounted a strong challenge but ultimately fell short.

GTD: Winward’s Wild Ride to Victory

The GTD class belonged to Winward Racing, but their path to Rolex 24 victory was anything but straightforward. The No. 57 Mercedes‑AMG, driven by Philip Ellis, Russell Ward, Indy Dontje, and Lucas Auer, survived one of the most dramatic moments of the race when Ellis caught a massive 175‑mph slide that seemed destined to end in disaster. Instead, he saved it, and that moment may have been the difference between a DNF and a Rolex watch.

LMP2: CrowdStrike Controls the Class

The LMP2 category once again proved why it remains a fan favorite. The No. 04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR ORECA, driven by George Kurtz, Alex Quinn, Toby Sowery, and Malthe Jakobsen, delivered a near‑flawless performance. They controlled the race from the midpoint onward, managing traffic and pit cycles with precision to hold off the No. 43 Inter Europol entry.

What This Race Means for the 2026 Season

The message from Daytona is unmistakable: Porsche Penske Motorsport remains the benchmark in the GTP era. A three‑peat of the Rolex 24 at Daytona is no accident, and it is the product of relentless preparation, reliable machinery, and elite driving talent. But the challengers are closing in.

Cadillac pushed Porsche to the brink, BMW demonstrated podium‑level consistency, and Acura showed flashes of race‑winning speed. Lamborghini continues to develop, and their progress will be worth watching as the season unfolds.If Daytona is any indication, the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech Championship is shaping up to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.

What’s Next

The 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona delivered a complete showcase of what makes endurance racing special. It demanded resilience, precision, and the ability to perform under pressure as the sun rose and the race entered its decisive hours. Felipe Nasr and Porsche Penske Motorsport answered every challenge, but Jack Aitken and Cadillac made it clear that the fight for the championship is far from over.

This race had everything from strategy, adversity, redemption, heartbreak, and a finish worthy of the Daytona legacy. If the rest of the season follows this script, motorsport fans are in for something unforgettable.