The Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 delivered an unforgettable spectacle, marking the beginning of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a dramatic and fiercely contested endurance race.
Held at Daytona International Speedway from January 25 to January 26, the 24-hour event saw 61 entries across four classes—Grand Touring Prototype (GTP), Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2), GT Daytona Pro (GTD Pro), and GT Daytona (GTD).
Porsche Penske emerged as the standout team at Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025, claiming a historic victory in the GTP class with their #7 Porsche 963 driven by Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, and Laurens Vanthoor.
The race began under clear skies on Saturday afternoon, with teams strategizing for the grueling challenge ahead. The GTP class which featured some of the most advanced hybrid prototypes, quickly became the focal point of the competition.
Early on, BMW Team RLL’s #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 driven by Dries Vanthoor and his teammates showcased remarkable pace and consistency.
Starting from pole position, they led significant portions of the race before encountering a late collision involving Vanthoor that forced the team to pit for repairs, ultimately relegating them to a fourth-place finish.
For Porsche Penske Motorsport the Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 was a testament to their preparation and resilience. The #7 car maintained a strong presence at the front throughout the event, with Felipe Nasr delivering a masterclass in endurance racing during his final stint.
The turning point came during the last hour when a full-course yellow bunched up the field, setting up a tense battle between Nasr and his teammate Matt Campbell in the sister #6 Porsche 963.
On Lap 768 with just over 20 minutes remaining Nasr executed a decisive move to reclaim the lead from Campbell. Despite Campbell’s relentless efforts to retake the position, Nasr held firm, navigating traffic skillfully to extend his advantage.
The drama intensified in the closing minutes as Meyer Shank Racing’s #60 Acura ARX-06, piloted by Tom Blomqvist launched a late charge. Blomqvist overtook Campbell with just five minutes left on the clock, securing second place for Acura to deny Porsche Penske Motorsport a 1-2 finish.
Nasr crossed the finish line first to win Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 after completing 780 laps, just 1.3 seconds ahead of Blomqvist. This victory marked Nasr’s second consecutive Rolex 24 win and Porsche Penske Motorsport’s back-to-back triumph at Daytona.
In the LMP2 class, Tower Motorsports dominated with their #8 Oreca LMP2 car driven by Sebastien Bourdais, John Farano, Sebastian Alvarez, and Job van Uitert.
Bourdais’ experience proved invaluable as he guided the team to victory with a commanding performance that saw them finish 44 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals from United Autosports.
The GTD Pro class witnessed a historic moment as Ford Multimatic Motorsports’ #65 Ford Mustang GT3 claimed its first global win. Drivers Frederic Vervisch, Dennis Olsen, and Christopher Mies delivered an impeccable performance to edge out Corvette Racing in a tightly contested battle.
Meanwhile, in the GTD class, AWA’s #13 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R emerged victorious. Piloted by Marvin Kirchhofer, Lars Kern, Matthew Bell, and Orey Fidani, the team capitalized on consistent lap times and strategic pit stops to secure their win.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 was not without its share of challenges and heartbreaks as technical issues and on-track incidents tested teams’ endurance and adaptability throughout the event.
The Cadillac Racing team faced disappointment as their #10 Cadillac V-Series.R finished fifth in GTP after struggling to match the pace of the frontrunners.
Similarly, JDC-Miller Motorsports’ #85 Porsche 963 encountered mechanical difficulties that hindered their progress despite showing promise earlier in the race.
Roger Penske’s organization celebrated yet another milestone with this victory. Known for its storied history in motorsport, Team Penske has now achieved 20 overall wins at Daytona following decades of perseverance in endurance racing.
For Nick Tandy and Laurens Vanthoor in particular, victory at Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 was huge—Tandy completed an unprecedented “Grand Slam” of wins at Le Mans, Nürburgring, Spa-Francorchamps, and now Daytona.
The Rolex 24 at Daytona 2025 reaffirmed its reputation as one of motorsport’s most challenging events. It tested not only the speed but also the durability of cars and drivers alike over an entire day of relentless racing.
As teams pack up and prepare for upcoming rounds in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, this year’s race will undoubtedly serve as both inspiration and a benchmark for excellence.
