With less than two hours remaining in the 28th Motul Petit Le Mans, the intensity of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season is reaching a fever pitch! The race is a grueling test of endurance, strategy, and driver skill, and as the clock ticks down, the battles for championship titles are becoming incredibly fierce. Let's dive into the key moments from Hours 5 through 8, where the third or part-time drivers made crucial contributions. You can watch the thrilling finish on Peacock in the U.S. and internationally on IMSA.TV and the IMSA Official YouTube channel.
In the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class, the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, driven by Frederik Vesti, Jack Aitken, and Earl Bamber, showcased impressive performance. Vesti, after a seventh-hour restart, set four new fastest laps in just five laps, quickly building a lead of over 10 seconds before handing the car over to Aitken. Aitken then led at the eight-hour mark, closely followed by Matt Campbell in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963. Both cars pitted around the eight-hour mark, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Laurens Vanthoor, splitting his time between the Nos. 6 and 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963s, was also a key player. The two Porsche teams are locked in a heated battle for the GTP driver championship, while also vying with Acura for the manufacturer championship. But here's where it gets controversial... the strategic decisions and on-track performance of these teams will undoubtedly be scrutinized as the race concludes.
Meanwhile, in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class, Jonny Edgar, who previously shared a race win with Vanthoor in Grand Touring Daytona (GTD), helped the AO Racing entry of PJ Hyett and Dane Cameron move into the title lead in the No. 99 ORECA LMP2 07. They had a thrilling battle with the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA and No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA.
And this is the part most people miss... The No. 22 United car had to go behind the wall with an unspecified issue, potentially handing the title to the No. 99 AO car, especially as they took the lead at the eight-hour mark.
The Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) class saw the championship script flip multiple times. DragonSpeed appeared to be in the lead as Giacomo Altoe moved into third in the No. 81 Ferrari 296 GT3. However, DragonSpeed suffered a setback in the eighth hour, briefly stopping on course and receiving a penalty. The updated order in GTD PRO saw the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO in the lead, followed by the No. 14 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 and the No. 3 Corvette.
In GTD, Ferrari maintained its position at the front with the No. 21 Af Corse Ferrari 296 GT3 leading the way, ahead of the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 and the No. 023 Triarsi Ferrari.
IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup Updates:
- Af Corse’s No. 21 Ferrari is unofficially securing the GTD Michelin Endurance Cup title with the maximum five points.
- Porsche is also leading in the GTP manufacturer’s championship in the Michelin Endurance Cup.
The driver titles in the Michelin Endurance Cup are as follows:
- GTP: No. 7 Porsche leads No. 60 Acura by two (44-42) and No. 6 Porsche by three (41)
- LMP2: No. 43 Inter Europol ORECA leads No. 11 TDS by one (42-41)
- GTD PRO: No. 48 Paul Miller Racing BMW leads No. 1 PMR BMW by two (47-45)
What are your thoughts on the strategies employed by the teams? Do you think the penalties were fair? Share your opinions in the comments below!
