Seven Things to Watch in the 2026 Daytona 24 Hours
The 64th running of the Daytona 24 Hours is set to kick off the 2026 IMSA SportsCar Championship season this weekend, promising an exciting race with significant technical developments, star drivers, and a brand-new tire for the top class. The green flag will wave on Saturday at 1:40 p.m. local time, but the action started early with the traditional 'Roar Before the 24' test last Friday.
Will the Roar Form Hold Up?
The 'Roar Before the 24' is a three-day test event, running from Friday to Sunday the week before the race, featuring seven on-track sessions, some held at night. Historically, Roar results influenced pit lane allocation, but now it's just a free practice session with no official sporting significance. Qualifying takes place on Thursday.
At the end of the Roar, Porsche 963s set the three fastest outright times, with BMW and Cadillac close behind. Acura and Aston Martin were further back, 0.9s and 1.2s off the pace, respectively. These results are not alarming for Acura and Aston Martin, as laptimes dropped significantly in the first official practice session last year, suggesting that drivers don't reveal their true potential during the Roar due to fears of unfavorable Balance of Performance adjustments.
Sargeant's Debut
The Daytona 24 Hours attracts high-profile drivers due to its relatively quiet global motorsport calendar. Fernando Alonso made his debut in 2018, sharing a car with Lando Norris, who later finished runner-up in Formula 2 and joined F1. This year's entry list includes 10 drivers with F1 experience, with just one newcomer: Logan Sargeant.
Sargeant, a 25-year-old American, impressed in the final two IMSA rounds in LMP2 last year, returning to competition over a year after losing his Williams F1 seat. Recently announced as part of Ford's Hypercar program, Sargeant will be under close scrutiny in the #18 Era Motorsport ORECA 07, alongside Naveen Rao, Ferdinand Habsburg, and Jacob Abel.
Despite the daunting task, a surprise result is possible if Sargeant is at the wheel and the car remains in the lead group at the final green flag.
Zilisch Steps Up to GTP
Connor Zilisch, a 19-year-old American backed by Red Bull, is the most eagerly awaited driver. Last year, he finished second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, widely regarded as the season's standout driver. Zilisch has already competed twice at Daytona, winning in LMP2 in 2024 and matching his team-mates in GTD Pro last year.
In 2026, he steps up to the top GTP class, driving the #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-Series.R, which won the final two races of the 2025 season. His team-mates include Jack Aitken, Fred Vesti, and Earl Bamber, setting high expectations.
BMW's Team Gambit
BMW's operational shake-up is a significant story in GTP. Since 2023, the IMSA program for the M Hybrid V8 was run by Team RLL, but BMW has now placed its trust in Team WRT, a bold move given their limited experience in American endurance racing.
Last year, the BMW M Hybrid V8 was the fastest car but failed to win. The question is whether WRT can provide the missing ingredient to turn BMW's LMDh contender into a major victory, as their last overall victory at the Daytona 24 Hours dates back to 1976.
Evolution Everywhere
Cadillac, BMW, Porsche, and Acura have all introduced updates over the winter, using Evo Jokers permitted by the regulations between 2021 and 2027. Porsche refined its aerodynamics, while Acura focused on ensuring the ARX-06 fits within the performance window defined by the regulations.
BMW and Cadillac have made significant revisions to their cars, with detailed analyses available. Aston Martin and privateer JDC-Miller MotorSports' Porsche 963 have not adopted the 2026 Evo package, citing budgetary reasons, adding to the uncertainty and a feeling of a new technical cycle beginning.
Michelin's New Tyre Range
Michelin's new Pilot Sport Endurance tyre, used in IMSA GTP and WEC Hypercar, aims to produce a racing tyre with 50% recycled and renewable material without sacrificing performance. The new tyre has a wider operating window for the soft tyre and a shimmering tread pattern, unlike any other prototype tyre in motorsport.
The Final Hour
The Daytona 24 Hours often follows a peculiar rhythm, with the race decided after the final safety car interventions. Last year, the last green flag flew with 38 minutes remaining, and in 2024, it was 30 minutes. The race becomes a waiting game followed by a flat-out sprint to the finish, with teams focusing on survival and track position in the final hours.
