Under the dazzling lights of Daytona, BMW concluded its GTP testing with a flourish, marking a pivotal moment in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's preseason preparations. But here's where it gets controversial: with so many teams pushing the limits, who truly emerged as the frontrunner? Thirty-seven cars from across all classes shared the iconic track for a grueling 10-hour session on the second day of the November IMSA Sanctioned Test, setting the stage for a season of intense competition.
The day kicked off with Acura Meyer Shank Racing's No. 60 car stealing the spotlight, as AJ Allmendinger clocked a blistering 1m36.523s in the morning session. However, his lead was short-lived, as Colin Braun swiftly responded with a 1m36.231s, showcasing the razor-thin margins in this elite field. And this is the part most people miss: the battle for supremacy wasn’t just about speed, but also about consistency and reliability.
JDC-Miller MotorSports' No. 85 Porsche 963, piloted by Bryce Aron, secured the second-fastest time, but it was Nico Pino who stole the show in the afternoon session, setting the day's quickest lap at 1m36.015s in the GTP class. Trailing Pino was Nick Yelloly in the No. 93 Acura, followed by Julien Andlauer in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963. Interestingly, the No. 6 car spent much of the morning sidelined as the team tackled setup issues, according to co-driver Matt Campbell. Campbell's weekend was a busy one, juggling duties between the two Penske factory cars and the JDC “Banana Boat” running in 2025 specifications.
Yelloly's Friday time of 1m35.725s remained unmatched throughout the weekend, as the GTP and LMP2 classes wrapped up their testing with a 2-hour night session. Speaking of night running, BMW M Team WRT's revamped M Hybrid V8s took center stage, with Marco Wittmann's No. 25 car (1m36.697s) edging out Dries Vanthoor's No. 24 (1m36.770s).
Here’s a bold interpretation: Could BMW's strong showing under the lights be a sign of things to come, or is it too early to crown them favorites? Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch impressed in the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen V-Series.R, completing 81 laps across three sessions and posting a best time of 1m37.455s. The No. 23 Aston Martin Valkyrie, after battling electrical issues on Friday, rebounded with a solid 141 laps.
In LMP2, Pietro Fittipaldi and Pratt Miller Motorsports dominated, with the Brazilian driver setting the pace in both the morning (1m39.609s) and fourth sessions (1m39.177s) aboard the No. 73 ORECA 07-Gibson. His afternoon time was a mere millisecond shy of Charles Milesi's Friday benchmark in the No. 11 TDS Racing ORECA. But is Fittipaldi's consistency a sign of true championship potential, or will others catch up?
The GTD classes saw Mercedes teams flex their muscle, with Winward Racing's No. 48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO leading the charge in GTD PRO. Maxime Martin and Jason Hart traded top times, while the No. 75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG secured a Mercedes 1-2 in every session, thanks to Mikaël Grenier and Will Power. Is Mercedes poised to dominate GTD, or will other manufacturers rise to the challenge?
RLL Team McLaren's No. 59 McLaren 720S GT3 Evo gradually found its rhythm, with Dean McDonald posting a 1m48.183s in session five. Pfaff Motorsports' No. 9 Lamborghini Temerario GT3 made a strong first impression, completing 134 laps without major issues, while Andrea Caldarelli set a 1m48.242s to establish a solid benchmark.
Winward Racing's No. 57 Mercedes-AMG capped off the night by setting the fastest time across both GTD classes, with Lucas Auer's 1m47.156s outpacing the new Porsche 911 GT3 Rs. But here’s a thought-provoking question: With so many teams showing promise, who will emerge as the dark horse this season?
As the dust settles on Daytona, one thing is clear: the 2024 IMSA season promises to be a thriller. What are your thoughts? Do you agree with our analysis, or do you see things differently? Let us know in the comments!
