It got here right down to the ultimate six corners. After 160 minutes of racing at Laguna Seca, the struggle for the GTP victory was decreased to a duel between within the JDC-Miller Porsche and within the Motion Specific Cadillac, leading to a implausible last-lap go by the German.
The battle was as onerous because it will get in IMSA, that includes door-to-door motion, tactical braking, and the inevitable “rubbing is racing” moments.
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“Earl threw all his expertise into the steadiness,” Heinrich mentioned after the race. “He’s a troublesome racer. Our struggle was onerous however honest.” At one level, the 2 automobiles made contact as Bamber tried to maintain the Porsche behind by artificially slowing down the apex.
“I hit his rear, and his tire began rubbing towards the bodywork. There are a couple of Michelin stickers on my automotive now. However that’s why we love IMSA racing. It was the most effective fights of my profession,” Heinrich laughed.
“I knew what I used to be doing”#31 Cadillac Whelen: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber
#31 Cadillac Whelen: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber
For Earl Bamber, who finally needed to accept second place, the defensive maneuvers have been a necessity slightly than a alternative.
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“I knew what I used to be doing. He was considerably quicker, so I needed to decelerate on the apex after which get the automotive straight as shortly as attainable. We simply had much less grip total,” Bamber mentioned.
Regardless of the contact and the tire smoke, Bamber took the defeat like a real sportsman. “After I heard he was half a second a lap quicker, I knew it will be powerful. He simply had a lot extra grip and obtained previous. I feel it was a very good struggle.
From the gravel to the highest
SALINAS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 3: #5: JDC-Miller MotorSports, Porsche 963, GTP: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich in victory lane with the winners’ sticker throughout the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Might 3, 2026 in Salinas, California. (Picture by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen through Getty Pictures)
SALINAS, CALIFORNIA – MAY 3: #5: JDC-Miller MotorSports, Porsche 963, GTP: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich in victory lane with the winners’ sticker throughout the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Might 3, 2026 in Salinas, California. (Picture by Michael L. Levitt/Lumen through Getty Pictures)
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What made Heinrich’s victory much more spectacular was the truth that he was primarily out of rivalry simply 90 minutes earlier. A mistake on the Andretti Hairpin despatched the #5 Porsche into the gravel, dropping it to fifth place and 20 seconds behind the chief.
“It occurs. I feel it simply exhibits that we gave 110% right now. It’s not straightforward to drive a GTP automotive on the restrict on this monitor. I didn’t do it on objective, in fact, but it surely exhibits I used to be giving it my all,” Heinrich informed Motorsport.com. Just a few minutes later, the race’s solely warning was thrown, leaving Heinrich with just one place misplaced.
After that, the 24-year previous actually set off the fireworks. At a brief splash-pitstop, the 2025-spec Porsche 963 took over third place, solely behind Bamber, who appeared to be in management at the moment, and the #25 BMW of .
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“At first I assumed that’s how it will keep, that I’d be caught behind the BMW. Ultimately, a niche opened up. Marco fought extraordinarily onerous. There was a number of contact, and I feel it broken our automotive a bit.”
The turning level got here when Heinrich realized the Cadillac was struggling. “I noticed early on that the Cadillac needed to save extra gas than we did and in addition had greater tire put on. The workforce actually fired me up and informed me it was attainable. From that second on, I believed the win was inside attain.”
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Ultimately, luck evened out. Whereas Heinrich obtained caught in site visitors throughout the penultimate lap, it was Bamber who obtained held up within the closing tour. Heinrich pounced at Flip 4, dived up the within, and secured a historic first GTP win for JDC-Miller Motorsports.
For Heinrich, Laguna Seca stays a magical place. Having gained there twice in GTD Professional with “Rexy”, he now maintains a one hundred pc win price on the monitor. “I really like this place. Each time I come right here, I really feel one thing particular.”
Three races, three wins at Laguna Seca#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich
#5 JDC-Miller MotorSports: Tijmen van der Helm, Laurin Heinrich
With this victory, Heinrich maintains an unbelievable 100-percent win price on the iconic California circuit. After taking two GTD Professional wins with “Rexy” in earlier years, he has now conquered the mountain within the high class as nicely.
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“It simply appears to work for me right here. This place, I like it to be trustworthy. Each time I come right here within the morning and see this monitor, I really feel one thing particular,” Heinrich smiled when requested about his excellent file in Monterey.
Whereas his particular person efficiency was flawless, he was fast to credit score the technical benefit offered by the JDC-Miller crew. “This present day right now, it is unbelievable. The workforce has given us a particularly robust automotive, extraordinarily nicely balanced. I feel our energy was on tires, which we might actually make use of within the final 4 or 5 laps.”
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