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 diminished to a duel between Laurin Heinrich within the JDC-Miller Porsche and Earl Bamber within the Motion Categorical Cadillac, leading to a unbelievable last-lap go by the German.
The battle was as arduous because it will get in IMSA, that includes door-to-door motion, tactical braking, and the inevitable “rubbing is racing” moments.
“Earl threw all his expertise into the steadiness,” Heinrich mentioned after the race. “He’s a tricky racer. Our struggle was arduous however truthful.” 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 in opposition to the bodywork. There are a number of Michelin stickers on my automotive now. However that’s why we love IMSA racing. It was among the finest fights of my profession,” Heinrich laughed.
“I knew what I used to be doing”
#31 Cadillac Whelen: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber
Picture by: Brandon Badraoui / Lumen by way of Getty Photographs
For Earl Bamber, who finally needed to accept second place, the defensive maneuvers had been a necessity quite than a alternative.
“I knew what I used to be doing. He was considerably sooner, so I needed to decelerate on the apex after which get the automotive straight as shortly as potential. 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 sooner, I knew it might be powerful. He simply had a lot extra grip and acquired previous. I believe it was a great 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 by way of Getty Photographs)
What made Heinrich’s victory much more spectacular was the truth that he was primarily out of competition 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 believe it simply exhibits that we gave 110% right now. It’s not simple to drive a GTP automotive on the restrict on this monitor. I didn’t do it on function, in fact, but it surely exhibits I used to be giving it my all,” Heinrich advised Motorsport.com. Only some 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 Marco Wittmann.
“At first I believed that’s how it might keep, that I’d be caught behind the BMW. In the long run, a spot opened up. Marco fought extraordinarily arduous. There was a lot of contact, and I believe 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 increased tire put on. The crew actually fired me up and advised me it was potential. From that second on, I believed the win was inside attain.”
In the long run, luck evened out. Whereas Heinrich acquired caught in site visitors throughout the penultimate lap, it was Bamber who acquired 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 received there twice in GTD Professional with “Rexy”, he now maintains a one hundred pc win charge 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
Picture by: Artwork Fleischmann
With this victory, Heinrich maintains an unbelievable 100-percent win charge on the iconic California circuit. After taking two GTD Professional wins with “Rexy” in earlier years, he has now conquered the mountain within the prime class as nicely.
“It simply appears to work for me right here. This place, I adore it to be sincere. 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 good report in Monterey.
Whereas his particular person efficiency was flawless, he was fast to credit score the technical benefit offered by the JDC-Miller crew. “Today right now, it is unbelievable. The crew has given us a particularly robust automotive, extraordinarily nicely balanced. I believe our power was on tires, which we may actually make use of within the final 4 or 5 laps.”
Learn Additionally:
We wish your opinion!
What would you prefer to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Crew
