After three follow periods on the Rolex 24, the world appears very completely different firstly of the 2026 IMSA SportsCar Championship season than it did final weekend on the “Roar” pre-season take a look at. There are new favorites in each the GTP and GTD Professional courses.
As with the Roar, we analyzed all occasions within the GTP class that have been underneath 1:40 minutes and calculated the typical. It ought to be famous that there have been no adjustments to the Steadiness of Efficiency (BoP) because the pre-test.
Check out the next particular person outcomes for the three free follow periods:
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The results of the third free follow session particularly ought to be handled with warning, as there have been three interruptions with pink flags.
Let’s now take a look at all three periods mixed. If we take all laps underneath 1:40 minutes and calculate the typical, we get the next order:
1. MSR-Acura #60 – 1:37.530 (43 laps underneath 1:40)
2. AXR-Cadillac #31 – 1:37.812 (70)
3. Penske-Porsche #6 – 1:37.838 (69)
4. Penske-Porsche #7 – 1:37.848 (76)
5. WTR-Cadillac #10 – 1:38.012 (68)
6. WTR-Cadillac #40 – 1:38.031 (60)
7. MSR-Acura #93 – 1:38.065 (53)
8. WRT-BMW #24 – 1:38.163 (49)
9. JDC-Miller-Porsche #85 – 1:38.214 (84)
10. WRT-BMW #25 – 1:38.261 (33)
11. Thor-Aston-Martin #23 – 1:38.613 (52)
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The Meyer Shank Acura #60 (Blomqvist/Braun/Dixon/Allmendinger) is all of the sudden the quickest automobile within the subject by a comparatively clear margin. Does that all of the sudden make Acura the favourite?
Van der Zande: We’re not the favorites
Renger van der Zande from the sister #93 Acura firmly denies the narrative that they’re the favorites: “Truthfully, not likely. I believe we’ve got an excellent automobile for qualifying. However I do not assume we’ve got the quickest automobile within the race, and that worries me. I believe Cadillac and Porsche are in the most effective place. Hopefully I am fallacious.”
The competitors laughed at such statements. “They’re the world champions at enjoying down their possibilities,” mentioned one particular person from the Porsche camp. And Cadillac additionally has the Honda luxurious model on its radar. However, Acura’s argument is supported by the truth that each ARX-06s have accomplished comparatively few laps underneath 1:40 minutes.
Talking of Cadillac: the Motion Specific Cadillac #31 (Aitken/Bamber/Vesti/Zilisch) completed simply forward of the 2 manufacturing unit Porsches on common. The 2 Cadillac V-Sequence.R automobiles from Wayne Taylor Racing comply with behind, whereas the Meyer-Shank Acura #93 (van der Zande/Yelloly/Palou/Ohta) fielded by HRC is prone to have accomplished a special program than the #60.
BMW: Rescue within the remaining follow session?
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There are worries at BMW. WRT’s debut as a GTP workforce was marked by alarm for a very long time. The automobile did not make it into the window, the key aero replace did not appear to work correctly, and the drivers have been sad with the dealing with.
However within the final follow session, a trick was pulled off that at the least provides the WRT camp some hope. Nonetheless, it’s uncertain that this shall be sufficient to shut a spot of nicely over half a second.
WRT remains to be having fun with help from the WEC crew on the operational aspect on the IMSA opener. That is solely logical given the winter break on this planet championship. WRT workforce boss Vincent Vosse asks for somewhat persistence in an interview with Motorsport-Whole.com:
“In the event you evaluate us to the US groups, we’re full rookies. We’re ranging from scratch. After all, we carry expertise [from the WEC] with us and have some new recruits within the workforce who have been already energetic in IMSA final yr. However all of that has to come back collectively and work. That is our first race, so please give us a while.”
However how a lot persistence will BMW have? Within the fourth yr of the LMDh program, success is a should. “The query isn’t how a lot time we want,” Vosse interjects. “The query is: ‘What do we want?’ And that is a large number of issues that additionally must be introduced collectively.” Vosse is aware of what he is speaking about; in any case, WRT is the benchmark in GT3 racing.
And Aston Martin? The state of affairs has not improved because the pre-test. “Daytona is a really particular monitor. We won’t take a lot from Le Mans both, as a result of that is a particular monitor in its personal proper.”
Enhancements in comparison with the “Roar” – GTP
Let’s take one other take a look at the enhancements in comparison with final week’s pre-test.
1. MSR-Acura #60 – 1.004 seconds quicker than on the “Roar”
2. AXR-Cadillac #31 – 0.850
3. MSR-Acura #93 – 0.558
4. WRT-BMW #25 – 0.461
5. WTR-Cadillac #40 – 0.446
6. WTR-Cadillac #10 – 0.441
7. Penske-Porsche #6 – 0.353
8. WRT-BMW #24 – 0.329
9. Thor-Aston Martin #23 – 0.317
10. JDC-Miller-Porsche #85 – 0.253
11. Penske-Porsche #7 – 0.247
On common, the GTP automobiles improved by round 4 tenths of a second. Aston Martin solely managed a bounce of 0.317 seconds on common throughout all lap occasions underneath 1:40 minutes.
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The development was additionally minimal for Porsche. All three 963s are under the median enchancment. The largest bounce was made by the #6 Penske-Porsche (L. Vanthoor/Estre/Campbell) with 0.353 seconds.
At Cadillac, Motion Specific Racing improved considerably greater than the 2 V-Sequence.R entries from Wayne Taylor Racing. Nonetheless, Acura made the largest leap. There may very well be many causes for this from enhancements within the setup to sandbagging within the pre-season take a look at, or a number of different elements.
New tires as an unknown issue
The race shall be notably thrilling as a consequence of two elements that additionally work together with one another: the brand new Michelin tires and the climate.
The brand new era of slicks with their spectacular look are mentioned to impress above all with their improved warm-up habits, but additionally carry enhancements when it comes to sturdiness. Jack Aitken, who had put the #31 Cadillac on pole earlier than being penalized, mentioned when requested by Motorsport.com that the variations weren’t that nice, at the least in qualifying.
The climate forecast is spectacular with temperatures approaching 80 levels Fahrenheit predicted for Sunday. Even for Florida, that is exceptionally excessive for January, and the race may very well be one of many warmest in historical past.
Because of this the delicate tires will solely be used briefly throughout the evening, if in any respect. Michelin has allowed a window from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. for the usage of delicate tires, which is bigger than in earlier years. However the temperatures considerably slender this window.
And that is the place Acura’s concern comes into play. Van der Zande: “We are inclined to put somewhat extra pressure on the tires than Porsche and Cadillac when accelerating out of hairpin turns. That makes it harder for us in longer stints.” And excessive temperatures do not assist both. However a yellow part within the final hour may…”
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