The 24 hours of Daytona is the embodiment of thrill. An endurance race with corners as steep as 31 degrees, roaring past palm trees and a grandstand with over 100,000 spectators. However, this year the track and its surroundings were just extras in the real story: The fight in the GTLM class. This was clear from the very beginning in January during the Roar before Daytona - the official test run of the IWSC season. It started with Nick Tandy barely missing the best time in class by a thousandth of a second. Our new Porsche factory drivers, Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet, also immediately felt at ease around the new team constellation. Leading to a momentous IWSC premiere of the new Porsche 911 RSR.
The good omens got even better during qualifying on Thursday, 23rd Jan with Nick Tandy in the number 911 winning the best lap-time after a close battle with Laurens Vanthoor in the 911 RSR #912, resulting in double pole positions on Saturday, 25th Jan 2020.
The race started in bright sunshine and fantastic conditions for the drivers and spectators. In the first three hours, the 911 RSR in formation flight defended the top of the GTLM class against a strong field of competitors. However, as night fell, the tides turned, and the BMW M8 GTE with the starting number 24 took the lead. Vanthoor, Bamber, and Jaminet in #912 were continuously pushing forward, creating an exciting match for the spectators. For hours, the race was neck-and-neck with the competitors frequently trading positions. The gruelling contest ended with the BMW narrowly maintaining its lead. This ended the new generation 911 RSR debut in the IWSC in second and third positions on the podium. An impressive show of endurance and the will to win. And a promising start to an exciting season of racing for the drivers, team, and spectators. See you in Sebring!