Best of the Month: January 2025

One month down! The year 2025 is flying by. It will be over before you know it. January is a strange month. A fair amount happened, not too much, but far more than nothing, yet there is so much ahead of us. If you are already exhausted, it is going to be a long year. It is a good high-intensity start to the year, getting your heart rate going before the long run of the year begins.

For the motorsports world, January is mainly notable events. There aren't many mid-level competitions taking place. They all carry some history and give you a reason to watch. The biggest of them all is the 24 Hours of Daytona, and such a famed race needs a little more time to digest. We are nearly a week removed from when the checkered flag waved, but there is plenty remaining to be said.

Putting a Bow on Daytona

History always happens at Daytona, especially in the 24 Hours. It is inescapable. You are going to stumble upon something even if on accident. There are a few places to begin, but let's start with the rain I hinted at on Monday.

A Grand Sham

With the #7 Porsche winning overall, Nick Tandy accomplished something no other driver has done in motorsports history. Tandy became the first driver with overall victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, Nürburging 24 Hours and the Spa 24 Hours. 

It was labeled as Tandy completing the "Grand Slam" in 24-hour races...

Except the "Grand Slam" is made up. 

Prior to January 1 of this year, no one had ever spoke about there being a grand slam of 24-hour races. It didn't exist. It wasn't a thing. Somewhere in the lead up to this year's race at Daytona, it was noted that Tandy and Earl Bamber could become the first drivers with overall victories in all four events, and then the name was given. 

But calling it a grand slam doesn't mean anything, the same way the Triple Crown of Motorsports doesn't really mean anything. 

For starters, these events have had vastly different histories. Up until the 21st century, the Spa 24 Hours was a touring car race. The top drivers in sports car racing didn't run the Spa 24 Hours. The manufacturer interest was not the same. Though first run in 1924, the Spa 24 Hours wasn't run for a decade from 1954 through 1963 and it only ran once from 1950 to 1963. 

Nürburgring, which only first ran a 24-hour race in 1970, mirrored Spa for the first part of its history as a touring car race mostly for amateur lineups. It wasn't until the start of the 21st century that GT racing took over.

Le Mans and Daytona have been the staples for multi-class 24-hour races and have featured top end prototypes and GT cars from the beginning. At no point in the 1980s was any driver considering going for the "Grand Slam" of 24-hour races because while they were all 24-hour competitions, they were vastly different regulations. 

In the 21st century, Spa and Nürburgring grew when they took on GT cars as the lead class, first in the GT1 era and then in the GT3. These classifications spread worldwide and garnered significant manufacturer support. In turn, these races grew in stature. They are still different. Le Mans and Daytona remain prototype races while Spa and Nürburgring remain GT, but bigger than they ever were. However, the four remain unconnected. 

It is arbitrary to call this the grand slam. Why these four races? Why isn't the Dubai 24 Hour considered? They are all endurance races, but are no more connected than they were 20, 30 or 40 years ago.

This is nothing against Tandy, who is an incredible driver and his success in all of those events across LMP1, GTP and GT3 regulations validate his greatness, but this isn't an accomplishment that drivers were striving to achieve. This wasn't a long-awaited glass ceiling to be broken. As the motorsports world has become more homogenous, these races become closer related when for generations they stood on their own at different levels. 

There is a reason why Derek Bell, Hurley Haywood, Henri Pescarolo, Olivier Gendebien, Tom Kristensen and Scott Pruett never came close to completing the "Grand Slam." Manufacturers dedicated to top tier prototype racing were not interested in a touring car-based endurance race. We didn't see prototype drivers crossing over into GT racing on a whim. 

Tandy achieved this but others weren't trying. It wasn't a thought. 

It is a product of a different era. Tandy came up the GT ranks with Porsche and that has led to prototype opportunities and he has fully taken advantage of it. As Spa and Nürburgring became GT-focused events, the manufacturer interest increased, and the likes of Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Aston Martin and so on have brought out their top drivers. That wasn't the way for the longest time. 

We can recognize Tandy's achievement and acknowledge how brilliant his career has been (the man won Petit Le Mans overall in a GT car!), but also remember how different the motorsports world is in 2025 compared to previous decades.

Dandy Tandy

Shifting moods to something positive, with Tandy's victory overall, he became the 142nd driver with multiple class victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona. In 2014, Tandy was a member of the GTLM winning team alongside Richard Lietz and Patrick Pilet in the #911 Porsche. It was 11 years between Daytona victories for Tandy.

How many other drivers have gone a decade between victories at Daytona? 

Tandy made it lucky #13. The 12 prior to him were...

Rolf Stommelen (Overall in 1968 and overall in 1978)

John Paul, Jr. (Overall in 1982 and overall in 1997)

John Schneider (Lights in 1986 and overall in 1997)

David Brabham (GTP in 1992 and DP in 2003)

Christian Fittipaldi (Overall in 2004 and overall in 2014)

Dominik Farnbacher (GT in 2005 and GTD in 2015)

Scott Sharp (Overall in 1996 and overall in 2016)

Max Angelelli (Overall in 2005 and overall in 2017)

Dirk Müller (GT1 in 1998 and GTLM in 2017)

Carlos de Quesada (GT in 2007 and GTD in 2017)

Ryan Dalziel (Overall in 2010 and LMP2 in 2021)

Alessandro Pier Guidi (GTD in 2014 and GTD Pro in 2024)

That is a pretty good group of drivers to be included with. 

Three-Timers Club

While Tandy picked up his second Daytona victory, Felipe Nasr picked up his third. Nasr won in GTD Pro in 2022 before his consecutive overall victories. 

Nasr became the 49th driver respectively with at least three Daytona class victories. We nearly had a 50th three-time Daytona winner, but the #8 Tower Motorsport Oreca was disqualified for excessive wear to its skid block costing Sébastien Bourdais a third victory.

Acknowledging the LMP2 Winners

With Tower being disqualified, the #22 United Autosports Oreca inherited the LMP2 class victory for the 24 Hours of Daytona. It is United Autosports' first Daytona victory and it was the first IMSA victory for three of its four drivers.

The fourth driver, James Allen, became a two-time Daytona class winner. Two years ago, Allen won in a photo finish for Proton Competition over the Crowdstrike Racing by APR group. Allen is the 143rd driver with multiple class victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona. 

For Paul di Resta, Rasmus Lindh and Dan Goldburg, their first IMSA victories were all in the 24 Hours of Daytona. 

The Consecutive Victories Era

We are living in the consecutive victories era of the 24 Hours of Daytona.

2019-2021: Wayne Taylor Racing

2022-2023: Meyer Shank Racing

2024-2025: Porsche Penske Motorsport

During this period, Renger van der Zande, Kamui Kobayashi, Hélio Castroneves, Tom Blomqvist, Simon Pagenaud and now Nasr have won consecutive races as drivers with Castroneves winning three consecutive. 

We haven't even mentioned that Cadillac won in 2019 and 2020 before Acura bridged the WTR-MSR years with victories from 2021 to 2023 and now Porsche has won in consecutive years. 

Either Porsche makes it a three consecutive triumph in 2026 or BMW wins and begins its own little run. 

Giving Some Love to Laurens

We have spotlighted Tandy and Nasr, but the third driver in the #7 Porsche deserves some love.

Laurens Vanthoor has been on a hot streak and it should be recognized. 

Last season, Vanthoor won the World Endurance Drivers' Champion with two victories in FIA World Endurance Championship competition. He also won the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2024. Now he has won the 24 Hours of Daytona, which goes along with his 2014 and 2020 Spa 24 Hours victories and he won the 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hour, meaning he is now one victory away from completing the "Grand Slam," but Vanthoor has already won the Dubai 24 Hour and he has even won the 24 Hours of Zolder... 

So in a way Vanthoor has already done something greater than the "Grand Slam." 

Well... They Were There

We did this last year, and it is worth bringing it back.

There might have been 234 drivers entered for the 24 Hours of Daytona, but unfortunately, not all of them got to participate in the 24 Hours of Daytona. Just because the car makes it to the grid does not mean you will get a shot behind the wheel. With four-driver lineups, a driver could go seven or eight hours before their first stint, plenty of time for things to go wrong and keep them out of the race. The box score will say they were there, but they never turned a lap.

Last year, nine drivers did not complete a lap in this race.

It is easiest to start with the car that finished last, and for the #63 Lamborghini, you are forgiven if didn't notice it was missing. Mirko Bortolotti did 34 laps in two stints before the engine expired. That means Edoardo Mortara, Daniil Kvyat and Romain Grosjean never got to complete a lap in the race, but it gets better. 

Grosjean apparently left the track within minutes of the car pulling into the garage. Mortara was making his first Daytona appearance since 2013 when he won in GT with Alex Job Racing. That means though he will be counted as a participant in 2024, Mortara has not completed a lap in the 24 Hours of Daytona in over 12 years! And then there is Kvyat, who was making his Daytona debut! Which sounds bad, but there is good news that there is life after an inactive debut, and we will touch upon that shortly.

Somehow, all four drivers in the #75 Mercedes-AMG completed a lap despite finishing 60th out of 61 cars. Good for them. 

Not so good for the car in 59th. The #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin was out about a half-hour after the #75 Mercedes-AMG’s race ended. Nicki Thiim did not get in the car. Andy Lally had only done 14 minutes and 40 seconds when the car broke down. Better than nothing but hardly any good, especially since this was announced as Lally final Daytona start. 

Incredibly, the #007 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin and #9 Pfaff Lamborghini got all of their drivers in when the two cars collided and ultimately ended each other’s races. Roman De Angelis only ran for 16 minutes and 20 seconds, but at least he got to run.

Ben Hanley did not. With the #2 United Autosports Oreca caught in that restart accident, Hanley was the only driver yet to have done a stint in that entry. 

The incredible thing is that is it. Five drivers did not complete a lap in this year's race. Of the 61 entires in this year's event, 54 of them ran for over 12 hours. Hanley's car did just over seven and a half hours. It is kind of unfortunate he did not get into the seat. Once you get past six hours, in all likelihood everyone will have been in the car at that point.

It hurts less that these five drivers are all professionals who have had full careers. It doesn't hurt as much that they didn't get to run in this race. Grosjean and Kvyat are Formula One veterans. They are good. Mortara has won the 24 Hours of Daytona before and won in a variety of categories since then. The same is true for Hanley, who won in LMP2 at Daytona in 2020. Thiim has a class victory at Le Mans and two world championships. They are all good. It stings but they aren't asking "what if" a week later.

What about the nine from last year?

To quickly run through the nine drivers from last year, eight were entered in this year's race. The one that wasn't was Scott Huffaker. 

None of Mikkel Jensen, Charles Milesi and Hunter McElrea had a chance to run last year in the #11 TDS Racing Oreca. This year, all three returned to the #11 TDS Racing Oreca and turned laps. Last year was McElrea's Daytona debut, but he didn't turn his first race laps in the 24 Hours of Daytona until 3:40 p.m. ET on January 25, 2025.

Nicklas Nielsen and Matthieu Vaxivière each got to make laps in the #88 AF Corse Oreca after not running that car in 2024.

Paul di Resta went from not running a lap in the #22 United Autosports Oreca in 2024 to driving the car under the checkered flag to finish second on track in LMP2 in 2025, which was then promoted to first after post-race inspection!

Felix Rosenqvist also did not run a lap in the #22 United Autosports Oreca in 2024, but Rosenqvist got to drive for four hours and five minutes in the #60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura as it finished second overall in 2025. 

Finally, Jules Gounon was unfortunate not to run a lap in the #75 Mercedes-AMG in 2024. In 2025, Gounon was unfortunate to be the one behind the wheel when the #75 Mercedes-AMG broke down during the race after Gounon had driven for just over 50 minutes. 

What I Actually Wanted to Write About!

After doing all that writing above and reading over it, I realized that what I wanted to mention in the first place was nearly omitted though it has been on my mind for the better part of two weeks! 

The 24 Hours of Daytona might the last endurance race with wild combinations of drivers that feel more like fantasy lineups than reality. This was mostly seen in the LMP2 class this year. 

The CrowdStrike Racing entry brought together Colton Herta, one of the best in IndyCar, Malthe Jakobsen, an up-and-coming LMP2 driver who is a race winner in the European Le Mans Series and Asian Le Mans Series, and Toby Sowery, an Indy Lights winner who is on the fringe of an IndyCar ride and has been impressive in sports cars.

Tower Motorsport had a four-time IndyCar champion (Bourdais) with one of the most consistent drivers at the LMP2 level (Job van Uitert) and a 22-year-old with limited Formula 4 success but who has done well in his early years in sports car racing (Sebastián Álvarez). 

Inter Europol Competition brought together the defending IMSA LMP2 champion (Tom Dillmann), a Formula E champion and current Formula E championship leader (António Félix da Costa), last year's winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2, which was his Le Mans debut (Bijoy Garg) and a man who had not raced since 2011 (Jon Field). 

And that is only three of the entries. 

There was once a time rather random driver lineups were all over the place at Daytona, especially in the top class. As manufacturer support has increased and the privateer side has been contained to the pro-am nature of LMP2, we see these fantasy lineups come together in the secondary class, and it is still fun to watch. 

It is the wild card every year at Daytona, and it isn't going away. GTP participation is going to be strictly limited. Top talent isn't getting the opportunities that once were available, but that hasn't stopped the likes of Herta, Bourdais, da Costa, Callum Ilott and Felipe Massa from showing up at Daytona each January. We are better off for their openness to compete in what is not the top class but a ruthlessly competitive class at that. 

February Preview

From Daytona to Bathurst, a 12-hour race awaits us this weekend. Twenty-two drivers have made the trek from the Atlantic Coast of Florida to the oldest inland settlement in Australia.

Of those 22 Daytona drivers, they are spread among 11 of the 18 entries in the top class, Class A, meant for GT3 cars. Three entries are entirely made up of Daytona participants. 

The #32 Team WRT BMW has the van der Linde brothers, Kelvin and Sheldon, paired with Augusto Farfus. The 75 Express group has kept Jules Gounon and Kenny Habul in the car while Lucas Stolz joins them after being a competitor last week. Gounon has the chance to become the first driver with four Bathurst 12 Hour victories. Habul and Stolz could each get their third. Meanwhile, Maro Engel and Mikaël Grenier go from 75 Express co-drivers to 75 Express competitors as Engel and Grenier will drive the #888 Mercedes-AMG Team GMR entry with Maxime Martin, who was a co-driver with Stolz last week in Daytona. 

International flavor aside, the domestic talent is rather strong and it has a chance to defend its home turf.

Supercars champion Will Brown will be in the field in the #26 Arise Racing GT Ferrari. One of Brown's co-drivers will be the man who finished third in the Supercars championship, Chaz Mostert, with Ferrari driver Daniel Serra arriving from Daytona to fill out that lineup. 

The top five from the 2024 Supercars championship will be competing at Mount Panorama this weekend. 

Brown's Triple Eight Race Engineering teammate Broc Feeney will be there, but Feeney isn't a teammate this weekend. Feeney isn't even driving for the same manufacturer. Feeney will be in the #183 James Racing Audi with Ricardo Feller and Liam Talbot.

Cam Waters and Thomas Randle were fourth and fifth in Supercars last year, and they will share the #222 Scott Taylor Motorsport Mercedes-AMG with one of the best to ever driver around "The Mountain," seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner and two-time Bathurst 12 Hour winner Craig Lowndes. 

Matt Campbell and Ayhancan Güven will look to defend their victory from last year, this time with Alessio Picariello in the #911 Absolute Racing Porsche. The only other Porsche in the field will be the #91 The Bend Manthey EMA Porsche with IMSA GTD Pro champion Laurin Heinrich, Le Mans LMGT3 class winners Morris Schuring and Yasser Shahin, and Sam Shahin behind the wheel. 

Other Events of Note in February

NASCAR races at Bowman Gray Stadium this weekend before racing the Daytona 500 in two weeks.

We will have the final two weekends of the Asian Le Mans Series, which will determine the final invitations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Australia hosts the Supercars opening weekend and the World Superbike opening weekend simultaneously, though at different venues (Sydney Motorsports Park and Phillip Island respectively).

The FIA World Endurance Championship opens on the final day of the month in Qatar. 

2025 IndyCar Team Preview: Arrow McLaren

January is nearly over, and the 2025 IndyCar season is a smidge more than a month away. Thirty-two days are all that separate this moment from the first green flag of the season in St. Petersburg. We still have over half the grid to preview. 

We end January looking at a race-winning team who is hoping to achieve so much more. Arrow McLaren stepped up in 2024 after having a disappointing 2023 season. Patricio O'Ward showed he is still a brilliant talent and got McLaren back on the top step after a lengthy drought. O’Ward cemented himself as one of IndyCar's best personalities as well. Unfortunately, the team's woes were not completely cured. McLaren had one car working but struggled to have multiple contenders at one time. 

There has been one driver change and a part-timer will be a full-timer. However, this team is still one man.

At First Glance... It is Patricio O'Ward and friends

For all the work McLaren has done in IndyCar, no one has had more success with the team than O'Ward. Arguably, O'Ward is the only driver to have success in the McLaren era of this organization. 

Since 2020, O'Ward has finished in the top five of the championship in four of five seasons and his worst championship finish has been seventh. The Mexican driver has seven victories, 26 podium finishes and 38 top five finishes. He has done all this in 78 starts. 

Over that same time period, all the other McLaren drivers have combined for zero victories, six podium finishes and 17 top five finishes. The best championship finish for a McLaren driver not named O'Ward is eighth. 

McLaren goes as far as O'Ward goes, and that shouldn't be the case for a team that believes it should be considered one of IndyCar's "Big Four" and be a perennial championship contender. 

For all that McLaren has put into its IndyCar program, it is still too top heavy. It has not helped that the tea has not been able to find a suitable teammate to form a 1-2 punch. O'Ward has had effectively four different regular teammates in five seasons. That is not considering the likes of Callum Ilott and Théo Pourchaire, who rotated through the #6 Chevrolet last season before the team settled on Nolan Siegel, nor is it considering the Indianapolis 500 one-offs in Fernando Alonso, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Kanaan and Kyle Larson, nor is it accounting for the time Hélio Castroneves ran the Harvest Grand Prix doubleheader in place of Oliver Askew in 2020. 

You would think in five seasons McLaren would have found a solid driver to form a partnership with one of the best young talents to come out of the Road to Indy system in the last 25 years. That has remained elusive as has the greatest results. 

Enter Christian Lundgaard, a driver who once took Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing to eighth in the championship and won a race when the team was not at its strongest. Lundgaard lifted RLLR to a higher level. He could not cure all the team's woes but he made them competitive. 

McLaren is a step up from RLLR, but we have seen plenty of promising drivers enter McLaren and quickly be out the door. Askew didn't get a second season despite finishing on the podium in his fifth career race. Felix Rosenqvist had three seasons, but very well could have been done after two if the Álex Palou contract fiasco had not played out. Alexander Rossi was done after two seasons and he finished in the top ten in the championship in both. 

There is a short leash, and Lundgaard is not going to get any additional slack. The Dane could be the missing piece. We have already seen him do more with less. But we thought Rosenqvist was the missing pieces and we thought Rossi was the missing piece. It is difficult to believe the third time will be the charm. 

There is no reason to believe O'Ward will be threatened within this organization. This is his team. Lundgaard must be spectacular to come close. Siegel's inclusion in this trio remains a bit of a mystery. For all the good we saw in Indy Lights, there was nothing suggesting Siegel was a can't-miss talent that required the rush to IndyCar. 

For Lundgaard, he must be on O'Ward's heels. For Siegel, he must at least look competent. No matter what, all eyes are on O'Ward to set the mark for McLaren. If he gets any support, it will be an added bonus.

2024 Arrow McLaren Review

Wins: 3 (St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio, Milwaukee I)

Poles: 0

Best Start: 2nd (Mid-Ohio)

Championship Finishes: 5th (Patricio O'Ward), 10th (Alexander Rossi), 23rd (Nolan Siegel), 28th (Théo Pourchaire), 33rd (Callum Ilott), 36th (Kyle Larson)

Patricio O'Ward - #5 Arrow Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

6: Finishes of first or second in 2024

0: Finishes of third, fourth or fifth in 2024

178.8: Average number of laps led in a season since 2020

What does a championship season look like for him?

O'Ward doing his very best on a regular basis and the off days being non-existent. It is a season where O'Ward wins early, wins in the middle of the season, and he wins late as well. Every weekend, his name is being mentioned, but for good. 

There are next to no weekends where O'Ward is mentioned for something going wrong, whether that be an accident, a pit lane issue or a mechanical issue. A bad day would be a 12th-place finish. 

The season would start with at least a podium finish but victory would come in one of the first three races and that would put O'Ward in the championship lead early. Every race weekend, we would be checking to see if anyone could overtake O'Ward, but he keeps finishing in the top five. Some might pull some points back, but nobody would be taking big chunks out of the deficit. 

The defining moment would be an Indianapolis 500 victory. After years of close calls, this is O'Ward's year and it leads him to be the clear man to beat in the championship. He follows it up with a victory in Detroit, doing something that had not been done in 25 years, and another victory in Gateway makes the championship appear to be a forgone conclusion. 

O'Ward settles down over summer, but is never far off the front. He wins another pair of races before we get to Nashville and the championship trophy is either already his or firmly in his grasp. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

The dream season is realistic for O'Ward. It only requires something we have yet to see from him and the organization. Until the two parties can put together a full 17-race season, it is hard to imagine how they can clinically take a championship and make the rest of the competition look amateur. 

You can pencil in a victory or two or maybe even three, but when it comes to O'Ward, there are at least two or three results outside the top 18 that are not too far away. Some are his fault, others are inexplicable. They aren't going away overnight. 

It could work out where O'Ward can pull off four victories, eight podium finishes and 14 top ten finishes and those cancel out those two or three bad days while the rest of the competition take victories and podiums off one another and it allows to O'Ward to sneak through as champion. That is unlikely to happen. 

He is going to win a race. He is going to be at the front. He will be in the top five of the championship. If O'Ward is at his very best, he can achieve greatness. If is slightly off, it will be another good but unfulfilled season.

Nolan Siegel - #6 Arrow Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

4: Lead lap finishes in 12 starts last season

0: Lead laps finishes in his final six starts

4: Times finishing as the top rookie in a race 

What does a championship season look like for him?

McLaren being the best team in IndyCar and all three cars are at the front. If Siegel is champion, the entire McLaren team is at the front, and he is likely ahead of O'Ward because O'Ward missed some races. Filling the vacuum is the American few believe in, but after opening the season as the third of the three McLaren drivers, when O'Ward goes down, Siegel raises his game. 

An unthinkable victory comes in the first race sans O'Ward. Siegel keeps it up with another podium finish and then another top five. A second victory makes it four consecutive top five results. Each race, Siegel is moving up the championship. He wins a pair of races in July, including at his home race of Laguna Seca, and he is on the edge of the playoff picture entering August. 

Siegel ends his season with finishes of second, first and first and takes an improbable championship with O'Ward running at wingman down the stretch to clinch the Astor Cup for the organization.

What does a realistic season look like for him?

Unfortunately for McLaren drivers, underwhelming results are common place in the organization. 

In his 12 starts last season across three different organizations, Siegel's average points per start was 12.833. Extrapolated over 17 races and he was on pace for 218 points, good enough for only 19th in the championship and more than 30 points off 18th. 

With more time in the car and with the team, Siegel should do better than that, but expectations will not be for him living in O'Ward or Lundgaard's shadow. There will be daylight between those two and Siegel. His average finish in ten races with McLaren was 16.4. That should improve, but being somewhere between 12th and 15th isn't what McLaren is aiming for. 

He will get his top ten finishes. If things fall right, Siegel could get a top five result, but for most of 2025 Siegel will be somewhere in the middle of the pack and have us wondering if he is really in the plans for 2026.

Christian Lundgaard - #7 Arrow Chevrolet

Numbers to Remember:

4: Finishes outside the top twenty in 52 career starts

16.882: Average finish in 17 career oval starts

9.9714: Average finish in 35 road/street course starts

What does a championship season look like for him?

Lundgaard transitioning to McLaren and it being the change that complements his driving style and pace. He is in lockstep with O'Ward from the start of the season. They are constantly within a position of one another in qualifying and the races. Everyone is impressed but they aren't taking Lundgaard too seriously as a threat. 

Then he wins Long Beach and catches everyone’s attention. Lundgaard goes on a run where he is the best McLaren driver over the next two races leading into the Indianapolis 500. O'Ward wins the “500” and gets all the glory, but Lundgaard quietly finishes seventh, a respectable showing considering his past "500" runs. While O'Ward is hungover, Lundgaard wins in Detroit, finishes in the top five in Gateway and wins at Road America, putting him in the championship lead. 

Another podium finish follows at Mid-Ohio, but O'Ward sweeps the Iowa weekend while Lundgaard has his roughest days of the season. In Toronto, Lundgaard is back on the podium and then he wins at Laguna Seca. A top five follows at Portland and he goes into the final two oval races in control but knowing he must be on point. 

A podium in Milwaukee sets Lundgaard up to only need a the top fourteen finish in the finale to clinch the title. He has a car good enough for eighth at Nashville and he keeps it planted there for the entire race to seal the deal. 

What does a realistic season look like for him?

If Lundgaard can finish eighth in the championship with RLLR, he can finish eighth in the championship with McLaren. He could also finish a little better than that. 

We have seen at enough road and street course events that when the setup is dialed in Lundgaard can run for victories, and one victory is not a crazy thought in 2025, though no other McLaren driver has been able to win other than O'Ward. Lundgaard should provide a greater challenge on road and street courses. There should be a few weekends where Lundgaard is clearly the fastest McLaren driver. 

Ovals will still be acstruggle, but not to the extent we saw at RLLR. Speed was completely absent at RLLR and Lundgaard couldn't crack the top twenty even with everything in his favor. Faster cars will put him further toward the front, but with a lack of experience battling for those competitive positions, he will have a few results not go his way. 

A victory with four podium finishes, six top five results and 11 top ten finishes should be enough to earn him the best season of his career. 

The 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season opens on Sunday March 2 with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Fox's coverage of the season opener will begin at noon Eastern Time.

Musings From the Weekend: Another 24 Hours Down

Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...

It was a busy weekend from Daytona, and the best race might not have been the main event. It might not have been one of the Mazda MX-5 Cup races either. After a rainy Roar, it was a dry race weekend. Porsche made history while Felipe Nasr went back-to-back in the #7 Porsche, as for the 17th time a driver has won consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona. Nick Tandy made history, and I will wait until Friday to rain on that parade. Laurens Vanthoor followed up a world championship season with an endurance race triumph. There were likely other things that happened around the world, but all attention was on Daytona.

Another 24 Hours Down

Though modern motorsports is set up to keep races close, it is incredible how on a yearly basis the 24 Hours of Daytona comes down to the final lap. 

Felipe Nasr took the white flag a little over a second ahead of Tom Blomqvist. After nearly 24 hours of race, less than two seconds was the gap between the top two, and that was the case in three of the four classes! There had been a late safety car period that bunched up the field with less than an hour to go, but there was still time for things to spread out. Someone could have pulled away, opened up a ten-second gap and called it a race with 15 minutes remaining. Yet, it rarely finishes that way. 

It is more than procedures. It isn't only the wave arounds and all the mechanisms in place to keep cars on the lead lap, though it plays a vital role. The cars are reliable. The little things do not break like they once did with regularity. We don't hear about the $5 parts costing a team a race. When things break, it something costly that is put under significant stress. See the suspension failure on the #31 Cadillac. Teams are not losing time on the nickel and dime stuff. If no one is losing time in those areas, they are going to remain close, and it allows the finishes we have seen. 

There is something lost in the ten-tenths nature that these endurance races have become. There is a lack of consequences for most of the race. 

Many things that go wrong early really have no bearing on the final outcome of the race. 

Spin off course in hour six, eh, it's only time lost.

Blow the chicane in hour 11, no worries.

Pit lane speeding violation with a little more than five hours remaining, there is plenty of time. You will get that time back. There is going to be another safety car period. 

That last example is what happened to the Meyer Shank Racing #60 Acura. Scott Dixon sped in the pit lane with just over five hours to go and it really had no bearing on the final results. 

In all likelihood, the #60 Acura was going to be second in those closing stages whether or not Dixon sped or did not speed in the pit lane. That speeding penalty was a set back, a minor inconvenience, but it wasn't the deciding factor in the final outcome. If Dixon didn't speed, it isn't a case of the #60 Acura would have definitely been leading and been 45 seconds up the road on the final lap of the race. If the #60 Acura doesn't speed at best the roles are reverse and it is only a second-and-a-half ahead of the #7 Porsche in the closing stages, but nine times out of ten, the #60 Acura is still behind with Blomqvist having working to do. 

That hurts because it makes the first 20 or 22 hours more of a formality. A viewer can miss hours nine through 12 of the race and not have missed anything that plays a key role in what happens as the clock is in the final minutes on Sunday afternoon. A 24-hour race will always have passive viewership, understandably so, but it feels like the race is becoming more passive. Whether that is a good or bad thing is up to IMSA and how viewership is on Saturday compared to Sunday.

The days are basically over where a team can overcome a significant failure or an accident. If you lose five laps at any point in this race, you are out of it. There is no coming back. A bad first hour can effectively end your hopes of anything great. 

The #93 Acura suffered a broken drivetrain in the fifth hour. At the end of the sixth hour, it was 40 laps down and at the end of the 24th hour, it was still 40 laps down. It made up three positions in the GTP class as other cars dropped out, but the last position in made up was in the 13th hour. Despite all the work the crew did, it went essentially the final half of the race stuck in the same spot. 

In almost every era, a 40-lap deficit was likely going to be insurmountable for an overall victory, but there was a time, and not that long ago, where fixing a problem and running all 24 hours likely would have seen a team making up positions in class deep into Sunday. That is not the case in 2025. 

As long as you keep the car running and within touching distance, you will be fine. 

Take the LMP2 class winning #8 Tower Motorsport Oreca. Prior to the weekend, it felt highly probably Sébastien Bourdais could lead that team to victory. Between the #8 Tower entry, the #04 CrowdStrike entry and the #99 AO Racing entry, it felt like one of those three teams was going to be the winner in LMP2. After about ten hours of racing though, the Tower wasn't in the conversation and was far from a threat.

Here is Tower's hourly class results out of the 12 LMP2 entries through the first half of the race:

12th, seventh, ninth, tenth, seventh, fourth, fourth, seventh, eighth, sixth, fourth, fourth. 

For most of the first half of this race, Tower wasn't in the picture. LMP2 is a pro-am class. Teams are running different strategies and running drivers at different times, but to the viewer watching at home a car that has hardly been in the top half of the class doesn't look like a contender. Those positions are less surprising when you see from the start at 1:40 p.m. Eastern through 6:46 p.m. Eastern, the only two drivers to run the #8 Oreca were John Farano and Sébastien Álvarez, the two amateur drivers. 

All their jobs were was to get the car to Bourdais and Job van Uitert in one piece. Farano and Álvarez did that. At no point in the first 12 hours was the #8 entry ever anymore than one-lap down in class, an easy margin to make up. 

That is all you need to do in a modern 24-hour race. Remain within a lap, and you can possibly even fall two laps down without it causing much trouble. There will be safety car periods. There will be teams that have to run their amateurs while your professional drivers are in the car. As long as nothing breaks and you do not get into an accident, you will have a shot in the final hour. 

What happened to the #04 entry? Colton Herta backed into the turn five barrier and broke the rear suspension. What happened to the #99 entry? It had its own mechanical issue. Tower Motorsport needed a few things to go its way to win this race, specifically the #52 PR1/Mathiasen entry and the #18 Era Motorsport entry getting together with less than 30 minutes to go, damaging one and penalizing the other, for the #8 Oreca to win the class, but the Tower strategy put Bourdais in the spot to capitalize when others faltered late.

The tortoise vs. hare dynamic still exists, but it isn't to protect the cars. The cars will make it. It is more about maximizing the ability of the drivers in each lineup. 

It is different watching these 24-hour races. The waiting feels longer. The race doesn't feel longer, but everything that happens, it feels more like filler, something to keep you busy at night before getting to the important stuff the next day. 

It isn't worse, but it might not be better. It is different. Different can feel good. Different can feel bad. 

Winners From the Weekend

You know about the prototype winners at the 24 Hours of Daytona, but did you know...

The #65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang of Dennis Olsen, Frédéric Vervisch and Christopher Mies won in GTD Pro. The #13 AWA Corvette of Marvin Kirchhöfer, Lars Kern, Matt Bell and Orey Fidani won in GTD.

Sébastien Ogier won Rallye Monte-Carlo for the tenth time.

Jett Lawrence won the Supercross race from Anaheim. Haiden Deegan won the 250cc race.

Coming Up From the Weekend

A fair number are going from Daytona to Bathurst for a 12-hour trip around the mountain.

Supercross will be in Glendale, Arizona. 

NASCAR has its Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, the first event at the quarter-mile in nearly 54 years.

2025 IMSA Season Preview

In a blink, the 2025 IMSA season is here. Nearly a month is gone this year and testing has wrapped up ahead of the opening endurance of the 11-round championship. 

There have been plenty of changes from the year before. Neither prototype class championship-winning team remained together. A few other notable lineups were shaken up. A few teams have switched manufacturers. A few teams have left the series. One new GTP manufacturer is set to join... but we will have to wait until Sebring to see that one. 

Either way, there are 61 entries ready to start the season in Daytona for a 24-hour classic that has produced sensational race after sensational race for an extended period.

Schedule

There are no changes from 2024.

The 24 Hours of Daytona remains the season opener on the final weekend of January before a six-week break until the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 15. A month after that will be the GTP/GTD show in Long Beach on April 12. A month after that, GTD Pro makes its a trio of classes at Laguna Seca on May 11.

On May 31, GTP and GTD Pro will compete in Detroit. All four classes are back on track together for the third Endurance Cup round on June 22 in Watkins Glen, marking the half-way point of the season. 

LMP2 gets to be the headliner at Mosport on July 13 with both GTD classes also competing. The only non-Endurance Cup round with all five classes is Road America on August 3. Virginia International Raceway hosts the only GTD-only round on August 24. 

The season concludes with a pair of Endurance Cup races. Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the penultimate round on September 21. Petit Le Mans is the location of the season finale on October 11.

Grand Touring Prototype

#5 Proton Competition Porsche 963

Drivers: Julien Andlauer, Neel Jani, Nico Pino, Tristan Vautier

Why this car could win: It is a solid combination of talent at various levels in their career. Andlauer has been making the transition to prototypes after fantastic success in GT competitions around the globe. Jani has won Le Mans overall and is a past world champion. Vautier has won in IMSA competition and had good runs at Daytona. Pino is a youngster that has shown great skill and is making his first foray into a premier class.

Why this car will not win: It is almost too much of a hodgepodge of a lineup. Andlauer and Jani raced in the FIA World Endurance Championship last year and struggled for results in this car. It is a new car for both Pino and Vautier. The best driver of these four in testing was Jani in 28th out of 45 GTP participants. 

What to expect for the full season: This will be an Endurance Cup-only entry.

#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963

Drivers: Mathieu Jaminet, Kévin Estre, Matt Campbell

Why this car could win: Campbell won this race last year and he and Jaminet were class winners at Daytona three years ago in GTD Pro. Estre won the FIA World Endurance Drivers' Championship last season. Campbell had a good year in WEC while Jaminet ended up second in the GTP championship with a pair of victories.

Why this car will not win: The best of these three drivers in the test was Jaminet in 13th. There appear to be a few cars faster than Porsche this year at Daytona.

What to expect for the full season: Jaminet has Campbell joining him for the full season. They will be fine. They will be competitive and likely win on multiple occasions. Though there is a change in this lineup, the results will not suffer. 

#7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963

Drivers: Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, Laurens Vanthoor

Why this car could win: This car won this race last year with Nasr as one of its drivers. Tandy was second in the championship last year with a pair of victories and he is ten years removed from his 24 Hours of Le Mans victory. Vanthoor also won the FIA World Endurance Drivers' Championship last season.

Why this car will not win: Vanthoor did rank ninth at the test, but Tandy and Nasr were both outside the top twenty.

What to expect for the full season: Nasr has Tandy joining him for the full season. The shuffle at Porsche will not hurt anything. It is mixing up the cars that finished first and second in the championship. The #7 Porsche is going to win races and all make a strong title defense. 

#10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Cadillac V-Series.R

Drivers: Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque, Brendon Hartley, Will Stevens

Why this car could win: One of the few unchanged lineups on the full-time front, the only change is Stevens is back in the team as the fourth driver, and he was second with Wayne Taylor Racing in his last outing at Daytona in 2022. Taylor and Albuquerque are each two-time Daytona winner, and Hartley is a three-time Le Mans winner. 

Why this car will not win: Cadillac did not look strong at the test. Wayne Taylor Racing had some bad fortune last year in the endurance races. The endurance race struggles should not continue and it should be more of a threat during the season.

What to expect for the full season: It is Wayne Taylor Racing, and though it is taking on a new car, it will not suffer a setback. Results should be better considering the rough end to the season WTR went through.

#24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8

Drivers: Philipp Eng, Dries Vanthoor, Kevin Magnussen, Raffaele Marciello

Why this car could win: BMW led the Roar test with Vanthoor running the fastest lap. He and Eng were both in the top ten in the GTP standings at the Roar. Eng is the only hold over from the 2024 lineup and he won at Indianapolis last year. Vanthoor and Marciello raced the BMW in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Magnussen is back from Formula One and he had a good first run in sports cars and did well at Daytona.

Why this car will not win: Of all the LMDh cars, BMW has been the least enthralling over the last two seasons. It has won twice but one of those was after a Porsche was disqualified. This is a new lineup to Daytona and this class. Plus, have we not learned to take test results with a grain of salt? 

What to expect for the full season: This should be the better of the two BMWs, but I don't think results are going to look outstandingly better than in 2024. Eng will have to do a lot of heavy lifting. Vanthoor has never raced an IMSA round outside of Daytona. It is difficult for the Belgian to be leaned on. 

#25 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8

Drivers: Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann, René Rast, Robin Frijns

Why this car could win: Van der Linde and Wittmann were fifth in sixth at the test while Rast and Frijns were 15th and 16th. Van der Linde, Rast and Frijns were all co-drivers in WEC last season. Van der Linde. Rast and Wittmann have had good runs at Daytona previously, though in the GT categories. 

Why this car will not win: See everything that was written about the #24 BMW. Also, Frijns hasn't raced at Daytona since 2018. This is a vastly inexperienced on the prototype level compared to some of the other entries in this class.

What to expect for the full season: It will be van der Linde and Wittman in this car full-time. This is a new championship for van der Linde and Wittmann, and both still have limited prototype experience. Considering the depth of the GTP class, it is difficult to imagine the #25 BMW being a challenger on a regular basis when there is much to learn. 

#31 Whelen Cadillac Racing Cadillac V-Series.R

Drivers: Earl Bamber, Jack Aitken, Felipe Drugovich, Frederik Vesti

Why this car could win: Aitken has proven himself in recent years with a victory at Sebring two years ago and three podium finishes in IMSA last ear, including a runner-up at Daytona. Bamber brings experience that will help this team late in the race. Drugovich and Vesti are two promising talents that somehow the Formula One grid has been left behind, and both have been comfortable in sports car racing. 

Why this car will not win: While Bamber was 11th in testing, his three co-drivers were all ranked outside the top 30. This is the first Daytona appearance for both Drugovich and Vesti. 

What to expect for the full season: This was the top car in the championship without a victory last season. I think Whelen Cadillac Racing could be due for a step back. With Wayne Taylor Racing fielding two Cadillacs, there is a chance the #31 Cadillac slides behind its sister cars.

#40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Cadillac V-Series.R

Drivers: Jordan Taylor, Louis Déletraz, Kamui Kobayashi

Why this car could win: Taylor is a two-time Daytona winner and he has finished on the podium in either class or overall in eight of his last 12 appearances. Kobayashi is also a two-time Daytona winner, including with Taylor in 2019. Déletraz remains one of the most underrated drivers in sports car racing

Why this car will not win: The expectation was for there to be four drivers in this car, but Alex Lynn had to withdraw due to illness. For all of Kobayashi's Daytona success, this is his first time racing int he LMDh machine. 

What to expect for the full season: The #40 entry had no podium finishes in the final seven races after opening the season with two, including a Sebring victory. This season should have a greater balance and the team should take step up the order.

#60 Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06

Drivers: Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun, Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist

Why this car could win: Meyer Shank Racing has a staggering record recently in Daytona. Blomqvist and Braun were classified as the winners in 2023 and Blomqvist also won in 2022. The Briton was third fastest in the test and Braun rounded out the top ten. Dixon is a three-time winner with three different manufacturers, and Acura is not one of those manufacturers. Rosenqvist is a trusted driver and has succeeded in a number of categories.

Why this car will not win: Acura had a dismal year in the endurance races in 2024, plus, Meyer Shank Racing is owed a little karma after the air pressure data manipulation found after its 2023 victory.

What to expect for the full season: Blomqvist and Braun will have their days, but I don't think MSR can take a year off and pick up where it left off. If it wasn't for the penalty post-Daytona 2023, Blomqvist and Braun would have won the championship. I almost think MSR will slot right in where Wayne Taylor Racing was last year utilizing the Acuras. 

#63 Automobili Lamborghini Squadra Corse Lamborghini SC63

Drivers: Mirko Bortolotti, Romain Grosjean, Daniil Kvyat, Edoardo Mortara

Why this car could win: It has no preconceived notions as this is Lamborghini's first run at the 24 Hours of Daytona, and it has Riley Motorsports leading the operation. Grosjean was fourth safest in testing. Bortolotti is a two-time class winner at Daytona, and he, Kvyat and Mortara were co-drivers last year in WEC. Mortara won in the GT class in the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona.

Why this car will not win: Lamborghini did not look stellar in either IMSA or WEC competition last year. Its best finish was seventh in both series. This is Kvyat's first Daytona appearance and this is Mortara's first Daytona appearance since he won in 2013.

What to expect for the full season: The Riley Motorsports-run Lamborghini program will only contest the five endurance races, but there is a chance this program could expand.

#85 JDC-Miller MotorSports Porsche 963

Drivers: Tijmen van der Helm, Pascal Wehrlein, Gianmaria Bruni, Bryce Aron

Why this car could win: Van der Helm has gotten a lot of time with the Porsche and he has a stout supporting cast with Bruni, who has won in a number of endurance races, and Wehrlein, who is making his endurance racing debut but is the reigning Formula E champion. Aron had a good season in Indy Lights last year.

Why this car will not win: There is no certainty who the lead driver is in this team. Bruni is 43 years old and he was not the strongest in the 963 last year with Proton. This is Wehrlein's first endurance race and Aron is a fish out of water. Bruni was seventh in testing, but the other three drivers were 38th or worse in testing.

What to expect for the full season: It will be van der Helm and Bruni. This car had one top five finish the entire 2024 season, a third at Indianapolis. One top five finish could be generous in 2025.

#93 Acura Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Acura ARX-06

Drivers: Renger van der Zande, Nick Yelloly, Álex Palou, Kakunoshin Ohta

Why this car could win: Because Yelloly was second fastest in the Roar test and he has a strong group with him. Van der Zande is accountable and shows up when it matters most. Palou is one of the best drivers in the world, and he was faster than van der Zande in the test. Ohta is coming off an outstanding season in Japan.

Why this car will not win: See MSR's due karma, but add questions about the depth of this car. Yelloly was  quick but it doesn't feel like he is a trusted name if the race was on the line. Ohta is in his first Daytona appearance, and Palou has yet to be called upon when the going gets tough.

What to expect for the full season: See the answer for the first Acura. There will be some good days, but MSR will not be controlling the championship. This entry feels too dependent on van der Zande and not every entry can win in this class. 

LMP2

#2 United Autosports Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Ben Hanley, Oliver Jarvis, Nick Boulle, Garnet Patterson

Why this car could win: Hanley and Jarvis are exceptional drivers and will not put this entry in a bad place. Boulle is coming off winning the LMP2 championship last year. Hanley was second in the LMp2 class in testing.  

Why this car will not win: This is Patterson's first Daytona appearance, and Boulle did not have the best pace in testing.

What to expect for the full season: At the moment, Hanley is confirmed, and Boulle will run the endurance races, leaving two open spots at Mosport and Road America. It seems like Boulle would just run the full season and defend his LMP2 title. 

#04 CrowdStrike Racing by APR Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: George Kurtz, Colton Herta, Toby Sowery, Malthe Jakobsen

Why this car could win: Jakobsen led the test out of 48 LMP2 drivers, and Herta was tenth. These are three strong professionals with a capable amateur driver. Herta has won multiple classes at Daytona. This car was second last year with Kurtz, Sowery and Jakobsen. They have what it takes.

Why this car will not win: Other than it is a 24-hour race and things happen, it is hard to come up with a real reason why this car will not win. There are some other reasonable selections in this class, but the #04 Oreca has the most behind it.

What to expect for the full season: If it wasn't for Kurtz stepping aside from racing after the CrowdStrike outage last summer, this team could have won the championship. Jakobsen takes over for the GTP-bound Colin Braun. This will be a race-winning team and it should be good enough for a title run. 

#8 Tower Motorsports Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: John Farano, Sébastien Bourdais, Sebastián Álvarez, Job van Uitert

Why this car could win: It has Bourdais leading the way and Tower has strung together some incredible endurance race results. Van Uitert brings plenty of endurance race experience from Europe. 

Why this car will not win: Pace was good in testing but not great. Bourdais was the fastest of the drivers in 19th while van Uitert and Álvarez were 26th and 27th respectively. 

What to expect for the full season: Farano has already won an LMP2 championship without Bourdais as his full-time co-driver. With Bourdais as the full-time professional in the #8 Oreca, this will be one entry to watch in every race.

#11 TDS Racing Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Steven Thomas, Mikkel Jensen, Hunter McElrea, Charles Milesi

Why this car could win: This has been a rather stable lineup with Thomas and Jensen, and McElrea slotted in nicely last season. Milesi has been respectable in LMP2 competition around the globe. Jense was sixth in testing while McElrea was 15th and Milesi was 18th. 

Why this car will not win: Thomas is not the strongest amateur. This is a good group, but there are a few cars that have a little more speed in the bottom of its lineup.

What to expect for the full season: This will be the third season with Thomas and Jensen paired together. They win races every year. They make a championship push. This class has gotten tougher. There could be a dip in results, but TDS Racing should have its share of positive days.

#18 Era Motorsport Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Paul-Loup Chatin, Ryan Dalziel, David Heinemeier Hansson, Tobias Lütke

Why this car could win: It won last year and swept the 36 Hours of Daytona. Chatin and Dalziel are a strong backbone and Heinemeier Hansson will provide reasonable speed.

Why this car will not win: This is Lütke's first IMSA race and he was the slowest in testing, nearly a second off the next closest car. 

What to expect for the full season: Lütke will be full-time in his first year in serious racing and his full season companion is unknown. For a first-timer, he will struggle and results will be reliant on who is the professional. 

#22 United Autosports Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Dan Goldburg, Paul di Resta, James Allen, Rasmus Lindh

Why this car could win: United Autosports always has a contender and it has a past Daytona winner in Allen joined by a pair of drivers who ran well last year in IMSA in Goldburg and di Resta. Lindh is someone who deserves a greater opportunity with the speed he has shown across a variety of categories. All four of its drivers were in the top 30 of testing.

Why this car will not win: It has a very good case for being one of the top favorites. 

What to expect for the full season: Goldburg ended up seventh in the LMP2 championship with di Resta as his main co-driver. They will be pair again with di Resta having one conflict between the Mosport round and his WEC responsibilities. This class has gotten stronger. I think we are looking at a step back from seventh.

#43 Inter Europol Competition Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Tom Dillmann, António Félix da Costa, Jon Field, Bijoy Garg

Why this car could win: Dillmann won the LMP2 championship last year and he was fourth at the test. Da Costa was seventh in the test. Garg has done reasonable well in LMP2 competition. Field drove at the top level of sports car racing with the Intersport Racing group in the 2000s.

Why this car will not win: Field is making his first start since 2011 and he was toward the bottom in testing. Garg's pace was good, but there are some teams that have stronger top threes and this team cannot afford Garg being that far off.

What to expect for the full season: Dillman has Field joining him. Field has not raced since 2011. It is hard to imagine this being a competitive entry, though Field was successful earlier in his career. Father time is undefeated. Dillmann will do his best, but he can only do so much.

#52 PR1/Mathiansen Motorsports Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Mathias Beche, Benjamin Pedersen, Ben Keating, Rodrigo Sales

Why this car could win: This is a lineup that has all run in LMP2 before and done well. Keating is splitting his time between this car and a GTD Pro entry. Beche and Sales had solid results in Europe last year while Pedersen will not have trouble getting used to this car based on his IndyCar past.

Why this car will not win: Beche was the fastest of the four drivers in 17th. Keating and Sales were 38th and 44th respectively. 

What to expect for the full season: Beche and Sales will be full-time after competing in the European Le Mans Series LMP2 class last year. This entry could have a few standout results, but I do not think it will be flawless for seven rounds.

#73 Pratt Miller Motorsports Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: James Roe, Pietro Fittipaldi, Callum Ilott, Chris Cumming

Why this car could win: Two of these drivers were in IndyCar last year and another was in Indy Lights. Fittipaldi and Ilott bring a lot of might to this entry. Cumming has plenty of endurance racing experience though he has been on hiatus for a little while.

Why this car will not win: This will be Roe's first LP2 race and his first significant endurance race. Cumming will be a little rusty.

What to expect for the full season: This lineup feels unfair with Pietro Fittipaldi joining from IndyCar and James Roe as the amateur, who was in Indy Lights last year and is a sneaky-bronze driver. This is basically two professionals in the class. It should be a regular front runner and should probably win a race.

#74 Riley Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Gar Robinson, Felipe Fraga, Josh Burdon, Felipe Massa

Why this car could win: Riley's group has spent a lot of time working together and there will be no surprises. It will be efficient on strategy and the drivers will not make careless mistakes.

Why this car will not win: All the pieces are there. It could be the case of a few teams being a little better.

What to expect for the full season: Fraga and Robinson are running it back after finishing second in the championship without a race victory. Based on life being a number's game, Riley is due to win in 2025 with these two. The results might not be at the same level over the entire season, but Riley will have it click in one race. 

#88 AF Corse Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: Luis Pérez Companc, Nicklas Nielsen, Dylan Murry, Matthieu Vaxivière

Why this car could win: Pérez Companc and Nielsen are back together for another year, and Nielsen was third in testing. Vaxivière is battled tested when it comes to endurance racing. 

Why this car will not win: Murry and Pérez Companc's pace will be something the team will need to overcome, and there are plenty of cars that will not have the same issue in this class.

What to expect for the full season: This is a full-time entry. Last year it had Pérez Companc with Nielsen. They won at Watkins Glen, but had only one other top five finish. This feels like an entry that will be in the middle of the field most of the time, but will have that one race where it performs above expectations. 

#99 AO Racing Oreca-Gibson

Drivers: P.J. Hyett, Dane Cameron, Jonny Edgar, Christian Rasmussen

Why this car could win: Cameron, Rasmussen and Edgar all ranked in the top 14 at the Roar. Hyett had a respectable time among the amateur drivers. Cameron is a multi-time champion and he won the 24 Hours of Daytona overall last year while Rasmussen won this class last year as well.

Why this car will not win: This car doesn't win if the #04 Oreca is just a hair better. I think these are the top two entries in this class.

What to expect for the full season: Cameron moves down from a GTP championship to pair with Hyett. AO Racing will win a race and Cameron will make this entry a championship contender. This is a class that will have half its entry feeling like the favorite. AO Racing is in that group.

GTD Pro

#1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3

Drivers: Connor De Phillippi, Madison Snow, Neil Verhagen, Kelvin van der Linde

Why this car could win: Paul Miller Racing has a knack for winning races. Snow has won pretty much all the big ones. De Phillippi has a good track record and he is coming from a good run in the BMW GTP program. Van der Linde brings worldwide success, and he was the fastest of the four drivers in the test, ranking 11th out of 55 drivers. Verhagen was the next quickest of the four.  

Why this car will not win: Believe it or not, this is van der Linde's first IMSA weekend since 2019. This is a new lineup with he and De Phillippi joining the team. There is a lot of new things happening for a lineup that was solid for the previous nine seasons. 

What to expect for the full season: It will be Snow and Verhagen full-time. Verhagen is a promising talent and this team should have good pace. It should have some good results, but this might not match what the team was accomplishing with Snow and Bryan Sellers for all those years.

#3 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Drivers: António García, Alexander Sims, Daniel Juncadella

Why this car could win: García and Sims carried Corvette in 2024 and nearly won a championship that felt like a stretch. Juncadella ended 2024 on a high note with a podium finish for the Corvette in the FIA World Endurance Championship season finale in Bahrain. García was seventh in the Roar test out of 55 GTD Pro drivers.

Why this car will not win: Endurance races were not the Corvette's specialty in 2024. 

What to expect for the full season: García and Sims performed a little bit better than expected with this car. Corvette will win a race or two and be in the picture throughout. Knowing García's history, this car will either finish first or third in the championship.

#4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Drivers: Tommy Milner, Nicky Catsburg, Nico Varrone

Why this car could win: Though the IMSA results were not the strongest, Milner brings over some confidence from his GT World Challenge America success driving a Corvette for DXDT Racing. Milner and Catsburg have been together for a few seasons. Varrone has a good record in endurance races. Miler and Varrone had good pace in testing. The #4 Covette has finished runner-up in class at Daytona in two of the previous four years.

Why this car will not win: Milner and Catsburg were good but not great last year, and it still feels like a good team, but there are some great teams competing this weekend. 

What to expect for the full season: The #4 Corvette has historically been the second of the two Corvettes in the championship. That should be the case again this year, but the #4 Corvette should be closer to the #3 Corvette than last year. The #4 Corvette will be in the picture for a race win or two.

#007 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo

Drivers: Ross Gunn, Alex Riberas, Roman De Angelis, Marco Sørensen

Why this car could win: These are four drivers that know each other well. De Angelis and Sørensen won at Daytona two years ago in GTD. Gunn was second in the GTD Pro championship last year, and Riberas ran most of those races while also having FIA World Endurance Championship responsibilities.

Why this car will not win: The car looked good but not great in testing. The best driver was 29th out off 55 GTD Pro competitors at the Roar.

What to expect for the full season: With the Aston Martin Valkyrie's IMSA debut delayed until the 12 Hours of Sebring, this will likely be a Daytona-only entry.

#9 Pfaff Motorsports Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2

Drivers: Andrea Caldarelli, Marco Mapelli, James Hinchcliffe, Jordan Pepper

Why this car could win: Caldarelli, Mapelli and Pepper have stomped the competition around the world in the Lamborghini and they went 1-3-10 in Roar testing in the GTD Pro class. When James Hinchcliffe is the weakest link in a car, you know it is a pretty good lineup.

Why this car will not win: The fastest car doesn't always win, but sometimes it does. Pfaff will be difficult to beat.

What to expect for the full season: With Caldarelli and Mapelli running full-time, this is a championship contender. It will not be a walkover, but Pfaff should win multiple races and be a constant threat throughout 2025.

#14 VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3

Drivers: Ben Barnicoat, Townsend Bell, Kyle Kirkwood, Aaron Telitz

Why this car could win: All four of these drivers know the Lexus well and have won in the Lexus. Barnicoat might be the most underrated drivers in the world. Bell has won the 24 Hours of Daytona previously. Kirkwood and Telitz are both competent drivers.

Why this car will not win: Out of 55 GTD Pro drivers, these four ranked 47th, 50th, 52nd and 53rd at the Roar. This is Bell's first race in three years.

What to expect for the full season: This is a shakeup with Barnicoat and Telitz pairing for the full season. They will win a race or two and probably still finish in the top five in the championship. If the team catches a few breaks, it could be in the championship conversation.

#20 Proton Competition Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)

Drivers: Matteo Cressoni, Claudio Schiavoni, Richard Lietz, Thomas Preining

Why this car could win: Lietz won this race in GTD last year, and he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMGT3 in what was another outstanding season for the Austrian. This is the third season Cressoni and Schiavoni have raced together, and previously they have done well in ELMS. Preining is a driver that can be trusted, and he was fourth in GTD Pro at the Roar.

Why this car will not win: There is another Porsche in this class that will be tough to beat, and Schiavoni was the slowest among the 55 GTD Pro drivers in testing. Cressoni was also 44th.

What to expect for the full season: This appears to be a Daytona-only entry. 

#48 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3

Drivers: Dan Harper, Max Hesse, Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn

Why this car could win: It is a good blend of youth and experience. It has the backbone knowledge of Farfus and Krohn who ha seen it all and have won this race previously. Harper, Hesse and Farfus all ran together in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup in 2024 and won at Circuit Paul Ricard. Harper and Hesse won the Dubai 24 Hour earlier this month.

Why this car will not win: Harper and Hesse are both making their Daytona debuts and Harper was the only one of these four drivers that ranked inside the top 40 at the Roar, and he was 36th quickest in class.

What to expect for the full season: Harper and Hesse will be full-time. It is a change of scenery for these two. There will be weekends when their raw ability will be enough to pull off some solid days, but there will also be learning experiences and that will set this car back a smidge. 

#64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3

Drivers: Sebastian Priaulx, Mike Rockenfeller, Austin Cindric

Why this car could win: Rockenfeller has years of experience and the Ford Mustang is a year older. Priaulx was brilliant last year in IMSA before leaving AO Racing during the middle of the season. Cindric was the fastest of the three drivers at the test, and he has done plenty of endurance races previously. The #64 Ford ended on a high note with a pair of runner-up results in the final three races to finish the season.

Why this car will not win: While the Ford might be better than last season, it does not feel like it has made up enough ground to win a 24-hour race, at least not this one. 

What to expect for the full season: The #64 Mustang should be the better of the two Mustangs. Priaulx and Rockenfeller should be competing for some victories and carry Ford higher up the championship than many have penciled them in for. 

#65 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT3

Drivers: Christopher Mies, Dennis Olsen, Frédéric Vervisch

Why this car could win: It is another year together for these three, as they raced together in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. Mies and Vervisch were both third drivers last season in the IMSA endurance races. Olsen ran full-time in the FIA World Endurance Championship and his best finish was third at Le Mans. All three drivers ranked in the top 28 at the Roar.

Why this car will not win: Their GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup results were poor last year. Their best finish was tenth. This is a full class.

What to expect for the full season: It will be a learning experience for Mies and Vervisch. It could not be much worse than what the #65 Ford went through last year, but it will not be all roses. If it is clicking, this car could get on the podium. Victory feels like a stretch at this point.

#69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo

Drivers: Anthony Bartone, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller, Luca Stolz

Why this car could win: This is a decent collection of drivers. Martin, Schiller and Stolz have all finished on the podium before at Daytona. Martin and Stolz are past winners in IMSA. They are all accomplished drivers around the world.

Why this car will not win: This will be Bartone's IMSA debut and this is by far the toughest class he has competed in. The car was not the quickest in testing. 

What to expect for the full season: At the moment, this is a Daytona-only entry. 

#75 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3

Drivers: Kenny Habul, Jules Gounon, Mikaël Grenier, Maro Engel

Why this car could win: Habul and Gounon and have raced together a number of times. Grenier has experience with Habul. Engel raced with this team last year with Habul and Gounon. This is an accomplished group at the GT3 level. Engel has won at Daytona twice. Gounon was one of Engel's co-drivers in the 2023 GTD Pro winning team.

Why this car will not win: None of the four drivers were inside the top 30 in the Roar test.

What to expect for the full season: There has been no commitment for this team beyond the 24 Hours of Daytona.

#77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)

Drivers: Laurin Heinrich, Klaus Bachler, Alessio Picariello

Why this car could win: Heinrich won the GTD Pro championship last year and his reward is to be grouped with some pretty incredible drivers for Daytona. Heinrich was second fastest while Bachler and Picariello, who both were in the top six. On average, this was the fastest lineup at the Roar in GTD Pro. AO Racing was second in this race last year.

Why this car will not win: It is hard to make an argument against it. Pfaff will be tough to beat. The champions don't always come out and immediately win the next race. 

What to expect for the full season: Heinrich and Bachler will be a tough pair to beat. If Heinrich could win the championship as a rookie with a rotation of drivers over the second-half of the season, he is better set with Bachler in there full-time. It will be tough to repeat, but the #77 Porsche will give it a go.

#81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Davide Rigon, Albert Costa, Miguel Molina, Thomas Neubauer

Why this car could win: This is a stout grouping that brings together one of the winners from last year's triumphant GTD Pro team in Rigon, last year's overall Le Mans winner in Molina, last year's GTD Pro winner at Petit Le Mans in Costa and Neubauer, who has had success in Silver Cup competitions in the GT World Challenge Europe series. Costa, Molina and Rigon all ranked in the top 13 in GTD Pro at the test.

Why this car will not win: This car will be run with Risi Competizione support, the GTD Pro winning team from 2024. It is difficult for teams to double up and win in consecutive years. Ferrari was also penalized after last year's race for exceeding expected performance parameters, a measure in the Balance of Performance process.

What to expect for the full season: This car will be full-time with Costa, but his co-driver has yet to be named. Costa is rather good, but the co-driver will be crucial in deciding how DragonSpeed does in the championship. 

#91 Trackhouse by TF Sport Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Drivers: Shane van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin, Connor Zilisch, Ben Keating

Why this car could win: It is an all-star car with two of the best drivers in the world and an emerging young talent that was faster than all of them in the test. Van Gisbergen and McLaughlin have plenty of endurance experience. Zilisch won last year at Daytona in LMP2. Keating is one of the best amateur drivers around.

Why this car will not win: It is a one-off entry competing in an outstanding class against drivers who have spent countless hours testing the machines they will be racing.

What to expect for the full season: This is a Daytona-only entry.

GTD

#12 VasserSullivan Lexus RC F GT3

Drivers: Frankie Montecalvo, Parker Thompson, Jack Hawksworth, Kyle Kirkwood

Why this car could win: This lineup could win in the GTD Pro class. Hawksworth is a stellar driver and Thompson is underrated. All of these drivers know the Lexus and have won with this car.

Why this car will not win: This car did not show great pace in testing. Montecalvo was its fastest driver, 63rd out of 88 GTD drivers in the Roar test. Kirkwood is doing double duty and will drive the Lexus in GTD Pro as well. He could be spread rather thin.

What to expect for the full season: Hawksworth joins Montecalvo in the GTD team. The Lexus should be at the front more with Hawksworth in this lineup. 

#13 AWA Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Drivers: Orey Fidani, Matthew Bell, Lars Kern, Marvin Kirchhöfer

Why this car could win: All four drivers were in the top 44 of testing, and this is the team's second year with this car. Kirchhöfer is the only new wrinkle, but he was up to speed quickly and he has plenty of experience that he raises the potential of this entry.

Why this car will not win: This team didn't have a podium finish at all last year. When it comes to Corvettes, this might be the second best in the class.

What to expect for the full season: Last season, Fidani and Bell were tenth in the GTD championship and they had four finishes in the top six. It will be tricky to break into the top five. A podium would be a good result and is not unthinkable.

#19 Van der Steur Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo

Drivers: Valentin Hasse-Clot, Anthony McIntosh, Maxime Robin, Rory van der Steur

Why this car could win: This is a new entry to IMSA's top championship and it does not know what it does not know. It cannot overthink a 24-hour race and McIntosh was a stunning 19th in testing, faster than Hasse-Clot in 35th, who has spent the last five years running Aston Martins, and who was third in the European Le Mans Series LMGT3 class. 

Why this car will not win: Robin was 83rd and van der Steur was 85th out of 88 drivers in the test. There is a lot this group does not know and there are plenty of teams that can beat them on mental might alone.

What to expect for the full season: Van der Steur Racing has competed in the Michelin Pilot Challenge series for years, and it will only run the endurance races this season with Hasse-Clot and van der Steur committed for all five events, but the third driver is still a question for the remaining rounds.

#21 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Simon Mann, Alessandro Pier Guidi, Lilou Wadoux, Kei Cozzolino

Why this car could win: Pier Guidi was third in the test and he has won almost everything in endurance racing with Ferrari. All four drivers have plenty of time with this car.

Why this car will not win: When it comes to a 24-hour race, Pier Guidi feels like the only pair of hands you can trust through the roughest periods. The depth of this lineup is behind some others. 

What to expect for the full season: It appears the #21 Ferrari will run for the Endurance Cup again in 2025.

#021 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: James Calado, Steven McAleer, Sheena Monk, Mike Skeen

Why this car could win: Calado is a world-class driver and he was eighth in the test while Skeen was only five-thousandths off Calado. McAleer has plenty of experience in IMSA.

Why this car will not win: For as fastest as Calado and Skeen were, McAleer and Monk were not quite close to their pace, suggesting this is a top-heavy team.

What to expect for the full season: McAleer and Monk will be full-time. In two seasons with Gradient Racing, Monk was in the back half of the field in most races. Switching to Ferrari will not change much. 

#023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Onofrio Triarsi, Charles Scardina, Eddie Cheever III, Alessio Rovera

Why this car could win: Rovera is coming off a GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup championship and he is a top Ferrari driver to have. Triarsi and Scardina are back for another season together and they performed above expectations last year, notably finishing fourth in this race and fourth at Petit Le Mans. 

Why this car will not win: There are a few stronger teams in this class, especially other Ferrari teams. 

What to expect for the full season: This will be an Endurance Cup entry.

#27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo

Drivers: Maria Drudi, Zachary Robichon, Tom Gamble, Casper Stevenson

Why this car could win: Heart of Racing Team is always a factor in these races. Robichon is a past winner in this race. Gamble is coming off a good year in British GT and Stevenson did rather well in European Le Mans Series competition. Drudi had a 24 Hours of Spa victory highlight his GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season in 2024.

Why this car will not win: Drudi and Stevenson are both making their Daytona debuts. The Aston Martin had good pace but not great pace in testing.

What to expect for the full season: This car will run in the full season, but the full-time lineup has yet to be determined.

#32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3

Drivers: Seth Lucas, Daniel Morad, Kenton Koch, Maximilian Götz

Why this car could win: Götz has had great success driving for Mercedes-AMG in a variety of series. Morad won this race last year with Winward Racing. Koch won at VIR last year as this entry went on to finish third in the GTD championship.

Why this car will not win: The pace was not blistering for this group in testing. Morad was down the order and Lucas was practically at the bottom.

What to expect for the full season: Koch and Lucas will be full-time. With the talent in this class, Korthoff will be hoping just to break into the top five on its best days.

#34 Conquest Racing Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Manny Franco, Giacomo Altoè, Daniel Serra, Cédric Sbirrazzuoli

Why this car could win: Conquest Racing was the surprise of 2024 and was far more competitive than anyone expected. This team is starting in a good place and it has rounded out its lineup with capable drivers who are comfortable in the Ferrari. Serra won at Daytona last year in GTD Pro. Altoè, Serra and Sbirrazzuoli were all between 21st and 31st in GTD testing.

Why this car will not win: Franco was 76th out of 88 GTD drivers at the Roar. This is a car with three strong drivers and this is a race where it can come down to how fast is your fourth driver. 

What to expect for the full season: It will be Franco and Serra full-time. Serra will make this car more competitive and it was already a team that finished fourth in the championship. Another year in the top five of the championship would be a good year.

#36 DXDT Racing Corvette Z06 GT3.R

Drivers: Charlie Eastwood, Alex Udell, Salih Yoluç, Pipo Derani

Why this car could win: Eastwood and Yoluç have raced together across the world in a number of different classes and championships. Udell and DXDT were sensational in GT World Challenge America competition last year. Derani is an incredible snag as the Brazilian prepares for the Genesis LMDh program. 

Why this car will not win: Yoluç is not the fastest amateur driver, and this is a shock to Derani's system after spending nearly a decade competing in the premier class at the 24 Hours of Daytona. 

What to expect for the full season: DXDT will have a few distinct lineups. For the sprint races, Robert Wickens will be one of the drivers with a yet to be determined co-driver. Eastwood, Udell and Yoluç will run the Endurance Cup rounds.

#44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Evo

Drivers: John Potter, Andy Lally, Spencer Pumpelly, Nicki Thiim

Why this car could win: This is set to be Lally's final race as a professional driver. He is motivated as are his co-drivers and this is a group that has raced together for years. Magnus Racing has finished runner-up at Daytona in three of the last five years. 

Why this car will not win: Life isn't a fairy tale and most of us go out finishing muddled in the middle of the pack. Magnus Racing also has not won since July 2016 at Lime Rock Park.

What to expect for the full season: Magnus Racing's plans beyond Daytona are unknown. The team could be back for more races but it will definitely not run the full season.

#45 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2

Drivers: Kyle Marcelli, Danny Formal, Graham Doyle, Trent Hindman

Why this car could win: This is a strong group that knows the car well between IMSA GTD class experience and Lamborghini Super Trofeo. Hindman is a past GTD class champion. Lamborghini looks quick and has good history in recent years at Daytona.

Why this car will not win: Doyle was the slowest in the Roar test. This entry could not finish better than fifth last season. 

What to expect for the full season: It will be Formal and Hindman full-time and results should be better than last year. This car should find its way onto the podium at least once.

#47 Cetilar Racing Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Roberto Lacorte, Nicola Lacorte, Antonio Fuoco, Lorenzo Patrese

Why this car could win: Cetilar has run well in IMSA endurance races the last few years. Fuoco is an outstanding lead driver to have.

Why this car will not win: Too much inexperience as Patrese is 19 years old and Nicola Lacorte is 17 years old. This is Lacorte's first sports car race period and it is both he and Patrese's first times at Daytona.

What to expect for the full season: Cetilar Racing has historically been an Endurance Cup entry.

#50 AF Corse Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Riccardo Agostini, Conrad Laursen, Arthur Leclerc, Custodio Toledo

Why this car could win: Agostini and Toledo were second in the Le Mans Cup GT3 championship last year. Laursen has had good results in ELMS and Leclerc won the Italian GT Endurance Championship in 2024.

Why this car will not win: Agostini was the fastest of these four drivers, but was 47th in testing. This will be the Daytona debut for three of the four drivers.

What to expect for the full season: This looks like it will only be a Daytona-only entry.

#57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

Drivers: Russell Ward, Philip Ellis, Indy Dontje, Lucas Auer

Why this car could win: Winward won this race last season and it had a dominant 2024 season. This lineup arguably got stronger with Auer coming in for Daniel Morad. There are no surprises or uncertainties in this team.

Why this car will not win: It is hard to win in consecutive years especially following up on what Ward and Ellis did last year. 

What to expect for the full season: A few victories and being one of the toughest cars to beat in class. I don't think Winward will have as good of a season as 2024, but it will be respectable and feature in most races.

#66 Gradient Racing Ford Mustang GT3

Drivers: Joey Hand, Till Bechtolsheimer, Tatiana Calderón, Harry Tincknell

Why this car could win: Hand and Tincknell are past winners and have great knowledge of Fords. Bechtolseimer has run plenty of times at Daytona and Calderón has been respectable in her endurance racing appearances.

Why this car will not win: This car did not have great pace at all in testing. Tincknell was the quickest of the four drivers in 45th.

What to expect for the full season: Hand, Bechtolsheimer and Calderón will be running the Endurance Cup races, but the remaining sprint races have yet to be assigned.

#70 Inception Racing Ferrari 296 GT3

Drivers: Brendan Iribe, Frederik Schandorff, Ollie Millroy, David Fumanelli

Why this car could win: Inception is a steady group that has won in a number of competitions around the world. Fumanelli has been quick and competed mostly in Pro-Am classes for the last few seasons driving a Ferrari for Kessel Racing. The team had good pace in testing considering this is a new car.

Why this car will not win: This is Inception's first year with the Ferrari and Fumanelli is making his Daytona debut. There is plenty of time for things to go wrong in a 24-hour race.

What to expect for the full season: Last year, Iribe and Schandorff were ninth in the championship with a  McLaren. This group is good to get on the podium and possibly steal a victory. The Ferrari is new. It could help toward a push up the championship but is not a guarantee to work.

#78 Forte Racing Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2

Drivers: Misha Goikhberg, Mario Farnbacher, Parker Kligerman, Franck Perera

Why this car could win: Forte led the Roar test with Perera running the fastest lap. He was over 7/10ths faster than his next closest co-driver, Kligerman. Perera is a leading Lamborghini driver and Farnbacher is a good number two within this team. If Kligerman has good comfort with the car, this team will rise above the competition in a Pro-Am class.

Why this car will not win: There are a few teams that have its driver lineup closer together in speed and are more experienced in endurance racing. Kligerman is inexperienced, and Goikhberg was toward the bottom on the time chart in testing.

What to expect for the full season: Goikhberg and Farnbacher will be full-time. Farnbacher replaces Loris Spinelli. I expect some good runs, but this class is tough and results might not live up to last year.

#80 Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

Drivers: Scott Andrews, Ralf Aron, Eric Filgueiras, Dan Knox

Why this car could win: It is going to be in the race. Andrews and Knox have raced together before. Filgueiras has been successful in GT World Challenge America. Aron has transitioned to sports cars over the last few seasons.

Why this car will not win: Andrews was the quickest of the four drivers in 47th while Filgueiras and Knox were 75th and 84th respectively. 

What to expect for the full season: Andrews, Filgueiras and Knox are competing for the Endurance Cup.

#83 Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3.R (992)

Drivers: Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Sarah Bovy, Karen Gaillard

Why this car could win: Three of its four drivers were ranked in the top 19 at the Roar. This is a lineup that knows each other well and knows the Porsche well. They have won in other championships around the world.

Why this car will not win: Gaillard is making a big leap into the 24 Hours of Daytona. She was 55th among the 88 GTD drivers at the test. 

What to expect for the full season: Iron Dames will remain an Endurance Cup team with Frey, Gatting and Bovy as its drivers.

#96 Turner Motosport BMW M4 GT3

Drivers: Robby Foley, Patrick Gallagher, Jake Walker, Jens Klingmann

Why this car could win: Foley and Gallagher were second in the GTD championship last year. Walker made some strides last year in Lamborghini Super Trofeo and this is his second year with Turner at Daytona. Klingmann is a steady set of hands to round out this lineup. 

Why this car will not win: Turner has not had a top five finish at Daytona since 2016 and the team has never finished on the podium in the 24 Hours of Daytona.

What to expect for the full season: Foley and Gallagher were second in the championship and had four podium finishes. This year should not look much different and they should be a threat in most rounds.

#120 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)

Drivers: Adam Adelson, Elliott Skeer, Ayhancan Güven, Tom Sargent

Why this car could win: Three of its four drivers were ranked in the top 16 in testing. Güven is an emerging talent and this could be the stage for a breakout performance. Adelson and Skeer had a good season last year for a group that was not committed to a full season until late.

Why this car will not win: Adelson was 72nd among the GTD drivers. While Güven won the Bathurst 12 Hour last year, he hasn't quite had a standout run in a 24-hour race yet, especially with a Pro-Am team.

What to expect for the full season: A victory in Indianapolis topped what was an up-and-down year for Adelson and Skeer. This year should be more consistent even if it does not reach the heights hit in 2024.

Race weekend festivities begin at 10:05 a.m. ET on Thursday January 23 with a 90-minute practice session. Qualifying has returned to race weekend and that will take place at 2:10 p.m. ET. A 90-minute night practice will run at 6:30 p.m. ET. The final session will be for one hour on Friday January 24 at 11:20 a.m. ET.

The 67th 24 Hours of Daytona will begin at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday January 25, and it will run until 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday January 26.