Porsche Dominates Daytona Roar: Nasr Leads the Charge in Thrilling Season Opener
In a stunning display of speed and precision, Felipe Nasr has rocketed to the forefront of the 2026 IMSA Sportscar Championship season as he delivered a jaw-dropping performance in the first session of the Daytona Roar Before the 24. The Brazilian ace piloted the #7 Porsche 963 to a blistering lap time of 1:36.327, clinching the top spot in a spectacular Porsche sweep of the podium that has left fans buzzing with excitement.
The session saw the powerhouse team put on a show, with Nasr’s impressive run leading a formidable 1-2-3 finish for Porsche. Following closely behind was Nico Pino in the customer #85 JDC Miller Porsche 963, who narrowly missed the top time by a mere 4 thousandths of a second. Remarkably, this car also completed the most laps in the session, clocking in at 33 circuits around the iconic Daytona International Speedway, all while running on the 2025-spec 963 after receiving special IMSA approval to forgo the latest aero upgrades.
In third place was the other factory Porsche, the #6 machine driven by Laurens Vanthoor, who trailed Nasr by over half a second, completing 23 laps in the process. The competition was fierce, with the two Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillacs fighting hard for their positions. Louis Deletraz in the #40 Cadillac secured fourth place with a solid performance, while Filipe Albuquerque in the #10 car rounded out the top five.
The battle for supremacy didn’t stop there. The top BMWs, now under the banner of elite European team WRT, showcased their prowess, with Marco Wittmann in the #25 leading the charge and Rene Rast in the #24 close behind. Jack Aitken made his mark by securing seventh place in the #31 Action Express Cadillac, while Renger van der Zande placed ninth in the #93 Acura, demonstrating the competitive nature of this year’s line-up. The Aston Martin THOR Valkyrie, driven by the #23 team, came in tenth, while the other Acura, the #60, found itself at the back of the pack in 24th overall, completing a disappointing 7 laps.
The LMP2 category saw Charles Milesi take the top honors in the #11 TDS Racing Oreca, clocking a best time of 1:38.935, a feat that put him just ahead of the notable Pietro Fittipaldi in the #73 Pratt Miller Oreca. The excitement continued with McLaren Hypercar’s Mikkel Jensen finishing third in the #2 United Autosports Oreca, keeping the pressure high in this fiercely competitive class.
On the GT front, the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin Vantage GT3, driven by Spencer Pumpelly, claimed the title of the fastest GT car of the session with a time of 1:47.304. Hot on his heels was Dean MacDonald in the GTD Pro-entered #59 RLL McLaren 720S GT3, who clocked in at 1:47.766, showing that the competition is heating up as teams vie for dominance. Andrea Caldarelli made a strong showing in the #9 Pfaff Lamborghini Huracan GT3, completing the top three across both GT classes, while the Lone Star Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 and Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini rounded out the competitive field.
As the tension builds ahead of the 24-hour endurance challenge, this initial session has set the stage for what promises to be an electrifying season. With Porsche’s dominant performance signaling their intentions and the competition tightening, fans can expect a thrilling showdown as teams gear up for the legendary race. The roar before the 24 has indeed set the tone for a spectacular championship, and we can’t wait to see how the action unfolds!








