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NBC Sports
11-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
2025 IMSA Laguna Seca starting lineup: Vanthoor, BMW stay perfect on the pole
Dries Vanthoor remained perfect in IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying this season, putting the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 on pole position for the fourth consecutive race. In starting first for Sunday's two-hour, 40-minute race (3 p.m., NBC and Peacock), Vanthoor became the first with four consecutive poles since 2011 (when Ricky Taylor qualified first in six consecutive events). 'For sure I'm very happy to have four consecutive poles,' said Vanthoor, who co-drives with Philipp Eng. 'A bit sad that I don't have any wins out of them, but we have a chance now to make that happen tomorrow. It's important that we put that behind us and come away from here answering a different question than: 'When are we going to win?' ' STARTING GRIDS: Click here for the Laguna Seca starting lineup l Lineup by row l Lineup by car number The first three races of the season have ended with the same winner in the Grand Touring Prototype category as the No. 7 963 of Porsche Penske Motorsport is unbeaten this year. Vanthoor and Eng finished a season-best third in the Grand Prix of Long Beach last month. 'We're very motivated and we are going to push hard tomorrow in every area and every aspect,' Vanthoor said after turning his pole lap of 1 minute, 12.854 seconds. 'Hopefully, we will get the result we deserve. ... 'It's much needed from our side, because I think it's obvious we haven't been executing flawless races. Too many mistakes, but I think we've been really working hard since the last race to come here fully prepared.' Nate Ryan, Matt Campbell qualified second in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, followed by teammate Felipe Nasr in the No. 7 963. The 11 hybrid prototypes in GTP were separated by 0.864 seconds on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course in Monterey, California. Here are the pole-sitters in other categories for the endurance race classic on the 17-turn, 3.74-mile road course: GTD Pro: Giacamo Altoè, No. 81 DragonSpeed Ferrari 296 GT3, 1:20.731 GTD: Kenton Koch, No. 32 Korthoff Competition Motors Mercedes-AMG GT3, 1:20.810 LAGUNA SECA QUALIFYING ROUNDUP Starting lineup Lineup by row Lineup by car number Results Results by class Fastest lap by driver after qualifying Fastest lap by driver and class after qualifying Best sector times Fastest lap sequence Time cards Weather report PRACTICE RESULTS: Session I l Session II Watch qualifying highlights for the IMSA Monterey SportsCar Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
NBC Sports
04-05-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
How to watch 2025 IMSA Laguna Seca on NBC, Peacock: Streaming info, start times and daily schedules
Bobby Rahal is getting using to his BMW 8 Hybrid V8 cars being at the forefront of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races this season. So it's fitting the U.S. auto racing legend will kick things off for the Monterey SportsCar Championship on Sunday, May 11. Rahal will be the grand marshal for the fourth round of the IMSA season, giving the command to start engines for two-hour, 40-minute race (3 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock) around the historic road course on the Montnerey Peninsula. 'It's a great honor and privilege to be the grand marshal at obviously what is one of my favorite tracks,' said Rahal, who made his Laguna Seca debut in 1976 with a Formula Atlantic race. 'There's been a lot of success here, both as a driver and as an owner. It's a real thrill to have part of the racetrack named after you. Going out to Laguna, one of the crown jewels really of American road racing circuits, it was a thrill then, and it's a thrill even today.' #7: Porsche Penske Motorsports, Porsche 963, GTP: Felipe Nasr, Dane Cameron, #25: BMW M Team RLL, BMW M Hybrid V8, GTP: Connor De Phillippi, Nick Yelloly, start The No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 and No. 25 BMW M Team RLL M Hybrid V8 at the start of last year's Laguna Seca race (Michael L. Levitt/LAT Images). The straightaway at Laguna Seca leading to its famous Corkscrew turn was renamed more than a decade ago in honor of Rahal, who will be at the track on multiple race weekends in 2025 with his IndyCar and IMSA teams. It's been a swift start for the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL M Hybrid V8, which has won the Grand Touring Prototype pole position in three consectuive races with driver Dries Vanthoor to start the 2025 season. After lagging through the first two years of IMSA's revamped premier hybirid prototype category, Rahal's cars have improved in a critical season. But some driver, team and tactical errors have contributed to an absence from vcitory lane as the Porsche Penske Motorsport No. 7 963 has swept the first three races. 'Unfortunately, we haven't been able quite put it all together,' said Rahal, who hinted the BMW teams have tweaked their pit stops for Laguna Seca. 'Come race day, we've had on-track, but lapped traffic at Daytona and Sebring hurt our chances at the end of the race. Looking at Long Beach, we got held up in the pits a little bit and that's all it took, I'm afraid. Nate Ryan, 'So, we've got to hopefully complete the job this time around. We were pretty quick there last year, so we have a reasonable chance. ... We've learned more about the car this year. The Laguna track, especially since they repaved it (in 2023), that's kind of come into our wheelhouse a bit.' There is a sense of urgency for Rahal, whose sports car teams have been racing BMWs in GT and prototype classes since 2008. It's a contract year for RLL with the German manufacturer, and multiple outlets have reported that BMW has been considering options with other teams for 2026. 'I don't want to get into the specifics of that, but we're obviously hoping to continue this long relationship that we've had with BMW that's dated back to 2008,' Rahal said. 'I know you see some of these articles and a lot of guessing and a lot of speculation, but there's three quarters of the season left. For us and BMW Motorsport, it's the same thing. Everybody's just really focused on this coming race and the race after that and after that and after that. 'We go win some races, and that solves a lot of problems. So that's what we're intending to do.' But the competition is very stiff in IMSA's top class, which will feature 11 entries and five manufacturers at Laguna Seca. Acura, Cadillac and Aston Martin will be battling BMW to detrhone the unbeaten Porsche. 'It speaks volumes about IMSA the number of manufacturers that are involved in all classes,' Rahal said. 'It's phenomenal how many of all types are involved in in sports car racing and IMSA today compared to years ago. And the complexity of these cars is, in some respects, they may be more complex than a Formula 1 car. It's just at a different level. 'I think the GTP category but IMSA as a whole is just in a phenomenal place right now, and we haven't seen anything like this maybe ever.' Here are the start times, daily schedules and streaming info for the 2025 IMSA Monterey SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca: 2025 IMSA Laguna Seca SportsCar Championship WHEN: Sunday, May 11 at 3 p.m. DISTANCE: A two-hour, 40-minute race on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course in Monterey, Califiornia. FORECAST: According to Weather Underground, it's expected to be 47 degrees with a 4% chance of rain at the green flag. ENTRY LIST: Click here to see the 36-car field in the GTP, GTD Pro and GTD classes for the 2025 IMSA Monterey SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca. How to Watch IMSA at Laguna Seca TV/STREAMING: The Monterey SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca will be televised on NBC and streamed on Peacock from flag to flag beginning at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 11. The NBC Sports broadcast will feature announcers Brian Till and Calvin Fish. Dave Burns, Chris Wilner and Matt Yocum are the pit reporters. RADIO: All sessions live on SiriusXM live race coverage begins May 11 at 3 p.m. (SiriusXM channel 206, Web/App 996) IMSA Laguna Seca SportsCar schedule, start times Here's a rundown of the IMSA schedule this week at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (all times are ET): 11:25-11:45 a.m.: Mustang Challenge practice 12:10-1:10 p.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge practice 1:25-2:10 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo practice 3:10-3:40 p.m.: Mustang Challenge practice 4-5 p.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge practice 5:20-6:50 p.m.: WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice 7:10-7:55 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo practice 8:10-8:25 p.m.: Mustang Challenge qualifying 8:40-9:15 p.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying 11-11:35 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo qualifying 11:50 a.m.-12:35 p.m.: Mustang Challenge Race 1 (Peacock) 12:55-2:25 p.m.: WeatherTech SportsCar Championship practice 3:45-5:45 p.m.: Michelinn Pilot Challenge WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca 120 (Peacock) 6:15-7:25 p.m.: WeatherTech SportsCar Championship qualifying (Peacock) 7:45-8:35 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race 1 (Peacock) Sunday, May 11 11:25 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Mustang Challenge Race 2 (Peacock) 12:35-1:25 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Race 2 (Peacock) 3:10-5:50 p.m.: Monterey SportsCar Championship (NBC, Peacock) 2025 SEASON RECAPS ROUND 1: Porsche Penske's Felipe Nasr closes Rolex 24 at Daytona win for second conseuctive year ROUND 2: Porsche Penske Motorsport sweeps top two spots at Twelve Hours of Sebring ROUND 3: Nasr, Tandy stay perfect with Porsche in victory at Long Beach
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rolex 24, Hour 21: Porsches trade lead through pit stops
The No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 has just pitted from the lead, meaning that the sister No.6 Porsche is scored as the GTP leader with three hours left in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Porsche's Mathieu Jaminet re-took the advantage over BMW M Team RLL's No. 24 car and has stayed in front. Philipp Eng is currently second in the No. 24 BMW, and Colin Braun is third in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06. They owe pit stops soon and that would cycle the No. 7 Porsche, now driven by Nick Tandy, back to the overall lead barring a disaster. And, from now on, GTP teams can no longer use their allotment of soft tires. There's been a big swing in the LMP2 lead battle after the No. 99 AO Racing ORECA 07 picked up a drive-through penalty for not meeting tire operational requirements. IMSA detected the minimum tire pressures of the No. 99 were not compliant and asked Dane Cameron to come through pit lane. That's given the advantage to AF Corse and Nicklas Nielsen. The blue No. 88 ORECA leads the orange No. 8 Tower Motorsports machine of Job van Uitert. Cameron has dropped back to third ahead of Paul di Resta in the No. 22 United Autosports USA car. A well-executed up-and-under move from Tommy Milner at turn six has put the No. 4 Pratt Miller Motorsports Corvette Z06 GT3.R in the lead of GTD PRO, getting past the No.1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Connor De Phillippi who's now second. The top two in GTD PRO have built a significant gap to the third-placed No. 65 Ford Multimatic Mustang GT3 of Chris Mies, who's just passed the No. 69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Luca Stolz. We have two more GTD retirements to report – the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3, and the No. 023 Triarsi Competizione Ferrari 296 GT3, are both out. However, the No. 78 Forte Racing Lamborghini has returned to the race. Marvin Kirchhöfer's masterful job in the No. 13 AWA Corvette has kept him in the lead in GTD, though Elliott Skeer (No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche) and Philip Ellis (No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG) are not far off in second and third. Mattia Drudi is also in podium contention in the No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin, down in fourth. HOUR 21 STANDINGS Story originally appeared on Racer
