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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
Forbes
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Did Porsche Just Tease Street-Legal Version Of Its 963 Le Mans Racer?
GOTEMBA, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 13: The #06 Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche 963 of Kevin Estre, Andre ... More Lotterer, and Laurens Vanthoor in action during practice at the Six Hours of Fuji on September 13, 2024 in Gotemba, Japan. (Photo by James) Converting race cars for road use is nothing new, and in decades gone by was especially common among closed-wheel endurance racers that compete at events like Le Mans. It isn't unusual to see GT racers from the 1950s and 60s used on the public road, and even more modern machines from the end of 1990s, like the McLaren F1 GTR, can be converted to meet street safety laws, usually by way of fitting turn signals, wipers, treated tires and license plates. Porsche reminded us all this week how a 1975 example of its legendary 917 race car was made road legal, complete with a tan leather interior commissioned from Hermès, a suede roof lining, and Alabama license plates. Featured in the video below, the car was originally owned by Italian businessman and Martini heir Gregorio Rossi di Montelera (better known simply as Count Rossi). In recent years it has been enjoyed by its France-based owner and is occasionally spotted on the streets of central London. Bringing this car to attention isn't particularly unusual. Porsche has an extensive heritage collection and frequently covers its history on the pages of its own Newsroom website. But a short video showcasing the street-legal 917, published on 25 April, ended with a shock. It closes with the words 'What if?', followed by a close-up shot of the drive mode selector of Porsche's current endurance racer, the 963, and a brief glimpse of that car, side-on, and covered by shadow. The snapshot of the car is enough to identify it as the 963, but it's not possible to see whether it's wearing license plates or street-legal tires. Conveniently, it's also impossible to tell whether the car's sharp front and rear aero structures – extremely unlikely to pass any pedestrian safety test or make their way onto a street-legal car – are still present, or have been toned down. The video also states 'June 2025', which is the month in which the 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place. Perhaps this is also when Porsche will share more about what on Earth is going on here. Porsche hasn't produced a roadgoing hypercar since the 918 Spyder back in 2014. That car sparred with the LaFerrari and McLaren P1, but a followup to compete with the new Ferrari F80 and McLaren W1 is yet to materialize. Porsche had previously suggested its next hypercar would be a production version of the electric Mission X, but little has been said about that car since it was revealed in 2023. Porsche video shows a side profile of its 963 racer While rivals like Ferrari, McLaren, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Aston Martin have all produced limited-run, high-priced, track-only hypercars for their most loyal customers, Porsche has sat on the sidelines. Those cars, like the McLaren Solus GT, Bugatti Bolide, Aston Martin Valkyrie and various members of Ferrari's FXX programme have all relieved millions of dollars from the pockets of billionaire gear-heads, Porsche has lacked a true hypercar, street-legal or otherwise. Will this year's Le Mans see Porsche reveal a version of its endurance racer available to the public? Perhaps a (slightly) toned down evolution of the 963, in the same vein as the track-only Ferrari's 499P Modificata? Porsche teased the idea of a street-legal variant of its all-conquering 919 race car a few years ago, called the 919 Street. That never materialized, but perhaps now Porsche has a plan for sharing its endurance racing successes with its most loyal, and wealthy, customers.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WEC reveals BoP tweaks for Imola 6 Hours
Motorsport photo Porsche has received the biggest weight break for this weekend's Imola round of the World Endurance Championship under the Hypercar Balance of Performance. The German manufacturer's 963 LMDh will race at the Imola 6 Hours on 20 April 11kg lighter than at the Qatar season-opener in February. Advertisement But its weight for the 2025 WEC's second round of 1053kg is 20kg higher than at the corresponding fixture last year. Maximum power for the 963 is down 5kW (6.7bhp) on Qatar under the BoP, which is designed to equate performance each manufacturer's car in Hypercar. The adjustment follows a disappointing performance at the start of the defence of its WEC drivers' title crown, the two factory Porsche Penske Motorsport entries ending up 10th and 11th in Qatar. Last year, the pair of works PPM entries took second and third at the Italian race, which finished in wet conditions. #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell #6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, Matt Campbell JEP / Motorsport Images JEP / Motorsport Images Advertisement Alpine's A424 LMDh and the Peugeot 9X8 2024 have also had weight breaks for Imola of 2kg and 1kg respectively: the Peugeot Le Mans Hypercar is now down on the Hypercar minimum of 1030kg and at the maximum power of 520kW (697bhp). Cadillac had received the biggest increase in weight in the new BoP table released at the start of this week. The American manufacturer's V-Series.R LMDh has been set a minimum weight of 1041kg, up from the 1030kg minimum at Qatar, but has gained 7kW (9.4bhp). Ferrari has gained 8kg from the 10-hour race in Qatar, in which its three 499P LMHs blocked out the podium positions. Advertisement It will also race 4kg heavier than in 2024 when it was on course for victory at its home race before a tactical mistake on the arrival of the rain, but has gained 7kW from Qatar. Toyota's GR010 HYBRID LMH remains on a minimum weight of 1065kg but has lost 3kW (4bhp) in power since the 2025 WEC curtain-raiser. BMW has been given a weight increase of 5kg, while getting an increase of 8kW (10.7bhp) in maximum power. That explains why the German manufacturer's M Hybrid V8 LMDh has received the biggest swing under the 'power gain' element of the BoP, which adjusts max power above 250km/h (155mph). It has gone from gaining 0.6% in power to losing 1.6%. Advertisement The minimum weight for Aston Martin's new non-hybrid Valkyrie LMH rises 9kg for Imola. Practice for the Imola 6 Hours begins on Friday 18 April. Read Also: McLaren bids for Le Mans outright victory with future WEC entry
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pascal Wehrlein Will Help Pilot Porsche 963 For 24 Hours Of Le Mans
Read the full story on Backfire News Porsche Formula E driver Pascal Wehrlein has been announced as the final driver for the Porsche 963 in the upcoming 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The announcement means the third factory Porsche Penske Motorsport Hypercar entry has a full team ahead of the race in June as excitement starts to an official announcement, Porsche notes Wehrlein, who is a German and Mauritian driver, is already familiar with the 963 after spending time behind the wheel in test sessions and 24 Hours of Daytona. However, Wehrlein has never participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, so this will be his first outing in what many consider the ultimate endurance contest. The man isn't exactly a newbie to motorsports. Not only is he the reigning Formula E World Champion, he's a former DTM Champion and has participated in races in a number of series. "The Porsche driver roster is absolutely top-tier and incredibly deep. It only makes sense to leverage our strong personnel from the Formula E factory team for the third Porsche Penske Motorsport entry at Le Mans," said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport, in an official press release. "Pascal Wehrlein has fully convinced us with his performance in testing and his participation in the 24 Hours of Daytona. As the reigning Formula E World Champion, he has earned his Le Mans debut at the wheel of a Porsche 963.' Sharing the load with Wehrlein will be two teammates with experience at Le Mans: Flipe Nasr and Nick Tandy. They snagged the top podium spot at two major North American endurance classics at Daytona and Sebring while piloting the Porsche 963, so they'll be able to help Wehrlein learn the ropes. Plus, Tandy has been called 'Mr. 24 Hours' after completing the Grand Slam of endurance racing. He's achieved overall victories not only at the 24 Hours of Le Mans but also the IMSA season opener in Florida, the Nurburgring 24 Hours, and the Spa-Francorchamps GT3 endurance classic. He's raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans 12 times. Nasr is a three-time IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship titleholder. Image via Porsche
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Formula E Champion Pascal Wehrlein Completes Porsche Lineup for Le Mans
Porche Penske Motorsport has locked in its driver lineup for this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. On Tuesday, the Porche announced that defending Formula E champion and former Formula 1 racer Pascal Wehrlein will complete the three-driver team for Porsche Penske's No. 4 Porsche 963. He will team with IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona winners Felipe Nasr and Nick Tandy. Wehrlein, who drove for the Manor/Sauber teams in F1 in 2016 and 2017, is a full-time driver for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. Wehrlein's Formula E teammate, Antonio Felix da Costa will also be racing at Le Mans, where he'll drive an Oreca prototype in the LMP2 class. Wehrlein will be making his Le Mans debut, while three-time IMSA champion Nasr will be making his sixth start and Tandy his 13th. Tandy won the overall Le Mans title with Porsche in 2015."Competing for Porsche Penske Motorsport at Le Mans is a dream come true for me," Wehrlein said. "I'm very looking forward to the challenge because, unlike in Formula E, I have to share everything in the Porsche 963 that I would normally tailor specifically to myself: seating position, setup, strategy, and more." "Of course, I want to add major titles in other series to my Formula E World Championship victory, but my primary goal is to do a strong job for the team and learn as much as possible. Porsche has such an iconic motorsport heritage; I am extremely grateful for this opportunity." Wehrlein helped the JDC/Miller Motorsports Porsche 963 entry finish a strong sixth overall in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. It was Wehrlein's first 24-hour sports car race. Hypercar Class No. 4 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Felipe Nasr, Nick Tandy, Pascal Wehrlein No. 5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Julien Andlauer, Michael Christensen, Mathieu Jaminet No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Matt Campbell, Kévin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor No. 99 Proton Competition Porsche 963: Neel Jani, Nico Pino, Nico VarroneLMGT3 Porsche 911 GT3 R:No. 85 Iron Dames: Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Célia MartinNo. 90 Manthey: Antares Au, Loek Hartog, Klaus BachlerNo. 91 Manthey 1st Phorm: Ryan Hardwick, Richard Lietz, Riccardo Pera
