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Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How drivers and teams prepare for an endurance race
Numerous 24-hour endurance races take place in the IMSA and WEC series. The recently concluded Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona had the Porsche Penske team take home the trophy and, of course, their very own Rolex watches! But how do drivers and their teams make it through a nonstop race that lasts a full 24 hours? We spoke with drivers and team principals to better understand how endurance racing works. It turns out that it's more like several sprints packed into a and WEC have several endurance races, but there's no definition of "endurance" in racing. Some labeled endurance races are 24 hours long, while others last four, six, or 12 hours. Some even have more laps and no set duration. The three most notable endurance races make up the "triple crown" of motorsports: the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams and drivers treat endurance racing much like a series of short races. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is a 100-minute race in Long Beach, California, and is one of several sub-two-hour races on the IMSA schedule. In a race like this, each car has two drivers, with each taking 45-50-minute shifts. Drivers often pull double shifts in endurance races. Bobby Rahal, Team Principal for BMW M Racing, says fewer driver changes result in fewer problems when entering or exiting the cars. Overnight, Rahal tells us drivers may be behind the wheel for three or four hours in one stretch, which helps other drivers get rest, particularly as the race comes to a conclusion and competition increases."It's all about rest [for drivers]. A lot of these guys are coming from Europe, so it's all about getting here early enough that you can acclimate to the time zone difference and be prepared," Rahal said. "You think you're getting good sleep during the race, but you're not. Once you get out of the car, it's hard to turn it all off." Some teams have large RVs on-site where drivers can retreat for rest or a meal. Rahal says teams arrive in Daytona about two weeks in advance for practice and qualifying and set up a pit in a few days. Teams like BSI racing competing in shorter races like those from the MX-5 Cup also take advantage of those pit setups. "We don't have a ton of time. Fortunately for us, the bigger teams with all the fancy gear have everything set up, and they let us utilize their space for our race. We have about 10 minutes from the time we leave pre-grid to the time when everything needs to be unloaded," said Shea Holbrook, Principal at BSI Racing. "Then, right before the race is over, we quickly pack up whatever we removed from the tugger and head back. If we're doing our jobs, that part takes less than five minutes, and that's being generous." When it's over, teams pack up in about a day and head to the next race. Drivers arrive at least a week before the race for various obligations and practice laps but never lose discipline or focus. MX-5 Cup driver Sally Mott is an excellent example of how good drivers prepare to perform. The MX-5 Cup has some of the shortest races on the IMSA schedule, with the two MX-5 Cup Daytona races lasting 45 minutes each or about as long as a typical "shift" in an endurance race."Mental preparation starts weeks before we're on track. I drive the track on the simulator and visualize every corner and every shift [of the car's transmission]. I study onboard footage to memorize specific car placement, throttle application, downshifts, and braking zones," Mott said. "I watch races from previous years to analyze high-percentage passing opportunities, preparing myself for any racing scenarios that may occur. I also play high-intensity ping pong for 45 minutes (the length of a race) daily with my dad to train focus and mental agility." Rahal reminds us that drivers are athletes, musing, "They have maybe eight percent body fat. They're always training; they're always in great shape." He also adds that some teams have chefs and trainers on-site to ensure that drivers and crew are well-fed and cared for. Several teams also have facilities with simulators where drivers can virtually test any track ahead of time. Drivers may only have a few laps on a course before the race, and simulation is nearly as practical as behind-the-wheel time for learning a new track. During an endurance race, pit crews don't always get to sneak away for a long nap. "We could go down there right now, and I bet a few guys are asleep," Rahal quips. He reminds us that those crews must be up and ready for pit stops every 40 minutes. Teams must use the same vehicle for the entire race; those cars burn fuel and tires steadily, regardless of who is behind the wheel. Crews must be ready for routine pit stops, and governing bodies like IMSA have rules that pit crews must follow, which also don't take a break of team size or how well-resourced the team ownership is, the burden on crews is significant. Rahal's teams work on pit stops at the training facility and have workouts geared toward their role on the pit crew. Teams are rebuilding cars all the time, too. Like drivers, the work pit crews put in off-track makes the difference when it's showtime. As the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona accelerated into the night, people began filing out of the stands and observation decks. Teams switched to soft-compound tires to stay competitive through colder temperatures overnight, and people in attendance watched a fireworks display. For many fans, the fireworks are the last thing they want to see before getting a good night's sleep. Sleep and rest are luxuries in endurance racing. Drivers and crew prepare their bodies and minds to excel at these events, and even a last-place finish is a testament to the team's willpower and perseverance. And they'll pack up and do it again at another track very soon - because they love the grind. Sometimes, it's just hard not to be romantic about endurance racing. Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Daytona win caps off historic 24 hour grand slam for Tandy
'I won't forget this feeling,' Nick Tandy told RACER after becoming the first driver in history to complete the 'Grand Slam' of overall 24-hour race victories at Le Mans, Nürburgring, Spa and now Daytona following last weekend's Rolex 24 Hours. The 40-year-old Briton's personal achievement, which came on the day that Porsche captured a 20th overall win in the Rolex 24, deserves significant recognition. It's a unique feat which cements his place in motorsport history. Tandy, who remains at the top of his game, also has the chance to go even further than his 'Grand Slam' in just a handful of weeks. If he wins Round 2 of the IMSA SportsCar Championship in March at the Sebring 12 Hours, he will complete a further record, overall wins at all three of IMSA's Blue Riband enduros. Previously, Tandy scored an astounding overall win at Petit Le Mans in 2015 in a GTLM class Porsche in the rain. And if a Sebring 12 Hours win happens he'll surely be well on his way to winning the IMSA GTP title too. Tandy's resume includes a remarkable overall victory at Petit Le Mans in a GTLM Porsche. Jake Galstad/Motorsport Images Post-race on Sunday, Tandy was – unsurprisingly – extremely emotional, both visibly and audibly, and near speechless when RACER spoke with him before he returned to the ongoing celebrations in the paddock. 'Well the thing is,' he said when asked to describe how much winning at Daytona means to him, as a stock car racing enthusiast. 'I first came here in 2008. The first time I came here was to watch the 500 when I was doing F3 testing. So when the chance came up to actually race here in 2011, it was mind-blowing, and it still is mind-blowing to race here. 'It's like Indy. We race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it's like a cathedral, hallowed ground in motorsport. As a stock car fan, I always dreamt of coming here to watch stock car racing, and now I race here in the infield. 'When you come here, to these big races, you expect to win,' he added when asked to reflect on his 'Grand Slam' achievement and his place in sportscar racing history. 'If you didn't, then why bother? 'So when you do go win these important ones, and you expect it, it doesn't feel as big. It's great, of course it is, because it doesn't happen often. But, I guess, when you actually stand back and look at it, and think: actually, there are so many people trying to win these races. 'You see them, you talk to them, and you think about the fact that you've won them yourself, it makes it different to look back on the moments. 'It's a different for me right now, here. Since I won Spa, I realised that nobody had ever won the four big 24-hour races outright before. So it was always a massive thing coming here to try and tick the box, to be the first. 'I've joked with Earl (Bamber) since he won the Nürburgring 24 in 2023, and he's always joked: 'I'm going to come to Daytona and I'm going to do it before you!' and I've quietly thought 'No you're ****ing not!' And now we've ended that! 'And Porsche is a big part of the reason. It does help to be with the most successful sportscar brand in history, but you've got to work to put yourself in the car. So this is something else really.' Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Second almost as good as a win in MSR's Rolex 24 comeback
The Acura Meyer Shank Racing team's IMSA GTP comeback in the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours didn't quite produce the ultimate fairytale result for those involved. But a second-place finish for its No. 60 Acura ARX-06, which crossed the finish line just 1.3 seconds behind the winning Penske Porsche, ensured they left the Daytona paddock last night with their heads held high. It was never going to be an easy trip to Florida to kick off the 2025 season for the Ohio-based outfit. After a year-long pause for its IMSA program, it found itself thrown in at the deep end with an expanded two-car effort, a larger workforce, a freshened-up driver roster and the prospect of IMSA's blue-riband 24-hour race to kick things off. But the signs were there, even before the Roar Before The 24 test got underway 10 days ago, that the team may produce something special. Team owner Mike Shank was as bullish as ever that the team would hit the ground running before either of its cars had turned a wheel. 'We expect to come back on the podium,' he told RACER. 'Maybe we don't win, but there's no reason we shouldn't be challenging for the podium places.' As it turned out, after 24 hours of racing and 781 laps of the Daytona International Speedway, he and his team matched Shank's lofty expectations with a truly strong performance, particularly after the final restart. Tom Blomqvist, the only driver on the lead lap not wearing Porsche Penske overalls by the end, pushed himself and his car to the limit. With time expiring, he caught and passed the No. 6 Porsche -–which was struggling for grip after being on the wrong end of a split tire strategy between the two factory 963s – before setting his sights on the lead car. The Briton couldn't quite find a way to mount a serious challenge to Felipe Nasr in the winning Porsche, but kept it close and piled the pressure on. Blomqvist, though, didn't appear crushed by disappointment in the post-race presser. Instead, knowing he and the team had nothing more to give in the final stint, he was more than satisfied with second. 'In the race, we actually struggled a lot for pace,' he admitted. 'We came into the race relatively confident, but for whatever reason we just struggled a lot to keep our rear tires under us. The No.60 Acura had few answers to the pace of the Porsches over long runs early in the race, but the car came alive in the final stint. James Gilbert/Motorsport Images 'Even from lap one, you already knew it was going to be a tough stint. We kind of struggled, to be honest, for the whole race. The Porsches were extremely strong. We were good, maybe the first few laps and then they would just pull away – especially on the double-stints, they had a lot more pace – and when the traffic came they had such an advantage. We struggled so much for traction and they would just carve through it much better than us. 'But in the last stint, the car was just better. I didn't think I was going to have anything for them, but you never give up, and I think I gave it all I had. To be honest, that was the best we probably could have done today.' His efforts secured a fine podium finish for himself and his teammates Colin Braun, Felix Rosenqvist and Scott Dixon and, remarkably, added to his outstanding personal record of two wins and two second-place finishes in four Rolex 24 starts. On the other side of the Acura MSR pit structure, it was a different story. The No. 93 finished eighth in class – 15th overall and 40 laps down – after suffering a rear suspension failure overnight. However, the result sheet tells an important story in this case. Acura MSR's push to field two cars in 2025 and, therefore, give itself two shots at glory at each race this season appears to have already paid off. 'I think to come away with a second, that close to winning the race and executing well as a whole group, is great, ' Braun said. 'The 93 car had good pace. They had that suspension issue, but they did a super good job, too. 'I think considering all the other GTP teams have been together for a few years here and we've reassembled and added people, I think we have a lot of blue sky, a lot of potential to tidy up a few things here and there and continue to be stronger and stronger. So it was a heck of a first race. 'When we all went to the first test in November when we got the cars, I think if you would have said we'd come here and finish second, we'd all have been signing up for that.' 'We learnt a lot of lessons from this race,' Blomqvist added, 'but to be honest, we're super happy with second because at one point we thought it was going to be a real long day.' Story originally appeared on Racer
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
PPM's Rolex 24 triumph is internationally monumental
Porsche Penske Motorsport's victory in the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona Sunday afternoon was lauded as 'something none of us could have dreamed of' by the team's managing director, Jonathan Diuguid. One of the most dramatic Rolex 24s in years, drama coursed up and down the order in the closing stages affecting the lead battles in every class. The battle for the overall victory was a big part of that and certainly did not disappoint in generating headlines. The Porsche Penske vs. BMW RLL duel nearing race's end didn't quite go the distance, as the No. 24 M Hybrid V8 bowed out after contact caused the bodywork on the front-left corner of the car to rub with the tire, forcing Dries Vanthoor down after the final restart. It didn't ease the tension on the Penske pit wall, though, as the pair of factory 963s diced for the lead before Acura MSR's Tom Blomqvist in the No. 60 powered by Matt Campbell for second. Behind the wheel in the winning Porsche, the final hour was beyond tense for Felipe Nasr, but a lot of respect was shown between the two sides of the garage as he and Matt Campbell battled with 20 minutes remaining. 'From the driver's seat, it's different emotions to everyone else,' Nasr said. 'All I was thinking of was that I wanted to win this race for the team. I was third at the restart, and it's hard to know how it'll end up, but I knew the car was capable and I knew the team behind this is great. 'There was always going to be drama with one trophy and two cars. I felt like I had the pace to go forward, though, and that's what I did. We all get the same opportunity; I didn't want to create any trouble so I tried a clean pass and I knew I had to move forward because the Acura was close. I had to go for it.' The Brazillian's performance on new tires to fight past the sister car at the end was masterful. Not only did it help capture back-to-back wins for himself, Porsche and Penske, but it also completed a remarkable 'Grand Slam' of endurance wins for Nick Tandy, who has now won the Le Mans 24 Hours, Nurburgring 24 Hours, Spa 24 Hours and the Daytona 24 Hours overall — all with Porsche. Reshuffling the driver lineups over the winter paid off for the 40-year-old Briton, who was on the outside looking in last year as part of the No. 6 crew. Nasr, Tandy and Vanthoor quickly gelled well enough to take home some monumental hardware together. Michael Levitt/Lumen 'To be the first person ever to do something is quite unbelievable,' Tandy said. 'You have to be proud you are put in a position to be able to compete in these races. It's something I've wanted to check off the list. Winning Daytona is massive by itself and to win just one of these would be something special for any career, but this is different.' For Laurens Vanthoor, it was a particularly memorable one too — his first overall win at Daytona. 'It's always difficult to describe your feelings a couple of moments after it happened,' he said. 'I've been wanting this badly for a long time and if I went back 10 years ago I couldn't have dreamed of it. I couldn't be more grateful to sit here.' When asked by RACER to comment on BMW's performance throughout the race and specifically his brother Dries — who dropped out of the top three in the final hour in the No. 24 — he gave an emotional response. 'It's special from a personal point of view, to see how many laps a Vanthoor led,' he said. 'He's my younger brother and to see him up there doing a tremendous job… At the end, I was like, 'Dries, p*** off!' But then you feel kind of sad when it doesn't work out. 'BMW were strong all race; they were really quick and I always saw them as a main contender. Dries is doing a very good job and I am sure his day will come.' As for the Porsche and Penske tie-up, this is another momentous occasion. It may not have been the dream 1-2 finish in the end, but the team led 517 laps and kept the train rolling after the GTP side of the operation captured the Rolex 24 and a sweep of titles last year. 'Today was a team effort,' Diuguid concluded. 'I saw the stats; we made sure we used our two-car approach so that a PPM car was out front, controlling the race whenever we could. Every car had a chance to win today and we were the ones that came out on top because we covered all these bases to cover attacks from the Acuras, BMWs and Cadillacs.' What else lies in store for the team in 2025? The WEC campaign kicks off soon and Sebring isn't that far away. Once again, PPM has the chance to win the Rolex 24 and Le Mans 24 in the same year. Will it find a way to make the most of this rare opportunity? Story originally appeared on Racer
