24H Daytona: Swiss want class win
US SEASON START WITH CLASSICS Three Swiss, including the already two-time Daytona winner Rolf Ineichen on Lamborghini, have a good chance of a podium in GT3 at the traditional 24-hour race in Florida. Join us for a visually and acoustically beautiful lap in the current Porsche 911 RSR driven by American Cooper MacNeil, who finished third with factory driver Kevin Estre [...]
Join us for a visually and acoustically beautiful lap in the current Porsche 911 RSR driven by American Cooper MacNeil, who took third place in the GTLM class qualifying race with factory driver Kevin Estre.
Although the Americans already call it the 59th edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona since 1962, the sports cars and GT vehicles from around the world have only been racing twice around the clock since 1966.
Either way, this race is a classic in endurance racing, attracting teams, drivers and spectators from all over the world every year.
Unique mix of oval and circuit
During the "Roar before the 24", the three-day test drives on the 5.73-kilometer circuit, the teams prepared for the task ahead with the utmost concentration and meticulousness.
Opened in 1959, the Daytona International Raceway in Florida differs from other tracks, among other things, by its highly banked curves: The angle of inclination in the oval passages is up to 31 degrees. This requires special vehicle set-up.
Without Fässler and Trummer
The 49 teams this year include only three Swiss. Simon Trummer, who competed in the premier DPi class two years ago and in LMP2 last year (2nd place), has other priorities today - as reported.
And Marcel Fässler, who won the GTLM class at Daytona with Corvette Racing in 2016, is no longer a member of the American champion team. So the Swiss' hopes are limited to the GTD class for GT3 sports cars.
Qualifying race determined the starting positions
For the first time, the outcome of a qualifying race determined the allocation of starting places for the 24 Hours. This elimination took place last Sunday as part of the test event and also heralded the final preparation for the marathon.
Two drivers, one of whom was not allowed to be a professional or semi-professional, took turns in their respective cars and started the 100-minute race on a rain-soaked track.
Rolf Ineichen aims for third class win
With third place behind a BMW M6 and a Porsche 911, Rolf Ineichen and works driver Mirko Bortolotti created an excellent starting position for themselves in the Lamborghini Huracán from Grasser Racing. The Austrian team proved that it is also top at the distance by winning in 2018 and 2019, each time with the Lucerne native and the Italian at the wheel.
Completing the Lambo with #111 is Ticino-based northern Italian Marco Mapelli and Dutchman Steijn Schothorst. A year ago, one of the two GRT Lambo's finished in second place, with Ineichen and Bortolotti third in a WRT Audi R8. So Daytona is a good place for the fast Gentleman Racer from Central Switzerland.
With the Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Winward Racing, Philip Ellis from Zug qualified with the American Russel Ward for the also good fifth starting position. The car, which usually starts for Italy but is included in the official updated Start list now listed as Swiss, Raffaele Marciello from Ticino and his US team will start the race with another Mercedes from the midfield.
The results of the qualifying race and thus the starting positions can be taken from here.
The race in livestream
The race will start on Saturday, January 30, at 3:40 p.m. local time (9:40 p.m. CET). The complete race will be broadcast outside the USA and Canada on the IMSA homepage (see link below).
The pay-TV station Motorvision TV, which is also offered in sports packages in Switzerland, reports with expert German commentary.
A livetiming of all sessions is available at this Link.
In their podcast, the experts from Motorvision TV take a look at the 2021 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona and what you should know about it.
