Porsche defends championship lead with podium finish in Detroit

Atlanta. The start of the fifth IMSA round on the Detroit street course presented significant challenges for teams and drivers with changed conditions as compared to Friday’s practice and qualifying. After sweltering heat the day before, temperatures had dropped to just 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Initially, the two Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 adapted well. At the green flag, Nick Tandy catapulted the No. 7 car from seventh up to fourth, and by lap four, the Englishman had advanced to third.

During the first pit stop around the 40-minute mark, the Porsche Penske Motorsport crew delivered another stellar performance, sending both 963 back out on the track faster than their rivals. At halfway, the No. 7 car led the race, while the No. 6 was battling for a podium spot in fourth. But with just 15 minutes left on the clock, the situation shifted: Nasr lost two positions in a spirited battle for the lead and ultimately had to let the No. 6 move up to third.

“After a strong start, we were able to take the lead and control the race for long stretches,” Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Racing LMDh, said. “In the end, we couldn’t maintain the high pace. Still, we’re satisfied with third and fourth place. And let’s not forget: this marks 17 consecutive IMSA races since 2023 with at least one Porsche 963 on the podium. That makes us proud. Huge thanks to the entire team – mechanics, engineers, strategists, and drivers – a fantastic effort from everyone!”

“It was a fantastic race on the streets of Detroit,” added Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “Our strategy and pit stops were excellent, but unfortunately, the tires didn’t quite deliver the grip we needed at the end, so we couldn’t hold on to the lead. Still, it was a good day overall, and we even extended our championship lead slightly. Next week, we head to Le Mans for the crucial test day ahead of the big race.”

In the manufacturers’ standings, Porsche holds a 147-point lead over its closest rival. Nasr/Tandy and Campbell/Jaminet rank first and second in the drivers’ championship, while Porsche Penske Motorsport leads the IMSA team standings.

Meanwhile, customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports had a tough race day in Detroit: the yellow No. 85 Porsche 963, driven by Italy’s Gianmaria Bruni and Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm, finished 11th.

Porsche 963 JDC-Miller MotorSports 85

GTD Pro class: “Roxy” Porsche 911 GT3 R finishes fifth after tough duels

AO Racing’s 911 GT3 R, dubbed “Roxy”, sustained numerous scrapes in the intense street race in Detroit, with former Porsche Juniors Klaus Bachler, (Austria), and Laurin Heinrich (Germany) repeatedly caught in fierce battles. Despite the challenges, the No. 77 car crossed the finish line in fifth place in its class, successfully defending its championship lead.

Round six of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will take place on June 21 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York. Before that, Porsche Penske Motorsport will tackle the 24 Hours of Le Mans (June 14-15) with three Porsche 963.

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Drivers’ comments after the race

Matt Campbell (Porsche 963 #6): “What a crazy race! Our goal was to finish on the podium – and we did it. After the start, things didn’t look great, but we never gave up. The balance of our Porsche 963 shifted a lot today – sometimes it felt fine, sometimes tricky. With third place, we closed the gap slightly to our sister car in the championship while also extending the margin to our closest rivals.”

Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “Nick got off the line well and gained several positions. Thanks to smart strategy and flawless teamwork, we then advanced to the front. Unfortunately, after a caution period about 30 minutes before the flag, we lost pace because we couldn’t get the front tires into the optimal operating window. Ultimately, we finished fourth – not bad at all for the championship.”

Tijmen van der Helm (Porsche 963 #85): “Over the weekend, we couldn’t quite match the pace of Porsche Penske Motorsport’s factory Porsche 963 cars. But in the race, the gap was a bit smaller. Sadly, a penalty for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane cost us dearly – you simply can’t make up those 25 lost seconds. And even if you did, overtaking is difficult on this track.”

Laurin Heinrich (Porsche 911 GT3 R #77): “We knew we didn’t have the fastest car in class this weekend, so our focus was on driving clean, flawless laps. That worked for most of the race. But in the final laps, things got chaotic: a traffic backup in turn three resulted in me getting hit from behind, which sent me into a spin. Still, I’m happy with fifth place – it’s a good and important result for the championship.”

All results and championship standings are available at results.imsa.com.