Porsche Penske Triumphs at Sebring as BMW’s Anniversary Race Ends in Setbacks

As the sun set over Sebring International Raceway on March 15, Felipe Nasr guided the No. 7 Porsche 963 to victory in the 73rd running of the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring, securing Porsche Penske Motorsport’s second consecutive endurance win of the season. Following their performance at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Nasr, along with teammates Nick Tandy and Laurens Vanthoor, withstood intense pressure to clinch victory.

Nasr took control of the race as darkness approached, fending off relentless challenges from the sister No. 6 Porsche 963 piloted by Matt Campbell, Kevin Estre, and Mathieu Jaminet. The battle between the two Penske-run Porsche LMDh prototypes lasted deep into the final hour, but in the end, Nasr managed to build a gap on the restart after a late full-course caution.

With this win, Nick Tandy cemented his legacy in endurance racing history, having now secured overall victories in five of the most prestigious long-distance races: Daytona, Le Mans, Nürburgring, Spa, and now Sebring.

BMW’s Anniversary Weekend: A Mix of Celebration and Misfortune

For BMW M Team RLL, Sebring marked a special occasion: the 50th anniversary of BMW of North America, a momentous milestone that brought legendary figures Jochen Neerpasch (BMW Motorsport co-founder) and Brian Redman (winner of the 1975 Sebring 12 Hours in the BMW 3.0 CSL) back to the paddock. However, the celebration quickly turned into a weekend of frustration for BMW’s GTP efforts.

After securing pole position in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8, Dries Vanthoor found himself facing adversity within minutes of the green flag. Penalized for changing lanes at the start, Vanthoor was forced to serve a drive-through penalty, but a full-course caution delayed his chance to recover, pushing the No. 24 car to the back of the pack.

Despite a determined comeback by Philipp Eng and Kevin Magnussen, BMW’s hopes took a major hit when the No. 24 car suffered right-rear damage after contact in the pits. A lengthy repair ensued, forcing the team to sit out more than an hour before rejoining the race—ultimately finishing twelfth in the GTP class.

Meanwhile, the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8, piloted by Sheldon van der Linde, Marco Wittmann, and Robin Frijns, climbed from P10 on the grid to a respectable fifth-place finish after a spirited final stint by Frijns.

A Podium for BMW’s GT Efforts

While BMW’s prototype program faced setbacks, the new BMW M4 GT3 EVO showed promise in GTD PRO, with Paul Miller Racing securing a double podium finish—placing second and third in class. Additionally, the new BMW M4 GT4 EVO scored its first victory at Sebring, giving BMW some reason to celebrate on their milestone weekend.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Source: BMW BLOG