Written by Adrian Beecher
Daytona, FL - Lamborghini captured their first-ever Rolex 24 Victory as the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team's BioCircle / Orange 1 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 crossed the start-finish line first in the GTD Class Sunday after an exhausting 24 hours in Daytona Saturday through Sunday. The #11 was driven by Franck Perera, Rolf Ineichen, Rik Breukers, and Mirko Bortolotti.
Ineichen said it was a dream come true,"For me, I just can say it’s really a great day. Like everyone said, for us to start from the back is the point of the race, what we did here. It’s a great success what we tried many times before to win a 24 hour race for Lamborghini, but we were not successful. Now we are in Daytona, this is special, really really special. It’s a big dream I think of everyone to win in Daytona. We did it now, we did it for Lamborghini and we are proud of that. It's not only for Lamborghini though, it's the whole team."
Ineichen said it was a dream come true,"For me, I just can say it’s really a great day. Like everyone said, for us to start from the back is the point of the race, what we did here. It’s a great success what we tried many times before to win a 24 hour race for Lamborghini, but we were not successful. Now we are in Daytona, this is special, really really special. It’s a big dream I think of everyone to win in Daytona. We did it now, we did it for Lamborghini and we are proud of that. It's not only for Lamborghini though, it's the whole team."
It would truly take a full team effort for the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team's BioCircle / Orange 1 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 to capture the victory after having to start from the back of the field. Here's how things ebbed and flowed throughout the 56th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the IMSA WeatherTech Sports car Championship GTD Class series opening race.
Early in the race, the GTD pole sitter, the #82 Ferrari 488 GT3 driven by Miguel Molina lead the way for most of the first hour. However, on their first pitstop of the day, the Ferrari caught on fire in the pits, putting a solid damper on their day. Jack Hawksworth in the #15 Lexus RCF GT3, then overtook the lead momentarily.
Early in the race, the GTD pole sitter, the #82 Ferrari 488 GT3 driven by Miguel Molina lead the way for most of the first hour. However, on their first pitstop of the day, the Ferrari caught on fire in the pits, putting a solid damper on their day. Jack Hawksworth in the #15 Lexus RCF GT3, then overtook the lead momentarily.
The #15 Lexus RCF GT3 would only lead for two laps before being overtaken by Jeffery Schmidt at the wheel of the #29 Montaplast Audi R8 LMS GT3. The #29 would lead for just under an hour before taking a pit stop, giving up the lead to the #14 Lexus GT3 driven by Dominik Baumann.
The #29 Audi R8 LMS GT3 driven by Schmidt would retake the lead on lap 146 with 1 hour and 46 minutes expired from the race. The first caution of the race at the 2 and a half hour mark would see the #29 give up the lead, initiating a new leader in the #33 Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 driven by Ben Keating.
The #29 and #33 would run one and two, exchanging the lead multiple times for the next two and a half hours before the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Montaplast Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 would enter the mix of the top two after starting at the very back of the field at the start of the race. However, after the #29 driven by Kelvin van der Linde, overtook the lead from the #33 on lap 178, 5 hours and 15 minutes into the race, the #29 would hold the lead over the next 4 hours dominating the competition.
The #29 Audi R8 LMS GT3 driven by Schmidt would retake the lead on lap 146 with 1 hour and 46 minutes expired from the race. The first caution of the race at the 2 and a half hour mark would see the #29 give up the lead, initiating a new leader in the #33 Mercedes-AMG Team Riley Mercedes-AMG GT3 driven by Ben Keating.
The #29 and #33 would run one and two, exchanging the lead multiple times for the next two and a half hours before the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Montaplast Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 would enter the mix of the top two after starting at the very back of the field at the start of the race. However, after the #29 driven by Kelvin van der Linde, overtook the lead from the #33 on lap 178, 5 hours and 15 minutes into the race, the #29 would hold the lead over the next 4 hours dominating the competition.
Then at 12:13 am, nine and a half hours into the race, the first mistake of for the #29 team happened. They received a Balance of Performance equipment violation that resulted in a 5-minute penalty. This dropped the #29 car back to 7th place. This caused the #29 team to fall two laps behind the GTD leader.
IMSA Vice President of Competition Simon Hodgson released a statement regarding the penalty decision during the race, "“To measure refueling times, each entrant’s autonomous fuel tank is fitted with a mandated IMSA fuel level sensor and refueling restrictor, which are inspected and sealed prior to the race. During a standard, in-race data review, IMSA observed a consistent and beneficial variance of the No. 29 car’s refueling times compared to the GTD class average. Based upon IMSA’s current and past event refueling data, this was deemed to be unacceptable. The entrant was informed of IMSA’s position and a penalty was administered.”
The #33 Mercedes-AMG driven by Adam Christodoulou, found its self back in the lead after the violation. Shortly thereafter, the 2nd caution of the night came out as the #52 Ligier LMP2 wheeled by Roberto Gonzalez slammed into the tires at turn 5. During the caution, the #33 losing the lead to the #86 Acura NSX GT3
IMSA Vice President of Competition Simon Hodgson released a statement regarding the penalty decision during the race, "“To measure refueling times, each entrant’s autonomous fuel tank is fitted with a mandated IMSA fuel level sensor and refueling restrictor, which are inspected and sealed prior to the race. During a standard, in-race data review, IMSA observed a consistent and beneficial variance of the No. 29 car’s refueling times compared to the GTD class average. Based upon IMSA’s current and past event refueling data, this was deemed to be unacceptable. The entrant was informed of IMSA’s position and a penalty was administered.”
The #33 Mercedes-AMG driven by Adam Christodoulou, found its self back in the lead after the violation. Shortly thereafter, the 2nd caution of the night came out as the #52 Ligier LMP2 wheeled by Roberto Gonzalez slammed into the tires at turn 5. During the caution, the #33 losing the lead to the #86 Acura NSX GT3
What ensued on the following green flag restart was a slew of lead changes. The #33 Mercedes-AMG wheeled by Christodoulou overtook the lead from Katherine Legge in the #86 Acura NSX GT3. However, a speeding penalty on the #33's previous pit stop forcing them to serve a penalty. Thus giving the lead back to Legge in the #86.
Shortly thereafter, the Lamborghini show got underway in a duel between the two Lamborghini team in the race. First, it was the #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini Hurácan GT3, wheeled by Brian Sellers, making the pass of the #86 at the 10 hour and 24-minute mark of the race. Hot on his tail was their teammate car, the #11 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3. As hour 11 of the approached, scheduled pit stops got underway. After they cycled through, it was Rolf Ineichen wheeling the #11 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 at the front of the pack for the GTD class. Like clockwork, the #48 was right behind him.
Ineichen would lead for 56 minutes of the 12th hour of the race, with the Bryce Miller of #48 leading two laps in the hour. However, as we reached the halfway point with 12 hours down, the #86 Acura NSX GT3 found its way back to the front with AJ Allmendinger at the wheel. Allmendinger would lead the next 45 minutes of the race with both GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini's jockeying for position behind him.
Shortly thereafter, the Lamborghini show got underway in a duel between the two Lamborghini team in the race. First, it was the #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini Hurácan GT3, wheeled by Brian Sellers, making the pass of the #86 at the 10 hour and 24-minute mark of the race. Hot on his tail was their teammate car, the #11 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3. As hour 11 of the approached, scheduled pit stops got underway. After they cycled through, it was Rolf Ineichen wheeling the #11 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 at the front of the pack for the GTD class. Like clockwork, the #48 was right behind him.
Ineichen would lead for 56 minutes of the 12th hour of the race, with the Bryce Miller of #48 leading two laps in the hour. However, as we reached the halfway point with 12 hours down, the #86 Acura NSX GT3 found its way back to the front with AJ Allmendinger at the wheel. Allmendinger would lead the next 45 minutes of the race with both GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini's jockeying for position behind him.
It was at the 12 hour and 45-minute mark that Andrea Caldarelli in the red #48 Lamborghini Hurácan GT3 overtook the lead as Allmendinger went to the pits and the #86 Acura NSX GT3 team conducted a driver change at 3:26 am. Just two minutes later on the next lap, both the green #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini, a the red #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini Hurácan GT3, went into the pits for fuel, four tires, and a driver change.
When they got back to the track, the #48 was still in the lead, with Maddison Snow now at the wheel. Snow led the way for the next hour before going into the pits for another driver change 13 hours and 41 minutes into the race. At this point, the #11 Lamborghini driven by Rik Breuckers over took the lead, before heading to the pits themselves the ensuing lap. Thus putting the #48 back in the lead with Bryan Sellers again at the helm.
The next 2 and a half hours would see seven total lead changes coming from the main leaders of the GTD class up to this point in the #11, #48 and #86, along with a new race leader, the #51 Ferrari 488 GT3 driven at the time in the lead by Pedro Lamy. This took us to the 16th hour of the race with the #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini out in front ahead of a pit stop nine minutes after completing the 16th hour.
When they got back to the track, the #48 was still in the lead, with Maddison Snow now at the wheel. Snow led the way for the next hour before going into the pits for another driver change 13 hours and 41 minutes into the race. At this point, the #11 Lamborghini driven by Rik Breuckers over took the lead, before heading to the pits themselves the ensuing lap. Thus putting the #48 back in the lead with Bryan Sellers again at the helm.
The next 2 and a half hours would see seven total lead changes coming from the main leaders of the GTD class up to this point in the #11, #48 and #86, along with a new race leader, the #51 Ferrari 488 GT3 driven at the time in the lead by Pedro Lamy. This took us to the 16th hour of the race with the #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini out in front ahead of a pit stop nine minutes after completing the 16th hour.
After cycling through green flag pit stops, the #48 was back out in front with Sellers at the wheel. They would lead for the next hour and a half other than during a short stint of a scheduled pit stop. As the 18th hour of the race concluded, the field was under the 4th caution of the day, this time due to debris on the track. During the caution, the #48 took a pitstop, giving up the top spot to the #33 Mercedes-AMG wheeled by Christodoulou.
Shortly after going back to green, the #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini wheeled by Snow retook the top spot. Then with just 5 and a half hours remaining in the race, the Mirko Bortolotti in the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini took over the lead.
The next 5 and a half hours saw precision and excellence by the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini as they would lose the lead for only a half hours time in the final leg of the race. From the crew in the pits and garage, to the drivers on the track, they all hit their marks flawlessly.
Shortly after going back to green, the #48 Paul Miller Racing Total Quartz Lamborghini wheeled by Snow retook the top spot. Then with just 5 and a half hours remaining in the race, the Mirko Bortolotti in the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini took over the lead.
The next 5 and a half hours saw precision and excellence by the #11 GRT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini as they would lose the lead for only a half hours time in the final leg of the race. From the crew in the pits and garage, to the drivers on the track, they all hit their marks flawlessly.
In fact, in the final 4 hours and 55 minutes of the race, the #11 would lose the lead just twice, both times coming to the #86 Acura NSX GT3 team. However, they were ever so brief and only occurred due to scheduled pit stops from the #11 crew. Mirko Bortolotti, who started working with the Gasser team back in 2014, took over the wheel with 2 hours and 26 minutes left in the race in the #11 RT Grasser Racing Team Lamborghini's final driver change.
In the final hour, Bortolotti finished his stint flawlessly, holding off the #86 Acura NSX GT3 wheeled by Alvaro Parente, who trailed by under a second for most of the final hour. Bortolotti was excited to see all of the hard work over the last four years culminate in this success.
"I was lucky enough to be a part of the development process of the Hurcan GT3 back in 2014. So I know the guys very well, we have been through many bad bad days in order to get to where we are now. So, it’s not like you start yesterday and the day after you get the result. It’s really hard work over a pretty long amount of time. We manage to make steps every season forward, not only with the car, but especially with the team. It’s so many factors that can make the difference. You have to go down the hard way in order to understand what kind of things you have to improve in order be successful. We managed to do so this year in Daytona, getting this incredible result, so I am really really proud of the team and what we have achieved.”
The win marks Lamborghini's first ever win in World competition in 24-hour endurance races. The win is also all of the team drivers first ever class win in the Rolex 24.
In the final hour, Bortolotti finished his stint flawlessly, holding off the #86 Acura NSX GT3 wheeled by Alvaro Parente, who trailed by under a second for most of the final hour. Bortolotti was excited to see all of the hard work over the last four years culminate in this success.
"I was lucky enough to be a part of the development process of the Hurcan GT3 back in 2014. So I know the guys very well, we have been through many bad bad days in order to get to where we are now. So, it’s not like you start yesterday and the day after you get the result. It’s really hard work over a pretty long amount of time. We manage to make steps every season forward, not only with the car, but especially with the team. It’s so many factors that can make the difference. You have to go down the hard way in order to understand what kind of things you have to improve in order be successful. We managed to do so this year in Daytona, getting this incredible result, so I am really really proud of the team and what we have achieved.”
The win marks Lamborghini's first ever win in World competition in 24-hour endurance races. The win is also all of the team drivers first ever class win in the Rolex 24.