Mercedes and BMW ensured Germany was represented as winners in three of the four classes at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, winning the GTDPro and GTD classes respectively.
Paul Miller Racing’s BMW M4 #1 took victory in the GTDPro class, with Britain’s Dan Harper at the wheel for the chequered flag.
The #75 75 Express Mercedes, co-driven by IndyCar star Will Power, took second place, with Maro Engel just missing out on snatching victory late, finishing just two seconds behind Harper.
Maxime Martin brought another Mercedes across the line in third, courtesy of the #48 Winward Racing team, with the #4 Corvette Racing by Pratt Miller Motorsports fourth courtesy of Nicky Catsburg’s final stint.
It would ultimately be heartbreak for the second Corvette, the #3, which suffered rear suspension failure in the morning, finishing last after spending 46 minutes in the pits to remedy the problem.
For Harper, it would be the crowning moment of his career to date, taking his third IMSA win, having won at Watkins Glen and the Petit Le Mans last year. The Northern Irishman’s victory kicks off what is just his second season in the series.
Ellis and Thiem bring Daytona 24 GTD class to a finish with spectacular racing
In the GTD class, the race ended in spectacular fashion, with a fraught, enthralling and physics-defying duel between Philip Ellis in the #57 Winward Racing Mercedes and the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin, driven by Nicki Thiem.
As the final half-an-hour approached, the front two would not give an inch, and Thiem gave absolutely everything to overtake. The Dane frequently got good traction and a run at Ellis into Turn 1, but every time, the Swiss had him covered.
With just a handful of laps to go, Thiem got closer than ever, and on the outside, was level at the tip of the banking, heading into the first corner, but Ellis started to inch his Mercedes closer to the wall. The pair gave each other the faintest of touches, and Ellis looked to be heading for a tankslapper, but recovered the car without losing too much speed, and kept his lead.
Ellis held on and took the victory by just 2.2 seconds. Mattia Drudi, in the #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin, was third, who held off the #13 13 Autosport Corvette of Matthew Bell.
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