No. 7 Porsche Loses 20 Laps Due to Electrical Issue

The No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 lost 20 laps after being taken behind the wall to solve electrical issues during the sixth hour of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Porsche’s challenge in the opening race of the new GTP era was dented by the setback for its No. 7 machine, which is shared by Matt Campbell, Felipe Nasr and Michael Christensen.

It is the second LMDh-spec car to encounter a significant problem, after the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8 developed an issue with its spec hybrid system in the first hour.

Porsche Penske Motorsport changed the battery of its No. 7 car, performing the operation in 35 minutes.

With a quarter of the race completed, Simon Pagenaud pitted the leading Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 which handed the position to Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport Acura driver Filipe Albuquerque.

As the leader at the six-hour mark, WTR Andretti provisionally scored five points for the Michelin Endurance Cup.

Pipo Derani ran second aboard the No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac V-LMDh, with Helio Castroneves slotting into third for MSR after taking over the No. 60 Acura from Simon Pagenaud.

Aside from the No. 7 Porsche’s electrical dramas, Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 01 Cadillac lost minor ground due to an on-track incident.

A LMP3 competitor hit Scott Dixon from behind as the New Zealander slowed in avoidance of the spinning Tower Motorsports Oreca 07 Gibson, which had in turn rotated after contact with the MSR Acura.

TDS Racing held 1-2 in the LMP2 class at the one-quarter timestamp, with Rinus Veekay in the No. 11 Oreca running just under half a minute clear of teammate Job van Uitert in the sister No. 35 machine.

Similarly, Aston Martin team The Heart of Racing held sway in the GT ranks, as Ross Gunn led the GTD Pro class and Marco Sorensen held the top spot in GTD.

Gunn powered past Tommy Milner’s No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTD on the run down to the Le Mans chicane to hit the front in the Pro division.

Milner also lost a place to Jules Gounon in the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, while GTD contenders Sorensen and Maximilian Goetz – driving for Team Korthoff Motorsports – sat between them and Gunn’s No. 23 Aston Martin Vantage GT3.

Andretti Autosport and Sean Creech Motorsports traded the LMP3 lead over the first six hours, with Rasmus Lindh in the pits but leading for the former organization when the six-hour point elapsed.

Positions after Six Hours