IMSA Roar: Pagenaud's AXR Cadillac leads first session
Simon Pagenaud set the fastest time in opening session in the Roar Before The 24, driving Action Express Racing’s #48 Cadillac DPi-V.R.
In the car he will share with Jimmie Johnson, Mike Rockenfeller and Kamui Kobayashi, Pagenaud lapped the 3.56-mile Daytona course in 1min35.312sec, 0.385sec faster than Ricky Taylor’s best effort in Wayne Taylor Racing’s Acura ARX-05.
The second AXR car, driven by former F1 driver Felipe Nasr, was third fastest, ahead of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Cadillac piloted by Renger van der Zande.
Jonathan Bomarito, who has become Mazda’s endurance third man for its sole RT24-P, was fifth ahead of Tristan Vautier’s JDC-Miller Motorsports Cadillac and Olivier Pla in Meyer Shank Racing’s Acura.
Nicolas Lapierre was fastest LMP2 driver, with a 1min37.741, less than 0.6sec from the slowest DPi time in the PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Oreca, ahead of High Class Racing, Tower Motorsports by Starworks, and Cetilar Racing.
As expected LMP3 times and GT Le Mans were very similar. Laurents Hoerr led the least powerful prototype class with a 1min43.655sec lap in the Muehlner Motorsports Duqueine, with his nearest rivals being the Ligiers of Scott Andrews ((Riley Motorsports) and Wayne Boyd (Sean Creech Motorsports).
James Calado’s Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 led GTLM, 0.387sec faster than defending class champion Jordan Taylor in the #3 Corvette C8.R, and half a second up on the faster BMW M8 of Philipp Eng.
In GT Daytona, two-time class champion Christina Nielsen led the way in the Team Hardpoint EBM Porsche 911 GT3 R, 0.3sec faster than Matteo Cressoni’s AF Corse Ferrari 488. Next up were the two Mercedes-benz AMG GT3s of Winward Racing and Sun Energy 1.
The second session begins at 4.15pm local (Eastern) time.
Related video
Previous article
Mazda cutting to one car has "positives and negatives"
Next article
Rolex 24: Chase Elliott explains challenge of Prototype switch
About this article
| Series | IMSA |
| Author | David Malsher-Lopez |
24 Hours of Daytona Video Recap
24 Hours of Daytona: Fourth Place for Ferrari
Watch the entire Rolex 24 in just over a minute
Why a Mazda IMSA Prototype title would bring bitter joy
Can Mazda win this year’s IMSA Prototype championship? Undoubtedly. But it will be the culmination of an achingly hard struggle, after which the brand has decided to quit. David Malsher-Lopez tells the story of a bizarre blend of heartache and positivity.
The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s decision to scrap its GT Le Mans class for 2022 raises the question of whether the FIA World Endurance Championship should phase out GTE cars. But it's a much harder decision than it appears on the surface.
Nine things to watch at the 2021 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona
After a 100-minute sprint race to whet the appetite, the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship gets underway properly this weekend. With plenty of significant changes during the winter, here are the key points you need to keep an eye on
Why Magnussen is relishing a fresh start in sportscars
Having gone over seven years without a race win through spells with McLaren, Renault and Haas, Kevin Magnussen's departure from Formula 1 for IMSA with big-hitters Chip Ganassi Racing could give him what he craves most - a chance of success
Oliver Gavin's Corvette Racing highlights
Oliver Gavin has stepped down from the full-time Corvette Racing line-up after a stellar career with the team spanning nearly 20 years. He looks back on a stint that encompassed, among other successes, five Le Mans 24 Hours victories.
How Tandy joined an exclusive club of endurance legends
Victory at last year's Spa 24 Hours meant Nick Tandy had completed the unofficial sextuple crown of the world's six biggest endurance races, becoming the first Briton to do so. Ahead of his fresh start with Corvette Racing, he explains how he did it…
The 12 greatest Sebring 12 Hours ranked
The 2020 edition of the Florida sportscar classic is finally taking place this weekend, eight months after its traditional date in March. That meant there was plenty of time for Motorsport.com to pour over its previous 67 races and select the best.
Tony Kanaan’s top 10 races – in his own words
The 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan probably hasn’t yet driven his final IndyCar race, but we still asked him for the 10 most significant races of his career. He explained his choices to David Malsher-Lopez.
