Action Express Racing does it again, Porsche continues at Long Beach

The final ranking of the Long Beach event in California in IMSA is a question of the law of series. Series for Action Express Racing, which maintains its victory acquired here last year with the same duo Filipe Albuquerque – Joao Barbosa.

Et série pour Porsche, qui s’offre un second succès consécutif en 2019 après Sebring, Laurens Vanthoor and Earl Bamber having dominated the GTLM peloton.

Action Express Racing secured its triumph with a bold strategy in the pits, recalling the No. 5 Cadillac DPi-VR before everyone else during the final stops. A profitable choice for Albuquerque, propelled to the lead of the event for the last part of the race.

And on the streets of California, overtaking always remains a complicated exercise, something Ricky Taylor (Acura ARX-05 n°7 – Acura Team Penske) will not be able to achieve to achieve victory in the final moments.

Albuquerque and Barbosa win in the end ahead of Taylor – Castroneves, started from pole, the podium being completed by Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron in the second Acura ARX-05 n°6 – Penske.

Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr (Cadillac DPi-VR n°31 – Action Express Racing), sixth yesterday near Los Angeles, retain the lead in the championship by two small points against the Taylor – Castroneves pair.

Porsche continues

Winner at Sebring with Patrick Pilet, Frédéric Makowiecki and Nick Tandy, the Porsche clan this time relied on the tandem Laurens Vanthoor – Earl Bamber to take it to Long Beach.

Bamber took advantage of the setbacks of the No. 66 Ford GT – Müller’s Chip Ganassi Racing – Bourdais, Müller accidentally triggering the speed limiter on his mount 45′ from the finish.

Bamber and Vanthoor did not have an easy time, as their #911 912 RSR finished the race damaged at the rear diffuser, following contact earlier in the race.

The podium is completed by the two Corvette C7.R n°3 of Magnussen – Garcia and No. 4 from Gavin – Milner. Magnussen had his work cut out for him in the final minutes against the No. 66 Ford GT of Müller, before taking the lead despite contact between the two cars.

Müller and Bourdais, called to replace Joey Hand, finished just off the podium in front of the second Porsche 911 RSR n°911 of Pilet – Tandy. In the championship, Vanthoor and Bamber take the advantage over the Pilet – Tandy pair.

Race ranking

Discover the full report of the Long Beach IMSA event, in issue 2212 of AUTOhebdo, available tomorrow evening in digital version and on newsstands this Wednesday.