Cooper MacNeil through the front door

While he announced, at the end of 2022, his intention to end his racing career to focus on the future of the brand WeatherTech (IMSA Main Championship Title Sponsor), Cooper MacNeil has finally achieved his Holy Grail: winning the 24 Hours of Daytona. The story was too good not to happen. “ It was my thirteenth and last chance, as well as my last race in IMSA. So I couldn't be happier to win here with WeatherTech, Mercedes and Proton Competition (who was in charge of technical support. Editor's note), explains the 30-year-old American, who assures that he was not overtaken by his emotions during the race. Once the headset is on, that nonsense goes out the window and you just focus on the job at hand. My job was to go out, execute, and keep the car clean, on the lead lap and in contention for these guys to fight for the win, like you saw Maro (Engel. Editor’s note) do it. Winning my last race in IMSA is great. »

For the latter, MacNeil was associated with Daniel Juncadella, Jules Gounon and Maro Engel. As is often the case in GT across the Atlantic, the latter had to jostle to cross the finish line in the lead. The victory was decided in a fierce three-way battle with the No. 12 Lexus of Vasser Sullivan and the No. 3 Corvette Racing car, notably during the numerous restarts which punctuated the end of the race. “ It was a big fight, admits Engel. I knew there was pressure, but I told the guys I felt it. The last stint was exciting in the car and I can't imagine what it was like watching from the outside. »

Despite this beautiful three-way fight in the final, we regret that the news Ferrari 296 GT3, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) et Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 n’aient jamais eu leur mot à dire. Les trois modèles étaient en cruel manque de rythme pendant toute la semaine, notamment bridés par une BoP défavorable. Chez Porsche, la pilule a du mal à passer, et une déclaration officielle n’a pas tardé à animer les discussions dans le paddock : « The customer teams fielding the new Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GTD-Pro category have already realized during testing and qualifying sessions that they are facing a difficult situation. In the GT categories, in which different manufacturers compete with a variety of vehicle concepts, the field is leveled via a so-called balance of performance system. The series governing body IMSA failed to achieve this at the season opener at Daytona: Weissach's new GT3s were so severely handicapped in terms of engine performance that all seven vehicles competing in both categories had virtually no chance of success. " Atmosphere.

On the Prancing Horse side, only one of the four cars entered between the GTD Pro and the GTD crossed the finish line…

GTD – Aston Martin, winner in the shadows

Like the WEC, there are two GT categories in IMSA, both with the same cars. And unusually, it was a crew from the “small” class that torched the Pros. The English brand has indeed seen double in GTD since it signed a double in its category, for its first victory in the classic.

2022 IMSA Weathertech Daytona 24 Hours © IMSA

But even stronger, the Vantage GT3 n°27 of Heart of Racing Team driven by Roman de Angelis, Marco Sorensen, Darren Turner and Ian James was the fastest of all the GTs combined, since classified 16^e overall ahead of the victorious Mercedes in GTD Pro. The #44 Magnus Racing finished in second position. Well done gentlemen!