Wayne Taylor Racing and Fernando Alonso win the 24 Hours of Daytona

We will remain hungry. After a first third of a race of rare intensity, the opening round of the 2019 season of theIMSA SportsCar Championship was interrupted by two red flags, including one with two hours to go. Felipe Nasr (Cadillac DPi-VR n°31) having shot straight a few minutes before he was agitated, Fernando Alonso took the opportunity to take back the reins of the race. A godsend for the Spaniard, since it will not leave again.

The double Spanish world champion therefore registered his name on the list of winners of the 24 Hours of Daytona from his second participation in the event, he who shared the No. 10 Cadillac DPi-VR of Wayne Taylor Racing with Kamui Kobayashi, Renger van der Zande and Jordan Taylor. This is the latter's second victory on the Florida double clock, the third for his father Wayne Taylor's team if we count the one in 2005 won under the name SunTrust Racing.

In second place, we find another Cadillac, the No. 31 of Felipe Nasr-Eric Curran-Pipo Derani, which is ahead of the No. 05 Acura ARX-7 of Helio Castroneves-Ricky-Taylor-Alexander Red. Followed by the No. 54 Nissan Onroak of Core Autosport (Colin Braun-Jon Bennett-Romain Dumas-Loïc duval) – although delayed by a gearbox problem and a track exit – and the No. 85 JDC-Miller Cadillac of Misha Goikhberg-Tristan Vautier-Devlin DeFrancesco-Rubens Barrichello.

The No. 5 Cadillac (Filipe Albuquerque-Joao Barbosa-Christian Fittipaldi) was delayed by various mechanical problems including stubborn taillights, while the two Mazdas retired with engine problems, as did the No. 05 Acura ARX-6. (simon pagenaud-Juan Pablo Montoya-Dane Cameron). Three cars which remained at the forefront before suffering their disappointments.

The first LM P2 is sixth, the No. 07 Oreca 18 from DragonSpeed ​​(Roberto Gonzalez-Pastor Maldonado-Sebastian Saavedra-Ryan Cullen). A category victory which has long been promised to the sister car, the No. 81 of Nicolas lapierre-Henrik Hedman-Ben Hanley-James Allen, stopped on the circuit 2h30 from the initial finish.

In GTLM, surprise, since BMW took advantage of the conditions to impose its No. 8 M25 GTE of Augusto Farfus-Connor of Philippi-Philipp Eng-Colton Herta. The Bavarian, almost never seen at the top of the hierarchy, precedes the Ferrari 488 GTE n°62 of Risi Competizione (James Calado-Alessandro Pier Guidi-Davide Rigon-Miguel Molina) and the Ford GT n°67 of Ryan Briscoe-Richard Westbrook-Scott Dixon. Porsche, who started with the status of favorite, lost his final hopes after an exit from Earl Bamber (911 RSR no. 912) and a straight run from Makowiecki (911 RSR no. 911), who went into aquaplanning before hitting the Ford GT n°66.

GTD victory went to the #3 Lamborghini Huracan GT11 of Rolf Ineichen-Mirko Bortolotti-Christian Engelhart-Rik Breukers. The podium is completed by the No. 8 Audi R29 LMS from Land Motorsport (Daniel Morad-Christopher Mies-Dries Vanthoor) and the No. 3 Lexus RC F GT12 from AIM Vasser Sullivan (Frank Montecalvo-Townsend Bell-Aaron Telitz-Jeff Segal).

The next round – the 12 Hours of Sebring – will be held on March 16 as part of a joint meeting with the WEC.