Thanks to Job van Uitert’s performance in the LMP2 class, the 24 Hours of Daytona saw a Dutch winner this weekend. However, similar success eluded fellow countrymen Renger van der Zande and Robin Frijns in the GTP class. They were relegated to supporting roles due to misfortune, as were Nicky Catsburg (GTD Pro) and Indy Dontje (GTD).
Van Uitert impressively finished first in the LMP2 in the #8 car of Tower Motorsports. He achieved this alongside teammates Sébastian Bourdais, John Farano, and Sebastian Alvarez. The quartet emerged victorious after a thrilling final few hours in which the lead in their class was hotly contested. This marks Van Uitert’s first victory in Daytona.
Porsche Triumphs
In the GTPs, Porsche repeated its previous success. The team, which was already strong last year, competed for victory with two cars. The win ultimately went to the trio of Felipe Nasr, Laurens Vanthoor, and Nick Tandy. For Van der Zande, the outcome was disappointing: in his debut for Meyer Shank Racing Acura, he and his team started in second place. However, after four hours, with Indycar champion Alex Palou at the wheel, technical problems arose. These were resolved, but with a deficit of about thirty laps, there was no more glory to be had for Van der Zande and his team: they finished 8th in the GTP.
In the fastest class, Frijns also couldn’t make it with BMW, finishing seventh. The best Dutch performer in the GTP at the 24 Hours of Daytona was thus Tijmen van der Helm, who finished in sixth place. There was no podium finish or victory in other classes for Nicky Catsburg (seventh in the GTD Pro) or Indy Dontje (fourth in the GTD) either.
