Three Daytona wins in a row for Porsche: "Most beautiful moment of my career" — Nasr

Porsche Penske Motorsport (PPM) has done it again. The German manufacturer once again took the top step of the podium at the 24 Hours of Daytona, courtesy of the No.7 car. It was a dream start for the No.7 car and Porsche in the 2026 IMSA SportsCar Championship.

The No.7 drivers celebrating their Daytona win | Credit: Porsche Newsroom

After taking third in qualifying, the No.7 crew quickly asserted their dominance by jumping the pole-sitting Acura and led the majority of the race. Despite a record-breaking six hours and 33 minutes of caution period due to dense overnight fog, the drivers kept a cool head, fending off a late-race charge from the No.31 AXR Cadillac to secure the victory.

In doing so, Porsche and Porsche Penske Motorsport have achieved a historic three Daytona wins and become the first team and manufacturer to secure this feat since the dawn of the new GTP era. The No.6 car narrowly missed a podium finish and settled for fourth.

With this victory, Felipe Nasr joins one of the most exclusive clubs in motorsport. He now ties the record for three consecutive overall Daytona wins, held by compatriot Hélio Castroneves (2021–23) and the legendary Peter Gregg. Gregg’s own streak spanned 1973, 1975, and 1976. No race was held in 1974.

It was also a Daytona 24 to remember for Nasr's co-drivers, Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich, as they took their first overall win in Daytona. Heinrich had stood on the Daytona podium previously, taking second in GTD Pro for AO Racing in 2024.

Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, was full of praise at this accomplishment: "Three Daytona wins in a row, every team dreams of such an achievement.

"The race was a gripping spectacle. This level of competition and passion is what drives Porsche on racetracks around the world. A huge thanks to the team, to everyone working at the track, and to all the top people in Weissach and at the Penske facility in Mooresville.

"This outstanding victory is ours forever. It’s an early cherry on the cake for our 75th motorsport anniversary and for Team Penske’s 60th birthday. Our hat-trick will go down in the history books."

Credit: Porsche Newsroom

Founder and CEO of Penske Corporation, Roger Penske, said: "Winning at Daytona is the perfect way to kick off the celebrations to mark the Penske team’s 60th anniversary

"I’d also like to congratulate Porsche on an outstanding start to their ‘75 Years of Motorsport’ year. Together, we continue to write our success story. Today’s triumph reflects the determination and dedication of everyone working for Porsche Penske Motorsport in Mooresville and Germany."

Nasr himself was lost for words and mentioned that this victory is important for everyone: "I don’t have the words to describe what this victory means to me.

"In the final laps, I left it all on the track, every ounce of strength and, above all, my heart, because it was so important to bring this triumph home for my teammates and our team!

"Like in previous years, the battle raged to the very end. The first emotions hit me on the last lap, and by the finish line, I could barely contain myself. I now want to celebrate this most beautiful moment of my career with everyone."

Credit: Porsche Newsroom

Heinrich was thrilled to win his debut IMSA race for PPM: "It’s unbelievable.

"[It's] my first IMSA race for Porsche Penske Motorsport, and we win the 24 Hours of Daytona! I joined the Porsche family as a junior in 2022, and now, as a factory driver, I’m on the top step of the podium at North America’s biggest endurance race.

"What a massive honour. I’m so grateful to Porsche for their trust and for the development opportunities I’ve been given."

Andlauer said: "From the first test runs eleven days ago to crossing the finish line, we gave everything, worked incredibly hard, and remained 100% focused.

"Now here we stand holding a beautiful trophy as the winners of the 24 Hours of Daytona. I’m just so proud of all of us."

Credit: Porsche Newsroom

Kévin Estre from the No.6 car lamented the damage that his 963 took, which prevented the team from unlocking its full potential: "First, it’s amazing for the team to score another win.

"Unfortunately, we nudged another car at the start. The team couldn’t fully fix the damage, so we’ll never know just how strong our 963 could have been without that incident.

"Compared to our sister car, we were always slightly on the back foot. Competitive, yes, but never quite matching of the No.7 Porsche."

Porsche and Porsche Penske Motorsport have taken early control of the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Pending official results, Porsche leads the GTP Manufacturers' Championship, while the No.7 crew sits atop both the Drivers' and Teams' title races heading into Sebring in March.