Porsche Penske Motorsport extended its perfect start to the 2025 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship by sweeping the overall podium in the Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) class at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. In the 100‑minute, 75‑lap sprint on the 1.968‑mile street circuit, the No. 7 Porsche 963 of Nick Tandy and Felipe Nasr took the checkered flag, while teammates Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell in the No. 6 entry finished 3.058 seconds back. In GT Daytona (GTD), AO Racing’s “Rexy” Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by Jonny Edgar and Laurens Vanthoor claimed class honors in Vanthoor’s first GTD outing of the season.
Race Summary
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach was contested over 75 laps (147.6 miles) under sunny, dry conditions, with temperatures in the mid‑70s. A full‑course caution flag flew just 21 minutes into the 100‑minute race when a GTD competitor stalled on track, bunching the field and triggering early pit stops and driver changes. In total, 12 laps were run under full‑course yellow, but once back to green the Porsches dictated the pace in GTP, while AO Racing executed a decisive strategy in GTD.
Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) Class
Pole‑sitter Dries Vanthoor had led the field in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 with a lap of 1:11.539 (99.034 mph), but an early pit stop allowed the Porsche 963 duo to leapfrog into the lead. Tandy, starting third, maintained position through the opening stint before handing over to Nasr, who managed energy and tire life to perfection. The No. 7 Porsche never relinquished the top spot, crossing the line 3.058 seconds ahead of the No. 6 sister car.
GTP Podium
- No. 7 Porsche 963 – Nick Tandy / Felipe Nasr (75 laps)
- No. 6 Porsche 963 – Mathieu Jaminet / Matt Campbell (+3.058s)
- No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8 – Dries Vanthoor / Philipp Eng (+12.903s)
BMW rounded out the top five, while Cadillac and Aston Martin entries filled the remainder of the top eight.
GT Daytona (GTD) Class
In GTD, AO Racing’s one‑off entry delivered a masterclass in strategy. Laurens Vanthoor, fresh off GTP victories at Daytona and Sebring, teamed with rookie Jonny Edgar to pilot the “Rexy” Porsche 911 GT3 R to the class win. The pair stayed out of trouble, capitalized on pit‑stop timing, and held off a late charge from the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 of Parker Thompson and Jack Hawksworth.
GTD Podium
- No. 177 Porsche 911 GT3 R – Jonny Edgar / Laurens Vanthoor (71 laps)
- No. 12 Lexus RC F GT3 – Parker Thompson / Jack Hawksworth (+2.378s)
- No. 89 Lexus RC F GT3 – Frankie Montecalvo / Aaron Telitz (+5.678s)
Winward Racing’s Mercedes‑AMG of Philip Ellis and Russell Ward finished fourth, preserving their points lead.
Key Moments and Strategy
- Caution and Pit Stops: A stalled GTD car on Lap 21 prompted a full‑course yellow, allowing teams to pit under caution and execute mandatory driver changes without losing track position.
- Tire Tactics: Both No. 7 and No. 6 Porsches elected not to change tires during their sole pit stop, trusting Michelin rubber to last the remaining 50 laps, a strategy that proved decisive.
- Fastest Laps: Nasr set the GTP benchmark with a 1:12.708 on Lap 64, while Laurens Vanthoor’s 1:18.680 on Lap 48 was quickest in.
Driver Reactions
Felipe Nasr celebrated the perfect execution:
“The execution that Porsche Penske Motorsport has been able to show in these past three events has been outstanding. They gave us a fast car and the execution was perfect all race long.”
Nick Tandy praised team depth:
“We’ve always got two bullets in the gun. Both sides of the garage are operating just flawlessly. The car has proved reliable, and the pace today was awesome.”
Laurens Vanthoor reflected on his GTD debut:
“Three wins in a row, but then Felipe and Nick as well in the GTP cars—it’s pretty cool. It seems like we can keep winning.”
Championship Implications
Nasr and Tandy’s win extended their perfect season to three-for-three and increased their championship cushion to 123 points over Jaminet and Campbell, with Eng and Vanthoor now third in GTP standings. In GTD, fourth‑place finishers Ellis and Ward maintain a 91‑point lead over Hawksworth and Thompson as the series heads west.
What’s Next
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship returns May 9–11 for the Monterey SportsCar Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, featuring a 2‑hour, 40‑minute endurance test. Live coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
