A Thrilling, Caution-Free Battle at WeatherTech Raceway
Sunday’s TireRack.com Monterey SportsCar Championship took the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship field to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on May 11, 2025, for the fourth round of the season. The 160-minute sprint on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile natural terrain circuit unfolded under clear California skies, delivering a thrilling, uninterrupted contest—the first caution-free IMSA race at the track since 2019 and the first caution-free WeatherTech Championship event there since 2022.
Porsche Penske Motorsport Flips the Script with the No. 6 Porsche 963
In a nail-biting finish separated by less than a second, Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell in the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963 edged out their sister No. 7 entry to seize their first GTP victory of 2025. Jaminet expertly threaded through backmarkers on his final lap to maintain a slim advantage, while Campbell’s bold undercut pit-strategy call 51 minutes in proved decisive. Their win not only broke the No. 7’s three-race win streak but also narrowed the championship gap to an unofficial 91 points.
Three-Wide Drama in Turn 11
The race’s climax saw a dramatic three-wide duel into Laguna Seca’s legendary Corkscrew (Turn 11). Dries Vanthoor in the No. 24 BMW M Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8—Motul Pole Award winner—pulled alongside Nick Tandy’s No. 7 Porsche, leading to side-by-side contact that forced the BMW off track. Tandy recovered to finish 1.692 seconds behind Jaminet, securing Porsche Penske Motorsport’s third 1-2 result of the season.
BMW M Team RLL Inches Closer
Although the No. 24 BMW failed to convert pole into victory for the fourth straight event, Vanthoor and co-driver Philipp Eng demonstrated BMW’s rising pace. The duo’s near-miss pass attempt at the final corner reaffirmed BMW’s status as the Penske Porsche’s strongest rival this year. After another third-place finish, BMW now holds third and fourth in GTP points, elevating the marque to second in the manufacturer standings—its best position since joining the top class.
A Rare “Triple Repeat” of Class Winners
For the second consecutive year, the same three cars topped their respective classes at Laguna Seca—a rarity in IMSA. Alongside the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport in GTP, the No. 77 AO Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R claimed GTD Pro honors, and the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 repeated its GTD victory from 2024. Only the Winward duo of Russell Ward and Philip Ellis matched driver line-up repeats, while Jaminet and Laurin Heinrich added back-to-back class wins to their resumes.
Drive of the Day: Vasser Sullivan’s Bold Charge
Amid the repeat winners, the No. 12 Vasser Sullivan Racing Lexus RC F GT3 delivered an understated yet pivotal performance. Parker Thompson’s audacious move from sixth to second around the Andretti Hairpin on lap 1 set the tone; co-driver Jack Hawksworth managed the position home. Their runner-up GTD finish vaulted the Lexus duo from 10th to second in class standings, just 124 points behind the Winward Mercedes—an impressive turnaround after trailing by 213 points a year ago.
Championship Implications and What’s Next
With two weekends off before the Chevrolet Detroit Sports Car Classic (May 30–31 at Belle Isle), championship battles in GTP and GTD Pro sit tighter than ever. Porsche Penske Motorsport’s momentum, BMW’s consistent podiums, and Vasser Sullivan’s charge in GTD promise an electrifying mid-season stretch for IMSA’s top categories.
Key Race Results
- Overall & GTP Winner: No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport (Mathieu Jaminet, Matt Campbell)
- 2nd Overall & GTP: No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport (Nick Tandy, Felipe Nasr)
- 3rd Overall & GTP: No. 24 BMW M Team RLL (Dries Vanthoor, Philipp Eng)
- GTD Pro Winner: No. 77 AO Racing (Philip Ellis, Russell Ward)
- GTD Winner: No. 57 Winward Racing (Russell Ward, Philip Ellis)
By bringing strategy, precision, and daring overtakes to the fore, the May 11 showdown at Laguna Seca underscored why the TireRack.com Monterey SportsCar Championship remains one of IMSA’s most unpredictable and exciting races.
