GT3/GTD in focus: customer sport under high voltage at the 24 Hours of Daytona
When the sun sets over the infield at the 24 Hours of Daytona, the real battle begins for the GTD and GTD Pro classes. While the prototypes at the front dictate the pace, a constant battle rages in the GT field – wheel to wheel, stint for stint, often decided by centimeters, seconds and nerves of steel.
At the season opener of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the GTD classes once again delivered exactly what Daytona is all about this year: endurance racing under constant stress, a field full of top international drivers and decisions that were only announced deep in the night or in the first light of dawn.
Two classes, one pulse – GTD Pro and GTD
Both categories are based on the globally established GT3 regulations, but their character differs significantly:
- GTD Pro: uncompromising attack, purely professional line-ups, every lap at the limit
- GTD: tactical endurance race with Pro/Am line-ups, where consistency is often more important than raw speed
Together they formed one of the densest and toughest starting fields of the entire race – a rolling showcase for modern customer sport at world-class level.
GTD Pro – BMW’s path from the back of the field to the top
Paul Miller Racing made history in the GTD Pro class this year. Following a qualifying penalty, the BMW M4 GT3 EVO started from last place in the category – a highly unfavorable start to a 24-hour race in which track position is everything.
But the race to catch up began overnight. While other teams made mistakes, incurred penalties or lost time in traffic, the BMW worked its way forward lap by lap. Clean pit stops, consistent stints and four drivers who carried the car through the night unscathed made the difference in the end.
Podium GTD Pro – Top 3
- Paul Miller Racing (#1) – BMW M4 GT3 EVO
Neil Verhagen / Connor De Phillippi / Max Hesse / Dan Harper - 75 Express (#75) – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Kenny Habul / Maro Engel / Will Power / Chaz Mostert - Winward Racing (#48) – Mercedes-AMG GT3
Scott Noble / Jason Hart / Maxime Martin / Luca Stolz
The class also remained high-class away from the podium: The Corvette works team with Tommy Milner, Nick Catsburg and Nico Varrone fought fierce duels, while the Manthey Porsche “Grello” with Thomas Preining, Klaus Bachler, Ayhancan Güven and Ricardo Feller repeatedly attracted attention with its strong pace.
GTD – A fight to the last breath
In the GTD class, a race developed over 24 hours that was emblematic of Daytona: changing leads, repeated neutralizations and a leading field that was barely spread out even in the final hours of the race.
As the morning dawned, it was clear that this class victory would not be decided on the strategy board, but on the track. Winward Racing in the Mercedes-AMG GT3 ultimately prevailed in the final battle – after an intense duel in which every lapped lap and every corner in the infield became a challenge.
Top 3 GTD – Final standings
- Winward Racing (#57) – Mercedes-AMG GT3
- Magnus Racing (#44) – Aston Martin Vantage GT3 EVO
- Heart of Racing Team (#27) – Aston Martin Vantage GT3
seconds separated victory from defeat – proof of the enormous power density of this class.
Analysis: Why GTD is the heart of Daytona
The GTD field embodies the essence of the Daytona endurance classic:
- Top international drivers who have to hold their own in traffic night after night
- A variety of brands that only GT3 customer racing makes possible
- Strategic decisions made under floodlights, in falling temperatures and on degrading tires
The night phase in particular was once again the key moment: cold asphalt, tired drivers, heavy traffic – mistakes were mercilessly punished, while consistency was rewarded.
Conclusion – 24 hours, a permanent state of pressure and emotion
The GTD and GTD Pro classes impressively demonstrated at the 24 Hours of Daytona why they have long been more than “just” a supporting program. They are the emotional core of the race: tangible, approachable and brutally intense.
Whether catching up from the back of the field, battling for position right up to the chequered flag or struggling with concentration in the early hours of the morning – the GTD field delivered everything that makes endurance racing so fascinating. Daytona without GTD? Unimaginable.