While the FIA World Endurance Championship<\/strong> is still in its winter break, sports car fans are already looking towards Florida. On January 24 and 25, 2026<\/strong>, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship<\/strong> will kick off the new season with the 24 Hours of Daytona<\/strong>. A total of eleven vehicles<\/strong> will be battling for the prestigious overall victory in the top GTP class. <\/p>\n\n The GTP class will once again form the sporting center of the Daytona classic in 2026. Porsche is represented with three 963s, including two cars from Porsche Penske Motorsport<\/strong>. The drivers in the cockpits include Laurens Vanthoor, Kevin Estre, Matt Campbell, Felipe Nasr, Julien Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich<\/strong>. The line-up will be supplemented by a private entry from JDC-Miller MotorSports<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n One of the strongest challengers is Cadillac<\/strong>, which will line up with several V-Series.R<\/strong> cars. Wayne Taylor Racing<\/strong> will enter two cars, while Action Express Racing<\/strong> will also be represented under the familiar Cadillac-Whelen banner. Cadillac is relying on the proven naturally aspirated V8 engine and extensive IMSA experience. <\/p>\n\n At BMW<\/strong>, WRT<\/strong> takes over responsibility for the IMSA entry of the BMW M Hybrid V8<\/strong> for the first time. Drivers such as Philipp Eng, Dries Vanthoor and Sheldon van der Linde<\/strong> ensure a top international line-up. Acura<\/strong> remains exclusively loyal to IMSA with the ARX-06<\/strong> and will once again be entered by Meyer Shank Racing w\/Curb Agajanian<\/strong>. The Aston Martin Valkyrie<\/strong>, which is the only LMH<\/strong> in the field and will be driven by Ross Gunn, Roman De Angelis, Alex Riberas and Marco S\u00f8rensen<\/strong>, will play a special role. <\/p>\n\n The Daytona International Speedway<\/strong> combines a high-speed oval and technical infield to create one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar. Long full-throttle sections, heavy traffic and significant temperature differences between day and night put vehicles, tires and drivers to the test over 24 hours. <\/p>\n\n In addition to the GTP hypercars, 13 vehicles in the LMP2 class<\/strong> are registered. Only cars with standardized technical regulations are entered, which traditionally ensures a high power density. LMP2 is considered to be tactically demanding, as mistakes in traffic or in the pits often carry more weight than pure speed. <\/p>\n\n The GT3 field<\/strong> comprises a total of 36 cars<\/strong>, divided between GTD Pro<\/strong> and GTD<\/strong>. Only professional crews compete in the GTD Pro class<\/strong>. The field includes Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Lexus and Chevrolet<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n The appearance of Manthey<\/strong>, which will compete in Daytona for the first time in 2026 with the distinctive “Grello”<\/strong>, will attract particular attention. The team has extensive experience from international 24-hour races and will face strong competition in the GTD Pro. BMW relies on well-established IMSA structures, Mercedes-AMG is represented by several powerful customer teams, while Ferrari and Lamborghini rely on proven driver line-ups from international GT racing. <\/p>\n\nGTP class: factory strength and technical diversity<\/h3>\n\n
Daytona as a special challenge<\/h3>\n\n
LMP2: Consistent technology, close battles<\/h3>\n\n
GT3 classes: Brand diversity and prominent drivers<\/h3>\n\n