While the #7 Porsche 963 celebrated a commanding third consecutive victory at the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona, the sister #6 car endured a frustrating finale, slipping down the order after a race it had largely dominated alongside its stablemate.
The #6 Porsche initially shared the pace-setting role with the #7, trading stints at the front of the GTP field. However, its race began to unravel during the final caution period. Motorsport.com has learned that a widespread communication malfunction at Daytona International Speedway — affecting teams and even the official timing system — left the #6 crew isolated. Unlike its competitors, the car remained on track and was forced to pit later, losing track position and momentum.
A recovery strategy briefly returned the #6 to second place, but a mysterious late-race slump prevented a podium finish. Kevin Estre, one of the drivers, later attributed the drop in pace to earlier contact with an LMP2 competitor. During the incident, the #6 sustained damage that required repairs during an extended caution period, though the work could not fully restore the car to its optimum performance.
“The team couldn’t fully fix the damage, so we’ll never know just how strong our 963 could have been without that incident,” Estre explained.
A Porsche spokesperson clarified to Motorsport.com that the contact increased the #6’s fuel consumption, forcing a conservative strategy in the closing stages:
“Repair attempts were made and the drivers largely managed to compensate for this through their extraordinary efforts. But the car was wounded. The higher fuel burn meant it had to save carefully to reach the finish.”
The #6’s pit strategy differed from the #7’s, as it was brought in earlier to make up for lost time. This initially worked, allowing it to challenge for second, but the final stop — completed with 48 minutes remaining — coincided with the car’s higher-than-normal fuel usage, leaving it vulnerable. Porsche Penske Motorsport had hoped for a late full-course caution to ease the fuel situation, but none arrived, dashing the team’s hope of a 1-2 finish.
2026 Rolex 24 – Porsche GTP Performance
| Car | Drivers | Final Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| #7 Porsche 963 | Mathieu Jaminet, Nick Tandy, Earl Bamber | 1st | Dominant victory, third consecutive Daytona win |
| #6 Porsche 963 | Kevin Estre, Felipe Nasr, Laurens Vanthoor | 3rd | Lost time due to late pit stop & damage-induced fuel consumption |
Despite the setback, Porsche confirmed that the #6 crew’s performance remained impressive given the circumstances, highlighting the resilience of the drivers and engineers under challenging conditions. The incident underscores the fine margins in endurance racing, where mechanical contact, strategy, and even communications malfunctions can decisively influence the outcome.