IMSA 12 Hours of Sebring: Porsche Penske continues to ride roughshod over IMSA
The 2026 edition of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring delivered high drama, strategic battles, and a historic milestone as Porsche Penske Motorsport secured a commanding 1-2 finish in the GTP class — capping off a record-extending 20th overall victory for the Stuttgart marque at the legendary Florida circuit.
Felipe Nasr, Laurin Heinrich, and Julien Andlauer (pictured) brought the No. 7 Porsche 963 across the line first after 12 hours of intense racing, with teammates Kevin Estre, Laurens Vanthoor, and Matt Campbell just 1.515 seconds behind in the No. 6 entry. The result also completed a clean sweep of the “36 Hours of Florida” for Porsche following their Rolex 24 at Daytona triumph earlier in the season.
Porsche dominance began early, with the Penske duo pulling away from the field by the second hour and maintaining control for the majority of the race. The two 963s traded the lead multiple times through routine green-flag stops and yellow-flag periods, showcasing flawless pit strategy and tire management on Michelin rubber. However, tension peaked in the final two hours amid three full-course cautions and intense intra-team drama.
With roughly 1 hour and 11 minutes remaining, Nasr was instructed to yield the lead to Estre, whose car benefited from fresher tires. Nasr complied briefly but aggressively retook the position six minutes later with a bold inside pass at Turn 17. Estre later received a penalty for shortcutting Turn 15, briefly dropping behind the No. 31 Action Express Racing Cadillac of Jack Aitken, before regaining the spot in a wheel-to-wheel duel. Nasr pitted one lap after his teammate with 51 minutes to go, emerging still in front as the race headed toward a tense conclusion.
The finale turned truly chaotic when the ninth and final full-course caution flew for Riccardo Pera’s stranded No. 912 Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo. This set up a 16-minute green-flag shootout to the checkered flag. Nasr held firm under pressure from Estre, crossing the line just 1.515 seconds ahead. Behind them, Ricky Taylor produced a brilliant late move on Aitken with 10 minutes remaining to secure third for the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R (shared with Filipe Albuquerque and Will Stevens). Tom Blomqvist also charged past Sheldon van der Linde in the closing laps for fifth in the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8.
Other GTP contenders faced setbacks: the Heart of Racing Aston Martin Valkyrie lost 14 laps due to a V12 engine failure, a BMW M Hybrid V8 required garage repairs after contact, and multiple cars (including the No. 93 Acura ARX-06 and No. 31 Cadillac) picked up pit-lane penalties in the closing stages.
Class Results
– LMP2: United Autosports USA celebrated its first IMSA WeatherTech Championship win at Sebring with a 1-2 finish. The No. 2 Oreca 07-Gibson (Mikkel Jensen, Hunter McElrea, Phil Fayer) beat its sister No. 22 entry by just 0.510 seconds after the latter required a rear-wing change following contact. Tower Motorsport’s No. 8 rounded out the podium.
– GTD Pro: Customer Porsche teams delivered another 1-2, with Manthey Racing’s No. 911 “Grello” Porsche 911 GT3 R Evo claiming victory — its first-ever IMSA triumph. AO Racing’s No. 77 Porsche followed, while Corvette Racing’s No. 4 Z06 GT3.R took third.
– GTD: Antonio Fuoco and AF Corse Ferrari delivered a last-lap thriller in the No. 21 Ferrari 296 GT3 Evo, snatching the win from the Heart of Racing Aston Martin (No. 27) after the latter wobbled under pressure. Wright Motorsports Porsche charged to third with a late surge from Callum Ilott.
Historical Significance
Porsche’s 20th overall Sebring win cements its status as the most successful manufacturer in the race’s long history. Nasr becomes the first driver to win back-to-back Sebring titles since the GTP era began, while team owner Roger Penske expressed delight at the result and the continued dominance of the 963 platform.
The 2026 Twelve Hours of Sebring will be remembered for Porsche’s strategic masterclass, intra-team fireworks, and a heart-stopping finale that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final seconds. With both Daytona and Sebring now in the bag, Porsche Penske heads into the rest of the IMSA season as the clear GTP benchmark.