The Rolex 24 at Daytona kicks off the endurance season and opens the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Trackside fun begins today.

WTSCC

This season, the FIA World Endurance Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans welcome a new partnership to the LMGT3 field: Iron Lynx and Mercedes-AMG. The Italian outfit has joined forces with the German manufacturer to bring two new Mercedes-AMG LMGT3s to the grid. An ambitious alliance that marks Mercedes’ return to Le Mans after more than a quarter of a century.

A regular name on GT and LMP2 rosters, Iron Lynx has opted to take up <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/mercedes-amg-set-to-join-lmgt3-class-at-24-hours-of-le-mans-and-in-fia-wec-59151" target="_blank">a new challenge in 2025 with&nbsp;Mercedes-AMG</a>. After running Ferraris from 2020 to 2022, followed by a Porsche 911 RSR-19 in 2023 and a Lamborghini Hurac&aacute;n LMGT3 Evo2 in 2024, the Italian formation has turned to Mercedes for this LMGT3 programme with the firm aim of showing its credentials and winning races.

Andrea Piccini, Iron Lynx Team Principal and CEO: &quot;We are very satisfied with how the driver lineup has shaped up, and for the positive collaboration that we have established so far with Mercedes-AMG as we prepare for this new programme. So far we have really enjoyed working on the process and preparations.&quot;

<h2>Seasoned professionals and burgeoning talent</h2>

Iron Lynx has brought together a mix of experienced drivers and talented youngsters for the project. The #60 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 will see Claudio Schiavoni and Matteo Cressoni continue together for a fifth FIA WEC season. They will be joined by the former Lamborghini Hypercar driver Matteo Cairoli (eight 24 Hours of Le Mans starts). 
In sister car #61, Christian Ried will make a full-time return to the championship after taking a back seat in 2024. The record holder for the number of FIA WEC starts will partner Mercedes-AMG works driver and GT stalwart Maxime Martin. Eighteen-year-old Dutch hope Lin Hodenius completes the line-up.

Regarding these strategic choices, Piccini said: &ldquo;On the one hand, we will continue with the experienced combination of Claudio and Matteo, and we will add Matteo Cairoli, a really quick driver with a wealth of FIA WEC experience. On the other hand, we will bring back the driver with the most starts in the series, Christian Ried, pairing him with a young racer entering his rookie season, Lin Hodenius. He was extremely impressive straight away in testing and we selected him among all potential candidates despite his young age and limited endurance racing experience. Joining him and Ried, Maxime Martin will provide incredible value. In addition to being a long-time friend, he is one of the world&rsquo;s strongest competitors in endurance racing.&rdquo;

<h2>A historic return to Le Mans for Mercedes-AMG</h2>

This programme marks the eagerly awaited return of Mercedes-AMG to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With their last official entry dating back to 1999, the German manufacturer hopes to make a stunning impact with the Mercedes-AMG GT3. 
The Iron Lynx cars will sport special liveries that pay tribute to the historic colours of the team and Mercedes-AMG.

Iron Lynx and Mercedes-AMG hold lofty ambitions for the FIA WEC 2025 season and especially its showcase event, the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans (11&ndash;15 June).

Iron Lynx teams up with Mercedes-AMG for LMGT3 challenge

Ford’s recent announcement of a return to the top class of endurance racing in 2027 has sparked memories of the titanic clashes with Ferrari in the mid-sixties, culminating in the epic showdown at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. With the 2025 Academy Awards ceremony approaching fast, what better time to watch once again James Mangold’s 2019 Oscar-winning movie that captured the spirit of the time.

Ford v Ferrari &ndash; released as Le Mans 66 in many countries &ndash; told the tale of the bitter rivalry between the two major carmakers at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The movie recounts the adventure of a team of audacious American engineers, led by the visionary Carroll Shelby, and talented British driver Ken Miles who were commissioned by Henry Ford II to design a racecar capable of overthrowing the all-conquering Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. 
Director James Mangold was attracted by the double challenge presented by the project: shooting realistic race sequences that transport the viewer into the cockpits of the cars at the heart of the action, while telling the fascinating story of the tumultuous friendship that grew between Shelby and Miles.

The movie was nominated for four Oscars in 2020, including Best Motion Picture, winning two: Best Achievement in Film Editing and Best Achievement in Sound Editing. If you didn&rsquo;t see it at your local cinema, check out your favourite streaming platforms and see what you&nbsp; missed!

<ul>
	<li>
	<h2>A captivating true story</h2>
	</li>
</ul>

Ford v Ferrari goes beyond the sporting rivalry to focus on the industrial battle involving the two manufacturers. In the 1960s, Henry Ford II challenged his employees to come up with a solution to ward off the Ford Motor Company&rsquo;s financial ills. Lee Iacocca suggested motor racing as a means of boosting the business&rsquo;s fortunes and proposed that Ford buy out Ferrari, who were going through similarly tough times. Talks were arranged in Italy but were scuppered by Enzo Ferrari&rsquo;s insulting behaviour towards Ford. Finally, Ferrari was taken over by Fiat. Taking the affront personally, Henry Ford II vowed revenge..

<ul>
	<li>
	<h2>Spectacular racing&nbsp;scenes</h2>
	</li>
</ul>

Mangold skilfully achieved the feat of plunging the viewer into the heart of the action. When watching the breathtaking race scenes, you feel every acceleration, every step on the brake and every overtaking manoeuvre as if you were in the cockpit! A pure thrill for wannabe racing drivers!

<ul>
	<li>
	<h2>A charismatic pair of lead&nbsp;actors</h2>
	</li>
</ul>

However, Ford v Ferrari&nbsp;is not one of those action-packed sports movies where the actors are restricted to playing bit parts. Christian Bale (Ken Miles) and Matt Damon (Carroll Shelby) delivered memorable performances with Bale nominated for a Golden Globe for his role. Their alchemy and authenticity introduced strong emotional depth to the story of sporting prowess and endeavour. &ldquo;Ford v Ferrari&nbsp;is not the life story of Carroll Shelby or Ken Miles. It&rsquo;s more about a turning point in their lives that shaped who they were,&rdquo; Mangold explained when the film was released.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>
	<h2>A faithful interpretation of the spirit of Le Mans</h2>
	</li>
</ul>

The movie brilliantly recreates the paddock atmosphere of the 1960s, the buzz surrounding the race and the pressure that weighs on the drivers and engineers. A life-size replica of the grandstands adjacent to the start/finish line was built for the shoot at Agua Dulce Airpark, a private airport in Santa Clarita, California, along with three additional sections of grandstand, VIP lounges, the Ford and Ferrari pits and the international press room. The design was based on over 300 archive photos acquired from various sources including the Automobile Club de l&rsquo;Ouest.

<ul>
	<li>
	<h2>Renewed rivalry</h2>
	</li>
</ul>

More than half a century later, the historic battle between Ford and Ferrari lives on in the LMGT3 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Nowadays, the Ferrari 296 LMGT3 fielded by the Vista AF Corse team takes on the <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/what-to-expect-from-the-ford-mustang-lmgt3-in-2025-59302" target="_blank">Ford Mustang LMGT3</a> running in Proton Competition colours. Moreover, <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/ford-in-the-top-class-at-the-24-hours-of-le-mans-in-2027-59293" target="_blank">Ford recently announced plans to enter Hypercar</a>, the premier class of endurance, from 2027. The American automotive giant will once again cross paths with the Prancing Horse whose 499P has won the last two editions of the French classic, plus an array of top-notch contenders including Toyota, Porsche, Aston Martin, Peugeot and Cadillac.&nbsp;

In the meantime, delve into the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and <a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/le-mans-66-what-really-happened-55729" target="_blank">find out what really happened in 1966</a>.

Why you should watch the Oscar-winning "Ford v Ferrari" again!

The Asian Le Mans Series moved into the second half of the 2024-25 season at this weekend’s 4 Hours of Dubai. In LMP2, Algarve Pro Racing proved that they are the team to beat with both cars winning over the weekend, while the battle in LMP3 and GT is more open than ever.

After winning Race 2 at the 4 Hours of Sepang in December, Algarve Pro Racing&rsquo;s #25 Oreca 07-Gibson followed up by claiming victory in Race 1 of the 4 Hours of Dubai this weekend. Michael Jensen, Valerio Rinicella and Malthe Jakobsen shared the wheel. The Portuguese outfit dominated the LMP2 field throughout the weekend.

In Race 2, it was turn of the #20 Oreca driven by Kriton Lentoudis, Olli Caldwell and Alex Quinn to take the honours. Quinn took advantage of a mistake in traffic by Proton Competition&rsquo;s Tom Dillmann (#22 Oreca) to snatch the lead a few minutes before the chequered flag.

In the general classification, RD Limited, second in Race 2, lies just three points adrift of Algarve Pro Racing&rsquo;s #25 Oreca with 69 points, while the win in Race 2 takes Algarve&#39;s #20 car up into third place with 63 points.

<h2>LMP3&nbsp;&ndash; Ultimate holds on in the face of a mounting challenge</h2>

In LMP3, Bretton Racing won Race 1 with the #26 Ligier JS P320-Nissan on the back of a stellar performance by Jens Reno Moeller, Griffin Peebles and Theodor Jensen, while RLR MSport&rsquo;s #15 Ligier, driven by Chris Short, Nick Adcock and Ian Aguilera, secured top spot in Race 2. 
Ultimate&rsquo;s car #35 continues to lead the standings with 70 points, but Bretton Racing (#26, 67 points) and High Class Racing (#49, 65 points) will be looking to leap on the slightest error in the season&rsquo;s final rounds in Abu Dhabi.

<h2>Winward Racing still leads the way&nbsp;in GT</h2>

Dubai offered two breathtaking battles in GT. In the first leg, the #96 Mercedes-AMG GT3 EVO fielded by 2 Seas Motorsport claimed victory amid the last-gasp drama. Manthey&rsquo;s leading #10 Porsche 911 GT3 R had to make a quick fuel stop just two minutes from the end, leaving Ben Barnicoat, Anthony MacIntosh and Parker Thompson to clinch the honours. 
In Race 2, the #99 Porsche driven by Herberth Motorsport&rsquo;s line-up of Ralf Bohn, Robert Renauer and&nbsp;Alfred Renauer came out on top following an intense battle with Winward Racing&rsquo;s #81 Mercedes and EBM&rsquo;s #89 Aston Martin. Just 12 seconds separated the three cars at the chequered flag.

Winward Racing nonetheless retains the championship lead with 60 points, ahead of Manthey EMA&rsquo;s #92 Porsche (45 points), 2 Seas Motorsport&rsquo;s #96 Mercedes and Manthey&rsquo;s #10 Porsche (both on 43 points).

After four rounds in the six-race season, the suspense is bubbling nicely ahead of the championship climax in Abu Dhabi next weekend. Will Algarve Pro Racing continue to dominate the LMP2 field? Will Ultimate hold off the LMP3 challengers? Who will be crowned GT champions?&nbsp;Who will grab a golden ticket to the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans (11-15 June 2025)? The winners of the LMP2 and GT classes will secure their place on the grid for the French endurance classic.

Before turning our attention to Abu Dhabi, let&#39;s sit back and enjoy the highlights of both rounds of the 4 Hours of Dubai.

4 Hours of Dubai - Race 1 Highlights

Asian Le Mans Series : les meilleurs moments de la course 1 des 4 Heures de Dubaï

4 Hours of Dubai - Race 2 Highlights

Asian Le Mans Series : les faits marquants de la course 2 des 4 Heures de Dubaï

Asian Le Mans Series – Algarve Pro Racing at the double in the 4 Hours of Dubai

Aston Martin is making its comeback to the top of endurance racing with the Valkyrie developed by Aston Martin Performance Technologies and American team The Heart of Racing. The one-of-a-kind car is the only Hypercar developed directly from a road model.

Adam Carter, Aston Martin&rsquo;s Head of Endurance Motorsport: &quot;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/news/aston-martin-thor-team-unveils-valkyrie-livery-59319" target="_blank">Aston Martin Valkyrie</a> is not just a Hypercar. It is a revolution in automotive engineering history representing the pinnacle of performance, design and innovation. With an extraordinary fusion of F1 technology and road car mastery, Valkyrie is truly built for racing.&quot;

This Hypercar is powered by a unique 6.5-litre&nbsp;naturally aspirated V12 engine designed by Cosworth that&nbsp;reaches 11,000 rpm and develops more than 1,000 hp. To comply with Hypercar regulations,&nbsp;it has been optimised to deliver 680 hp&nbsp;while guaranteeing the energy efficiency crucial to&nbsp;endurance racing.

Carter: &quot;Running lean to reduce the amount of fuel you are carrying to deliver the required stint energy is important. We operate the engine slower than it&#39;s capable of because we require less power. The lower power limit within the regulations creates an opportunity for us to revisit the torque curve and reduce frictional losses by reducing engine speed to increase fuel efficiency.&quot;

Designed by&nbsp;Aston Martin&#39;s creative director, Marek Reichman, and&nbsp;Adrian Newey, one of the greatest F1 engineers in history, the Valkyrie&#39;s aerodynamics are a product of tried-and-true experience.&nbsp;The transition from road to track was executed in compliance with FIA regulations all while retaining the original model&#39;s exceptional foundation.&nbsp;Carter: &quot;As with every competition Aston Martin, ultimately we are taking an extremely performant vehicle and tailoring its characteristics and capabilities to the requirements of the regulations, and within that optimising performance opportunities.&quot;

<h2>A Transformation Suited for Endurance Racing</h2>

To take on the&nbsp;24 Hours of Le Mans, the Valkyrie Hypercar has been modified in several key areas. It&nbsp;boasts&nbsp;a carbon fiber body with removable front and rear components&nbsp;for speedy&nbsp;replacement&nbsp;and is equipped with&nbsp;a 7-speed Xtrac sequential gearbox.&nbsp;Refuellings will go&nbsp;fast&nbsp;thanks to a single-nozzle system and the car is fitted with integrated jacks so it can&nbsp;be raised quickly during pit stops for efficient wheel&nbsp;changes. The Valkyrie is equipped&nbsp;with 18-inch Michelin Pilot Sport tyres in compliannce&nbsp;with Hypercar regulations.

Carter: &quot;The absolute performance is limited by the regulations, irrespective of development. There&rsquo;s a minimum weight, a power limitation through driveshaft torque control and an aerodynamic performance window.&quot;

Aston Martin is seeking&nbsp;to reclaim&nbsp;former glory by fielding&nbsp;the Valkyrie in the Hypercar class, offering a spectacular alternative to Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, Porsche and Toyota. This&nbsp;comeback and the goal of overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans&nbsp;mark&nbsp;a new chapter in the&nbsp;British marque&#39;s illustrious legacy.

Aston Martin Valkyrie: a sports car icon headed to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans

&ldquo;Mr Le Mans&rdquo; Tom Kristensen is Grand Marshal at Daytona this year. Once the nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner has issued the famous command &ldquo;Drivers, start your engines&rdquo;, competitors in the four classes, prototype, prototype challenge, GT Le Mans and GT Daytona will negotiate the heavily banked oval track and infield.

	This weekend is also the opener of the North American Endurance Cup, a mini championship comprising four long WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races: the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans.

	Programme of the Rolex 24 at Daytona (28&ndash;31 January 2016)

	Thursday 28 January

	09:25&ndash;10:25 Practice session 1 
	13:20&ndash;13:50 Practice session 2 
	16:00&ndash;16:15 GT Daytona Qualifications 
	16:25&ndash;16:40 GT Le Mans Qualifications 
	16:50&ndash;17:05 PC Qualifications 
	17:15&ndash;17:30 Prototype Qualifications 
	18:30&ndash;20:00 Practice session 3

	Friday 29 January

	10:25&ndash;11:25 Practice session 4

	Saturday 30 January

	14:40 Start of the 54th 24 Hours of Daytona

	Sunday 31 January

	14:40 Finish

	N.B. All times are local time (UTC/GMT -5 hours)

	C&eacute;cile Bonardel / ACO &mdash;Translated from French by Emma Paulay

	PHOTO: DAYTONA BEACH (FLORIDA, UNITED STATES), DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY, ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA, 10 JANUARY 2016, ROAR BEFORE 24. Cars race around the famous banked oval at Daytona for 24 hours. 
	&nbsp;

24H LE MANS

IMSA - The programme for the 54th Rolex 24 at Daytona

Related News

Iron Lynx teams up with Mercedes-AMG for LMGT3 challenge

Why you should watch the Oscar-winning "Ford v Ferrari" again!

Asian Le Mans Series – Algarve Pro Racing at the double in the 4 Hours of Dubai

Aston Martin Valkyrie: a sports car icon headed to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans

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