Romain Grosjean, Kevin Magnussen… 5 pilots to follow at the 24 Hours of Daytona

The IMSA season-the North American Endurance championship-is starting this weekend for the 24 hours of Daytona. Our Endurance specialist offers you a focus on the five pilots to follow on the occasion of this first stage of the Michelin Endurance Cup.

The 2025 season of the North American Endurance championship begins this Saturday from 7:30 p.m. French time. And there are several pilots that Formula 1 or Indycar lovers can follow. We think in particular of Kevin Magnussen who has just left the discipline or his former teammate at Haas, Romain Grosjean.

Kévin Magnussen: New start

Less than two months after farewell to Formula 1, the Danish (32) performs his return to endurance in Daytona. And its beginnings with The BMW program. If he has already participated twice in the Floridian classic (5th in 2021 behind the wheel of a Cadillac), he must now Get familiar with a M hybrid V8 not yet in terms of its rivalswith only two victories in two seasons. “I have to learn a lot with BMW M Motorsport, testified the rough pilot the outcome of the preliminary tests. I feel better on each turn on the circuit ”.

Learn to manage tires

He must also store information on the management of Michelin tires, official supplier of the queen GTP category: the gum allowance at 21 trains for qualifications and the race. In addition, he must learn to temperature the envelopes during the first laps: the IMSA, such as the World Endurance Championship (WEC) proscribes the use of heating covers. The first laps with a new “cold” train require address and experience. Positive index for BMW: Magnussen's teammate aboard the No. 24, Dries Vanthoor, made the best time of all the cars engaged during these three days of testing. The propeller has not won in Daytona since 1986.

Romain Grosjean : Lambo, saison 2

First outing in Daytona for the Lamborghini SC63, less than a year after its debut in competition. And it's once again Romain Grosjean who should serve as a spearhead for the Italian brand. The partnership with the Iron Lynx operating team has been broken: the bull brand is therefore officially aligning with a single car registered under the Lamborghini Squadra Corse Automobili banner. We know the rather reliable Italian car. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2024, the two SC63 had joined the arrival without major concern.

Do not be wrong about the choice of tires

And side of speed, things improve: during the last round of the IMSA, disputed on the Road Atlanta circuit last fall, Romain Grosjean had signed the best round tour. The pneumatic issue will obviously be key. Prohibition to be mistaken in the range with a single car committed : “We still have things to learn at this level” testified a few days ago the pilot with our colleague Didier Laurent. Can it target a place of honor in Daytona? In any case, he will play almost at home: the former Formula 1 is now installed in Miami, 400 kilometers from the circuit, with his wife and children.

Kévin Estre: across the Atlantic

Featured Pilot in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Frenchman makes his annual foray into Florida. He is inserted with Mathieu Jaminet and Matt Campbell, now associated by the year behind the driving of the Porsche 963 n ° 6. Proof that we count (a lot) on the impetuous tricolor pilot: There are only three men on the caragainst four to most crews. Porsche also arrives in force in Daytona, surrounded by her victory last year.

The temperature can descend under 10 °

During the last season, The 963 amazed a number of observers in its ability to quickly put the tires for temperaturegrappling several seconds in the first laps of a relay. A crucial point in this January classicwhere the outside temperature frequently drops under 10 ° C for a night of more than 13 hours. The crews can then have a more tender mixture … but more subject to degradation. Estre's experience – with 16 races disputed aboard the Porsche in the last two campaigns – should help. The Frenchman has never won in Daytona before… Or in IMSA. An anomaly that could quickly be corrected.

Felipe Drugovitch: to be confirmed …

Reservist behind Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll at Aston Martin in Formula 1, The Brazilian is engaged in a sound and efficient Cadillac. Twelve months ago, the n ° 31 he piloted this weekend had signed the pole position. In the race, she lost two seconds just compared to the victorious Porsche after two clock turns. It will therefore be necessary to learn quickly: “The test in November (in Daytona, editor's note.) Was beneficial to me because I had never piloted on a banking like this. He helped me familiarize myself with this car again, which is different from what I usually pilot. ” Formula 2 champion in 2022 will be able to count on his teammates. The experienced Earl Bamber will be there to play the road captains, Jack Aitken continues his learning of endurance and the young Frederik Vesti is promoted to the LMP2. Born in the year 2000, Drugovitch made his first major “endurance” last June in Le Mans. He is confirmed at the wheel of this Cadillac only for Daytona.

Alex Palou: one more line

Catalan has crushed the Indycar for three seasons now. Calm in the wheel fights against wheels, accustomed to tire management, excellent director, Alex Palou also responds to the robot portrait of the large endurance driver. Here it is in Daytona for a third participation and A big chance to leave with the winner's rolex. Especially since he will drive with the Lord Scott Dixon, just as cunning as him. This weekend will wear this weekend the pink, white and blue colors of the Acura/Meyer-Shank team, winner in 2023 … before being disqualified a month later due to an infringement of the pneumatic regulations. Despite a twelve-month eclipse, the American team knows how to get the best out of the ARX-06: during the preliminary tests, the two homemade cars signed the 2nd and 3rd time.

The 24 Hours of Daytona are broadcast by Automoto the chain from 7:30 p.m. this Saturday.

Focus on: the Michelin Endurance Cup

The IMSA championship-which starts this weekend-Mixture of short (100 or 160 minutes) and long (up to 24 hours). The five major events of the season are grouped within the Michelin Endurance Cup, giving rise to a specific classification: