Pfaff Motorsports has captured the inaugural IMSA GTD Pro class victory in the 60th running of the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in one of the most nail-biting finishes ever. The final lap came down to the #9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche and the #2 KCMG Porsche being neck and neck with the Porsche maintaining the lead and eventually crossing the finish line.
The three Porsche drivers Mathieu Jaminet (France), Matt Campbell (Australia) and two-time IMSA champion and former F1 driver Felipe Nasr (Brasil) pushed the Porsche 911 GT3R to its limit to be victorious. The battle for the lead was a battle between Jaminet and other Porsche driver Laurens Vanthoor for the final 2 hours of the race.
The quality of Motul’s 300V and Gear Competition oils were highlighted in the performance of the Porsche on the racetrack. It allowed the vehicle to withstand the harsh conditions while maintaining performance and speed throughout the 24 hours.
The man behind the wheel, Jaminet kept his composure with his consistent lap times while the rival Porsche tailed him. With 3 laps to go, Vanthoor gained the lead and it looked like all hope was lost for the Pfaff Motorsports team. However, Jaminet managed to regain that lead in the final lap when he took a risk and went late on the brakes right before the finish line.
After his victory, Mathieu Jaminet, Driver #9 of Pfaff Motorsports Porsche said, “At the moment I am speechless. It is difficult to realize what just happened. This is the biggest race I have won in my career. This is the one everyone wants to win; it is the watch (Rolex Daytona) everyone wants to have. To finally get it, it is incredible. I need some time to realize what just happened. Especially in that way: a proper field, proper cars around us. I had a crazy finish with one of the best GT drivers in the world fighting against me. The big picture is just perfect.”
Matt Campbell, Driver #9 of Pfaff Motorsports added, “I’m super emotional. We are pretty speechless to win a race in such a fashion, especially in the new era with GTD Pro. It is fantastic. To win it the way we did with Mathieu in the car and the finish we had, it just makes it that extra special. And now we can call ourselves Rolex 24 Hour winners. It is an incredible feeling. Mathieu and I have done this race many times. We have come close many times, and now to be able to finally have a win, especially with a full-season effort with Pfaff, it is a great way to start the season. Hopefully, we can get a few more along the way.”
Motul and Pfaff Motorsports have been working alongside each other, enjoying a multitude of successes along the years. This win at the Daytona 24 marks the team’s first win at this event. It was also an important victory to help kickstart Motul and Pfaff Motorsports’ 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
