Van der Zande on R24: “There’s some crazy stuff going on”
Defending Rolex 24 Hours champion Renger van der Zande says there’s some “crazy stuff” happening on track as the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s season opener at Daytona goes into its closing stages.
Van der Zande was involved in a dramatic moment just before sunrise, as his Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac clashed with the Action Express example of Kamui Kobayashi, which caused the latter to spin at Turn 1.
The Dutchman also reported that lapped traffic was causing huge problems for the front runners, as the race builds towards its finish.
“There’s some crazy stuff going on out there, I can tell you that,” van der Zande told NBCSN. “Sometimes with the LMP3 cars, they drive right in the middle.
“Basically that means you have to drive with two wheels in the grass to get by them. That makes it exciting out there. And all these drivers are half asleep by now! I think that’s the case as well.”
The #01 Ganassi car picked up pace on Sunday morning, and a nose change gave it a better balance.
“[It] worked out well, after that I found some extra pace, so it was a good change – a couple of tenths maybe, that’s it,” added van der Zande. “That makes a difference.”
The race is developing into a battle between his car and the #10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura – the team that van der Zande switched from in the off season.
“Seems like some cars are running quicker today than yesterday, but it’s OK, we’re going OK,” he said. “We’re tuning up the balance here and there to make it better. Still a long way to go, so keep it tight, keep it clean. No mistakes is the key here.”
Previous article
Rolex 24, H18: WTR Acura leads with six hours to go
Next article
Whelen Cadillac knocked out of R24 contention by gearbox failure
About this article
| Series | IMSA |
| Event | Daytona 24 |
| Author | Charles Bradley |
24 Hours of Daytona Video Recap
24 Hours of Daytona: Fourth Place for Ferrari
Watch the entire Rolex 24 in just over a minute
The GTE dilemma that IMSA has created for the WEC
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s decision to scrap its GT Le Mans class for 2022 raises the question of whether the FIA World Endurance Championship should phase out GTE cars. But it's a much harder decision than it appears on the surface.
Nine things to watch at the 2021 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona
After a 100-minute sprint race to whet the appetite, the 2021 IMSA SportsCar Championship gets underway properly this weekend. With plenty of significant changes during the winter, here are the key points you need to keep an eye on
Why Magnussen is relishing a fresh start in sportscars
Having gone over seven years without a race win through spells with McLaren, Renault and Haas, Kevin Magnussen's departure from Formula 1 for IMSA with big-hitters Chip Ganassi Racing could give him what he craves most - a chance of success
Oliver Gavin's Corvette Racing highlights
Oliver Gavin has stepped down from the full-time Corvette Racing line-up after a stellar career with the team spanning nearly 20 years. He looks back on a stint that encompassed, among other successes, five Le Mans 24 Hours victories.
How Tandy joined an exclusive club of endurance legends
Victory at last year's Spa 24 Hours meant Nick Tandy had completed the unofficial sextuple crown of the world's six biggest endurance races, becoming the first Briton to do so. Ahead of his fresh start with Corvette Racing, he explains how he did it…
The 12 greatest Sebring 12 Hours ranked
The 2020 edition of the Florida sportscar classic is finally taking place this weekend, eight months after its traditional date in March. That meant there was plenty of time for Motorsport.com to pour over its previous 67 races and select the best.
Tony Kanaan’s top 10 races – in his own words
The 2004 IndyCar champion and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan probably hasn’t yet driven his final IndyCar race, but we still asked him for the 10 most significant races of his career. He explained his choices to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why the GTE ruleset looks to have run its course
The GTE ruleset has served sportscar racing in both Europe and the United States well over the past decade. But now there are clear signs that the end of its life is in sight as manufacturer support continues to fade.
