The LMP2 winner in the 63rd Rolex 24 was changed Wednesday afternoon as IMSA announced a penalty to the team that celebrated Sunday in victory lane at Daytona International Speedway.
During an “extended postrace technical inspection,” the No. 8 Tower Motorsports ORECA LMP2 was moved from first to last in the LMP2 category because IMSA said the car “exceeded the maximum allowable wear to the regulated area of the skid block on the underside of the car.”
IMSA denied a protest of the penalty by the team.
The No. 22 United Autosports ORECA LMP2 07 was awarded the victory in the category after originally being scored in second. Per an IMSA spokesman, the winner’s prize money and Rolex watches also will be transferred to the No. 22, which had started from the pole position with a driver lineup of Daniel Goldburg, Paul di Resta, Rasmus Lindh and James Allen.
In the updated results, the No. 8 was scored 12th in LMP2 with all other cars moving up a spot.
Sebastien Bourdais, who was in the No. 8 at the checkered flag Sunday, criticized IMSA’s decision in an Instagram post. Bourdais said a suspension piece failed on the car (which had been involved in a crash) and caused the excessive wear to the skid block.
“Racing can be cruel, but governing bodies can be far worse,” Bourdais wrote. “In recent memory, IMSA always used common sense when enforcing rules that were breached by technical failure. Unfortunately, not today. I want to thank everyone in the team for their flawless execution and dedication. Making them look like cheaters makes me sick as they always operate by the book.”
It’s the second time in three years there has been a significant postrace penalty for a Rolex 24 winner.
In 2023, Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 60 Acura won the overall but was found to have manipulated tire pressure data. IMSA allowed the team to keep the victory but meted out a $50,000 fine, a penalty of 200 points and stripped its prize money.