BMW's Dramatic IMSA Triumph
BMW WRT Claims Historic First IMSA Victory at Indianapolis in Dramatic Late-Race Finish
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Key Points
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The No. 31 Cadillac controlled much of the race after Jack Aitken passed the pole-sitting No. 60 Acura around the 40-minute mark; a second full-course caution helped set up the late battle between Bamber and van der Linde.
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The Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac of Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz finished fourth, while the pole-sitting Meyer Shank Racing Acura of Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun completed the top five.
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Sheldon van der Linde described the victory as an emotional breakthrough, saying he got “goosebumps with three laps to go” and had “waited so freaking long for this”; he also said he hurt his ribs celebrating as he exited the car.
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The opening incident began when Philipp Eng’s No. 25 BMW made contact with Kévin Estre’s No. 6 Porsche, sending Estre into teammate Julien Andlauer’s Porsche; several LMP2 cars, including entries from AO Racing, United Autosports and CrowdStrike Racing by APR, were then collected.
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The GTD class also endured a major disruption when fuel spilled onto the exhaust of the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini and caused a fire; the No. 34 Ferrari later received a stop-plus-60-second penalty for exceeding the pit-time limit during emergency repairs under a full-course yellow.
Sheldon van der Linde drove BMW M Team WRT to its first IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTP victory in the brand's debut season, passing Earl Bamber's Cadillac with less than six minutes remaining at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. IMSA reported van der Linde and co-driver Dries Vanthoor won the two-hour, 40-minute Battle on the Bricks by 2.926 seconds, a dramatic finale that left van der Linde emotional and injured from celebrating.
The second-place Cadillac of Bamber and Jack Aitken preserved Aitken's championship lead heading into the season-ending Petit Le Mans. NBC Sports noted the No. 6 Porsche finished third as the title fight narrowed to just two contenders fighting for the final race.
Van der Linde's Late-Race Heroics Seal Debut Victory
A second full-course caution reset the field and set up the final battle between the leading Cadillac and the pursuing BMW. WTHR reported that van der Linde seized his moment with under six minutes left, using traffic to execute the pass that would define his breakthrough moment.
After exiting the car, van der Linde described the emotional release of his first major victory. He said he got "goosebumps with three laps to go" and had "waited so freaking long for this," though he admitted hurting his ribs from celebrating too hard in the cockpit.
Championship Race Stays Wide Open Through Petit Le Mans
Jack Aitken's second-place finish keeps him atop the GTP standings with a narrow lead over Laurin Heinrich in the No. 6 Porsche. The title will be decided in the final race of the season, meaning both drivers remain in contention for the 2026 championship.
The Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac of Jordan Taylor and Louis Delétraz finished fourth overall. NBC Sports reported Meyer Shank Racing's Acura, which started on pole, rounded out the top five with Tom Blomqvist and Colin Braun as drivers.
Early Chaos Disrupts Multiple Classes
An opening-lap multi-car incident sent shockwaves through both the GTP and LMP2 grids. WRT TV detailed how Philipp Eng's No. 25 BMW made contact with Kévin Estre's No. 6 Porsche, pushing Estre into teammate Julien Andlauer's car. Several LMP2 entries from AO Racing, United Autosports, and CrowdStrike Racing by APR were caught in the wreckage.
Era Motorsport's Nick Boulle and Christian Rasmussen won the LMP2 class after several championship contenders hit trouble in the incident. The GTD class faced additional drama when fuel spilled onto the exhaust of the No. 45 Wayne Taylor Racing Lamborghini, triggering a fire that brought out another caution.
Penalties Add to Mid-Field Turmoil
Emergency repairs under full-course yellow conditions led to strict pit-time enforcement. The No. 34 Ferrari received a stop-plus-60-second penalty after exceeding the pit-time limit while addressing damage sustained earlier in the race.
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