Sunny skies and a temperature around 20°C were the setting for the start of the 61st edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona, the endurance race that opens the IMSA SportsCar Championship season, which started at 1:40 p.m. local time. Large crowds lined the grandstands of the tri-oval in Florida to watch the endurance race, which has 61 cars entered, including four Ferrari 296 GT3s.
With one hour complete since the green flag was waved, in the GTD Pro class the No. 62 Risi Competizione car, entrusted in the first stint to Daniel Serra, is fifth, with the Brazilian driver recovering four positions and steadily occupying a place in the top-6 over the first 28 laps.
Also making a comeback were the other three cars from the Maranello marque entered in the GTD class. Alessio Rovera at the wheel of the 023 296 GT3 of Triarsi Competizione, who started from 20th position, made a convincing start in Daytona and, after the first hour, is eighth.
The number 21 car of AF Corse currently sits in eleventh, which had started 15th, with Simon Mann selected for the first leg of the race, followed by the 296 GT3 of Cetilar Racing. The number 47 Ferrari, with the blue-green livery and Giorgio Sernagiotto behind the wheel in the first stint, steadily occupied a place among the top ten in GTD.