Tower Motorsport has lost its LMP2 victory in the Daytona 24 Hours over a technical infraction, with United Autosports inheriting the top spot.
The #8 ORECA-Gibson 07 crewed by Sebastien Bourdais, Job van Uitert, Sebastian Alvarez and John Farano scored a provisional win in the secondary prototype division at Daytona International Speedway, but a post-race technical inspection revealed that the skid block located on the underside of the car exceeded the maximum wear allowance.
The technical regulations state the regulated area of the skid block must not be worn by more than 5mm during the race.
As a result, Tower’s sole LMP2 entry has been relegated to 12th and last place in its class. The American team immediately lodged an appeal against the decision, but it was denied by IMSA.
Tower’s penalty has promoted the #22 United Autosports Oreca shared by Paul di Resta, Daniel Goldburg, James Allen and Rasmus Lindh to first place in the opening round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship.
It’s the Anglo-American team’s maiden victory in the Floridian endurance classic and follows its triumph in the LMP2 division at the Le Mans 24 Hours last year.
#22 United Autosports USA, ORECA LMP2 07: Daniel Goldburg, Paul Di Resta, James Allen, Rasmus Lindh
Photo by: IMSA
In response to the penalty, Tower’s team manager Ricky Capone expressed his frustration over the ruling, claiming the team gained no sporting advantage by higher-than-usual wear on its skid block.
“Tower Motorsports is deeply disappointed by IMSA’s decision to penalise our No. 8 LMP2 entry following post-race technical inspection at the 24 Hours of Daytona,” he said.
“Our team strongly contests this ruling and maintains that we did not intentionally violate any technical regulations.
“The infraction cited by IMSA relates to excessive wear on the skid block, an issue that can naturally occur over the course of an intense endurance race due to variables outside of a team’s direct control.
“The No. 8 car has consistently passed technical inspection throughout the event and in previous competitions without issue. We firmly believe that this outcome does not reflect any wrongdoing or competitive advantage on our part.
“We filed a formal protest, which IMSA has denied. While we respect the regulatory process, we are extremely disheartened by this decision.
“We are incredibly proud of this team, and it does not discount the tremendous effort and dedication of our drivers, engineers, and crew, who performed flawlessly over 24 hours of competition.
“We also understand that this was a difficult decision for IMSA to make, and we appreciate their communication and insight throughout this process. While we may not agree with the outcome, we recognize the complexity of their role in enforcing regulations.
“We remain committed to upholding the integrity of the sport and will review all possible options in response to this penalty. We extend our gratitude to our fans, partners, and supporters, who continue to stand by us as we navigate this challenging situation.”
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