Felipe Nasr - IMSA’s New Mr. Rolex 24
Brandon Badraoui/Lumen Digital Agency/IMSA
By Dennis Krause
With a third consecutive victory this past weekend in the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway, Felipe Nasr has joined Peter Gregg and fellow Brazilian Helio Castroneves as the only drivers to win the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s premier race three times in a row.
Sunday, Nasr brought his No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsports Porsche 963 home 1.569 seconds ahead of the No. 31 Cadillac Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R driven by Brit Jack Aitken to complete the 3-peat for both Penske and himself.
It wasn’t the first time Nasr had to be at his absolute best to hold off a challenge for a win at Daytona.
“I think every year it's very different,” said Nasr. “It's hard to pick a favorite. I still haven't sinked yet everything that we just went through. That last hour was so intense inside the car and all the information the team was giving and the spotter talk, you know, like he's making a different line here and there.
“So there's a lot of things that you process as a driver, but the winning feeling, they are all special. It's just hard to pick one that was more special than the -- three in a row, I have no words to describe it, but just a unique feeling.
“Yeah, I think it will take a while just to understand it all.”
Brandon Badraoui/Lumen Digital Agency/IMSA
According to Nasr, Sunday’s final hour may have been more nerve-racking than either of his first two Rolex wins.
“I think it was actually closer, this one. There were a lot of cases that the 31 was pretty close to making a move on us. A couple of times I had to pick my line and brake as late as I could, and I could see he was also trying everything he could. Excellent drivers on the 31, and they were not going to let us win that easy.
“Hats off to everybody,” Nasr added. “Everybody put on a good show. I've never seen this place so crowded, and the amount of fans that people, friends that came over to see us, I think that shows we are really in a primetime of sports car racing. It's down to us to make the show.
“I think the series is providing a great platform for us to go out there and race, and you could see a 24-hour race being decided again in those last few minutes. This is incredible. I can only say that.”
Michael L. Levitt/Lumen Digital Agency/IMSA
All three of Nasr’s Rolex wins have come with completely different driver lineups. While he is the only constant in the cockpit, Nasr credits the team, along with co-drivers Julian Andlauer and Laurin Heinrich for the win.
“I think we got pretty good drivers. The roster is really good. Everybody has their own backgrounds, different skills, and to join Porsche as a works driver, I could tell everyone that comes on board, it's really high level.
“All I could do was just pass on my experience as a driver, having won this race before. That's all I kept saying to these two. During the 20 hours, this is the race we're looking for. If we get there, then we think about the next four hours, just being calm, decisive, paying attention, like your pit entry, every information you can give us as a driver, keeping the car clean, staying away from the curbs and any contact.
“All I could do was pass on that type of experience. But to drive -- those guys, they know how to drive. I don't have to teach them anything. It's pretty amazing to have done it again.”
With a GTD PRO (Grand Touring Daytona PRO) class victory in 2022, Nasr now has four wins in the Rolex 24.
“I thought one was good but two was better and three is going to be hard to beat.
There's one in class, that’s right. So four Daytona wins, wow.”
A veteran of 40 Formula 1 races with the Sauber F1 Team in 2015 and ‘16, the 33-year-old Nasr drove for the Whelen team in IMSA from 2018-2021 before joining Penske. It was during the ’21 season that Roger Penske reached out to Nasr about the Porsche Penske Motorsports program after Nasr sent him an email. Dressed in a blue suit at the time, Nasr recalled a secret meeting the two had in a parking lot.
Michael L. Levitt/Lumen Digital Agency/IMSA
“Yes, that was the first-ever meeting with the whole Penske group and Porsche when they contacted -- they reached me out to see if I was available for the PPM program. It was starting 2022. They wanted some lead drivers to get on the development phase.
“I think that was 2021. It was mid-season, and I had to do a meeting as the championship was going on, and I was on my way to get another DPi (Daytona Prototype) championship.
“So it was kind of a secret meeting, yes, and I think I showed up to this place -- I can't just say all the details, but I was a little worried, and I thought I could walk the distance, but I never checked the weather outside. I was inside like, I don't know, some kind of restaurant and I was just taking a drink and just waiting on time. I said, okay, I'd better start walking.
”But it was very warm that day,” Nasr continued, “and those five minutes I walked, I was like -- that was not a good move because I started to just sweat. I'm like, I'm going to look nervous now. What are those guys going to say? I said, well, it's too late now.
“Then comes up this car, rolls down the window, it was Roger saying hey, you're the driver, come on board, let's talk. From that moment on, I knew something special was about to unfold. It was pretty unique, the way it all started.
“I did send Roger an email when I read the news that Porsche and Penske were getting together, and I said, one day I want to drive for your organization. It took him a few weeks to reply, and he said, now is the time; if you are available, come see us. And the rest is history.
"It was on the way to this secret place, and it was like in a venue that had some parking lots. I was just walking. I didn't expect anyone to show up. I was like, okay, I'll make it on time. But I got surprised.”
The association has worked out spectacularly for both Penske and Nasr. With a third straight Rolex win still sinking in, is Nasr setting his sights on becoming the first driver to win four-in-a-row?
“You just gave me the idea now, so we've got to work on it. Yeah, I guess, I feel like I want to just settle in for now and celebrate what we just achieved.
“But yeah, four sounds like a good plan.”
Dennis Krause has spent decades covering all forms of motorsports, including over 40 Indianapolis 500s, with stints at WIBA Radio, PIT PASS - Radio’s Premier Motorsports Magazine and Motorsports Minute. Follow him on X @DennisKrause500 or motorsportsminute.bluesky.social or motorsportsminute on Threads or MotorsportsMinute+ on Facebook.