Rolex 24, Hour 22: AF Corse LMP2 stoppage brings out the yellows

It’s all kicking off at the 63rd Rolex 24 at Daytona. With two hours to go, we’re under a Full Course Yellow after the leading No. 88 AF Corse ORECA LMP2 07 ground to a halt at the International Horseshoe, leaving Matthieu Vaxiviere utterly dismayed as he climbed from the car.

We’ve also had a major flashpoint in the GTD PRO class here at Daytona between the No.1 Paul Miller Racing BMW and the No. 4 Corvette Racing Z06 GT3.R.

Connor De Phillippi and Tommy Milner were battling for the lead, though De Phillippi was also getting an assist in the form of the lapped No. 48 BMW – the team’s other car – of Augusto Farfus. Farfus’ interference resulted in a drive-through penalty for blocking, but before he could serve the penalty, it was too late to prevent the match paper from catching fire.

Farfus went inside at the International Horseshoe to cover Milner, allowing De Phillippi to try a pass around the outside. Milner went wide at the apex and the two made lateral contact, damaging the rear panel of the No. 4 Corvette, which later had to serve a mechanical black flag when duct tape wouldn’t keep the bodywork together.

After angrily gesturing to Farfus, Milner didn’t hold back on the tactics of the No. 48 BMW M4 GT3 EVO when speaking to IMSA Radio: “There’s not a number (from 1 to 10) for how annoyed I am right now. That kind of racing is not what IMSA or sports car racing is about.

“The driver should be embarrassed, the team should be embarrassed, BMW should be embarrassed. Lap after lap, blocking, blocking, waiting for me. It’s not how it should be.

“I don’t have an issue with the No. 1 car — they’re running their race — it’s just the sister car that’s out there. It’s not sporting. Their only goal is to race dirty. It’s just disappointing. I was content for a while to sit behind him. If karma was going to work it would be a good time today.”

At the time of the full course yellow, and before pit stops, the No. 6 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 of Kevin Estre was leading the race. Estre reeled in the No. 7 Penske Porsche of Nick Tandy, and passed him on track.

Philipp Eng was second in the No. 24 BMW M Hybrid V8, with the No. 7 now in the hands of Felipe Nasr in third, and Tom Blomqvist aboard the No. 60 MSR Acura.

AO Racing has assumed the lead in LMP2 with Jonny Edgar in front from Rasmus Lindh in the No. 22 United Autosports USA ORECA. Job van Uitert is third in the No. 8 Tower Motorsports car.

The No. 1 Paul Miller BMW was leading GTD PRO from the No. 65 and No. 64 Ford Multimatic Motorsports Mustang GT3s – De Phillippi from Christopher Mies and Sebastian Priaulx – with Fabian Schiller fourth in the No. 69 GetSpeed Mercedes-AMG GT3.

Matt Bell has taken over the GTD-leading No. 13 AWA Corvette, ahead of Philip Ellis who’s now second in the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3, followed by Elliott Skeer in the No. 120 Wright Motorsports Porsche.

HOUR 22 STANDINGS