The Latest Breaking News from Porsche

It was Porsche’s 19th overall win here – it has four more as an engine supplier – and Penske’s first triumph here since 1969.

Read about Roger Penske's quest to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the first time since 1969, highlighting his team's success and challenges.

Matt Campbell held an advantage of 8.3 seconds in the #7 Porsche Penske 963 LMDh after 21 hours of racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship season opener, with the #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac of Jack Aitken settling in second position.

Jean-Eric Vergne's result on Friday - a pole position and a second place - combined with the fact that both cars were in the points the following day was a form of deliverance for Eugenio Franzetti, the director of DS Performance.

Mathieu Jaminet had just jumped the #31 Action Express Racing Cadillac in the pits for the lead at the end of Hour 18 when the #6 Porsche Penske was penalised for exceeding the amount of energy allowed during a stint.

Estre held a lead of just over six seconds in the #6 Porsche Penske, as the German manufacturer engaged in a fierce battle with the Action Express Racing Cadillac after the halfway point of the IMSA SportsCar Championship opener.

Matt Campbell started the beginning of Hour 6 as the race leader, with his No. 7 Porsche 963 sporting a 11s advantage over Derani (Cadillac Racing).

Hour four began with an almost-immediate caution, as serial LMP2 spinner Lance Willsey lost control again in the sole #33 Ligier approaching Turn 6 and almost took out Colton Herta’s then second-placed #10 WTRA Acura.

Sebastien Bourdais (#01 Ganassi Cadillac) took lead at the start of the second hour, passing opening-hour pacesetter Ricky Taylor (#10 Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Acura) with ease into Turn 1, the Acura then falling back as it paid the penalty of its short energy fill and double-stint on tires.

As movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer waved the green flag, poleman Pipo Derani (#31 Action Express Cadillac) led from the #7 Penske Porsche of Felipe Nasr, who grabbed second place into Turn 1 from Bourdais’ Chip Ganassi-run Caddy.

The reigning Indianapolis 500 champion only made his sportscar debut at Daytona 12 months ago in a Tower Motorsports LMP2 car, before making his GTP class bow at Road Atlanta’s IMSA SportsCar Championship season-closing Petit Le Mans – where he finished fourth in a factory-entered 963.