2023 Daytona 24: Acura takes pole in multi-brand hypercar battle

Different makes and manufacturers battling on a level playing field is what the ultimate aim is for the FIA's top-tier Le Mans hypercar class. And so far, that's proving to be the case, at least in the four participating teams in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche debuted their new Le Mans Daytona hypercars (LMDh) and took part in the Roar before the Rolex 24. Running the weekend prior to the main Rolex 24 Hour race at Daytona, the Roar before the Rolex 24 served as the final practice session of teams and determines the starting grid for the 24-hour endurance race.

After the qualifying showdown has ended, it was MSR Acura's Tom Blomqvist who emerged in pole position ahead of Felipe Nasr's Porsche 963, setting a time of 1:34.031. The pair pipped Ricky Taylor's Konica Minolta Acura who qualified third.

Meanwhile, the trio of Cadillac LMDh race cars driven by Sebastien Bourdais, Alex Lynn, and Pipo Delani recorded times good enough for 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively. On the other hand, BMW's Philipp Eng and Nick Yelloly qualified their hypercars in 7th and 8th - the latter setting a time of 1:34.846. Lastly, the sister Porsche LMDh entry driven by Nick Tandy failed to set a qualifying time and will start at the back of the grid.

All four makes had to use a mandatory hybrid system and a spec chassis made by the manufacturers chosen by the FIA. But they all had free reign on designing their engines and the aerodynamic bodywork of their LMDh race cars. Despite all those differences, the key takeaway here is the top 8 were only separated by 0.8 seconds.

With the four teams closely matched together in terms of ultimate pace, the stage is set for them to battle it out lap after lap in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, which will begin on January 28, 2023.