Sheldon van der Linde propelled Team RLL BMW to the top of the timesheets in second IMSA Detroit practice marked by multiple red flags.
From the outset, the Detroit street circuit, renowned for its unforgiving concrete barriers and tight confines, presented a formidable challenge to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship field.
The session held in the shadow of the iconic Renaissance Center was a two-hour affair punctuated by three major red flag interruptions that disrupted the rhythm and tested the adaptability of teams and drivers ahead of upcoming qualifying and race at the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic.
Sheldon van der Linde piloting the No. 25 Team RLL BMW M Hybrid V8 for Team RLL set the early benchmark just 15 minutes into the session with a time of 1:07.137.
Demonstrating both confidence and control, van der Linde continued to push the limits, ultimately lowering his best to an impressive 1:06.427.
This lap was just half a second shy of the course record set by Nick Tandy in qualifying the previous year, signaling BMW’s formidable pace and van der Linde’s mastery of the treacherous Detroit layout.
Meanwhile, Nick Tandy driving the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 was van der Linde’s closest challenger. Tandy posted a 1:06.720, a lap that not only secured him second on the timing sheets but also demonstrated Porsche’s competitive edge.
However, Tandy’s session was marred by an incident at Turn 1 where he lost control and made contact with the protective tire barrier. The resulting damage caused the engine cover to detach and scatter debris on the track, triggering a red flag.
As per IMSA regulations, this incident meant Tandy would lose his fastest lap in the subsequent qualifying session—a significant setback for the championship co-leader.
BMW’s strength was further reinforced by Dries Vanthoor in the No. 24 Team RLL BMW entry who finished third with a time of 1:06.765 while Renger van der Zande in the No. 93 Meyer Shank Racing Acura ARX-06 slotted into fourth with a 1:06.793.
Matt Campbell in the No. 6 Porsche Penske entry rounded out the top five with a 1:06.867. The session’s competitive depth was evident in the narrow margins separating the top runners, with less than half a second covering the top five in GTP.
The second IMSA Detroit practice was not without its share of drama beyond Tandy’s incident. Filipe Albuquerque driving the No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Cadillac V-Series.R also found himself in trouble at the intersection of Franklin and Rivard Street.
Albuquerque made contact with the concrete barrier triggering another red flag. Like Tandy, Albuquerque’s team would face the penalty of losing their fastest qualifying lap—a costly consequence in a field where grid position is crucial.
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Van der Linde’s BMW teammate Marco Wittmann had a relatively uneventful session but did experience a brief off at the Turn 1 run-off area. Fortunately, Wittmann was able to continue without further incident, allowing the team to gather valuable data for the remainder of the weekend.
The GTD Pro class provided its own share of intrigue and competitive action as Antonio Garcia in the No. 3 Corvette Z06 GT3.R set the fastest lap with a 1:10.565, narrowly edging out his teammate Tommy Milner in the No. 4 Corvette who posted a 1:10.575.
Andrea Caldarelli delivered a strong showing for Pfaff Motorsports in the No. 9 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO2, clocking a 1:10.653 to secure third in GTD Pro.
Seb Priaulx driving the No. 64 Ford Multimatic Mustang GT3, rounded out the top five with a best lap of 1:10.697, demonstrating the Ford’s continued progress in the competitive GTD Pro field.
