Will Power is like a rookie all over again.
A two-time IndyCar Series champion and the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner, Power is making his IMSA debut in this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. He’s running with 75 Express in the GTD Pro category, co-driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 with fellow Aussie’s Kenny Habul, Chaz Mostert and German Maro Engel.
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“I am learning the ropes of the driver changes and all the stuff I need to do,” Power told Motorsport.com. “Maro helps me a lot, actually.”
Maro joked that Power is “loving the driver changes,” to which Power responded, “I’m getting good now. I’m getting better. I haven’t done the steering wheel yet, but I keep forgetting that one. I’m at least getting loose and getting that up and over, that’s the main thing. I make sure I unclip and put that there, to make it easier. It’s fun. I’m enjoying it a lot. Plenty of learning.”
Will Power, Team Penske
Will Power, Team Penske
Power, who will drive for Andretti Global for the upcoming 2026 IndyCar season, does have one previous start in sports car racing under his belt. Last year, he drove with 75 Express in the Indianapolis 8-Hour, part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
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Habul has enjoyed watching Power’s adaptability firsthand.
“He’s very talented,” Habul told Motorsport.com. “He has unique talent. He doesn’t really understand GT racing; never driven one. Indy was the first time. It’s much slower than what he does. It [the car] doesn’t respond, so it’s an adjustment for him.
“It’s been interesting to watch him because he’s so talented that even when he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he doesn’t know the car, he finds a way to put in a purple sector. He has that feeling in his hands of 71 IndyCar poles (most all-time). Show me someone who’s done that. He just has the feeling. So it’s good to have him.”
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Finding the edge as a 44-year-old ‘rookie’
The 44-year-old Power admitted that the learning curve on finding the limit has been a challenge.
“Yes, you understand the edge, obviously, when it’s sliding, but it’s really understanding what makes the car fast,” Power said. “Do you slow it a lot in the middle and get straight drive out? It is definitely a different driving style. It’s a lot of pitch under braking, which adds a lot of front to it, so the way you trail brake in the corner, a lot of things are quite different.”
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Daytona’s 3.56-mile speedway road course brings technical challenges that Power is enjoying, with braking being “tense” going into Turn 1 and at the Bus Stop.
Considering the smile that won’t go away on Power’s face, is there a plan on doing more racing outside of IndyCar like Rolex?
“Maybe, yeah, but it depends how much I enjoy it and all that,” Power said. “It’s been a lot of fun so far. I don’t want it to take away from my IndyCar program at all, so that’s the main thing. I really need to perform well this year with Andretti. That’s the main focus, and then I think about these other things after.”
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They qualified fourth in class among the GTD Pro cars, lining up on the outside of Row 2 for the 24-hour endurance racing classic.
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