Will Power kicked off his 2026 racing campaign by making his highly anticipated debut at the 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona, joining Kenny Habul’s 75 Express team and driving the No. 75 Mercedes-AMG GT3. This marked Power’s first appearance in both the iconic endurance race and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, as he embarks on a new chapter ahead of his upcoming transition to Andretti Global in the IndyCar Series after 17 successful years with Team Penske.
Power’s debut at Daytona placed him alongside his IndyCar teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson, who all competed in different entries across the Grand Touring Daytona Pro (GTD PRO) and Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) classes. His participation highlighted a notable shift in his career, underscoring his focus on embracing change during this milestone year.
Strong Performance Alongside a Talented Lineup
Racing with longtime friend and team owner Kenny Habul, Australian Supercars champion Chaz Mostert, and Mercedes-AMG factory driver Maro Engel, Power’s debut was a memorable experience. The team qualified fourth in the GTD PRO class and finished a close second, just 2.223 seconds behind the winners, the Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3 EVO driven by Neil Verhagen, Dan Harper, Max Hesse, and Connor De Phillippi.
For Power, this race was a long-awaited opportunity after having to delay his initial plan to compete with Habul’s team in 2023 due to a serious health issue affecting his wife Liz. The 2026 Rolex 24 proved well worth the wait, fueling his enthusiasm for endurance racing.
It’s so much fun, and I can’t believe this is my first time here at Daytona,
Power said after securing the podium.
I definitely plan to come back.
Enduring Friendship and Mutual Respect Drive Success
Power and Habul share a friendship spanning nearly 30 years, dating back to a podium finish they shared in 1999 at the Australian Formula Ford support race for the CART Honda Indy 300 in Surfers Paradise. Since then, Power went on to forge an illustrious career in the U.S., while Habul built a respected sports car racing team in Australia.
Habul praised Power’s adaptability to racing a closed-cockpit car for the first time in memory, highlighting his exceptional talent despite the learning curve.
“He’s uniquely talented,” said Habul, CEO of solar power provider Sun Energy 1.
The car doesn’t respond the way he’s used to so it’s an adjustment for him. But he’s so talented that even when he doesn’t know what he’s doing, he’s posting purple sectors (fastest segment times). He just has such good feeling in his hands.
Power returned the compliment, admiring Habul’s pace despite his busy business schedule and infrequent racing appearances.
“Kenny is so fast,” Power remarked.
At his age, and for a guy whose day-to-day job is running a huge business and is not in the car very often, his pace is amazing. The last time we shared a podium was 27 years ago in Formula Ford, so it was pretty cool to share one again.
Immersive Experience Heightens Appreciation for IMSA Racing
The entire Rolex 24 weekend, including three days of pre-race Roar Before the Rolex 24 testing, left a lasting positive impact on Power, a two-time IndyCar champion (2014 and 2022) and 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner. Embracing IMSA’s fan engagement initiatives, he took part in events like a Fan Forum, autograph session, and an open pre-race grid walk, where he amused fans by sporting a blue wig alongside teammates.
I really enjoyed it, and I really want to do more,
Power shared.
Just learning something different and new is always good. Different car, different format, different way of racing, and sharing a car. I think it’s good for you to get out of the same routine.
There are some seriously good drivers on this team – honestly, seriously good drivers throughout the field – and it’s really cool to drive with the 75 Express team in a Mercedes-AMG,
he added.
I expected tough competition, but I like just how much fun the driving was. I really enjoyed it. It’s very important at this stage of my career to have fun driving, and I think when you’re really competitive, you’re having fun. As long as I’m competitive, I’ll continue to drive.
Significance of the Result for 75 Express and Mercedes-AMG
Power’s strong showing provided a much-needed boost for 75 Express, marking their second runner-up finish at Daytona following a similar second-place result in 2021’s GTD class to Winward Racing. Mercedes-AMG as a whole demonstrated impressive depth at the event. Winward Racing secured victory in GTD and a podium finish in their GTD PRO debut, while Lone Star Racing achieved a solid sixth-place finish in GTD. Bartone Bros. Racing with GetSpeed also remained competitive in GTD PRO until late-race electronics issues hampered their challenge.
Looking Ahead to Sebring and the IMSA Endurance Season
The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will continue with the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring from March 18 to 21, marking the second round out of five for the 2026 IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. This event coincides with an off weekend in the IndyCar calendar, enabling several IndyCar teams and personnel to attend and participate at Sebring International Raceway for IMSA’s next endurance challenge.
Power’s successful debut at Daytona underlines his excitement for endurance racing and signals a promising start as he balances fresh commitments in both IMSA and the IndyCar Series.
