“He threw everything at me”: How Laurin Heinrich’s last-lap battle sealed Laguna Seca win
Door-to-door duel with Earl Bamber capped furious comeback as Porsche driver calls it “one of my best fights”
Motorsport photo It came down to the final six corners. After 160 minutes of racing at Laguna Seca, the fight for the GTP victory was reduced to a duel between Laurin Heinrich in the JDC-Miller Porsche and Earl Bamber in the Action Express Cadillac, resulting in a fantastic last-lap pass by the German. The battle was as hard as it gets in IMSA, featuring door-to-door action, tactical braking, and the inevitable "rubbing is racing" moments.
“Earl threw all his experience into the balance,” Heinrich said after the race. “He’s a tough racer. Our fight was hard but fair.
” At one point, the two cars made contact as Bamber tried to keep the Porsche behind by artificially slowing down the apex. “I hit his rear, and his tire started rubbing against the bodywork. There are a few Michelin stickers on my car now.
But that’s why we love IMSA racing. It was one of the best fights of my career,” Heinrich laughed. "I knew what I was doing" #31 Cadillac Whelen: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber #31 Cadillac Whelen: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber For Earl Bamber, who eventually had to settle for second place, the defensive maneuvers were a necessity rather than a choice.
Continue to the original source for the full article.