Back-to-Back IMSA WeatherTech GTD Champion Looks Ahead… Literally to 2026
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in while, you could miss it.”
The memorable quote from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off applies nicely to back-to-back IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Daytona (GTD) champion Philip Ellis.
On a day off visiting New York City’s iconic Times Square a couple of weeks ahead of New Year’s Eve, Ellis could have been forgiven for doing a double take when he turned around and literally saw a promotion of the race he’s trying to win again in a little over a month’s time.
A Brembo display promoting both IMSA and its flagship endurance race to kick off the season, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, was there waiting for him when he turned around. The co-driver of the No. 57 Winward Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 with Russell Ward was only too happy to take a pic in front of the signage in Manhattan, which you can see above.
Last January, Brembo was announced as the Braking Technology Partner of IMSA in a multiyear partnership. As part of that partnership, the Brembo and IMSA visuals have been displayed on a rotation in the Big Apple for most of 2025.
Ellis is a two-time Rolex 24 winner (2021 and 2024 in GTD) and is in search of his third in a little over a month’s time. He’ll share his car with Ward, Indy Dontje and Lucas Auer.
The 64th Rolex 24 At Daytona rolls off at 1:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 24, with coverage on network NBC and Peacock to cover the full 24-hour race that kicks off the 2026 WeatherTech Championship season.