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Sheldon van der Linde passes Earl Bamber to win IMSA Indianapolis race

2 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 20, 2026, 11:34 PM

Last updated Sep 20, 2026

Sheldon van der Linde passes Earl Bamber to win IMSA Indianapolis race
Summary

Sheldon van der Linde secured victory in the IMSA Indianapolis race, making a crucial pass on Earl Bamber with just over five minutes remaining. Driving the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8, van der Linde finished 2.926 seconds ahead of Bamber's #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R. This race marked the first IMSA win for BMW M Team WRT after several close calls. Jack Aitken, who co-drives with Bamber, maintained a significant championship lead of 147 points despite finishing second. In addition to the main event results, Christian Rasmussen and Era Motorsport triumphed in LMP2, while GTD Pro and GTD victories were claimed by Ford Racing's duo and Turner Motorsports, respectively.

Source Links
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By the Numbers
  • •Van der Linde made the winning pass with 5m30s left in the race.
  • •Aitken holds a 147-point lead in the championship standings.
  • •BMW M Team WRT's first IMSA victory since joining BMW.
  • •Christian Rasmussen won in the LMP2 class for Era Motorsport.
  • •Ford Racing and Turner Motorsports each took class wins in GTD Pro and GTD.
Latest Updates
  • 4:19 PMMotorsport.com — Sheldon van der Linde ‘played elbows out when Cadillac couldn’t’ for breakthrough Indy win
  • 11:34 PMMotorsport.com — Jack Aitken extends IMSA lead to 147 points after Indy runner-up
  • 10:33 PMYahoo Sports — Sheldon van der Linde passes Earl Bamber late to win IMSA Indianapolis thriller
What they're saying
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Victory slipped away late for the #31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R team on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Earl Bamber lost the late lead with just over five minutes remaining in the Battle on the Bricks. Yet despite the sting of a near-miss on Indy’s 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course layout, the second-place finish still significantly strengthened Aitken’s championship position. For ...Keep reading

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Knowing his team was out of the title hunt gave Sheldon van der Linde the ultimate freedom to attack on Sunday afternoon. With no points lead to protect, van der Linde capitalized on Earl Bamber’s conservative championship mindset to drive the #24 BMW M Hybrid V8 to a dramatic victory alongside co-driver Dries Vanthoor in the Battle on the Bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I knew ...Keep reading

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The BMW driver made the decisive move with 5m30s remaining to give BMW M Team WRT its first IMSA victory, while Jack Aitken left Indianapolis with a 147-point championship lead

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