GTD winner Ellis labels 175mph slide “one of the wildest moments of my career”

Ellis was completely sideways while racing through the fastest part of the circuit in the closing moments of a dramatic Rolex 24

Philip Ellis has reflected on his heart-stopping 175mph slide during the 2026 Rolex 24. The moment occurred during a late-race clash with Nicki Thiim while battling for the lead—a duel that ultimately secured the GTD victory for Winward Racing.

The dramatic fight for the class win between the #57 Winward Mercedes-AMG and the #44 Magnus Racing Aston Martin reached its boiling point with just ten minutes remaining when the two cars made contact at the fastest part of the Daytona International Speedway.

“It was definitely one of the wildest moments of my career,” the 33-year-old told Motorsport.com. No stranger to spectacular incidents from his junior formula years in Europe, Ellis admitted he would need some time to “let that one sink in.”

Despite the scale of the moment, Ellis confessed that the adrenaline of the duel meant he didn’t immediately grasp the danger sitting behind the wheel.

“It wasn’t until the in-lap that I realized I was missing the mirror. I was so focused on the fight that I didn't even notice,” he explained.

“I wasn’t really aware that we were so close to a disaster that could have seen both of us DNF. Of course, neither of us would want that.”

Ellis admitted to misjudging the encounter, an move that resulted in a warning from race control.

“He had a run on me that I tried to break by putting the side draft on him. To be fair, I didn’t realize he was already that close to the wall. So, that one is on me—especially at that speed, where the consequences can be massive,” Ellis noted.

“But I’m happy we both continued without further incident. It was hard racing and we put on a great show for the fans.”

He also confessed that Thiim’s resilience in the final stages caught him off guard. “I was very surprised that he stuck with me like that,” the now three-time Rolex 24 winner added.

“I don’t know if he found extra pace or if being in my slipstream helped him that much, but I didn’t expect him to fight back so hard in those last 15 minutes.”

Warning against Thiim changed little

Prior to the battle with Ellis, Ellis had already received a warning from IMSA for forcing Mattia Drudi’s #27 Heart of Racing Aston Martin off-track. However, Ellis was unaware of his rival's situation at the time.

“I had no idea, to be honest. I only knew I had a warning after our incident. But again, that didn't really change much,” he said.

When asked if knowing about the Dane's prior warning would have altered his tactics, Ellis remained skeptical. “I don't think so. IMSA is very strict on blocking rules. I might have tried to bait him into blocking me a bit more [when he was in front] to trigger a penalty, but I’m glad we sorted it out on track and not via penalties."

“I think that's what people come here to watch. That’s why we see record crowds every year. It’s what makes IMSA so special.”