NICOLE HAVRDA Leads Laps in Strong LMP3 Debut at Sebring IMSA Endurance

March 11, 2026

• Canadian racer NICOLE HAVRDA made an impressive LMP3 prototype debut at Sebring’s inaugural IMSA Airbnb Endurance Challenge, finishing fifth overall after starting seventh. Her weekend showed classic rookie development – qualifying at 2:05.938 before race day saw her consistently dropping lap times into the 2:03s and eventually the 2:02s, proving she could adapt quickly to the demanding prototype machinery.
• HAVRDA’s race performance was particularly encouraging as she methodically worked her way up the field during her opening stint, overtaking multiple competitors to move into fifth overall and briefly inheriting the race lead on lap 30 when the leader pitted. Her pace improvement throughout the weekend – from 2:16.2 in early practice to race-winning speed – demonstrated the kind of development curve that makes teams take notice.
• The result caps off HAVRDA’s transition from single-seaters to endurance racing, building on her 2023 Formula Pro US championship and F1 Academy points-scoring performance in Montreal. Her move to full-time LMP3 competition with Shopify Racing represents a smart career pivot, and this debut performance suggests she’s found her natural home in prototype endurance racing where tactical awareness and consistent pace development matter as much as raw speed.

imsa vp racing sportscar challenge, lmp3, sebring international raceway, shopify racing