Victory for Porsche & GTE-Am podium for Evans at WEC season finale

FIA World Endurance Championship, Round 8, Race GTE, Sakhir (Bahrain)

The Porsche GT Team has wrapped up the 2019/2020 season of the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC with positions one and two in the GTE-Pro category. Frenchman Kévin Estre and Michael Christensen from Denmark took up the eight-hour race on the Bahrain International Circuit from pole position and crossed the finish line in first place. Their teammates Richard Lietz (Austria) and Gianmaria Bruni (Italy) fought their way from fourth at the start to finish in second place. For the sports car manufacturer, this is the third victory out of eight WEC races with the newly developed ca. 515 hp 911 RSR. Fourteen months ago, Porsche won the season-opening round at Silverstone in Great Britain – on that occasion, Lietz/Bruni took the flag ahead of Estre/Christensen. In August, the French-Danish duo reciprocated with a victory at the Spa-Francorchamps six-hour race.

“We managed to conclude the debut season of our latest 911 RSR as we began it in Silverstone, which now feels like an eternity ago: with a one-two result in the FIA WEC,” states Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “With a total of three victories in its maiden season, we’ve clearly showcased the potential of this racing vehicle. For this, I’d like to thank everyone involved here in Bahrain as well as those back at our workshop in Weissach.”

In a banner day, Porsche won both GT classes at the final round of the season: Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister (Germany), Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup winner Larry ten Voorde (Netherlands) and Egidio Perfetti (Norway) claimed victory in the GTE-Am class for the Project 1 customer squad.

Like the two work teams in the GTE-Pro category, Porsche split the strategy of the two 911 RSR on the 5.412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit, which is known for its particularly abrasive asphalt. Estre and Christensen tackled the qualifying each with new Michelin tyres and secured pole position. Lietz and Bruni, however, shared one set of new tyres. Taking up the race from fourth place, they were the fastest of the three vehicles who had implemented the same tactic. Their advantage: In the race, they had an additional set of fresh tyres at their disposal.

Accordingly, tyre strategy proved paramount at the eight-hour race. The race began with hot air and track temperatures in the daytime and ran into the cooler night. Start driver Estre immediately took the lead. The No. 92 Porsche only relinquished this position once: coming in for the first refuelling stop, the sister car only had to switch out two tyres, making the pit stop shorter. The third pit stop, which was brought forward as a result of a full course yellow situation, did not run as expected for the No. 91 car: when the race resumed quicker than anticipated, the hoped-for advantage evaporated. When the safety car was deployed for its one and only outing at the halfway point of the relatively incident-free season finale, the 911 RSR driven by Lietz und Bruni caught up with the leaders. On the cooling asphalt, the pair moved into second place behind Estre and Christensen with a good three hours to go and ultimately rounded off the one-two result for Porsche.

In the GT manufacturers’ classification of the FIA World Endurance Championship, this result yielded Porsche second place.

Two Porsche teams also climbed the podium in the GTE-Am class, in which five 2017-spec 911 RSR competed. Jörg Bergmeister, Larry ten Voorde and Egidio Perfetti claimed victory. Porsche Junior Jaxon Evans (New Zealand), Germany’s Marco Holzer and Khaled Al Qubaisi (United Arab Emirates) planted the 911 RSR fielded by Dempsey Proton Racing on third place in their class. In addition, positions five, six and seven in the GTE-Am class went to Porsche customer teams.

Comments on the race
Alexander Stehlig (Head of Operations FIA WEC): “A fantastic race – all in for Porsche! Pole position, first and second places in the Pro category and first in the Am class, what more do we want? The balance of the cars was super and, unlike the others, we didn’t have any problems. We’ve experienced a long, tough year with several setbacks. This makes it all the more wonderful that we can head into the winter break with this success. It was ‘summa cum laude’ effort from the entire team. We’ll take this motivation with us and do our utmost to build on this performance at Sebring next year.”

Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “This was a very important success for Porsche. Unfortunately, we were out of contention for the championship but we knew this before the weekend. We defended first place at the start and led the field on almost every lap – although our huge advantage shrunk due to the safety car phase at halftime. After that, we had to work hard to eke out an advantage again. There were several different tyre strategies. The sister car kept a fresh set more for the race; we wanted to drive on the tyres as consistently as possible through the race. Ultimately, things got pretty exciting again between us. I’m very, very proud of this team.”

Michael Christensen (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “It’s terrific that we can end the season with a double victory. We did pretty well here in Bahrain last December, but we were hampered by a technical problem. We’ve now settled that score. It’s wonderful that the year has ended like this.”

Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “First and second – what a fantastic weekend for Porsche. After the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this result comes just at the right time. The team made a great comeback. Our strategy worked well, Richard drove a great race and I, too, had some gripping duels on the track, where I managed to overtake several cars.”

Richard Lietz (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “A wonderful race, I’m happy for the Porsche Team. First and second: We did everything right with a great strategy. I’m very proud of the way we tackled this weekend. Saving a fresh set of tyres for the race was the key factor. The fact that we could then bring this result home safely for the team is ok, because that’s what racing is about.”

Larry ten Voorde (Porsche 911 RSR #56): “Incredible – my second class win in the WEC – and again in Bahrain of all places! I want to thank Egidio Perfetti and Jörg Bergmeister for allowing me to drive with them. I pushed hard. After making contact while lapping another car, it got really tight for us towards the end. The wonderful end to a mega season.”

Jörg Bergmeister (Porsche 911 RSR #56): “What can I say? I assured Egidio before the race that we’d win here. He and Larry did a great job. My stint in the middle of the race was actually pretty easy. The Porsche was running well, perfect teamwork – a well-deserved victory.”

Jaxon Evans (Porsche 911 RSR #88): “Words fail me right now. My debut in the WEC was great fun. We knew after the free practice that we had a fast car. In qualifying, we saved a set of fresh tyres. It’s wonderful that we made it onto the podium.”

Race result
GTE-Pro class
1. Christensen/Estre (DK/F), Porsche 911 RSR #92, 235 laps
2. Lietz/Bruni (A/I), Porsche 911 RSR #91, 235 laps
3. Rigon/Molina (I/E), Ferrari 488 GTE #71, 235 laps
4. Westbrook/Martin (GB/B), Aston Martin Vantage #97, + 1 lap
5. Sörensen/Thiim (DK/DK), Aston Martin Vantage #95, + 2 laps
6. Calado/Serra (GB/BRA), Ferrari 488 GTE #51, + 4 laps

GTE-Am class
1. Bergmeister/Perfetti/ten Voorde (D/N/NL), Porsche 911 RSR #56, 232 laps
2. Perrodo/Collard/Nielsen (F/F/DK), Ferrari 488 GTE Evo #83, 232 laps
3. Evans/Holzer/Al Qubaisi (NZ/D/UAE), Porsche 911 RSR #88, 232 laps
5. Wainwright/Barker/Picariello (GB/GB/B), Porsche 911 RSR #86, 232 laps
6. Keating/Pereira/Bleekemolen (USA/L/NL), Porsche 911 RSR #57, + 1 lap
7. Ried/Pera/Olsen (D/I/N), Porsche 911 RSR #77, + 1 lap

Full results: http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com

Porsche announces cancellation of the 2020 Junior Shootout due to European Coronavirus concerns

A spike in European COVID-19 cases forces cancellation of 2020 Porsche global Junior Shootout

Due to the growing COVID-19 infection rate in Europe, Porsche Motorsport has been forced to cancel this year’s Porsche Motorsport Shootout event, which was originally scheduled to take place from the 01 to 04 December. The decision was taken to ensure both the safety of the young drivers and staff. As a result, no 2021 Porsche Junior will be crowned globally for the first time in the Shootout’s history.

Domestically, the Coronavirus pandemic also impacted the shortened 2020 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia season. Which meant no Australian Junior representative would have been eligible to attend the 2020 Shootout, as only four of the 24 scheduled races took place due to local travel restrictions.

On the news of the cancellation, Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy, said “While the news is disappointing, it’s clear the outbreak is getting worse in Europe making it unsafe for the drivers and Porsche Motorsport team to conduct the event. Several of the Carrera Cup markets, like ourselves, couldn’t nominate anyone this year as they didn’t complete enough of their season or in some cases, didn’t start their season at all.”

The Porsche Junior Programme and Shootout remain a crucial part of the Porsche Motorsport Programme for 2021 and into the future. Planning for the Australian 2021 Junior Programme is well underway and promises to again set the benchmark for developing young driver talent within Australia.

The 2019 Junior Champion, Jordan Love, won last year’s Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Championship and went onto to win the Australia Junior Shootout nomination to compete against Carrera Cup Champions from the leading one-make Porsche championships around the world in three-day driving evaluation at the Portimao circuit.

This season, Love joined 2019 Porsche Junior Shootout winner, Jaxon Evans, on the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup grid, the premier support race for FIA Formula One World Championship.  Evans would go onto win the opening Supercup round in Spielberg, Austria and more recently add the Porsche Carrera Cup France title to his resume.

Other drivers that have progressed up the Porsche Motorsport pyramid in recent years via the Australian Junior Programme include the likes of Matt Campbell, Nick Foster, Andre Heimgartner and Dylan O’Keeffe, who have all gone on to succeed at the highest levels of the sport both locally and internationally.

Jaxon Evans to make WEC debut in 8 Hours of Bahrain

Carrera Cup Champion continues ascent up Porsche Motorsport Pyramid

The 2018 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Champion, Jaxon Evans, has been included in the driver line-up for the Dempsey Proton Racing for this week’s 8 Hours of Bahrain, the final round of the 2019 / 2020 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The Porsche Junior, who recently added the 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup France Championship to his resume, was a frontrunner in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup this year for BWT Lechner Racing, clinching the opening round of the season in Spielberg, Austria.

The New Zealander’s trajectory continues to follow that of Matt Campbell, who since clinching the 2016 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia title, has gone onto succeed at the highest levels of the sport with Le Mans 24-hour, IMSA and Bathurst 12-Hour victories to his name.

Campbell has been a regular in the Dempsey Proton Racing squad in the last years and Evans will make his WEC debut for the team alongside Emirati, Khaled Al Qubaisi and Germany’s Marco Holzer in the No. 88 Porsche 911 RSR in the LMGTE AM class.

Evans also competed in the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual with Porsche Esports earlier this year and won the Porsche Junior Shootout in 2018.

Free Practice 1 will be held on Thursday evening followed by two further free practice sessions plus qualifying on Friday (13 November). The season-closing 8 Hours of Bahrain will commence at 14h00 local time on Saturday.

Fans can watch all the action live via the WEC app.

Porsche to headline Shannons Motorsport Australia Festival at Sandown

Carrera Cup and Porsche Sprint Challenge competitors end 2020 on a high note

While national border closures and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic meant the 2020 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge seasons could not be conducted as scheduled this year, Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) is pleased to announce a one-off non-championship race weekend to be held on 11-13 December at the Sandown International Raceway in Victoria.

The Porsche PAYCE & MICHELIN Cup races will headline the Shannons Motorsport Australia Festival, which is being supported by the MG Car Club of Victoria. The combined event will see two generations of Porsche 991 Cup Cars, being the Gen I and Gen II, going head-to-head for the first time in a dedicated Porsche event.

The Porsche PAYCE & MICHELIN Cup will have a total of 4 classes in which competitors will compete for Mobil Pro and Pro-Am trophies, for each generation of Cup Car, with  2 x 25 minute races be conducted on the Saturday as well as a longer 40 min endurance race on the Sunday.

Due to maximum grid capacity for the event, first priority for entries will be given to 2020 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge teams and drivers with eligible Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 991 Gen I and Gen II cars. All additional entry requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

PCA is currently working with the Porsche Club of Victoria with the intent of including super sprints over the weekend.  The 944 Challenge racing series will also be in action.

On the announcement of Porsche’s involvement in the event, Toni Andreevski, Porsche Cars Australia’s Director of Marketing and Motorsport said, “As we approach the 70 year anniversary of Porsche Cars in Australia, we felt this was a great way to kick-off our celebrations of this milestone with both Porsche enthusiasts and our motorsport customers.”

While it is hoped some fans may be able to attend the Shannons Motorsport Australia Festival, any decision will be made closer to the event in line with any government restrictions.

For more race information, videos and interviews follow the Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Jaxon Evans clinches Porsche Carrera Cup France Championship title

Porsche Junior adds second Carrera Cup title to his resume

Jaxon Evans, has clinched the 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup France Championship with two commanding victories in the final round in Barcelona for BWT Lechner Racing. The 2018 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Champion had a fantastic final weekend in the final European race of the season, with two race wins on Saturday and Sunday, adding the French title to his resume.

His efforts also helped BWT Lechner Racing seal the Team championship, while the Kiwi’s Lechner Racing team mate, Nicolas Misslin, defended his title in the Pro-Am class.

Evans took the lead directly at the Sunday start from Ayhancan Güven. The race was restarted following more than 15 minutes behind the safety car, due to a first corner crash. After the restart, Evans pulled a gap over Guven and defended the lead until the chequered flag.

“I knew I had to keep my act together, make no mistake and bring the title home. I am so glad it worked out”, the Porsche Junior from New Zealand said after the race.

“After I had a really bad start into the weekend with all my gear stolen from my rental car, it now couldn´t have ended any better than winning the championship.”

On Saturday, Evan’s celebrated his first victory in this series, after starting from P3 on the grid. “I had a terrible getaway and there was also some chaos in the first corner, so I dropped back to P8. But from then on I had a really good race and could fight my way back through the field.”

Team principle Walter Lechner was of course ever so happy with the outcome: “It was a fantastic weekend  for our team and it is a great feeling to win all the championships we competed for. Especially as we are newcomers in the French Porsche Carrera Cup, fighting against more experienced competition.”

Porsche success at Spa 24H: Victory and four 911 GT3 R in the top ten

24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Race, Spa-Francorchamps

The Porsche customer team Rowe Racing has won the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. In a dramatic finale, the No. 98 Porsche 911 GT3 R driven by works drivers Nick Tandy from Great Britain, Earl Bamber from New Zealand and Laurens Vanthoor from Belgium came out on top. The trio crossed the finish line first after 527 laps on the 7.004-kilometre Formula 1 racetrack in Belgium and secured the second straight overall victory for the 500+hp GT3 vehicle from Weissach. After a fierce battle, Italy’s Matteo Cairoli and the two Germans Sven Müller and Christian Engelhart conquered the third podium step in the identical car fielded by the Dinamic Motorsport squad.

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport: “To win under such difficult conditions cannot be appreciated highly enough. Plus positions three and four – what a super performance. My congratulations and huge thanks to the winning team of Rowe Racing and to all other Porsche customer teams as well as the engineers from Porsche Motorsport. They all did a tremendous job at Spa.”

The endurance race in the Ardennes was contested under difficult conditions with changeable weather and an often slippery racetrack. Many incidents including rain during the night resulted in a total of 18 full course yellows and 14 safety car phases. In the close competition among the 55-strong GT3 field from eleven manufacturers, the lead spot changed almost by the hour. The victorious Porsche 911 GT3 R from Rowe Racing swept into the lead for the first time early Sunday morning, after the 2015 outright Le Mans winner Tandy turned heads as the fastest driver in the field on a gradually drying track. After his teammates Bamber und Vanthoor put in impressive stints, it was again the Briton who took the limelight in the final hour. After perfect tactical decisions by the seasoned customer squad, at the wheel of his ailing car, Tandy outpaced the No. 66 Audi in a gripping final sprint. After 24 hours, he crossed the finish line with a mere 4.687-second advantage – his racing car, making alarming noises due to lack of transmission oil, would very likely not have managed another lap.

Matteo Cairoli also impressed in the final minutes of the long-distance classic. The Italian made optimal use the Porsche 911 GT3 R’s traction advantage on the wet track and fought his way up to third place shortly before the chequered flag. The No. 12 racer fielded by GPX Racing with works drivers Mathieu Jaminet, Patrick Pilet (both France) and Matt Campbell (Australia) reached the finish line in fourth place after an equally strong charge through the field, with the No. 40 sister car finishing on eleventh. The maiden Spa outing for the Frikadelli Racing team with Porsche ambassador Jörg Bergmeister as one of the driver-crew concluded the marathon in position eight.

The KCMG customer team, however, was plagued by bad luck in this year’s race. The No. 21 car retired early due to persistent vibrations at the rear of the Porsche 911 GT3 R. The sister car of last year’s winners Michael Christensen from Denmark, Kévin Estre from France and Richard Lietz from Austria lost five laps due to a wheel carrier defect and ultimately finished on 13th place. The Herberth Motorsport squad, which had at times led both the Pro-Am and Am-categories, lost both vehicles in accidents. The No. 56 entry from Dinamic Motorsport and the Rowe Racing’s No. 99 car also had to retire early.

Comments on the race
Sebastian Golz (Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R): “It was an extremely exciting finish – our hearts were racing at full revs. The last hours were simply nerve-wracking. Huge congratulations to Rowe Racing and the drivers who achieved the absolute maximum. On top of the overall victory, we also have one of Dinamic Motorsport’s cars on the podium and GPX Racing on fourth place. That underlines the strong partners we have at our side when the Porsche 911 GT3 R goes racing.”

Nick Tandy (Porsche 911 GT3 R #98): “I’ll never forget this finale. Our victory was hanging by a thread when loud noises suddenly started coming from the rear of the vehicle in the penultimate lap. It almost sounded as if small bombs were exploding. I got a fright and at the same time, the rear axle was sliding around on a trail of oil. What I didn’t realise was that the oil was coming from our car. I still can’t quite believe that the Porsche 911 GT3 R got us over the finish line. The relief and joy are indescribable.”

Earl Bamber (Porsche 911 GT3 R #98): “It’s simply incredible. That was a real team effort. Everyone gave their utmost and never gave up. At the beginning, our chances didn’t look good but with tremendous determination we made it to the front. This victory feels just wonderful. We’ve experienced a lot of bad luck this year. The triumph at Spa helps us forget all about that. It’s a dream come true!”

Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 GT3 R #98): “This brings me to tears. The 2020 year for us was often difficult because luck was never on our side. At some point, I’d almost written the season off in my mind. And then of all things to win at my home race in Spa-Francorchamps. I can’t describe the emotions. First I have to let it all sink in.”

Sven Müller (Porsche 911 GT3 R #54): “I’m super happy with position three. Around the midway mark in the race and after the bad luck with two penalties, we didn’t at all expect a podium result would be possible. But Matteo simply put in a sensational final stint and the team also did a wonderful job.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 GT3 R #12): “Position four is a good result, but I’m still disappointed. More would’ve been possible. At times we were running in the lead. Our pace was consistently good, but it still wasn’t enough for a podium spot. Minor things hampered us, and sometimes our strategy wasn’t totally perfect. It’s of course a great day for Porsche. Victory and another car on the podium – it hardly gets better than that.”

Dennis Olsen (Porsche 911 GT3 R #22): “First and third place for Porsche – congratulations to the boys! The race was a bit more difficult for us, we lost two laps during the night. We did everything we could and made up a lap, but it didn’t work with the second lap because there were too few yellow phases at the end. I’m a little disappointed, of course, because our Porsche ran perfectly and everyone did a solid job.”

Race results
1. Tandy/Bamber/Vanthoor (GB/NZ/B), Porsche 911 GT3 R #98, 527 laps
2. Drudi/Niederhauser/Vervisch (I/CH/B), Audi R8 LMS #66, 527 laps
3. Cairoli/Engelhart/Müller (I/D/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R #54, 527 laps
4. Campbell/Pilet/Jaminet (AUS/F/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #12, 527 laps
8. Bergmeister/Olsen/Makowiecki (D/N/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #22, 527 laps
11. Dumas/Deletraz/Preining (F/CH/A), Porsche 911 GT3 R #40, 525 laps
13. Christensen/Lietz/Estre (DK/A/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #47, 522 laps
29. Werner/Andlauer/Bachler (D/F/A), Porsche 911 GT3 R #99, 495 laps
37. Allemann/Bohn/Renauer/Renauer (CH/D/D/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R #991, 375 laps
43. Liberati/Burdon/Imperatori (I/AUS/CH), Porsche 911 GT3 R #21, 247 laps
46. Häring/Konstantinou/Joos/Seefried (D/GR/D/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R #918, 158 laps
48. Rizzoli/de Leener/Pedersen/Sbirrazzuoli (I/B/DK/MC), Porsche 911 GT3 R #56, 149 laps

Full results on www.total24hours.com/results.

Campbell part of eleven Porsche 911 GT3 R car attack for 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, Preview, Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium)

Porsche and its experienced customer teams contest the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with a large contingent. A total of eleven 911 GT3 R will fight for the prestigious overall victory on the challenging “Ardennes rollercoaster”. This makes Porsche the most strongly represented manufacturer at the tradition-steeped event in Belgium. The endurance classic is renowned as the world’s greatest GT3 race and counts towards two of this season’s championships: the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC). Dinamic Motorsport, GPX Racing, Herberth Motorsport, KCMG as well as Rowe Racing each field a pair of Weissach-developed GT3 racing cars, with Frikadelli Racing campaigning one. Porsche brand ambassador Timo Bernhard is one of the driver crew in Frikadelli’s GT3 R. Porsche supports its partners with engineers, consultants and a dozen works drivers plus two Young Professionals. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the 24-hour race is contested three months later than originally planned and without spectators at the track.

The race
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is located in the far east of Belgium close to the German border. Opened in 1921, the 7.004-kilometre racetrack features 21 corners and undulates through the Walloon countryside – thus it has been dubbed the “Ardennes rollercoaster”. Fast passages like Raidillon/Eau Rouge and Blanchimont are as notoriously famous as the La Source hairpin at the end of the start-finish straight. The inaugural 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps was held in 1924, at that time on a 14.863-kilometre course between the towns of Malmedy, Francorchamps and Stavelot. In 1979, the race was held for the first time on the then new Formula 1 circuit. Porsche has celebrated seven overall victories in the long and illustrious history of the endurance classic for GT vehicles. Last year’s winner was the 911 GT3 R fielded by GPX Racing with works drivers Michael Christensen (Denmark), Kévin Estre (France) and Richard Lietz (Austria) at the wheel.

An overview of the Porsche teams and drivers
Eleven Porsche 911 GT3 R, six customer teams and a total of 36 racing drivers: This is by now the largest line-up of the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer at the 24-hour race in the Ardennes. Six vehicles can earn points towards the manufacturer’s classification in the IGTC: In addition to Frikadelli Racing’s No. 22 car, a nine-eleven from Dinamic Motorsport (#56), GPX Racing (#12), Herberth Motorsport (#991), KCMG (#47) and Rowe Racing (#98) are among the nominated racing cars. At the event in Spa-Francorchamps, the vehicles and their crews will receive points for the IGTC and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup after six, twelve and 24 hours.

Pro classification
GPX Racing (Porsche 911 GT3 R #12)
Matt Campbell (Australia), Patrick Pilet, Mathieu Jaminet (both France)
KCMG (Porsche 911 GT3 R #21)
Edoardo Liberati (Italy), Josh Burdon (Australia), Alexandre Imperatori (Switzerland)
Frikadelli Racing Team (Porsche 911 GT3 R #22)
Timo Bernhard (Germany), Dennis Olsen (Norway), Frédéric Makowiecki (France)
GPX Racing (Porsche 911 GT3 R #40)
Romain Dumas (France), Louis Delétraz (Switzerland), Thomas Preining (Austria)
KCMG (Porsche 911 GT3 R #47)
Michael Christensen (Denmark), Richard Lietz (Austria), Kévin Estre (France)
Dinamic Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #54)
Matteo Cairoli (Italy), Christian Engelhart, Sven Müller (both Germany)
Rowe Racing (Porsche 911 GT3 R #98)
Nick Tandy (Great Britain), Earl Bamber (New Zealand), Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium)
Rowe Racing (Porsche 911 GT3 R #99)
Dirk Werner (Germany), Julien Andlauer (France), Klaus Bachler (Austria)

Silver Cup classification
Dinamic Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #56)
Andrea Rizzoli (Italy), Adrien de Leener (Belgium), Mikkel O. Pedersen (Denmark), Cédric Sbirrazzuoli (Monaco)

Pro-Am Cup classification
Herberth Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #991)
Daniel Allemann (Switzerland), Ralf Bohn, Robert Renauer, Alfred Renauer (all Germany)

Am-Cup classification
Herberth Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #918)
Marco Seefried, Jürgen Häring, Michael Joos (all Germany), Dimitrios Konstantinou (Greece)

24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps – all outright Porsche wins:
2019 Lietz / Christensen / Estre (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
2010 Dumas / Bergmeister / Ragginger / Henzler (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR)
2003 Ortelli / Lieb / Dumas (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR)
1993 C. Fittipaldi / Jarier / Alzen (Porsche 911 RSR)
1969 Chasseuil / Ballot-Léna (Porsche 911)
1968 Kremer / Kelleners / Kauhsen (Porsche 911)
1967 Gaban / Van Assche (Porsche 911)

The schedule (all times CEST/from Sunday CET)
Friday, 23 October
05:30 – 06:00 pm: Warm-up
06:20 – 06:50 pm: Super Pole
Saturday, 24 October
03:30 pm: Start 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
Sunday, 25 October
02:30 pm: Finish 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Live streaming of the event
The 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps takes off on 24 October at 3.30 pm (CEST). The classic can be viewed for free via live streaming on www.intercontinentalgtchallenge.com.

Campbell and Porsche GT Team celebrate first win of the season at “Petit Le Mans”

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Round 9, Race GT, Braselton (USA)

At “Petit Le Mans” on the Road Atlanta racetrack, the Porsche GT Team has achieved its first win in this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Works drivers Nick Tandy (Great Britain), Frédéric Makowiecki (France) and Matt Campbell (Australia) won the ten-hour race in the US state of Georgia by a narrow 1.779 seconds. The second Porsche 911 RSR, driven by Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium), Earl Bamber (New Zealand) and Mathieu Jaminet (France), became entangled in an accident in the turbulent final phase and reached the finish line in fifth place. After nine of eleven races, Porsche ranks third in the GTLM manufacturers’ championship.

Due to the safety car phases, the frontrunners in the GTLM class never lost sight of each other over the entire “Petit Le Mans” distance. Most of the time, they lapped the 4.088-kilometre racetrack separated by just a few seconds. Depending on the individual pit-stop cycle, the lead changed multiple times. Shortly before the halfway mark, Matt Campbell withstood a nail-biting moment when his Porsche 911 RSR was forced into a spin in a slight collision. Fortunately, the 515 hp works car from Weissach sustained only light damages. The young Australian was able to continue.

In the No. 912 sister car, Laurens Vanthoor turned the fastest lap of all GTLM teams, however, Mathieu Jaminet was handed a drive-through penalty for a minor collision with a GTLM rival, which cost the squad around 30 seconds. As a result, the No. 911 took over the task of staying close to the leader. When the leading BMW, which had held the top spot over a long period, had to make an unscheduled pit stop half an hour before the end of the race, Frédéric Makowiecki grabbed his chance and swept into the lead.

The Frenchman held firm to his top spot, even during two more restarts after safety car phases. With just four minutes left on the clock, a collision involving the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR triggered one last full course yellow. Although Laurens Vanthoor managed to bring the car over the finish line, he lost two laps. The race did not restart and ended behind the safety car.

As well in the GTD class for vehicles complying with the FIA GT3 regulations, no team was able to pull clear of the field. After ten hours, the seven fastest vehicles were within one lap. The Porsche 911 GT3 R fielded by the Wright Motorsports customer team and driven by the American works driver Patrick Long, his compatriot Ryan Hardwick and Jan Heylen from Belgium, took the flag in fourth place. Fifth went to the 500 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R campaigned by the Pfaff Motorsports customer squad, with Porsche development driver Lars Kern (Germany), the Norwegian Dennis Olsen and the Canadian Zacharie Robichon sharing driving duties.

The next and penultimate round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship will be contested on November 1, 2020, at Laguna Seca in the US state of California.

Comments on the race
Pascal Zurlinden (Director Factory Motorsport): “What a fantastic result for the team. We’ve suffered many setbacks during this IMSA season. This victory at ‘Petit Le Mans’ is the reward for all the hard work that everyone in the team has done. That includes both the team here in the USA and our Weissach squad.”

Steffen Höllwarth (Head of Operations IMSA Championship): “The monkey’s finally off our back. Those were some tough and intense ten hours with ups and downs. We had to deal with some minor setbacks, but we didn’t let it ruffle our feathers and were in the right place at the right time in the end. I’m thrilled for the boys. Unfortunately, in the fight for GTLM victory, the number 912 car was involved in an accident while lapping a GTD vehicle, otherwise we could have brought home an even better result. Still, a huge compliment to the whole team. Today we benefited from the necessary racing luck several times, which has evaded us in the past. We’re happy with this victory and we’re looking forward to the last two races of the season.”

Nick Tandy (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “Petit Le Mans was extremely exciting, especially towards the end. We ran a risky strategy to maintain contact with the leaders. There were one or two incidents early on in the race, but the last few hours ran perfectly. After the problems that we’ve had this year, we would’ve been happy with a podium finish. To see Fred actually cross the finish line in first place was a very emotional moment.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “That result was totally unexpected. Normally in such a race, we wouldn’t have been in a position to fight for the GTLM victory, but we were in the right place at the right time. This is a very special moment for me. I’ve already won Petit Le Mans with Nick. This time Matt was part of our team and he did a great job. We attacked over the entire distance, and we couldn’t have driven even a tenth of a second faster.”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 RSR #911): “Quite honestly, I never expected the race to go like that. We experienced ups and downs, but ultimately we drove a fantastic race. This win is something very special. I’m over the moon.”

Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “I’m disappointed. We lost about 15 seconds at the final pit stop when we were hampered by another vehicle. After the last safety car phase we were running third and we had only three laps to go. After I quickly squeezed past a Corvette, I wanted to overtake a GTD car. After pulling level with the car, the other driver suddenly turned in. Our cars touched and we both spun. It was a risk, of course, because ultimately I wanted to win. I think if I faced a similar racing situation, I’d make the same decision. But it simply didn’t work.”

Earl Bamber (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “I’m sorry that our day ended like this because it would’ve been great to achieve a one-two for Porsche. After the problems we faced, Laurens put us back at the front with a great drive. Unfortunately, we weren’t rewarded for this. Still, it’s great for the team that we scored our first win of the season.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 RSR #912): “We experienced a difficult race with many setbacks and bad luck. We’ve worked hard and kept coming back. It’s such a shame that our day had to end like this. Still, I’m really pleased that Laurens came out of the accident unscathed. The number 911’s victory is a tremendous success for Porsche and the entire team.”

Result GTLM class
1. Tandy/Makowiecki/Campbell (GB/F/AUS), Porsche 911 RSR, 431 laps
2. Garcia/Taylor/Catsburg (E/USA/NL), Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, 431 laps
3. Krohn/Edwards/Farfus (FIN/USA/BR), BMW M8 GTE, 431 laps
4. Gavin/Milner/Fässler (GB/USA/CH), Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, 431 laps
5. Vanthoor/Bamber/Jaminet (B/NZ/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 429 laps
6. Spengler/De Phillippi/Herta (CDN/USA/USA), BMW M8 GTE, 399 laps

Result GTD class
1. MacNeil/Balzan/Westphal (USA/I/USA), Ferrari 488 GT3, 413 laps
2. Hawksworth/Telitz/De Queseda (GB/USA/USA), Lexus RC F GT3, +413 laps
3. Lally/Potter/Pumpelly (USA/USA/USA), Lamborghini Huracan GT3, 413 laps
4. Long/Hardwick/Heylen (USA/USA/B), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 413 laps
5. Kern/Robichon/Olsen (D/CDN/N), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 413 laps
6. Parente/Giokhberg/Hindman (P/RUS/USA), Acura NSX GT3, 413 laps

Full results and championship standings at imsa.alkamelsystems.com

Porsche conduct successful Michelin Junior Training Workshop online

2020 Michelin Junior drivers receive advice from leading industry professionals

Brad Hodge, Matt Campbell, Jaxon Evans, Joshua Rogers and Scott Pye were just some of the top drivers and presenters at the 2020 Michelin Junior Driver Training, which this year took place via a virtual workshop due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Despite the Coronavirus pandemic putting a halt to both the 2020 Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Australia Championship and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series, Porsche Cars Australia conducted the online workshop via Zoom as many of the country’s leading Junior drivers were stranded in each state due to the current travel restrictions.

The nine Michelin Junior drivers in attendance for the 2020 Training Workshop included Cooper Murray, Cameron Hill, Harri Jones, Christian Pancione, Aaron Love, Max Vidau, Courtney Prince and Ryan Suhle.

While the 2019 program saw the Juniors receive professional coaching on sports psychology, social media, media training, branding, sponsorship as well as nutrition and dietary advice, this year the program centred around mindset, mental preparation, managing their brand, producing social media content, sponsorship, heart intelligence, resilience and coherence.

After a welcome from Porsche Cars Australia’s Head of Motorsport, Troy Bundy, Michelin Australia’s Product Marketing Manager, Peter Heatley, gave the Juniors insight into the French tyre giant’s involvement in motorsport both locally and abroad as well as the technology employed on the competition tyres fitted to the current 991 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

Australian international cricketer, Brad Hodge then shared his insights on how the Juniors can achieve an optimal mindset in sport; key elements to elite sporting success and the importance of internal and external preparation, including visualisation.

Dewalt Supercars driver, Scott Pye, then shared insights on racing abroad and his return to the top-level of the sport in Australia, offering insight and advice on the importance of establishing and managing their brand, with examples on how they could produce content on social media to further enrich their relationships with potential sponsors and their existing partners.

The Michelin Juniors were then given practical techniques on the breathing and meditation by the President of Meditation Australia, Asher Packman, together with insights on heart intelligence, resilience and coherence. Packman works with many top AFL players and is globally recognised mindset coach and meditation teacher.

As the most proven and successful driver development programme in Australia, the training workshop is an integral part of the Porsche Motorsport Development programme locally.

Porsche’s motorsport pyramid in Australia has helped many young drivers reach the highest level of the sport, both locally and internationally, including the likes of Nick Foster, Dylan O’Keefe, Jordan Love, Jaxon Evans and Matt Campbell to name but a few in recent years.

Porsche factory driver, Campbell and Porsche Junior, Evans, together with 2019 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup Champion, Joshua Rogers, then joined the workshop from Germany answering questions from the Juniors, sharing their experiences and offering them advice to further their careers.

Quotes:

Swaroop Tulsidas, Marketing Manager for Michelin Australia: “The Porsche Junior training session allowed us to refresh the junior’s learnings about our motorsport heritage, Michelin tyres and most importantly our commitment to the Porsche Junior program in the future. We understand it has been a tough year for drivers and teams alike and look forward to being trackside with the Porsche Juniors in 2021.”

“With the training session fresh off the Le Mans event it was a real boost for the juniors to have Matt Campbell online to share the story and success of his second podium finish at the Le Mans 24hr event. This was inspiring for the group and to have other international stars including Jaxon Evans take part, is a real bonus of connecting virtually. The Porsche team have done an incredible job to keep these fantastic initiatives happening during these unprecedented times.”

Troy Bundy, Head of Motorsport, Porsche Cars Australia: “We would like to thank our partners, Michelin Australia, for their renewed commitment to help us develop the best young drivers in Australia to their full potential. Even though the on track program for the juniors has been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, both Michelin and Porsche felt it was even more important to still conduct the Junior Workshop this year and continue to develop the drivers.”

“The content presented was really compelling and delivered great insights and advice that will help these young talented athletes achieve the most from their potential.”

For further information on the Michelin Junior Programme visit: https://www.carreracup.com.au/junior-programme/

Bathurst 1000 grid to field strong line-up of former Carrera Cup drivers

A third of the 2020 Bathurst 1000 grid has campaigned in Carrera Cup Australia in the past

This year’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will mark the season finale for the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship and takes place from 15-18 October on the majestic Mount Panorama in Bathurst, NSW. Supercars recently announced the driver line-up pairings for this year’s great race which promises to be one of the most competitive spectacles in the event’s illustrious history.

17 of the 48 drivers on the entry list have all raced in Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars in previous years, while some have progressed via Porsche’s proven Motorsport pathway to forge top-level racing careers.

After celebrating its 15th anniversary in Australia last year, Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup paid homage to many of these past champions at its official Awards Gala dinner on the Gold Coast at the end of last season. On that occasion, the honoured champions competing in this year’s Bathurst 1000 included the likes of Alex Davison (2004 Pro champion); Fabian Coulthard (2005 Pro champion) and David Reynolds (2008 Pro Champion).

The 2020 Bathurst 1000 field also sees numerous other big names who finished second in the Porsche championship including Nick Percat (2013 Pro runner-up), Warren Luff (2014 Pro runner-up); David Russell (2015 Pro runner-up) and Dale Wood (2019 Pro runner-up). Both Russell  and Wood were strong contenders for this year’s Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup season until the 2020 season was put on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Others to have progressed through the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid include Kelly Racing teammates Andrew Heimgartner and Dylan O’Keefe. Heimgartner contested the Australia-based Porsche Carrera Cup series at the young age of 16, running as high as fourth for much of the season before finishing seventh in Championship for Kiwi Racing. The New Zealander’s efforts saw him being awarded the Australian Porsche Junior scholarship to Europe.

O’Keefe would also represent Australia at the Porsche Motorsport Junior Programme Shootout in 2017 and 2018, only losing out to current Porsche Junior driver, Jaxon Evans, in 2018 who has since gone onto campaign the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup championship for the last two years.

Others Virgin Australia Supercar drivers that have raced in the Porsche one-make series include James Moffat (2008 / 2017); Dean Fiore (2007/2008), Tim Slade, Jonathon Webb (2005) and Craig Lowndes (who made his Carrera Cup debut at the Albert Park circuit earlier this year).

The highly experienced Garth Tander, Scott McLaughlin and Lee Holdsworth have also recorded Carrera Cup victories to their names, with McLaughlin’s 2020 Supercar championship rival Shane van Gisbergen having partnered regular Porsche drivers in the Pro-Am.

The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, KayoSports and Channel 10.

Entry list: Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000

Campbell to miss Nürburgring 24-Hour as Porsche announce revised driver line-up

Nürburgring 24 Hours, Preview, Nürburgring-Nordschleife (Germany)

In consultation with its customer teams, Porsche has made a last-minute change to its driver line-up for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. New to the crew driving the 911 GT3 R are two outright Le Mans winners and endurance champions: the brand ambassador Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Earl Bamber (New Zealand). In addition, the line-up also includes last year’s GTE-Am class winner at Le Mans and brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister, talented youngster Nico Menzel (both Germany) and seasoned specialist Norbert Siedler (Austria). Porsche works driver Sven Müller (Germany), Dennis Olsen (Norway) and Klaus Bachler (Austria) tackle the race for two Porsche customer teams.

They replace the nine drivers with works contracts, including Australian Matt Campbell, who have had to step down from attending the Nürburgring race on 26-27 September. This reshuffle is the result of three positive Covid-19 tests done as part of a routine check on Porsche employees at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As a consequence, Porsche Motorsport decided that, for safety reasons, no participant from the French endurance classic would travel to the Eifel.

As such, on Saturday, 26 September at 3:30 pm, four Porsche customer teams will field seven 911 GT3 R in the top SP9 category with reshuffled driver crews. Only the No. 911 Manthey-Racing Porsche, which fans have dubbed “Grello”, will not be part of the 2020 action. Nevertheless, Porsche is still the most strongly represented brand at the long-distance classic, which is held four months later than the original date due to the coronavirus pandemic: About a third of the 100-strong field is made up of 911 and 718 Cayman racing vehicles.

“The health and safety of everyone involved take top priority for us. That’s why the tough decision not to be represented at the Nürburgring by the drivers and employees who attended Le Mans was ultimately a no-brainer. Still, I’m glad that we found a quick solution with our customer teams and that we can compete on the legendary Nordschleife,” says Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “I’d like to thank the organisers and officials at the ADAC who, in consultation with the relevant authorities, made it possible to hold the traditional 24-hour race on the Nürburgring. Hopefully, this important German motor racing event can welcome many fans from all over the world again next year.”

The race
The Nürburgring is one of the world’s most demanding and picturesque racetracks. The Eifel classic runs over a 25.378-kilometre combination of the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife (northern loop). The infamous Nordschleife, which was given the intimidating name “Green Hell” by three-time Formula One World Champ Jackie Stewart, poses a real challenge for drivers with its rollercoaster layout, changing track surfaces, and many corners and crests. The fact that the race is contested by professional racers through to clubsport drivers makes the 24-hour marathon particularly appealing.

The Porsche customer teams
Porsche provides its customer teams Falken Motorsports, Frikadelli Racing, Huber Motorsport and KCMG with support in their Eifel campaign by contributing drivers from their own squad, among other things. Because of the above-mentioned Covid-19 situation, works drivers Earl Bamber, Mathieu Jaminet (France), Sven Müller and Dirk Werner (both Germany), as well as the two Porsche brand ambassadors Timo Bernhard and Jörg Bergmeister, will take the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Frikadelli Racing have directly signed on Norbert Siedler (Austria).

An overview of the Porsche drivers (SP9 class)
KCMG (Porsche 911 GT3 R #18)
Earl Bamber, Jörg Bergmeister, Timo Bernhard, Dennis Olsen

KCMG (Porsche 911 GT3 R #19)
Josh Burdon (Australia), Edoardo Liberati (Italy), Alexandre Imperatori (Switzerland), Dennis Olsen

Huber Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #25)
Nico Menzel, Marco Holzer, Patrick Kolb (all Germany), Lorenzo Rocco di Torrepadula (Italy)

Frikadelli Racing Team (Porsche 911 GT3 R #30)
Klaus Abbelen, Alexander Müller, Robert Renauer (all Germany), Norbert Siedler (Austria)

Frikadelli Racing Team (Porsche 911 GT3 R #31)
Lance David Arnold, Lars Kern (both Germany), Mathieu Jaminet (France), Maxime Martin (Belgium)

Falken Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #33)
Christian Engelhart, Sven Müller, Dirk Werner (all Germany), Klaus Bachler (Austria)

Falken Motorsport (Porsche 911 GT3 R #44)
Klaus Bachler, Martin Ragginger (both Austria), Peter Dumbreck (Great Britain), Sven Müller

Nürburgring 24 Hours – all outright Porsche victories:
1976 Müller / Hechler / Quirin (Porsche 911 Carrera)
1977 Müller / Hechler (Porsche 911 Carrera)
1978 Müller / Hechler / Gschwendtner (Porsche 911 Carrera)
1988 Dören / Holup / Faubel (Porsche 911 Carrera RSR)
1993 de Azevedo / Konrad / Wirdheim / Katthöfer (Porsche 911 Carrera)
2000 Mayländer / Bartels / Alzen / Heger (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
2006 Luhr / Bernhard / Rockenfeller / Tiemann (Porsche 911 GT3 MR)
2007 Lieb / Bernhard / Dumas / Tiemann (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR)
2008 Lieb / Bernhard / Dumas / Tiemann (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR)
2009 Lieb / Bernhard / Dumas / Tiemann (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR)
2011 Lieb / Bernhard / Dumas / Luhr (Porsche 911 GT3 RSR)
2018 Lietz / Pilet / Makowiecki / Tandy (Porsche 911 GT3 R)

The schedule (CEST)
Thursday, 24 September
12:30 – 02:00 pm: Qualifying 1
08:00 – 11:30 pm: Qualifying 2

Friday, 25 September
01:25 – 02:25 pm: Qualifying 3
05:50 – 08:10 pm: Top Qualifying

Saturday, 26 September
11:15 am – 12:15 pm: Warm-up
03:30 pm: Start 48th Nürburgring 24 Hours

Sunday, 27 September
03:30 pm: Finish 48th Nürburgring 24 Hours

The event on TV and live stream
The Nürburgring 24-hour race will be broadcast on the website www.24h-Rennen.de while many motorsport platforms offer free live-streaming of the Eifel classic.

Comments on the upcoming race
Pascal Zurlinden (Director Factory Motorsport): “Our customer teams contest the prestigious Eifel classic with a completely new driver line-up and are keen to continue the fight for Porsche’s 13th overall victory with the 911 GT3 R. The Nürburgring 24 Hours is a special highlight on the international motor racing calendar. After the postponement to autumn, the weather conditions at the world’s most demanding racetrack are expected to be different compared to previous years. Given the lower number of entries and a strong GT3 contingent in the SP9 category, I’m anticipating a 24-hour sprint.”

Sebastian Golz (Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R): “The corona situation throws completely new challenges at us. We had to modify several driver crews at the last second. With the exception of Manthey-Racing’s ‘Grello’, all of our customer racing cars will compete. Of course, it hurts that we have to race without the nine planned drivers. However, thanks to Earl Bamber, Timo Bernhard and Jörg Bergmeister – to name just three – we’ve found strong replacements. We’re grateful they could jump in at the last minute and thanks as well to the teams for their support. Now it’s up to us to make the best out of the situation.”

Earl Bamber (Porsche 911 GT3 R #18): “Normally I’d have been competing in the IMSA series this coming weekend, but unfortunately, that’s not possible for us. Safety first, there’s no doubt about that. On the flip side, the opportunity arose at short notice for us to take part in the 24-hour race. It’s going to be a huge challenge for me because I’m basically jumping in the deep end. It’s great that I can drive for KCMG. I know the team well. I competed in the NASCAR series recently with them. All Porsche teams have prepared intensively with the 911 GT3 R for the toughest race of the year. I’m super excited about my first laps on the Nordschleife.”

Jörg Bergmeister (Porsche 911 GT3 R #18): “I feel sorry for the drivers who should have been behind the wheel. For me personally, the preparation work is far from perfect. This is the first time this year that I sit in a racing car at the Nordschleife – but we’re a team at Porsche. We’ll make the most of the situation and hopefully achieve a decent result.”

Timo Bernhard (Porsche 911 GT3 R #18): “Expect the unexpected – I’m happy to help out, of course, under the current circumstances, even though my first thoughts are with the drivers who can’t travel to the highlight at the Nürburgring. Still, at Porsche, we stick together and support each other. That’s what makes our team spirit. The squad and the drivers in our 911 GT3 R are strong. Even though we weren’t able to prepare properly and it’s been seven years since I last contested a 24-hour race on the Nordschleife, it’ll be okay. I feel a good result is possible.”

Sven Müller (Porsche 911 GT3 R #33): “There’s a new qualifying procedure this year with two ‘top qualifying’ sessions. We haven’t yet qualified for the final session with 18 participants. We’ll have to fight hard to make it into this critical individual time trial. And even if we don’t manage to get a perfect grid spot, I’m feeling confident for the race. We’ve made steady progress in terms of tyre development this year and I think we have a good car.”

Dirk Werner (Porsche 911 GT3 R #33): “In my opinion, the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is the best endurance event on the world’s most challenging and beautiful racetrack. Falken Motorsports would like to win and I’m aiming to notch up my first victory at this classic. The race won’t be the same without the fans this year. There’s a very special atmosphere with the spectators camping and partying along the Nordschleife. It’s a pity that it’ll be missing this year. With the smaller overall entry list, but many GT3 vehicles competing, it’ll be a fast race. It’ll be exciting!”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 GT3 R #911): “I was excited to drive Manthey-Racing’s ‘Grello’, but it is what it is. I know Frikadelli Racing from previous races. The team is extremely professional. We’re coming to the ‘Ring to do our best and to win. I’m feeling highly motivated.”

Matt Campbell on the podium at Le Mans for Porsche customer team

FIA World Endurance Championship, round 7 Race, Le Mans

The Porsche customer team Dempsey-Proton Racing has finished this year’s edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a podium result. The Porsche 911 RSR shared by works driver Matt Campbell from Australia, Italian Riccardo Pera and Proton team owner Christian Ried from Germany concluded the race on second place in the GTE-Am class. The Porsche GT Team, however, endured a great deal of bad luck with the two latest-generation 911 RSR at the endurance classic in the northwest of France.

After just five hours of racing, the reigning world champions Michael Christensen from Denmark and Frenchman Kévin Estre, who received support from Belgium’s Laurens Vanthoor at Le Mans, were thrown more than ten laps behind due to a power steering fault. More repair work over the following hours widened the gap in the GTE-Pro field to 15 laps. The vehicle ultimately crossed the finish line in sixth place in its class.

The No. 91 sister car took the flag at the Le Mans 24 Hours one position ahead. Gianmaria Bruni from Italy, Austria’s Richard Lietz and the Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki had managed to maintain contact to the leaders until early Sunday morning, only to have an electrical problem dash all podium dreams. The ca. 515 hp car driven by the winners of the WEC race at Spa-Francorchamps contested the 88th edition of the French endurance class decked out in a red and white livery. With this, Porsche commemorated the overall victory of the 917 KH 50 years ago in 1970, which marked the first of 19 overall victories so far for the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart.

The competition in the GTE-Am class provided gripping race action to the flag. After a final safety car phase, the field went green again with 24 minutes remaining on the clock. Three vehicles from two manufacturers fought for two podium spots. Factory driver Matt Campbell kept his cool at the wheel of Dempsey-Proton Racing’s No. 77 car. After impressive duels and slipstream battles, the young Australian came out on top, bringing the 510 hp 2019-spec 911 RSR over the finish line in second place. Matteo Cairoli, however, narrowly missed out on claiming a podium step. After a close duel with a Ferrari, the Italian took the flag in fourth place. The No. 56 car of Project 1, which Cairoli shared with last year’s winner Egidio Perfetti from Norway and Larry ten Voorde from the Netherlands, had even led the GTE-Am field over long stretches. However, a one-minute penalty threw the crew behind.

In the FIA WEC manufacturers’ classification, Porsche now ranks second after seven of eight rounds. In the drivers’ category, Bruni and Lietz lie fifth, with the defending GTE world champions Christensen and Estre on fourth place. The final round of the 2019-2020 World Endurance Championship season will be held in Bahrain on 14 November.

Comments on the race
Pascal Zurlinden (Director Factory Motorsport): “Our first outing with the Porsche 911 RSR-19 at Le Mans was anything but easy. We’ve learned a lot. After achieving pole position, we’d expected more from the race – but we were disappointed. We’ll combine our experiences, draw our conclusions, and return stronger next year. Congratulations to our customer teams Dempsey-Proton Racing, Project 1 and Gulf Racing, who finished in the top five of the GTE-Am class.”

Alexander Stehlig (Head of Operations FIA WEC): “We continued to optimise our Porsche 911 RSR throughout the practices and were rewarded with pole position. That was great. Not so great, however, was the start of the race. We immediately realised that we couldn’t keep up in terms of acceleration and top speed. These factors are particularly painful because we also lost more and more time in traffic. On top of that, there were too many technical problems. We’ve got a bit of homework to do. We’ll improve the car and our processes and then we’ll be back to attack at the final round in Bahrain.”

Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “After claiming pole position on Friday, I never expected the race to be this hard. We gave our very best and drove a clean race. The team worked perfectly, but unfortunately, we lacked performance and the technical problems prevented a better result. At the final race in Bahrain, we want to show that we’ve learned our lessons.”

Richard Lietz (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “That was a fight with highs and lows over many days. Despite intensive preparation and successful tests, the car wasn’t perfectly balanced. We got that under control quickly and finally secured pole position. However, in the race, we couldn’t maintain the pace of the frontrunners. We did our best to keep contact – until we were hampered by a minor technical problem. That’s just how it is at Le Mans sometimes. You shouldn’t let that get you down.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “I’m disappointed and exhausted at the same time. Le Mans is my home race and I really want to win here one day. We all invested enormous energy in this special event that only takes place once a year. It really hurts when things go wrong. This year it immediately became obvious early that the competition wasn’t as close as hoped. If you want to keep up, you always have to drive at the limit. Under such conditions, you get technical problems. That’s annoying, but that’s just how it is.”

Michael Christensen (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “We were surprised at the pace our competitors could set right at the start. We couldn’t really keep up, but we did our utmost. When the power steering malfunctioned during Laurens’ stint and we stood in the pits for more than ten laps, we had to relinquish any hopes. When you lack competitiveness and technical bad luck strikes, it won’t be a good day – that’s just the way it is.”

Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “It quickly became clear in the race that our performance compared to our rivals wouldn’t be enough to reach the podium. That was the first bitter pill to swallow. Then, a repair cost us twelve laps. That was the last straw for us drivers and the team members. Still, we pulled ourselves together and did our very best. This year’s experiences will help us to be much stronger in 2021.”

Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “We weren’t good enough. After the practice and the qualifying, we’d hoped for more, but the pace wasn’t enough to keep up with the competition. What’s more, technology threw us far back. The podium and victory were out of reach this year. We want to change that as soon as we can and celebrate again after next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 RSR #77): “Second place is a dream result for us, because given the pace of the winners, we couldn’t do better. The drivers and our team did a great job. We can all be very proud. The final sprint after the last safety car phase was great fun. I just went all-out. We’ll celebrate second place as if it were a win.”

Larry ten Voorde (Porsche 911 RSR #56): “The race weekend was extremely exhausting. First, I competed in the Porsche Carrera Cup Le Mans, which I won, and then I contested the 24-hour race. But I’m really happy that both events worked out so well. I pulled out all stops in my last stint to gain another position. It’s a shame it didn’t end with a podium result.”

Race result
GTE-Pro class
1. Lynn/Martin/Tincknell (GB/B/GB), Aston Martin Vantage, 346 laps
2. Calado/Pier Guidi/Serra (GB/I/BR), Ferrari 488 GTE, 346 laps
3. Sörensen/Thiim/Westbrook (DK/DK/GB), Aston Martin Vantage, 343 laps
4. Pla/Bourdais/Gounon (F/F/F), Ferrari 488 GTE, 339 laps
5. Lietz/Bruni/Makowiecki (A/I/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 335 laps n
6. Christensen/Estre/Vanthoor (DK/F/B), Porsche 911 RSR, 331 laps
DNF. Rigon/Molina/Bird (I/E/GB), Ferrari 488 GTE, 340 laps n
DNF. MacNeil/Vilander/Segal (USA/FIN/USA), Ferrari 488 GTE, 185 laps

GTE-Am class
1. Yoluc/Eastwood/Adam (TR/GB/GB), Aston Martin Vantage, 339 laps
2. Campbell/Ried/Pera (AUS/D/I), Porsche 911 RSR, 339 laps
3. Collard/Nielsen/Perrodo (F/DK/F), Ferrari 488 GTE, 339 laps
4. Perfetti/ten Voorde/Cairoli (N/NL/I), Porsche 911 RSR, 339 laps
5. Wainwright/Barker/Watson (GB/GB/GB), Porsche 911 RSR, 337 laps
10. Inthraphuvasak/Legeret/Andlauer (T/F/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 331 laps
12. Felbermayr/Beretta/v. Splunteren (A/I/NL), Porsche 911 RSR, 330 laps
14. Keating/Fraga/Bleekemolen (USA/BR/NL), Porsche 911 RSR, 326 laps
16. Brooks/Piguet/Laskaratos (F/F/GR), Porsche 911 RSR, 313 laps
18. Preining/Bastien/de Leener (A/USA/B), Porsche 911 RSR, 238 laps

Full results and championship standings: http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com

Porsche entries dominate Aussie Tin Tops grid at The Bend

Porsche 911 GT3 entries to account for almost half  Aussie Tin Top grid

Porsche 911 GT3 race cars will account for almost half the Aussie Tin Tops category at The Bend Motorsport Park this weekend, as part of the support program for the Repco SuperSprint.

The first round of the Tin Tops Support category at the NTI Townsville SuperSprint included GT3-specification cars, Porsche Carrera Cup and Sprint Challenge 911 GT3 Cup cars, Super3, TA2, MARC Cars and other assorted touring cars.

Reigning 2019 Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Champion, Harri Jones, took the round one victory ahead of Tony Quinn in a GT3-specification Aston Martin. Bathurst winner, Luke Youlden and Jones’ McElrea Racing teammate, Ryan Suhle, fought it out for the last step of the podium, eventually making it three Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars in the top four overall results.

While Jones will again be looking for another overall round victory, this weekend both he and Madeline Stewart contest the Super Cup class in Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup 911 GT3 Cup cars, along with Kyle Gurton (Buick Motorsports), Matthew Sims (BRM Motorsport) and Rob Woods (Teamworks Motorsport).

The Super Challenge class will see Ryan Suhle and Richard Cowen campaign the first generation 991 series 911 GT3 Cup car (eligible for Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge) against Chris Meulengraaf, Andrew Taplin and Steve McFadden.

The entry list of Porsche entrants in the Super GTB class includes Anthony Giustozzi (Excaliber Racing), Henry Beasley (Buik Motorsport) and Franco Quaini (Rost Mechanical), while Yassir Shahin will campaign the lone Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Super GTA class against GT3-specification Lamborghini Gallardo of Tom Taplin and Bentley Continental GT3 of Thomas Randle.

The weekend gets underway with an early practice session on Saturday morning, followed by qualifying and Race 1 in the afternoon. Sunday hosts the final two 30-minute races of the second round. The Repco SuperSprint forms part of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship doubleheader. Fans can expect two jam-packed weekends of racing with various ticket options available from the gate or The Bend Motorsport Park website.

For more race information, videos and interviews, follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU  / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Aussie Tin Tops Schedule: Repco SuperSprint

Saturday 19 September

08:00-08:20 Practice 1 – 20mins

11:15-11:35 Qualifying – 20mins

14:10-14:40 Race 1 – 30mins

Sunday 20 September

10:35-11:05 Race 2 – 30mins

13:40-14:10 Race 3 – 30mins

Click HERE for Entry list

Evans and Mawson line-up for Porsche Carrera Cup support races in Le Mans

Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, Round 1 Preview, Le Mans

The Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland returns to the racetrack this weekend, with the national racing series kicking off its 31st season as part of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Together with the Porsche Carrera Cup France, the German one-make cup will contest a 45-minute race at the endurance classic with a total of 53 drivers entered in their 485 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup machines.

The calendar of this year’s German Carrera Cup includes ten more rounds run as support to the ADAC GT Masters. This year, young racing drivers will also benefit from the series’ support programme, the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland Talent Pool.

Prior to the race on Saturday, drivers take part in a 60-minute qualifying on Friday and two free practices (45 minutes each). Larry ten Voorde (Netherlands/Nebulus Racing by Huber) can travel to the northwest of France feeling confident. As the newly crowned champion of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the 23-year-old is one of the Le Mans favourites.

His rivals include Supercup rival, Dylan Pereira (Luxembourg/Förch Racing), as well as the two Porsche Juniors Ayhancan Güven (Turkey/Martinet by Alméras) and Jaxon Evans (New Zealand/BWT Lechner Racing) who are both competing in the Porsche Carrera Cup France Championship.

Australian Joey Mawson, also marks his return to international Porsche one-make competition in Le Mans, as part of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland field with the Fach Auto Tech team. 2019 saw the 24-year-old contest the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship with the same team, clinching several Rookie podiums as well as a top 3 position in the overall rankings.

The Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland broadcasts will air on Saturday (from 19.30 AEST) and Monday (from 03.30 AEST) after the race weekend. Fans can watch all races live online via the @CarreraCupDeutschland Facebook account and the one-make cup’s YouTube channel as well as the Porsche Motorsport Hub.

Commemorating the first Le Mans win: Porsche cars line up with special liveries

FIA World Endurance Championship, Round 7 Preview, Le Mans

On September 19th and 20th, Porsche will take on the challenge of the Le Mans endurance classic with vehicles finished in special designs. The two 911 RSR fielded by the Porsche GT Team tackle the hotly contested GTE-Pro class featuring red-white and black-white liveries – to commemorate the first of 19 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 50 years ago.

With crisp lines and shapes, the special colours of the foil wrapping resemble the digital RSR that successfully contested the virtual Le Mans race on 13-14 June. The two 515 hp factory cars will carry the lettering “1970” on the front lid and the roof. In that year, Britain’s Richard Attwood and Hans Herrmann from Germany clinched the first overall victory at Le Mans for the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart at the wheel of the legendary Porsche 917.

On that occasion, the vehicle fielded by Porsche KG Salzburg flew the national colours of Austria. The No. 91 Porsche 911 RSR will race with the very same red-and-white paintwork. On the No. 92 sister car, black replaces the red. Of the ten 911 racing cars to line up on the grid, eight 911 RSR are campaigned by customer teams in the GTE-Am class.

The race
The race on the 13.626-kilometre Circuit des 24 Heures is the highlight of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) every year. Contrary to the original plan, the classic, which was held for the first time in 1923, was deferred to September due to the coronavirus pandemic. The three-month postponement means different weather and light conditions. The latest generation 911 RSR runs for the first time at the world’s greatest long-distance race. The cancellation of the critical pretests throws a special challenge at the Porsche GT Team, because testing is not possible on the Circuit des 24 Heures: Most of the storied racetrack in the south of the city of 150,000 consists of public roads. Under normal conditions, hundreds of trucks and cars drive over the famous Mulsanne straight on their way from Le Mans to Tours. Treacherous ruts pose special challenges, especially in the rain.

The Porsche drivers
The regular WEC drivers Gianmaria Bruni from Italy and Austria’s Richard Lietz share the wheel of the No. 91 Porsche 911 RSR. Like last year, they will receive support from Frenchman Frédéric Makowiecki. In 2018 and 2019, the experienced trio achieved second place in the GTE-Pro class. In the identical sister car sporting the starting number 92, the reigning World Endurance Champions Michael Christensen from Denmark and Kévin Estre from France are reinforced by Belgium’s Laurens Vanthoor, the defending titleholder of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Two years ago, the three drivers brought home a commanding class victory at Le Mans with the 911 RSR decked out in the legendary Pink Pig design. At the 24-hour race in the northwest of France, the WEC awards double points for the individual categories. In the manufacturers’ classification, the Porsche GT Team ranks second after six of eight rounds. The reigning champions Estre/Christensen also sit second in the drivers’ category, with their team colleagues Bruni/Lietz currently in fifth place.

The Porsche customer teams
In the GTE-Am class, three experienced customer squads field a total of eight 2017-spec Porsche 911 RSR. In the cockpit of the No. 56 entry, last year’s Le Mans class-winning Project 1 team put their faith title defender Egidio Perfetti from Norway, the newly crowned champion of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Larry ten Voorde from the Netherlands and Italy’s Matteo Cairoli. The No. 57 sister car is shared by the American Ben Keating, Felipe Fraga from Brazil and Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands. The team from Lohne in Germany’s Lower Saxony will announce the driver line-up for the No. 89 car at a later date. In the No. 86 entry, Gulf Racing relies on the all-British crew of Benjamin Barker, Michael Wainwright and Andrew Watson.

Dempsey-Proton Racing fields four Porsche 911 RSR at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team owner Christian Ried (Germany) shares driving duties in the No. 77 vehicle with the Australian Porsche works driver Matt Campbell and Riccardo Pera from Italy. Manning the No. 88 sister car is the Porsche Young Professional Thomas Preining from Austria, America’s Dominique Bastien and Adrien de Leener from Belgium. Proton Competition campaign the No. 78 car with drivers Horst Felbermayr Jnr. from Austria, Max van Splunteren from the Netherlands and Michele Beretta from Italy. In the 99 entry, Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak from Thailand joins forces with the Belgian Lucas Légeret and Julien Piguet from France.

The schedule (all times CEST)
Thursday, 17 September
10:00 am – 01:00 pm: Free practice
02:00 pm – 05:00 pm: Free practice
05:15 pm – 06:00 pm: Qualifying
08:00 pm – midnight: Free practice

Friday, 18 September
10:00 am – 11:00 am: Free practice
11:30 am – 12:00 am: Hyperpole

Saturday, 19 September
10:30 am – 10:45 am: Warm-up
02:30 pm: Start of the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans

Sunday, 20 September
02:30 pm: Finish of the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans

TV broadcasts and live-streaming of the event
Although spectators are not permitted to travel to the 88th edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours, fans can witness the long-distance classic on numerous channels. The organiser ACO and the WEC offer live streams from the 24-hour race via their official apps. The Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, which is run as a support race to the event, will be broadcast live online via the @CarreraCupDeutschland Facebook account and the one-make cup’s YouTube channel as well as the Porsche Motorsport Hub.

Porsche’s outright Le Mans victories
1970 – Herrmann (D) / Attwood (GB) – Porsche 917 KH
1971 – Marko (A) / Van Lennep (NL) – Porsche 917 KH
1976 – Ickx (B) / Van Lennep (NL) – Porsche 936
1977 – Ickx (B) / Haywood (USA) / Barth (D) – Porsche 936/77
1979 – Ludwig (D) / Whittington (USA) / Whittington (USA) – Porsche 935 K3
1981 – Ickx (B) / Bell (GB) – Porsche 936
1982 – Ickx (B) / Bell (GB) – Porsche 956
1983 – Schuppan (AUS) / Haywood (USA) / Holbert (USA) – Porsche 956
1984 – Pescarolo (F) / Ludwig (D) – Porsche 956
1985 – Barilla (I) / Ludwig (D) / Krages (D) – Porsche 956
1986 – Bell (GB) / Stuck (D) / Holbert (USA) – Porsche 962C
1987 – Bell (GB) / Stuck (D) / Holbert (USA) – Porsche 962C
1994 – Dalmas (F) / Haywood (USA) / Baldi (I) – Dauer Porsche 962 LM
1996 – Wurz (A) / Reuter (D) / Jones (USA) – TWR Porsche WSC-95
1997 – Kristensen (DK) / Alboreto (I) / Johansson (S) – TWR Porsche WSC-95
1998 – Aiello (F) / McNish (GB) / Ortelli (F) – Porsche 911 GT1
2015 – Bamber (NZ) / Tandy (GB) / Hülkenberg (D) – Porsche 919 Hybrid
2016 – Jani (CH) / Lieb (D) / Dumas (F) – Porsche 919 Hybrid
2017 – Bernhard (D) / Hartley (NZ) / Bamber (NZ) – Porsche 919 Hybrid

Comments before the race
Fritz Enzinger (Vice President Motorsport): “I’m delighted that the 24 Hours of Le Mans can be held during the coronavirus pandemic – despite the very challenging conditions. I would like to thank the ACO and WEC management who worked alongside the authorities, manufacturers and teams to make this happen. In June, we gave our fans a great show with the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans. Now the real race has arrived. I’m positive that we’ll provide our loyal fans with another exciting event – and I hope that the thousands of spectators can return to the racetrack next year.”

Pascal Zurlinden (Director Factory Motorsport): “Le Mans will be completely different this year because of the lack of spectators and the heavily modified schedule. Still, I’m expecting a fantastic highlight for the fans. This year’s event is hugely significant for Porsche. Fifty years ago, Porsche’s winning streak began with the first outright victory for the 917. We commemorate that triumph with spectacular vehicle designs and special pit fit-outs. Our sporting aim is clear: After our win at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, we now set our sights on claiming Porsche’s 109th class victory with the real 911 RSR.”

Alexander Stehlig (Head of Operations FIA WEC): “We’re competing under completely different circumstances. The climatic conditions in September are different compared to June. There are still some unknowns in terms of weather, temperatures, performance and tyres. We’ll use the existing data from our WEC and IMSA campaigns as well as the insights gained from testing so that we can hopefully be well sorted for the first free practice session. We’re competing for the first time with the Porsche 911 RSR-19 here. It’s not only new for us, but also for the ACO, which handles the BoP. We have complete confidence in the expertise and experience of the specialists. Remaining unchanged, however, are the two driver trios in the cockpits. This will be their third year of working together at Le Mans. That’s a strength we will build on.”

Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “I’m very excited to see our Porsche 911 RSR decked out in the special Le Mans livery in real life. I’ve only seen the artwork and it looks fabulous. Turning up at the track with our stylish and fast cars on the anniversary of Porsche’s first overall victory at Le Mans is both a motivation and an obligation for us. We’re aiming for class victory. In the past two years, we finished in second place with our number 91 car. If we can make it over the distance without incidents, then nothing should stand in the way of a great success.”

Richard Lietz (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “The fact that Le Mans is being held in September this year will have a huge impact on the race. It gets dark earlier on Saturday and light much later on Sunday. We’ve never experienced such a ratio between day and night before at this 24-hour classic. What’s more, we’re facing very changeable weather. All of this promises an extremely thrilling race. Let’s see how the competition is in the GTE-Pro class. Our tests in the lead-up to Le Mans went well. Class victory is our clear goal.”

Frédéric Makowiecki (Porsche 911 RSR #91): “Le Mans will feel very different this year. I’ll really miss the spectators. We’re always very pleased to have their huge support in the paddock and especially at the drivers’ parade in the city centre – but unfortunately, that’s not possible this year. There are also some changes in the race operations. The weekend schedule is strictly streamlined, the test-day is cancelled and the chance of rain is higher in September. Our goal with the number 91 car is clear: After finishing the last two Le Mans races in second place, we’re determined to win our class this time. ”

Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “We’re returning to Le Mans with the very best memories. In 2019, we won the WEC championship title here. As a Frenchman, Le Mans is a home race for me. I’ll miss the fans very much. Traditional events like the autograph session in the pit lane and the drivers’ parade are a huge part of the special charm. In terms of the sporting challenge, it’ll be extremely exciting: Our current 911 RSR has been fast everywhere so far. I hope this will be the case at the special Le Mans circuit. The distinctive design of our number 92 car looks great – I think the black areas suit the shape of the 911 RSR perfectly.”

Michael Christensen (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “We’re heading to the highlight of the year with high expectations. At the previous WEC race at Spa-Francorchamps, we celebrated our first win of the season with the number 92 car – that was important for the championship and it gives us extra motivation for Le Mans. Even without a pretest, we’re very well prepared for the 24-hour classic.”

Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “The time plan for this year is totally different from usual. The very long Le Mans week seems almost like a normal WEC race weekend. It’s important to be well prepared with the new 911 RSR right from the start of the first session. We prepared ourselves to the best of our ability during the test drives. Our team scored a class victory at Le Mans two years ago. I’m confident that we’ll be part of the fight for victory in the GTE-Pro class again in 2020.”

Matteo Cairoli (Porsche 911 RSR #56): “I can hardly wait to contest my fourth 24 Hours of Le Mans. Our driver line-up is extremely strong this year, the car has been perfected and is good for a win. If we can do a flawless job and keep out of any trouble, we have good chances. I’m convinced that we could end up on the podium. Victory is also within the scope of our possibilities. We’re optimally prepared.”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 RSR #77): “Le Mans is held this year under different conditions, but I’m happy that we can drive there at all. It is and remains the biggest event of the year. Christian Ried and I won our class in 2018 – now I’m eager to repeat that with Riccardo Pera. We finished the previous WEC race at Spa-Francorchamps on the second podium step. We now want to take a big step forward in the championship with a success at Le Mans.”

Benjamin Barker (Porsche 911 RSR #86): “I’m very excited about our return to Le Mans. In the past, we’ve always had the pace in the 24-hour race, but our results didn’t reflect this. That needs to change this year. The atmosphere at the racetrack will be very different without the fans, but Le Mans in 2020 will have the same sporting significance as it’s always had.”

Le Mans 2020: Eleven consequences of the delayed start

24 Hours of Le Mans – with a difference

Fans of endurance racing have rarely had so much time to look forward to the 24 Hours of Le Mans as they have this year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the French classic was moved from its traditional mid-June date to 19/20 September. There has only been one other delayed start in the almost 100-year history of the race: In 1968, the Le Mans 24-hour race was contested on 28/29 September due to ongoing unrest in Paris. The postponement of the race also has wide-reaching consequences for the Porsche GT Team. This includes changes to the schedule as well as the waiving of popular fan events such as the technical scrutineering in the town square and the drivers’ parade the day before the start.

The long night
In mid-June around the summer solstice (June 20th), the days are longest in the northern hemisphere. On the originally planned date for the 88th edition of the endurance race on 13/14 June, the vehicles would have driven in darkness for only 8.02 hours. On the new September date, the sun sets on Saturday evening at 8:01 pm. The first rays of light will appear on Sunday morning at 7:44 am – which means that the period of darkness is almost four hours longer than it would have been shortly before the official start of summer. In the fight twice around the clock on the Circuit des 24 Heures, teams will spend only around 12 hours in daylight.

The fast pace
The long night means a longer period with cooler asphalt and air temperatures. As a result, the engines of the two ca. 515-hp Porsche 911 RSR can run longer at an optimal level. Cooler air means more oxygen saturation and thus better and more efficient burning of fuel in the six combustion chambers. A good rule of thumb: If the ambient temperature drops by five degrees Celsius, the output of the engine increases by one per cent. Hence, in the long night of the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours, a higher average pace can be achieved in the race. “If the weather conditions are good, we’ll witness a significantly faster race compared to June,” says Pascal Zurlinden, Director of Factory Motorsports at Porsche. With the sun setting earlier on Saturday evening and rising later on Sunday, temperature profiles will be different. The average temperature over a 24-hour period in mid-June (data from the last 30 years) is 16.8 degrees Celsius. The September average is exactly one degree lower. Like the higher oxygenation, this factor further influences the vehicles’ performance.

The soft tyres
The cooler night-time temperatures also have the advantage that the soft compound of the Michelin tyres can be run over longer periods. This rubber not only offers more grip but also more consistency when track conditions are good. “Unfortunately, we’re not permitted to drive triple or quadruple stints in the GTE-Pro class,” explains Zurlinden. After two stints, the GTE vehicles must be fitted with new wheels. “The changed regulations no longer allow refuelling at the same time as a tyre change, and every tyre change costs additional time. We’ll definitely see more double stints. That’s why we have to keep our pit stops as short as possible,” says the experienced engineer.

The anticipated rain
The weather statistics over the last three decades show that the highest and lowest temperatures during the day and night hardly differ between June and September. However, the data also clearly shows that although there is less rain in September, the showers are heavier than in June. “We just have to take it as it comes,” says Pascal Zurlinden. At the endurance classic, however, there is the old saying: It always rains at Le Mans. The big question is, at what stage during the race? “The possibility of rain plays an important role in the teams’ tactics – especially if the car isn’t 100 per cent competitive in the dry. In the wet, the cards are reshuffled – and that opens up new opportunities,” explains Zurlinden.

The low sun
During dusk and dawn at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, drivers often have to contend with sunstrike. At sunset on Saturday evening, the light shining through the windscreen at a low angle can blind the drivers, especially in the Indianapolis and Arnage passages. At sunrise on Sunday morning, this phenomenon occurs in the famous Tertre Rouge. “Our seasoned works drivers are very familiar with this problem. As the sun is generally lower in early autumn compared to the summer months, our boys will just have to squint a little more often. It’ll be okay. They’re professionals after all,” smiles the Frenchman.

The earlier start time
Unlike in previous years, the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2020 will start at 2.30 pm local time. One of the reasons for this is that the final stage of the Tour de France, the famous road cycling race through France, ends in Paris in the late afternoon on 20th September. To avoid a clash with this event, the 88th edition of the long-distance race as part of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) will finish on Sunday at the earlier time of 2.30 pm. “From the outside, this slight adjustment may seem insignificant but it has a major impact on our team. We have to finish our preparations even earlier for the start on Saturday. This means shorter breaks and even more stress,” outlines the Director Factory Motorsport. That allows only four hours between the end of the warm-up and the start of the race to complete the final preparations.

The missing fans
For motor racing fans, the 24 Hours of Le Mans event is high on the list of favourites. Every year, around a quarter million people flock to the track to watch the race. Once a year on this occasion, the capital of the French Departement Sarthe with its 150,000 residents bursts at the seams. But not this year: The organiser, ACO, has prohibited spectators at the racetrack. “Fans always give us huge motivation,” says Pascal Zurlinden. The large grandstands opposite the pit lane are usually packed out, especially at the start on Saturday and the finish on Sunday. “When I look at the spectators from my gantry at the pit wall on Saturday and Sunday, I basically see the same faces. These euphoric fans always give me an additional boost when energy runs low after 24 hours. That’ll be different this year. Still, despite the restrictions, it’ll definitely be another great experience for the spectators watching from home.”

The cancelled pretest
The official one-day pretest held a fortnight before the race is a traditional part of the Le Mans 24-hour event. It is the one chance for manufacturers, tyre partners, teams and drivers to prepare for the unparalleled quirks of the 13.626-kilometre racetrack prior to the greatest classic of the year. The Circuit des 24 Heures is a combination of the permanent Circuit Bugatti and public roads. Such a constellation is virtually unique in the motor racing scene. Moreover, there are no other chances to test on this circuit outside the race week. “The elimination of the pretest is a big challenge,” says Pascal Zurlinden. “This is the first time we’re fielding our latest 911 RSR there, so we have some unanswered questions about the setup. We would’ve liked to have done this work during a test so that we could analyse the results and arrive at the official sessions as well prepared as possible. We would also have preferred to checked-out the handling of the tyres during test drives. Now we only have the practice sessions just before the race do to this work.”

The compact schedule
This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans deviates from the well-established time schedule. The practice sessions, which in the past were held alongside the qualifying on Wednesday and Thursday, are now scheduled for Thursday (ten hours free practice plus qualifying) and Friday (free practice and hyperpole). “The longer practice sessions allow us to do extensive work on the setup and tyre management,” explains Pascal Zurlinden. “We can complete a lot of tasks, but compared to the usual pretest, we are disadvantaged in that the breaks are no longer sufficient to conduct a really detailed analysis.” The Friday before the start of the race was always the last chance for drivers and team members to relax and catch their breath before the biggest race of the year. The so-called “Mad Friday” was normally all about the fans.

The missing drivers’ parade
During the day, wildly souped-up cars roll through camping grounds and over thoroughfares lined with fans. Every burnout is greeted with thunderous applause. The “Le Mans holiday” on Friday before the race traditionally ends with the famous drivers’ parade through the town centre. Not so in 2020: The spectacle with pilots driving classic cars from the Place des Jacobins to Place de la République has been cancelled. “It’s a real shame for the fans, but there’s no other way around the restrictions required to contain the coronavirus. We’ll try to offer our passionate Le Mans fans the same gripping and spectacular programme via our social media channels,” says Zurlinden, explaining Porsche Motorsport’s plans.

Flying pollen
Watery eyes, runny noses and medication at the ready belong to the usual picture in the Le Mans paddock in June: many drivers, team members and fans suffer from pollen allergies. In summer, the amount of grass pollen in the grain-growing Sarthe region in France is enormous. “I’m one of those affected,” reports Zurlinden. “There’s no way around taking antihistamines in June but the medication makes you tired. And that’s definitely something you don’t want at a 24-hour race. In this respect, I’m certainly not the only one who is happy to work almost allergy-free at Le Mans in September.”

Love finishes with Rookie classification podium in Supercup finale

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Round 8, Race, Monza

Larry ten Voorde (Team GP Elite) dominated the final round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Monza (Italy). Taking up the race from pole position, the 23-year-old Dutchman scored a commanding lights-to-flag victory and secured the title in the international one-make cup series with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

The previous points leader Dylan Pereira (BWT Lechner Racing) finished in fourth behind Florian Latorre (CLRT) and rookie Leon Köhler (/Lechner Racing Middle East).

Porsche Junior, Jaxon Evans made up three positions to finish in fifth place in Monza, beating rookies Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (Lechner Racing Middle East) and reigning Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup Champion, Jordan Love (Fach Auto Tech) to the line.

Evans’ efforts helped secure the team classification for BWT Lechner Racing, “I was really happy with the performance, the car was great and we really showed we were more than fast enough in the race. Congratulations to Leon for a great race and to Larry on the championship.”

“I’m very happy to have been able to contribute to secure the Team Championship again for BWT Lechner Racing and I want to say thank you for a great season spent with Walter and his team” Evans concluded.

Love’s seventh position was the best result of his debut season in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season. The young West Australian was rewarded with valuable points and a place on the rookie classification podium.

“Wow, I am so happy with this result,” said Jordan Love. “Our pace was good, and I knew from the start of the race that we had a good chance. The two safety car periods in the early stages meant that I couldn’t attack as I wanted to, so I had to push in the second half of the race.”

Fach Auto Tech Team Principal, Alex Fach, was full of praise for his driver following his progression from tenth to seventh during the race: “Jordan didn’t put a foot wrong today and was really clever in the way he drove. The results this season have not always reflected his performance, but he has been on a very steep learning curve.”

Ten Voorde’s Championship victory comes after five seasons in Supercup and claiming the inaugural Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Virtual Edition earlier this year. Pereira would conclude the season as runner-up in the overall standings, ahead of Porsche Juniors, Ayhancan Güven (Martinet by Alméras) and BWT team mate, Jaxon Evans.

Result Round 8 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Monza (I), 15 laps
1. Larry ten Voorde (Netherlands/Team GP Elite), 31:05.888 minutes
2. Florian Latorre (France/CLRT), + 1.887 seconds
3. Leon Köhler (Germany/Lechner Racing Middle East), + 2.364 seconds
4. Dylan Pereira (Luxembourg/BWT Lechner Racing), + 3.865 seconds
5. Jaxon Evans (New Zealand/BWT Lechner Racing), + 4.235 seconds
6. Jean-B. Simmenauer (France/Lechner Racing Middle East), + 7.362 seconds

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup 2020, Final Standings Overall after 8 rounds
1. Larry ten Voorde (Netherlands/Team GP Elite), 155 points
2. Dylan Pereira (Luxembourg/BWT Lechner Racing), 148 points
3. Ayhancan Güven (Turkey/Martinet by Alméras), 113 points
4. Jaxon Evans (New Zealand/BWT Lechner Racing), 108 points
5. Florian Latorre (France/CLRT), 105 points
6. Max van Splunteren (Netherlands/Team GP Elite), 77 points

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup 2020, Final Standings Teams after 8 rounds
1. BWT Lechner Racing (Austria), 256 points
2. Team GP Elite (Netherlands), 232 points
3. Martinet by Alméras (France), 188 points

Porsche delivers first 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport in Australia

Porsche track-day customer takes delivery of first 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport in Australia

Interest among Porsche enthusiasts and track-day drivers around Australia has grown ever since the latest generation 718 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport race car was first unveiled to local customers at The Bend Motorsport Park, in Tailem Bend, South Australia in August last year.

The first customer for the car in the country is Dr. Mansoor Parker, an avid Porsche enthusiast from Sydney, NSW. After taking delivery of the vehicle recently, Parker has been able to drive the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport to its limits at a few track days held at the Sydney Motorsport Park Circuit.

While Parker has owned fifteen Porsches to date, this is his first track-day variant. Parker says that the attraction to the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport stemmed from the fact that the GT4 is a bespoke track-focussed Porsche, which is nimble in nature and can accommodate slick racing tyres.

“I’ve driven it on a few occasions and it is phenomenal, it really gives you a race-car like feel,” said Parker.

It’s a transitional step-up from a Cayman GT4 or even a GT3, so if you can drive the standard version, you can easily drive this car and feel confident, as it is lightweight and offers not only immense grip but infinite adjustability.”

“It really is the best of both worlds, without driving something too intimidating or too expensive to maintain, you can literally take this to your local Porsche dealer to get serviced. I’m certainly having a lot of fun with it.”

Watch the full interview here: https://youtu.be/Mc3Dvl5YbIk

“We are receiving strong interest in the GT4 and have two further cars on order for new customers,” said Troy Bundy, Head of Motorsport, Porsche Cars Australia.

“While our Porsche PAYCE Carrera Cup and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge series remain our focus domestically, we also see a place in the market for the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport as a track day car and GT4 race car.”

“The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is an ideal track day car for graduates of Level 5 of our Porsche Track Experience, who may be keen to do more track days and state-based racing before moving up the Porsche Motorsport pyramid into Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge.”

All 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport customers enjoy full parts support and through Porsche Centres across Australia. Interested parties can contact motorsport@porsche.com.au for pricing, options and further information.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport

The mid-engined race car comes in two versions from the Porsche Motorsport factory: the “Track day” model for enthusiast amateur racing drivers who enjoy Australian track days and would like to campaign the car in several state-based racing series.

The second is the “Competition” variant designed for national and international competition, allowing local drivers to contest the Australian GT Championship GT4 Class and Bathurst 12 Hour (GT4 class).

In developing the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, the focus was not only on improving the driveability and performance of its predecessor but also on the sustainable use of raw materials in its development. The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is the first-ever production race car to feature body parts made of natural-fibre composite material.

As a result, the driver and co-driver doors and the rear wing are made of an organic fibre mix, sourced primarily from agricultural by-products such as flax or hemp fibres and feature similar properties to carbon fibre in terms of weight and stiffness.

Powering the 718 GT4 Clubsport is a 3.8-litre flat-six engine producing 313kW (425hp). Compared to its predecessor, this represents a 30kW (40hp) increase in performance. Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch transmission with a mechanical rear-axle differential lock.

The lightweight spring-strut front suspension is taken from its big 911 GT3 Cup brother. The impressive racing brake system features steel brake discs all round measuring 380mm in diameter. The lightweight 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport tips the scales at a mere 1,320kgs and is delivered from factory with a welded-in safety cage, a racing bucket seat as well as a six-point harness.