Love sweeps The Bend to claim maiden Carrera Cup round win

Intense Morris Pro-Am battle goes the way of Sam Shahin

AARON LOVE has become the seventh different round winner from the last seven Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia rounds, sweeping all three races to dominate Round 5 at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

Local hero Sam Shahin won Morris Finance Pro-Am in front of his local friends and family as the Carrera Cup ‘race within a race’ was blown wide open in a dramatic weekend.

Love was at his dominant best in his Bob Jane T-Marts entry, converting pole to wins in both of Sunday’s races to claim his first Porsche Carrera Cup Australia round win.

He led from lights to flag in the Enduro Cup race on Sunday morning before claiming an abbreviated final race to score the maximum 181 points available from the weekend – backing up pole position and a win on Saturday.

It was Love’s first round victory and the first clean sweep of a round this year, and also delivered Sonic Motor Racing their first round win since 2019 – notably claimed by Aaron’s older brother, Jordan.

Love is the fifth different driver to win from the five rounds this year, while the streak now stands at seven winners from the last seven rounds, dating back to Bathurst in 2021.

A consistent weekend saw Dylan O’Keeffe finish second overall to claim his third podium finish of the year so far, and firmly inject himself into the championship fight aboard his Dexion entry from RAM Motorsport / GWR Australia.

David Russell was third overall aboard his EMA Motorsport entry, claiming the 12^th podium finish of his Carrera Cup career and second of the 2022 season.

Key title contenders endured challenging weekends with both leader Harri Jones and second-placed David Wall both striking dramas across the weekend.

Jones found himself pointing the wrong way at turn two in the final race and finished 16^th, while Wall spent Sunday in recovery mode following his spin and a 25-point championship penalty on Saturday.

He finished the two races in sixth position, which coupled with Jones’ issues and O’Keeffe’s strong weekend means the top three in the championship are provisionally split by 46 points heading into Round 6 at Sandown in two weeks time.

Love won the enduro cup race over O’Keeffe and Russell, with Christian Pancione a personal-best fourth and Brad Shiels an outstanding fifth.

The final race, which finished under Safety Car, also went the way of Love while Russell edged O’Keeffe for second and third. Simon Fallon charged himself through the field to a personal-best fourth, while Pancione completed the top five.

The Bend’s Morris Pro-Am fight went the way of local hero Sam Shahin, who scored a clinch victory in the Enduro Cup race on Sunday morning to anchor his weekend and ultimately deliver the round win.

Shahin won the round ahead of Adrian Flack and Dean Cook: However, almost every key contender in the class had dramas throughout the weekend in one of the most unpredictable rounds in the Pro-Am class history.

Local knowledge was key for Sam Shahin as he hunted down and passed Liam Talbot for the win late in the Enduro Cup race on Sunday morning.

Starting fourth, Shahin chased Talbot throughout the race however pounced when the light rain began to fall to pass for the lead.

Adrian Flack then relegated Talbot to third in class late in the race, while Rodney Jane was fourth. Geoff Emery was one of several drivers involved in a lap one incident, failing to finish.

Race three was even more dramatic when Shahin and Talbot bumped wheels while running side-by-side at Turn 3, the contact tipping Talbot’s car into a roll, which ended on its wheels. Talbot escaped unscathed while the race was brought under the control of the Safety Car.

Through the drama, Geoff Emery came from the back of the grid to claim the race win over Shahin and Dean Cook, though the results for the weekend remain provisional pending post-event investigations.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns at the Sandown SuperSprint on August 19-21.

Aaron Love, Pro Round 5 winner:

“I’m over the moon to be honest, we had some awesome pace in practice, then putting pole by a really good margin was nice then to go away and win three from three and do it not comfortably, but really smoothly, I couldn’t be happier. Its all credit to the Sonic team, its been a long time coming and I’m just happy that we made it work and that we got it done this weekend. I’m not sure what it is about this track but sonic has always seem to have gone well here, it’s just a real credit to Mic (Ritter), Mike (Henry) and Maria (Ritter) and everyone there, they always give me an awesome machine to drive and they put in 110% every day and every night, so huge credit to them I couldn’t be happier. I’ve got a little bit of a break now around 5 weeks to my next race in French Carrera Cup in Valencia, Spain, so I have a little bit of time to regroup and get ready for then but we’ll try put our best forward that’s for sure.”

Sam Shahin, Morris Pro-Am Round 5 winner:

“It was exciting, but not what you want to see in any form of racing, I hope Liam (Talbot) is ok, it was just really unfortunate the angle at which his front wheel hit mine. Again, I just hope he’s ok and I was glad when I saw him get out of the car. Personally, I’m just so thrilled after having a tough qualifying and to finally get a good result at The Bend, this has been my bogey track so personally I’m thrilled. But I have a deep and genuine concern for Liam, I hope he is ok. The Bend really is tailor made for these GT3 Cup cars and I hope everybody enjoyed it.”

Love lights up The Bend to take dominant win

Liam Talbot claims Morris Pro-Am class win in style

AARON LOVE has dominated the opening Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship race at The Bend Motorsport Park, leading from lights-to-flag to win by the biggest margin of the 2022 season to date.

The Sonic Motor Racing driver launched away from pole and led every lap to claim his fourth win of the 2022 season, winning by 5.7 seconds over Dylan O’Keeffe and Callum Hedge.

Liam Talbot claimed victory in the Morris Pro Am class, winning over Adrian Flack and Geoff Emery, while early contender Sam Shahin struck dramas not far from the finish having earlier battled for the lead.

Love led the 29-strong field into turn one, while there was drama behind as title contender David Wall and Max Vidau made contact at turn two – both cars ending up off the road and off the circuit. The incident is being investigated post-race, with Vidau ultimately finishing 16^th and Wall 18^th.

That elevated Callum Hedge to third, the Earl Bamber Motorsport driver spending the remainder of the race chasing Dylan O’Keeffe in a close battle for second.

David Russell followed them home in fourth with Christian Pancione finishing fifth and Luke Youlden sixth.

Championship leader Harri Jones started ninth but gained two spots to finish seventh, taking maximum advantage of his nearest title rival Wall finishing further down the order.

Ryan Suhle, Jackson Walls and Dale Wood completed the top-10, the latter having worked his way through a furious four-car battle that included Brad Shiels, Bayley Hall and Simon Fallon.

The latter had led the group for much of the race but a damage front splitter slowed his Sonic entry, setting up the furious fight that at one point had cars three abreast heading downhill through the high-speed Turn 7.

The battle in Morris Pro-Am was for much of the race battled between Liam Talbot and Sam Shahin, the pair swapping the lead in class after a tense battle in the race’s early laps.

They looked to finish that way before a reported off at turn 14 late in the race dropped Shahin down the order.

That elevated Adrian Flack to second in class, having passed championship leader Geoff Emery for position with a strong move at turn one late in the race.

Emery was third with Dean Cook and Matt Belford completing the top five.

Harri Jones provisionally leads the championship by 55 points heading into tomorrow morning’s 20-lap enduro cup race, with Wall second and O’Keeffe third. Emery continues to hold sway in the Morris Pro-Am title race.

Two races complete the fifth round of the championship on Sunday at the OTR SuperSprint at The Bend Motorsport Park, with both to be shown live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Aaron Love, Race 1 winner, Pro

“It’s nice to convert it from putting it on pole, we had a fairly smooth race and we got a good start. I managed to get a bit of a gap and then just maintain it. We have a little bit of work to do with the car as always, but we’ll just fine tune it, there’s nothing too wrong with it, so we’ll regroup and go again tomorrow, fingers crossed.”

Liam Talbot, Race 1 winner, Morris Pro-Am

“Stoked with that, race wins are hard to get, so great to start the weekend with pole and a race win, it was very satisfying. It was a bit hard with the circuit owner behind me. Sam was putting a bit of pressure on, but we weathered the storm and are looking forward to race 2. The Pro-Am battle is fascinating this year, you never really know who is going to be stronger and be weaker, practice doesn’t mean anything, but qualifying is where it counts and the race means something else completely. But it’s all fun, exciting, edge-of-your-seat for us drivers.”

LOVE, TALBOT SEAR TO TAG HEUER POLE AWARDS IN RECORD PACE

EARLIER in qualifying, Aaron Love and Liam Talbot (Morris Pro-Am) became the first repeat pole winners of the 2022 season as they charged to the top spot in a compelling 20-minute session.

The pair, who were both on pole in their respective classes at the Australian Grand Prix season opener in April, topped an intense session where cold track conditions and blustery wind made conditions extremely challenging.

Love’s best lap came late in the session and on his second set of new Michelin tyres.

He edged out Dylan O’Keeffe by 0.1 seconds for his second career TAG Heuer Pole Award, with David Wall close behind in third.

While not as quick as his Friday flyer, Love’s 1m50.1212s best stands as a qualifying record for Carrera Cup at The Bend.

Callum Hedge lost his final lap to traffic and had to settle for fourth, while Christian Pancione continued his strong recent form in fifth.

David Russell, Max Vidau, Luke Youlden, championship leader Harri Jones and Ryan Suhle completed the top-10.

Talbot jumped to Morris Pro-Am pole on his final flyer to edge out Geoff Emery by under one-tenth.

Adrian Flack was third while Sam Shahin showed his frustration after qualifying fourth.

TAG Heuer Pole Position, Pro, Aaron Love:

“It’s a really nice feeling to get a good result, especially after Townsville. I made it hard for myself as I usually do, but we’ll get over that and put our heads down for the race. It was relatively good with the traffic, just because the track is so long here you get clean space which we managed to do that, but it was definitely tough out there as the wind has been quite strong, there’s corners that it helps you with, which you’ve got to take advantage of, but it really makes it hard to read and maximise the car. It will be great to convert the pole, but for sure it will be a tough race, we’ll go back debrief and get our heads down for the race.”

TAG Heuer Pole Position, Morris Pro-Am, Liam Talbot:

“Fantastic to get pole position, had to dig deep as the tyres were going off, we committed to one set of tyres and we had big moments through (turns) 8 and 9 almost going off, but somehow got through it only to get held up by Dale Wood, so that was a bit of a shame in the last corner after doing all that hard work. To get back up again on the last lap though, was very satisfying and I want to say a big thanks to the Wall Racing team. It was hard to manage the temperatures with the tyres, a one set strategy worked for us but you had to commit to it and you couldn’t be 50/50, but in the end it worked out well.”

Debut for the newest generation of the Porsche 911 GT3 R

Newly developed customer sport race car for GT3 series around the world

• New 911 GT3 R ready to race from the start of the 2023 season
• More power, sophisticated aerodynamics and optimised balance
• Conceptual influences from the 911 GT3 Cup and 911 RSR

The new Porsche 911 GT3 R will be unveiled to the public at this year’s 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. From the 2023 season, Porsche customer teams can campaign the new racing vehicle in worldwide motorsport events that adhere to the GT3 regulations. The vehicle is based on the latest 992-generation 911. Compared to its predecessor, the new 911 GT3 R features a larger engine producing up to 416 kW (565 PS), a more constant aerodynamic performance and an optimised vehicle balance.

With the latest generation of the 911 GT3 R, Porsche unveils a new customer racing car. The new challenger for GT3 series around the world is based on the current 992 generation and will be ready to race at the beginning of the 2023 season. Development began in 2019. Priority was given to further improving the driveability for professionals and so-called gentleman drivers, as well as tapping larger performance reserves for different Balance of Performance (BoP) classifications. Another focus was on streamlining the handling of the race car for the teams and reducing the running costs. Porsche Motorsport now offers the new 911 GT3 R at a price of 511,000 Euros ex-factory plus country-specific VAT and optional extras.

“The new 911 GT3 R has big shoes to fill,” says Michael Dreiser, Sales Director at Porsche Motorsport. “Its forerunner has won almost everything there is to win in the GT3 scene in four seasons since 2019. Its stand-out successes include overall victories at the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and also here at Spa-Francorchamps. Raced by our customers, the predecessor scored class victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The new model faces a massive workload in the hands of the Porsche customer racing teams.”

After the GT3 class was announced as a professional category in the North American IMSA series, the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship follows suit: From 2024, GT3 racing cars such as the new 911 GT3 R will be eligible to take part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time.

“We hit the bull’s eye with the enormously successful predecessor. Accordingly, the bar for its successor is high,” emphasises Sebastian Golz, 911 GT3 R Project Manager at Porsche Motorsport. “Our task was less about making the new 911 GT3 R even faster – the classification within performance windows set by the BoP quickly cancels out this advantage. For us, it was primarily about our customers being able to drive the racing car fast for longer. This requires durability and that’s why we focused predominantly on improved driveability. This is reflected in the new 4.2-litre engine’s broader usable rev band, more stable and constant aerodynamics and lower loads on the rear tyres, which allow their potential to last longer.”

At the core of the new racing car is the near-standard engine based on the 992-generation 911 power plant. Like in the previous model, it is a water-cooled flat-six engine with four-valve technology and direct fuel injection. The main new development is the displacement: like the 911 RSR, the capacity of the new 911 GT3 R has increased by a good five per cent from 3,997 to 4,194 cc. This has boosted the engine’s peak output to around 416 kW (565 PS). First and foremost, however, Porsche has optimised the torque and power curve across the entire rev range. Consequently, the new 4.2-litre six-cylinder is better suited to gentleman drivers.

The high-revving six-cylinder manages without turbocharging and sits in the classic rear position, thus enhancing traction and braking. However, it has been tilted forwards by 5.5 degrees, creating more leeway for the underbody diffuser. Auxiliary units such as the alternator and the air conditioning compressor were moved a good metre forward and further down into a space in front of the engine and gearbox, which has a positive effect on the weight balance of the 911 GT3 R. The sequential six-speed contest-mesh gearbox is derived from the current 911 GT3 Cup. Shift paddles control an electronic shift drum actuator that enables particularly rapid and precise gear changes.

The new 911 GT3 R’s suspension – many details of which have been modified – supports driveability, allows more precise steering, ensures less wear on the rear tyres and reduces the time spent on set-up changes. For this, numerous components and technical solutions were taken from the 911 RSR. At the front axle, a state-of-the-art double wishbone layout controls the wheels. The rear axle sports a multi-link design. The KW shock absorbers were further improved and offer five adjustment settings. Set-up modifications are done with so-called shims. These plates enable precision adjustments without the need for the time-consuming re-alignment of the suspension afterwards.

The optimised positioning of the central pivot points at the front axle frees up space for the aerodynamic “race underfloor” concept. Like in the 911 RSR, this elevated underbody allows for a clean flow of air to the rear diffuser and reduces the pitch sensitivity of the racing car – i.e. a high rake under braking. The rear wheels have moved a little further back, which extends the wheelbase from 2,459 to 2,507 millimetres. This also reduces the load on the rear tyres and improves the consistency of the tyres’ performance over longer stints.

In addition to the aluminium monobloc racing brake callipers, the brake discs on the new 911 GT3 R are now also supplied by the specialist company AP. The internally vented and slotted front steel discs measure 390 mm in diameter and are activated by six pistons. Fitted at the rear are four-piston callipers and discs measuring 370 mm. A sophisticated software application for the fifth-generation racing ABS reduces wear on the tyres and brakes. Porsche’s traction control system also received a further development.

The new 911 GT3 R is just the second racing car from Porsche Motorsport to be based on the current 992-generation 911 after the 911 GT3 Cup. Its lightweight body with an intelligent aluminium-steel composite design draws on the production model, albeit with major modifications for use in the 911 GT3 R. Almost all body components are made of lightweight carbon, including the front and rear lids, doors, side panels, rear wing and roof. The wheel arches are made of aramid fibres.

In a vehicle like the new 911 GT3 R, functionality stands at the forefront. Nevertheless, Grant Larson from Style Porsche again succeeded in creating particularly stunning and harmonious shapes. They accentuate the heritage of the nine-eleven and blend it with sophisticated efficiency. Most notably, this is reflected in the aerodynamics. The key points: an elevated underbody at the fore of the front axle, for the first time in conjunction with a smooth undertray, and a rear diffuser. This combination improves downforce without a significant increase in drag. The rear wing now features a swan-neck mount. This ensures a clean airflow under the wing and thus improves the aerodynamic efficiency of the component.

In terms of safety, the new 911 GT3 R follows an uncompromising approach. The seat has moved closer to the centre of the car. This enabled Porsche to optimally adapt the more ergonomic seat position to the improved roll cage and the newly developed FIA side impact protection. Like in the forerunner, the steering wheel and pedals can be adjusted longitudinally to suit the driver. Porsche specialists took another close look at the six-point safety harness: the tongues now slide even faster into the clasp via special ramps – saving about a second during pit stops for driver changes. The steering wheel design also received further upgrades on the previous model. It incorporates elements that have proven themselves in the latest generation 911 GT3 Cup and 911 RSR race cars. The 10.3-inch display, for example, comes from the successful one-make cup racer, with the multi-switch concept adopted from the Le Mans class winner.

The high-performance LED headlights on the 911 GT3 R rely on so-called collimator technology, which Porsche developed for the new LMDh 963 prototype, among others. This device works like a magnifying glass, only in reverse. It illuminates a particularly large area of the racetrack and is a significant improvement on the predecessor model, which was previously regarded as the class leader.
Detailed information on the new 911 GT3 R is available on the Porsche website at this link.

Technical data Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) model year 2023
Concept • Single-seater customer race car; homologated for the FIA GTE category; homologation basis: Porsche 911 GT3 (992 series).

Weight/dimensions
• Base weight: ca. 1,250 kg (depending of BoP classification); wheelbase: 2,507 mm.
• Length: 4,619 mm; width: 2,039 mm (front axle) / 2,050 mm (rear axle).

Engine
• Water-cooled six-cylinder boxer, rear-mounted; capacity 4,194 cc, stroke 81.5 mm, bore 104.5 mm; max rpm 9,250/min; power: ca. 416 kW (565 PS); four-valve technology; single throttle butterfly system; direct fuel injection; engine control unit Bosch MS 6.6; dry sump lubrication with oil-water heat exchanger; single mass flywheel; race exhaust system with twin tailpipes and DMSB certified catalytic converter; fuel quality: Superplus unleaded to E20 (min. 98 octane).

Transmission
• Porsche six-speed sequential constant-mesh gearbox; shift paddles on the steering wheel with electronic shift actuator; mechanical limited slip differential with adjustable preload system unit; three-plate carbon race clutch.

Body
• Lightweight body featuring intelligent aluminium-steel composite design; mounting points for lifting device, removable rescue hatch in the roof; welded-in roll cage; approved for co-driver use on circuits; six-bolt carbon racing seat pursuant to FIA 8862-2009; six-point safety harness for use with HANS®; longitudinally adjustable pedal assembly and adjustable steering column with steering angle senor; front cover with integrated quick-release fasteners, cooler exit-air duct and central air intake for cockpit ventilation; widened front bumper with spoiler lip; fenders with extensions; rear trim with integrated rain light in accordance with FIA; doors, carbon-fibre rear lid and rear wing; rear wing with “swan neck” mounts; fully polycarbonate glazing with hard coating; heated windscreen; four-post air jack system; valve mounting points on either side; 117-litre FT3 fuel cell in front of the car.
• Carbon-fibre interior trim, multifunctional carbon-fibre steering wheel with quick release coupling, shift paddles and illuminated push buttons; ergonomic digital touch panel with multi-colour backlighting; safety nets (centre and driver’s side) in accordance with latest FIA safety regulations; integrated CFK side impact protection; drivers’ seat with seat ventilation; fire extinguishing system with electronic release unit.

Suspension
• Forged aluminium control arms and top mounts, stiffness optimised; high-duty spherical bearings with dust protection; wheel hubs with central locking; five-way adjustable racing shock absorbers, motorsport-specific valve design and blow-off function; suspension adjustment via shims; sword-type anti-roll bars adjustable on both sides; spring travel potentiometer; tyre pressure monitoring system.

Front axle:
• Double wishbone front axle, adjustable ride height, camber and toe.
• Electro-hydraulic power steering.
• Single-piece alloy rims, 12.5J x 18, tyre size 30/68-18.

Rear axle:
• Multilink rear suspension, adjustable ride height, camber and toe.
• Racing driveshaft with tripod flanges.
• Single-piece alloy rims, 13.5J x 18, tyre size 31/71-18.

Brakes
• Two independent brake circuits incorporating front and rear axle brake pressure sensors, driver adjustable brake-force distribution via brake balance system; racing brake pads; optimised brake ducting; brake temperature sensors; ergonomic brake pedal positioning for left and right foot braking.
• Generation 5 racing ABS from Bosch
• Front axle: Six-piston aluminium monobloc racing brake callipers ‘anti knock-back’ piston springs; internally vented multi-piece 390 mm x 35.7 mm steel brake discs; aluminium brake disc chamber.
• Rear axle: Four-piston aluminium monobloc racing brake callipers with ‘anti knock-back’ piston springs; internally ventilated multi-piece 370 mm x 32.1 mm steel brake discs; aluminium brake disc chamber.

Electrical system
• 992 EE Motorsport architecture; new easier-to-use Porsche toolset with more streamlined handling; latest generation Cosworth electronic components; Porsche Logger Unit; Porsche power box; 10.3-inch Porsche colour display with integrated RLU, data recording via USA stick; leak-proof LiFePo4 battery 12V, 40 Ah in the passenger footwell; 210 A alternator; digital touch panel with multi-colour backlighting; single-arm windscreen wiper with direct drive (intermittent and continuous).
• LED headlights with integrated auxiliary lights; LED taillights plus rain light. Attachments for Accident Data Recorder (ADR).

Seven Carrera Cup Australia drivers to contest 24 Hours of Spa

• Five Porsche 911 GT3 R with world-class drivers fight for overall victory
• Porsche’s winning trio reunited in GPX Racing’s 911
• Presentation of the newest generation GT3 racing vehicle from Weissach
• Matt Campbell; Brenton Grove; Jaxon Evans; Matt Payne; Stephen Grove; Earl Bamber and Jordan Love to start 24 Hours of Spa
• Three Carrera Cup Australia teams (EMA Motorsport, Grove Racing and Earl Bamber Motorsport) will also contest the Belgian Endurance classic this year.

A total of 13 Porsche 911 GT3 R are entered for this year’s 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps on 30/31 July. Five of the over 368 kW (500 PS) 911 contest the pro-category and have excellent chances to score overall victory at the world’s largest GT3 endurance classic. On the occasion of the event, Porsche Motorsport unveils the latest generation of a GT3 race car for customer racing.
With 13 Porsche 911 GT3 R, the Porsche customer teams are well represented at this year’s 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps. The long-distance classic in the Ardennes is considered the largest GT3 event in the world. In the long and illustrious history of the event, which was held for the first time in 1924, Porsche racing cars have clinched eight victories to date. On the last weekend in July, the experienced customer squads are determined to add to this track record.

“The organiser SRO headed by Stéphane Ratel celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. We’re expecting a particularly tough and spectacular grid line-up with a total of 65 cars,” explains Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R. “Our customer teams have entered 13 of our GT3 cars. This makes Porsche the most strongly represented manufacturer in the race. We’re well positioned in terms of both quantity and quality. I’m confident that our five pro-class vehicles manned by world-class drivers will be serious contenders for victory. The key to success lies in the best use of the tyres. During tests, we noticed that the latest renovations and modernisations at Spa-Francorchamps have left some rough ridges and edges in the asphalt and kerbs. What’s more, the new gravel traps pose a risk to the tyres, so it’s important to cover the distance with as little damage as possible. We won with the current generation of the 911 GT3R in 2019 and 2020. We’re now aiming for win number three before our new GT3 car enters the competition in 2023.”

The race
The first 24-hour race was contested in Belgium’s Ardennes in 1924 – making this classic just one year “younger” than the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Until 1949, the track measured about 15 kilometres in length and ran between the towns of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot. In 1970, the track was shortened to 7.004 kilometres and has remained virtually unchanged until today. Last winter and spring, the storied racetrack underwent an extensive upgrade. As part of this modernisation, new gravel traps, among other features, was added to the famous Eau Rouge/Raidillon passage. The basic layout, however, remained the same. Due to its location in the Ardennes, teams and drivers must expect unpredictable weather conditions at any time.

The 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps is considered the largest single GT3 event in the world. The endurance race is contested as round two of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) and is the third race of this year’s GT World Challenge Europe (GTWC).

The customer teams and drivers
In the Pro class, elite professional drivers compete for overall victory. With its customer teams, Porsche is well positioned in this category: works drivers Kévin Estre (France), Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Richard Lietz (Austria) share the cockpit of GPX Racing’s No. 221 entry. This trio won the endurance classic in 2019. The 2020 winners tackle this year’s race in separate cars: Local hero Laurens Vanthoor and Nick Tandy from England share the No. 47 car fielded by KCMG with the Norwegian DTM driver Dennis Olsen. New Zealander Earl Bamber contests the Pro-Am Cup for the Singha Racing team.

The other contenders for overall victory sit in cars campaigned by the customer squads Dinamic Motorsport (#54), EMA Motorsport (#74) and Toksport WRT (#100). EMA from Australia makes its debut at the largest GT3 event in Belgium. Sharing the wheel of the No. 74 EMA Porsche 911 GT3 R are the works drivers Matt Campbell from Australia, Mathieu Jaminet from France and Felipe Nasr from Brazil. Last January, this trio won the GTD-Pro class at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Dinamic’s No. 54 car is driven by Austria’s Klaus Bachler, Frenchman Côme Ledogar and Thomas Preining from Austria. Julien Andlauer from France and the two Germans Marvin Dienst and Sven Müller compete for Toksport.

Herberth Motorsport fields three 911 in the Gold Cup and Pro-Am classes, with Earl Bamber Motorsport (EBM), Allied Racing and Dinamic Motorsport also aiming for victory in the amateur categories. Experienced Porsche drivers such as Alessio Picariello (Belgium), Jaxon Evans (New Zealand) and the former Porsche Junior Ayhancan Güven (Turkey) will tackle the event at the wheel of the 911 GT3 R.

An overview of the Porsche Carrera Cup Australia teams and drivers
No less than seven present (and former) Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia drivers are among the star studded field to contest 24 Hours of Spa this year including: Matt Campbell; Brenton Grove; Jaxon Evans; Matt Payne; Stephen Grove; Earl Bamber and Jordan Love. The 2019 Pro Champion will be part of the Haupt Racing Team (Mercedes-AMG GT3) in the Silver Cup class. 2022 will also see three Carrera Cup Australia teams (EMA Motorsport, Grove Racing and Earl Bamber Motorsport) contest the Belgian Endurance classic.

An overview of the Porsche crews
Pro class:
KCMG (#47) – Nick Tandy (UK) / Laurens Vanthoor (B) / Dennis Olsen (N)
Dinamic (#54) – Klaus Bachler (A) / Côme Ledogar (F) / Thomas Preining (A)
EMA (#74) – Matt Campbell (AUS) / Mathieu Jaminet (F) / Felipe Nasr (BR)
Toksport (#100) – Julien Andlauer (F) / Marvin Dienst (D) / Sven Müller (D)
GPX (#221) – Kévin Estre (F) / Michael Christensen (DK) / Richard Lietz (A)

Pro-Am Cup:
Herberth (#9) – Antares Au (HK) / Kevin Tse (MAC) / Dylan Pereira (L) / Jaxon Evans (NZ)
EBM (#16) – Adrian da Silva (MAL) / Brenton Grove (AUS) / Stephen Grove (AUS) / Matt Payne (NZ)
Herberth (#24) – Nicolas Leutwiler (CH) / Stefan Aust (D) / Alessio Picariello (B) / Nico Menzel (D)
Singha (#39) – Piti Bhirombhakdi (T) / Christophe Hamon (F) / Tanart Sathienthirakul (T) / Earl Bamber (NZ)

Gold Cup:
Allied (#91) – Alex Malykhin (UK) / Julien Apothéloz (CH) / Florian Latorre (F) / Ayhancan Güven (TR)
Herberth (#911) – Ralf Bohn (D) / Alfred Renauer (D) / Robert Renauer (D)

Silver Cup:
Allied (#22) – Dominik Fischli (CH) / Joel Sturm (D) / Patrick Matthiesen (DK) / Vincent Andronaco (D)
Dinamic (#56) – Giorgio Roda (I) / Mauro Calamia (CH) / Marius Nakken (N) / Mikkel Pedersen (DK)

The new GT3 customer racer in the limelight
The 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps sets the stage for a very special debut: In the paddock, Porsche presents the new customer sport racing car for worldwide GT3 series to the public for the first time. The successor to the winning current model will be on display from Saturday, 30 July.

The schedule (all times CEST)

Friday, 29 July
6:20 pm – 6:50 pm: Warm-up
7:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Superpole

Saturday, 30 July
4:45 pm: Start of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Sunday, 31 July
4:45 pm: Finish of the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps

Drivers’ comments before the race
Laurens Vanthoor (Porsche 911 GT3 R #47): “For me as a Belgian, the race is of course a major highlight, especially since I live almost around the corner from the track. I’ve been quite unlucky at Daytona, Le Mans and the Nürburgring this season. This makes the race in Spa my last chance to win another 24-hour classic this year. That’s our clear objective. I’ve already stood at the top of the podium twice at Spa. On the test day, our 911 GT3 R from KCMG ran extremely well. Nevertheless, we still don’t have a concrete idea of how our performance will compare to the huge competition.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 GT3 R #74): “I’m confident that we have an excellent overall package for the race. The Porsche 911 GT3 R is tried and tested, my teammates Matt and Felipe are extremely strong and the EMA team is super consistent and goal-oriented. My teammates and I won at Daytona in January. We know each other well and tackle the task at hand with a healthy dose of self-confidence. However, we’re certainly not taking the strong competition for granted. Plus, it’s our first time at Spa as a team. Despite this, we have one very clear goal: victory.”

Sven Müller (Porsche 911 GT3 R #100): “The official tests in preparation for this year’s race went very well. We managed to test different set-up options and so we feel well prepared for the race. The Toksport WRT team really exceeded my expectations. I’m really looking forward to tackling the race with my super-fast teammates. Our chances look very good.”

Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 GT3 R #221): “It’s great to have our winning team from 2019 – Michael, Richie and myself – back together with GPX Racing. We joined forces as a trio for the first time three years ago and promptly left the competition in our dust. In light of the packed and powerful grid line-up, it’ll be anything but easy to repeat such a result this year. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to check off our entire list during the test drives, but we’ll definitely be sorted in time for the race.”

Up-to-date information as well as film and photo material on Porsche Motorsport live from race tracks all over the world can be found on the Twitter channel @PorscheRaces, in the Porsche Newsroom and on the Porsche Motorsport Hub.

Love beats record to top The Bend practice

Adrian Flack on top in close MORRIS Pro-Am battle

AARON LOVE has once again returned from Europe to lead the field in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship, the Sonic Motor Racing Services driver comfortably topping the times across a pair of 25-minute practice sessions today at The Bend Motorsport Park.

Love’s best lap of 1m49.9159s in the second session was the quickest ever for a Carrera Cup car at the 4.9km circuit in South Australia, the West Aussie driver topping the times by more than four-tenths of a second as the field prepared for the fifth round of eight this year.

Adrian Flack edged out home-town hero Sam Shahin to top the Morris Pro-Am runners as Porsche’s race within a race continues to heat up.

Love, who is splitting his time between Europe and Australia this season, raced in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup at Paul Ricard last weekend however showed no signs of jetlag to top the times in South Australia on a crisp but dry Friday at The Bend.

His Bob Jane T-Marts Porsche was fourth fastest in practice one before a searing sequence of laps towards the end of the second, quicker session in the afternoon saw him drop well beneath the existing circuit records – topping both the race and qualifying benchmarks.

Sonic are prior winners at The Bend, in 2018 and 2019, while both the race and qualifying records are held by Aaron’s older brother, Jordan – also aboard Sonic machinery.

Second was EMA Motorsport’s David Russell, who headed a queue of nine cars covered by 0.4 seconds.

EMA are fielding cars on two continents this weekend with a Porsche 911 GT3R entry in the Spa 24 Hour enduro in Belgium – co driven by former Aussie champion, Matt Campbell.

Townsville race winner Jackson Walls ended the day third, Dylan O’Keeffe fourth and Townsville round winner Callum Hedge was fifth.

Hedge topped the opening practice session aboard his Earl Bamber Motorsport / Team Porsche NZ entry to continue his strong recent form.

Championship leader Harri Jones, Christian Pancione, Luke Youlden, Ryan Suhle and second-placed David Wall completed the top-10.

South Aussie Max Vidau had a solid day at the office on his return to his home circuit – finishing third quickest in practice one.

All 10 fastest cars on Friday’s combined practice lap times all lapped beneath the existing The Bend lap record.

Morris Pro-Am was equally competitive as usual with Adrian Flack edging out Sam Shahin for the fastest time of the day.

Flack’s 1m51.57s was 0.07s quicker than Shahin’s best and just 1.6s behind the outright leader on the third-longest lap on the Carrera Cup calendar.

Liam Talbot was third fastest with Dean Cook and Matt Belford next in Pro-Am.

The fifth round of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship continues tomorrow with a 20-mintue qualifying session, before the first race later in the afternoon.

Both sessions will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Aaron Love, Fastest Pro

“It was a nice session, I’ve never been here before in this car so I’ve been learning lap after lap. So it’s nice to get the result, but at the end of the day its only Friday and practice. I think we still got a bit of work to do overnight and we have to make sure we do it all tomorrow in qualifying. It’s always been a good track for Sonic, one of our home tracks is Phillip Island so we can correlate a lot of the data from there to it, it’s always good that we can have a track that we always go to and get a relatively good base off, but I’m enjoying being back here.”

Adrian Flack, Fastest Morris Pro Am, Practice 2

“First is a good place to be for the start of the weekend, we just need to try push on with it and end up in the same position at the end of the weekend. The track had a lot more grip that session than the previous session, but I still find it tricky to know how much grip you going to have in the corner, until you get into it. Sam has done so many laps around here, I figured he would be way up the road so to be in front, or even that close, I’m stoked.

Callum Hedge, Fastest Pro, Practice 1

“We tested here a few times before and we took a few theories into that session which we thought would work and it seemed to pay dividends, but the track is really cold and fresh as it rained overnight. We’ve just got to wait for a bit of rubber to come in and put some better tyres on and we’ll go have a proper crack. But it’s a good continuation from our win in Townsville and hopefully we stay there for the rest of the weekend.”

Wall and Jones resume Championship battle in Round 5

Sonic heads to The Bend Motorsport Park in search of elusive 2022 round win

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Round 5, The Bend Motorsport Park

• Four different round winners, from the first four rounds this season in the Pro class
• Geoff Emery first repeat winner in Morris Pro-Am this year in Townsville
• Shahin, Cook, Talbot and Jane all covered by just 8-points in battle for third in Morris Pro-Am
• Walls, Hedge, Hall, Shiels and Mouzouris all set personal best round results in Round 4
• Wall only driver to finish in top-10 in every race this year

Following two big rounds in the north of Australia, Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup teams now travel south to country town of Tailem Bend in South Australia for round 5 of the 2022 Championship.

Hosting races 393 to 395 in Championship history, the 4.95km circuit at The Bend Motorsport Park is characterised by fast, flowing turns that are tailored for GT style cars, such as the new 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car.

The Bend, run by Morris Pro-Am driver, Sam Shahin, became only the 17th venue to host a round of Carrera Cup Australia since the series inception in 2002, and is the third fastest venue on the 2022 calendar, with its average lap speed of 161kph eclipsed only by Albert Park (174kph) and Bathurst (178kph).

Following a massive start-line accident in the Saturday’s torrential conditions, the 2021 Sunday races at The Bend witnessed two incredible battles between Cameron Hill and Harri Jones, with the 2021 Pro Champion Hill claiming both the 20-lap Enduro and 11-lap finale by near identical race margins 0.23s.

Prior to that, Sonic Motor Racing drivers had dominated both the inaugural 2018 round (Michael Almond) and 2019 events (Jordan Love). Love won all three races from pole position with an average winning margin of more than 5.5 seconds.

But it has been 12 consecutive rounds since the Sonic Motor Racing Team’s last round win, edging ever closer to their longest ‘dry spell’ of 13 rounds in the 2005-06 season. The Victorian Championship winning team has been in position to win twice this year though, both with Aaron Love (Australian Grand Prix and Townsville) and will be hungry to amend that stat heading to South Australia round.

In their way, stands McElrea Racing’s Harri Jones, whose Championship lead was reduced to 39-points by David Wall in Round 4, with the Paynter Dixon driver being the only driver in the field to have finished in the top 10 in every race so far this year. Both drivers finished on The Bend’s podium last year.

The team that has made the biggest progression in the last six races however, is Earl Bamber Motorsport Team, thanks to the efforts of Dale Wood and Callum Hedge. After a shaky start to the season, Hedge took his first Carrera Cup Australia round win in Townsville and has progressed from 10th, 9th, 8th, 3rd, 2nd to first in the last six races.

Together with Hedge, Round 4 also saw the likes of Jackson Walls, Bayley Hall, Brad Shiels and Angelo Mouzouris all set their personal best Carrera Cup Australia performances.

In Morris Pro-Am, Geoff Emery was unstoppable and became the season’s first repeat winner in the class, elevating him into the Championship lead by 17 points from three-time class champion, Stephen Grove.

With Grove overseas for the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa this weekend, the battle for class victory and podium positions will be hotly contested affair. As only eight points currently separate Dean Cook, Sam Shahin, Liam Talbot and Rodney Jane for positions 3 to 6 in the Championship.

Following two practice sessions on Friday 29 July, Saturday plays host to qualifying and the first Sprint race in the mid-afternoon. A 40-minute, 20 lap Endurance race takes place on Sunday morning before the final Sprint race after midday. All three races will be broadcast live on both Fox Sports and Kayo Sports throughout the weekend.

For more Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia news and content follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Round 5, The Bend
Broadcast Schedule:

Friday, 29 July
10:50-11:15 Practice 1
13:25-13:50 Practice 2

Saturday, 30 July
10:30-10:50 Qualifying
15:05-15:30 Race 1 (11 laps)

Sunday, 31 July
10:20-11:00 Race 2 (20 laps)
14:25-14:50 (11 laps)

Entry List:
# Name Surname Class Sponsor
5 Ryan Suhle Pro SP Tools / EBM
6 Angelo Mouzouris Pro Sonic / PitBox
7 Tim Miles Pro-Am Miles Advisory Partners / N2C
8 Nick McBride Pro Porsche Centre Melbourne
9 Marc Cini Pro-Am Hallmarc
11 Jackson Walls Pro Objective Racing
12 Harri Jones Pro Hastings Deering / Mackellar Group
13 Sam Shahin Pro-Am The Bend Motorsport Park
14 Matthew Belford Pro-Am ID Land / Porsche Centre Melbourne
17 Callum Hedge Pro Team Porsche NZ / EBM
20 Adrian Flack Pro-Am AGAS National
22 Dean Cook Pro-Am Zonzo Racing
25 Michael Almond Pro The PSA Group
27 Liam Talbot Pro-Am Wash It / Paynter Dixon
28 Bayley Hall Pro Hall Finance & Insurance
38 David Wall Pro Monochrome / Paynter Dixon
45 Indiran Padayachee Pro-Am Rentcorp Hyundai Forklifts
48 Geoff Emery Pro-Am Force Accessories / MJR
53 Luke Youlden Pro TekworkX / Hire A Hubby
72 Max Vidau Pro TekworkX / Tyrepower
74 David Russell Pro EMA Motorsport
76 Christian Pancione Pro VCM Performance / HP Tuners
77 Rodney Jane Pro-Am Sonic / Bob Jane T Marts
86 Drew Hall Pro-Am Wall Racing
88 Dylan O’Keeffe Pro Dexion / RAM Motorsport
100 Dale Wood Pro Timken Racing
222 Scott Taylor Pro-Am Scott Taylor Motorsport
333 Brad Shiels Pro Royal Purple Racing
777 Simon Fallon Pro Bob Jane T Marts / Bremtech
TBC TBC TBC Pro TBC

Tough weekend for Grove and Love in Porsche Mobil1 Supercup

Rookie Bastian Buus wins Supercup race at the Circuit Paul Ricard

Rookie Bastian Buus took victory in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup race at the Circuit Paul Ricard, while Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia driver’s Aaron Love and Stephen Grove, would cross the line in 19th and 30th respectively.

Despite the Mediterranean heat and temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, Bastian Buus kept a cool head. Le Castellet was only the fifth Supercup race for the 19-year-old Dane. Moreover, the youngster from the BWT Lechner Racing squad started from pole position for the first time.

The rookie, however, got off the line like a seasoned pro and defended his spot from his relentlessly attacking teammate Harry King. When the safety car was deployed during the first lap, Buus remained vigilant and again defended his lead after the restart to bring home a commanding victory at the wheel of his ca. 375 kW (510 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. “To be honest, I fluffed my start a little – and Harry pulled alongside me. But I swore to myself, I wasn’t going to brake until he brakes. It was extremely late, but it worked,” said Buus describing his first few seconds of the race.

The final lap did not run smoothly either for the 19-year-old from the seaport city of Kolding. “Towards the end of the race, Harry came dangerously close. His tyres seemed to be in an better condition than mine. I suspected it would be a close finish – then suddenly the flag came out. It was a complete surprise because I thought I had another lap to go.”

Harry King praised his young teammate. “Bastian didn’t make a single mistake that I could have taken advantage of. I conserved my tyres to attack at the end – it almost worked. Still, I’m extremely pleased with second place,” concluded the BWT Lechner Racing driver from England.

Larry ten Voorde, too, was greatly relieved: The defending champion from the GP Elite squad left the previous race in Austria empty-handed after becoming entangled in an accident. Third place at the Circuit Paul Ricard enabled him to close the gap on the championship leader. “First and foremost, I’d like to congratulate Bastian Buus on his first Supercup win – I almost feel old next to him,” joked the 25-year-old Dutchman. “I’m pleased to be back on the podium after my bad luck at the Red Bull Ring. I’m not thinking too much about the title yet. I just want to win races.”

Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich crossed the finish line in fourth place. But he was handed a three-second time penalty after the race and lost this position. The stewards of the meeting accused the German from the SSR Huber Racing team of exceeding the track limit immediately after the start. As a result, Heinrich had to relinquish his fourth place to Dylan Pereira. With this, the Luxembourger from BWT Lechner Racing defended his overall lead in the rankings.

The race
The rookie, however, got off the line like a seasoned pro and defended his spot from his relentlessly attacking teammate Harry King. When the safety car was deployed during the first lap, Buus remained vigilant and again defended his lead after the restart to bring home a commanding victory at the wheel of his ca. 375 kW (510 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. “To be honest, I fluffed my start a little – and Harry pulled alongside me. But I swore to myself, I wasn’t going to brake until he brakes. It was extremely late, but it worked,” said Buus describing his first few seconds of the race.

The final lap did not run smoothly either for the 19-year-old from the seaport city of Kolding. “Towards the end of the race, Harry came dangerously close. His tyres seemed to be in an better condition than mine. I suspected it would be a close finish – then suddenly the flag came out. It was a complete surprise because I thought I had another lap to go.”

Harry King praised his young teammate. “Bastian didn’t make a single mistake that I could have taken advantage of. I conserved my tyres to attack at the end – it almost worked. Still, I’m extremely pleased with second place,” concluded the BWT Lechner Racing driver from England.

Larry ten Voorde, too, was greatly relieved: The defending champion from the GP Elite squad left the previous race in Austria empty-handed after becoming entangled in an accident. Third place at the Circuit Paul Ricard enabled him to close the gap on the championship leader. “First and foremost, I’d like to congratulate Bastian Buus on his first Supercup win – I almost feel old next to him,” joked the 25-year-old Dutchman. “I’m pleased to be back on the podium after my bad luck at the Red Bull Ring. I’m not thinking too much about the title yet. I just want to win races.”

Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich crossed the finish line in fourth place. But he was handed a three-second time penalty after the race and lost this position. The stewards of the meeting accused the German from the SSR Huber Racing team of exceeding the track limit immediately after the start. As a result, Heinrich had to relinquish his fourth place to Dylan Pereira. With this, the Luxembourger from BWT Lechner Racing defended his overall lead in the rankings.

“Congratulations to Bastian Buus: To win his first race during his first Supercup season is extremely impressive and speaks volumes about his huge talent. All in all, we witnessed an action-packed race with thrilling fights for positions among the frontrunners, the midfield and also further back in the order. My respect goes to the drivers and teams who worked professionally in these hot summer temperatures,” stated Oliver Schwab, Project Manager of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

In the Rookie classification, Bastian Buus remains unbeaten after five rounds of the season. Victory in the ProAm class at Le Castellet went to Norway’s Roar Lindland driving for the Pierre Martinet by Alméras squad. Buus and Lindland both lead their respective classes.

After the race on the ultra-modern Circuit Paul Ricard, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup now heads to one of the most tradition-steeped racetracks on the Formula 1 calendar: In five weeks, the 911 GT3 Cup will contest round six at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium (24 to 26 August 2022).

Result race 5 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Le Castellet (F)
1. Bastian Buus (DK/BWT Lechner Racing), 29.21.612 minutes
2. Harry King (UK/BWT Lechner Racing), +0.452 seconds
3. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), +3.813 seconds
4. Dylan Pereira (L/BWT Lechner Racing), +10.230 seconds
5. Laurin Heinrich (D/SSR Huber Racing), +10.655 seconds
6. Marvin Klein (F/CLRT), +11.683 seconds

Points standings 2022 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (after 5 of 8 races)
1. Dylan Pereira (L/BWT Lechner Racing), 92 points
2. Laurin Heinrich (D/SSR Huber Racing), 88 points
3. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), 82 points
4. Harry King (GB/BWT Lechner Racing), 80 points
5. Bastian Buus (DK/BWT Lechner Racing), 73 points

Full race results and championship standings:
https://motorsports.porsche.com/germany/de/category/mobil1supercup/pmsc-2022-results

Stephen and Brenton Grove to contest 24 Hours of Spa and FIA Motorsport Games

Stephen Grove to return to Porsche Mobil1 Supercup for Round 5, Le Castellet

Stephen Grove to return to Porsche Mobil1 Supercup for Round 5, Le Castellet

• Stephen Grove to join the French Martinet by Almeras Team for Round 5 of Porsche Mobil1 Supercup in Le Castellet, France
• Australian father and son pairing to campaign Porsche 911 GT3 R in Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa alongside Matt Payne and Adrian D’ Silva
• Stephen and Brenton Grove to represent Australia at FIA Motorsport 2022 Games in 26-30 October

Melbourne. Three-time Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Pro-Am Champion, Stephen Grove, will mark his return to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup this weekend when the global one-make Championship converges on Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, Var, near Marseille in France.

Grove will join the French Martinet by Almeras Team for the fifth round, in a one-off drive in the premier Championship in preparation for the Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa which takes place the following weekend.

As a result, the Penrite Racing Team owner, will not be able to contest Round 5 of the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship at The Bend Motorsport Park on the 29-31 July. Grove currently lies second in the Morris Finance Pro-Am class, 17-points behind class leader Geoff Emery.

Grove previously campaigned in rounds of the 2019 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season along with fellow Carrera Cup Australia drivers, Jaxon Evans, Marc Cini and Joey Mawson. This year, Grove will have fellow Australian, Aaron Love for company in the French team, as the young West Australian’s busy 2022 calendar continues between select Porsche Carrera Cup France and Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia rounds.

For the endurance classic in the Ardennes, Grove Snr will join son, Brenton and Grove Junior driver, Matthew Payne and Adrian D’Silva behind the wheel of the rebuilt 911 GT3 R, following damage the Porsche sustained in this year’s Liqui Molly Bathurst 12 Hour.

Following the 24 Hours of Spa, the Grove Porsche 911 GT3 R will stay in Europe for the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai in January 2023, before potentially returning down under for the Liqui Molly Bathurst 12 Hour next year.

QUOTES:
Stephen Grove: “The Total Energies 24 Hours of Spa is a special one. It’s such iconic circuit where we are honoured to race the #16 Porsche 911 GT3 R in the Po-Am class. It will be a tough race with an exceptionally strong field, but we are confident and excited to participate with our line-up of drivers including Grove Junior driver, Matt Payne, and Adrian D’Silva.

Brenton and I were really pleased to win bronze in the GT Nations Cup back in 2019 in a hard-fought race. We’ll both be representing Australia again in this prestigious and globally recognised event. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to take part and to give ourselves a chance at winning gold.

I am really proud to be captaining the Nations Cup team for Australia, it is something that is special to me and I am excited to be racing as part of a strong and competitive Australian team.”

Brenton Grove: “Stephen and I are excited to be racing at Spa in the 24 Hour. It’s a great challenge and everyone is looking forward to a great weekend of racing. It will be our first race where we’ll have Matt Payne with us who is part of our Junior Program, as well as Adrian D’Silva, so we are confident we can fight for some strong results.

We are also racing in the 2022 FIA Motorsport games in which we are proud to represent Australia once again after achieving bronze in 2019. We hope to go two steps better this year and bring home gold to continue Australia’s strong sporting results in recent weeks.”

For more Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia news and content follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

About:
2022 FIA Motorsport Games

Taking place between 26-30 October 2022, around 80 nations are expected to compete representing the individual FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) from each country. They will race in a vastly expanded programme of 17 disciplines spanning the motorsport spectrum, staged across the three locations of Circuit Paul Ricard, Veynes and St. Baume.

The FIA Motorsport Games combines sport with culture and education, creating an environment that uplifts the values of respect, unity, and equal opportunities. More than a thousand amateur and professional drivers from ASNs across the globe and all levels of motorsport will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals under the colours of their country’s flag.

Porsche announces Esports Carrera Cup Australia competition for sim-racing community

Mount Panorama to host Porsche open qualification sim-racing event

Porsche Cars Australia (PCA) is pleased to announce the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Esports Carrera Cup Australia presented by ORDER. In 2020 PCA hosted a six round virtual Championship on the iRacing platform for their drivers from both Carrera Cup Australia and Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge Series, together with special guest appearances from past Champions.

For 2022, PCA have partnered with Australian esports team, ORDER and Oceanic Sim Racing (OSR), offering drivers from the Australian esports community the opportunity to compete in the first open qualification sim-racing event by Porsche Cars Australia and be crowned the 2022 Porsche Esports Australia Champion.

Over three days in September, pre-qualifying sessions will see sim-racers set their best times around the iconic Mount Panorama, Bathurst circuit, with the top 50 drivers proceeding to the final race day.

The main event will be held on Sunday, September 25. The race day will start with a Last Chance Qualifier race to finalise the top 30 drivers for the Grand Final, from which one winner will become the inaugural Porsche Esports Australia Champion.

The overall winner will be a guest of Porsche at the final round of the 2022 Carrera Cup Australia season on the Gold Coast. Both the Last Chance Qualifier and Grand Final races will be broadcast live on @PorscheMotorsportAU YouTube channel and Facebook page, & the ORDER Twitch channel.

In order to compete in the Porsche Paynter Dixon Esports Carrera Cup event, drivers must have a current, active, iRacing account, in their legal name. (No secondary or pseudonym named accounts will be accepted). Drivers must also be a resident of, and be residing in and racing from, Australian states or territories only for the event.

For full details and registration information, head to the official site at: https://www.carreracup.com.au/porsche-paynter-dixon-esports-carrera-cup-australia/

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Esports Carrera Cup Australia dates:
Date Event
21 Sept Pre-Qualifying (Day 1)
22 Sept Pre-Qualifying (Day 2)
23 Sept Pre-Qualifying (Day 3) P1-20 drivers qualify for Grand Final, P21-50 proceed to LCQ
25 Sept Last Chance Qualifier Race 15 lap race, 30 drivers, P1-10 qualify for Grand Final
25 Sept Grand Final 25 lap race, 30 drivers, 1 champion

For more Porsche Motorsport Australia news and content follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Hedge, Emery take Townsville as championship battle opens up

Four winners from four rounds as Carrera Cup heads into second half of 2022

A championship-changing day has turned the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia title fight on its head as a pair of Michelin Junior driver stars took the trophies on the streets of Townsville. 

Team Porsche New Zealand young-gun Callum Hedge won Round 4 of the championship, while earlier in the day Jackson Walls claimed the Enduro Cup race to make it two first-time winners in two races in a chaotic Sunday of racing in North Queensland.

Former champion David Wall finished third to take a huge chunk of championship points out of leader, Harri Jones, who had a tough weekend.

In MORRIS Pro-Am, Geoff Emery converted his pole position and race one win to another pair of victories on Sunday to complete a clean sweep of Round 4. It’s the first time anyone has swept the weekend in Townsville in the Carrera Cup ‘race within a race’. Stephen Grove and Dean Cook completed the podium.

Hedge is the fourth different winner from four rounds this year as a fiercely competitive championship reaches its half-way point.

The day started with a fiercely competitive Enduro Cup encounter on Sunday morning, won superbly by Jackson Walls in his Objective Racing Porsche.

Starting from second, the young Sydneysider made a perfect start to out-drag Luke Youlden into the first corner.

From there he withstood pressure from the Race 1 winner, Callum Hedge, David Wall and Aaron Love in a furious battle to the line, to claim his maiden Carrera Cup victory in just his eighth round.

Hedge was second, taking advantage of a last-lap bump at turn three between Walls and Youlden, that saw the latter slowed and enabling the Kiwi to charge past.

Youlden would grab third with Wall fourth and Love in fifth, with the contact between Walls and Youlden called a racing incident.

Ryan Suhle, Brad Shiels, Duvashen Padayachee, Angelo Mouzouris and Harri Jones completed the top-10.

Emery pulled clear of former Townsville winner Stephen Grove to claim the victory in MORRIS Pro-Am, with Liam Talbot third. Dean Cook and Rodney Jane completed the top five in class.

The final race of the weekend was just as dramatic as Walls and Hedge drag-raced down towards turn two, having made equally impressive starts. The two juniors ran side-by-side through the first four corners before Hedge was able to wrestle his way into the front.

Walls would later lose two further spots to Wall and Love to finish fourth, a moment that ultimately the deciding factor handing Hedge the round win overall in just his sixth Carrera Cup round.

It’s the second time in two years Carrera Cup has delivered three winners from three races in Townsville.

Walls’ finished second overall to further enhance his weekend of firsts, while David Wall’s second in the race and overall round podium finish, represented his first time in the top three in Townsville in any category.

Hedge and Walls were both on the outright podium for the first time in Carrera Cup.

Love finished third in the race, however faces a post-event investigation following contact with Luke Youlden that sent the Tekworkx Motorsport car spinning at turn 7 – ending his otherwise strong run to a round podium and dropping him to 24th position.

Championship leader Harri Jones finished 10th and 7th in the two races, respectively, to see his 114-point championship lead pre-round reduced by a significant margin to just 39 over David Wall heading into the second half of the season.

Dylan O’Keeffe sits third with Dale Wood and David Russell completing the top five.

Emery’s path to a third straight MORRIS Pro-Am win came ahead of Steven Grove and Rodney Jane, while key title contenders Sam Shahin and Liam Talbot both struck dramas. Dean Cook’s fourth position was enough to give him the point to secure a spot on the podium.

Emery’s round win was the third Pro-Am win of his Carrera Cup career and makes him the first repeat winner of the season, the Victorian having won at Albert Park earlier this year.

He now takes a 17-point lead in the Pro-Am class over Stephen Grove into the next round, with Dean Cook climbing to third

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship returns in three weeks time at The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia, racing at the OTR SuperSprint on July 29-21.

Callum Hedge, Round 4 Pro winner:

“Really stoked, got really lucky at the start, got a really good launch and passed Jackson across the third and fourth corner. I knew David Wall was on green tyres so I was hoping he could get held up for a few laps, but when he got to me, he couldn’t get passed. It’s hard to pass in this car with the aero wash around this street circuit. I just want to say thanks to the Earl Bamber Motorsport boys and Team Porsche New Zealand for a really good car and I can’t thank everyone enough. I’m absolutely stoked to win, I’ve been really unlucky the last few rounds, finally fourth time lucky we did it.”

Jackson Walls, Race 2 Pro winner:

“It’s definitely weird to get my first race win here, I didn’t expect it, especially being my first time in Townsville and one of the only rookies, but I’ll take what I can get. I couldn’t be happier with the team and everyone who has supported me to get where I am today, it’s been a long two years through Covid, but I couldn’t be happier.

“We had a tyre disadvantage due to the fact we used our new set yesterday, it was all good until they started to go with five laps still left to go, so I was struggling to get the car on the apexes and locking up everywhere. The battle with Luke (Youlden) I was just trying to defend and I was really hungry for the win and kept telling myself I’m going to win, so wasn’t give it up easily.“

Geoff Emery, Round 4 Morris Pro-Am winner:

“It feels really good, it all started in the practice, I had solid qualifying sessions and then three strong races, it couldn’t have been a better weekend for us. In the race I broke away pretty early and just managed the gap, I had a really good car and plenty car speed.

“Townsville is not without its incidents and there was a couple going on there (in Race 2) which brought out the safety car. That cooled the tyres right off, but once the tyre came back up (to temperature) they were good. But otherwise it was a really good race for us and for the last race it will be a lot hotter, so we’ll adjust the pressures. The car has been really good throughout the whole weekend and I think we’ve made the right decisions so far.”

Judicial update

Update on Motorsport Australia Race Stewards, Race 1 Townsville decision

Following appeals made by some of the Porsche Carrera Cup Teams overnight regards the decision made to penalize the first three drivers of race 1, Motorsport Australia Race Stewards this morning have reinstated the top 3 place finishes who were excluded from the results initially

Wall, Emery provisionally claim shortened Townsville opener

Dramatic opener in Townsville has championship-changing implications

A CHAOTIC and dramatic Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia opener on the streets of Townsville has delivered victories to David Wall and Geoff Emery (MORRIS Pro-Am). 

Results remain provisional following a dramatic day that saw the race completed under Safety Car, with several drivers excluded post-race – including Luke Youlden, who had crossed the line first.

Starting from pole – his first since 2005 – Youlden was beaten into Turn one by front-row starter Aaron Love and Dylan O’Keeffe, who started third.

Contact from O’Keeffe at turn two then turned Love’s Sonic entry around, his car pointing in the wrong direction as the 32-strong field fired into the tight right-hander.

The spin caused chaos with more than a third of the field either stopped completely or significantly delayed as they took evasive action – though all were remarkably able to continue, a vast majority of them with little damage.

The action continued at turn two when Simon Fallon, who was fighting for second, also speared up the escape road at turn three after his car suffered radiator damage in the Turn 2 incident.

As the field regrouped, Tony Quinn had a significant impact at Turn 10 aboard his Local Legends 911 GT3.

The heavy crash at the high-speed right-hand sweeper saw the Safety Car called.

Quinn was extricated by the car by Team Medical and taken to the circuit medical centre, and subsequently Hospital in Townsville, following the incident.

Ultimately the lengthy recovery of Quinn’s car saw the field greet the chequered flag behind the Safety Car with 8 laps completed.

Youlden received the flag first, followed by Jackson Walls and Callum Hedge.

However, the trio were excluded post race, with the Motorsport Australia stewards report stating: ‘Based on the Preliminary Results, the last lap of cars 53 (Youlden), 11 (Walls) and 17 (Hedge) was slower than twice the fastest lap lap time of the winner in the preliminary results. Competitors have the right to protest.’

That decision elevated David Wall to the provisional victory with Duvashen Padayachee second and Brad Shiels third – both recording their best ever Carrera Cup race finishes.

Wall’s result is more significant given nearest title rival Harri Jones was caught in the Turn two dramas and could only recover to 10th in the Professional class on the revised provisional results.

Bayle Hall was classified fourth, and Angelo Mouzouris fifth – with MORRIS Pro-Am leaders Geoff Emery, Liam Talbot and Dean Cook next.

Nick McBride and Aaron Love completed the top-10.

O’Keeffe was issued a 10-second time penalty for his role in the Turn 2 contact, dropping him to 12th outright in the final classifications.

Results remain provisional pending further investigations.

The Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia field returns for a further two races tomorrow with the 28-lap Enduro Cup race set for an 8:30am local time start, ahead of the final race at 12:45pm.

Both races will be shown live on Fox Sports and Kayo, with the finale’ also shown live on the Seven Network.

Earlier, in qualifying, Luke Youlden became the fourth different TAG Heuer Pole Award winner of the season, taking the Pro class pole position with a Townsville-record 1m12.9801s flyer late in the second 10-minute session.

It was Youlden’s first Porsche Carrera Cup Australia pole since the Oran Park round of the championship in 2005 – a gap of 6,174 days.

Aaron Love missed out on scoring his second pole of the year by 0.0974s while Dylan O’Keeffe was third.

Ryan Suhle qualified a career-best fourth outright, while Simon Fallon’s fifth position was also a career best.

Dale Wood, David Wall, Duvashen Padayachee, Jackson Walls and championship leader Harri Jones was only 10th.

The top 13 cars were all beneath the existing Townsville qualifying record, while the entire 19-car Pro field was covered by exactly one second.

In MORRIS Pro-Am, Geoff Emery became the fourth different polesitter from four rounds as he edged out Liam Talbot by 0.2 seconds to grab his first pole of the year.

Sam Shahin and Tim Miles made up the second row of the Pro-Am grid with Adrian Flack and Dean Cook next.

Official Statement: Accident involving Tony Quinn in Race 1 of Round 4

Official Statement

Accident involving Tony Quinn in Race 1 of Round 4 of Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Townsville, 2022

During Race 1 in Townsville on 09 July 2022 at 12:45pm an incident occurred on the opening laps in which driver, Tony Quinn, was injured.

On lap one Quinn’s car made contact with the wall on the outside of Turn 10. No other car was involved in the accident. Quinn was transported to Townsville University Hospital, where he is being treated by medical staff.

Initial medical checks of Quinn have identified a suspected broken leg and fractures to his ribs on the left hand side. It is also suspected he has a punctured lung.

Doctors are currently awaiting results of scans and x-rays.

According to the medical staff at the hospital, Quinn is in a stable condition and will remain under observation in hospital.

Wall nudges record to top fast Friday in Townsville

Liam Talbot paces Morris Pro-Am field in Townsville practice

PORSCHE Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia title contender David Wall has fired the first shot of the weekend at the NTI Townsville 500, setting the fastest ever lap of the 2.86km Reid Park street circuit to top an intense day of practice today. 

Wall’s 1m13.5641s best saw him top the times mid-way through the second of two, 25-minute practice sessions today aboard his Monochrome / Paynter Dixon Wall Racing 992 GT3 Cup Car.

Another former champion topped the Morris Pro-Am contenders, Liam Talbot continuing his momentum to top the Carrera Cup ‘race within a race’ with a flying 1m14.1740s best in the second session – quick enough to put him 16th overall in the record 32-car field.

Wall, who sits second in the championship, ultimately topped both practice sessions today with the returning Aaron Love second in both.

Love, driving a Bob Jane T-Marts Sonic Motor Racing entry, was two-tenths behind Wall in practice one however closed the margin to just 0.0178s in practice two.

Wall’s flyer was fractionally quicker than the Townsville street circuit qualifying record, set by Roger Lago en-route to his remarkable outright pole position in 2019.

Christian Pancione was a fast third overall while his fellow McElrea Racing Michelin Junior, Bayley Hall, had his best ever Carrera Cup session – finishing fourth outright but topping the leaderboard for some time throughout the session.

Luke Youlden was fifth, Dylan O’Keeffe sixth and Darwin winner Dale Wood seventh, with Callum Hedge, championship leader Harri Jones and Ryan Suhle completing the top 10 overall today – the group of ten drivers from six different teams covered by just 0.44s.

Exactly one second covered the top 21 cars in practice two as the field builds towards qualifying tomorrow.

Talbot was quickest overall in the Morris Pro-Am battle today however the times were tight between all the key contenders in the class.

Geoff Emery topped the opening practice session by just 0.0033s, with championship leader Sam Shahin just behind and Talbot third.

Talbot’s flyer in the second session saw him comfortably top the class in practice two – and overall in Morris Pro-Am – with Emery 0.5s behind in second and Shahin third.

The field will now be split in two for qualifying on Saturday morning, the MORRIS Pro-Am runners running first at 8:25am before the Pro class cars run in a separate, 10-minute session at 8:40.

The first race of the weekend will be contested over 17 laps at 12:45pm local time and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, Channel 7 and Kayo Sports on Saturday afternoon.

QUOTES:

David Wall – fastest in Pro / outright

“It’s good there’s only one tenth between the top five, it’s what Carrera Cup racing’s all about. I’m really more than happy with our day to be honest, we’ve learnt a fair bit today only because we haven’t been to a street circuit so far. I’m enjoying driving the car and it’s been a good weekend up here in the sun, we’ll see what we can do in qualifying, the top ten will be right at the pointy end tomorrow, so we’ll see how we go.

“I don’t think the traffic will be too bad tomorrow as we have the split qualifying, which I’m in two minds about, as it showed in that session we could make it work with one session. But the idea is to give everyone a clear run, including the Pro-Am guys. 10 Minutes is pretty short considering its from when you leave the dummy grid, but overall the whole meeting has been pretty good and I’m really enjoying driving the car.”

Liam Talbot – Morris Pro-Am

“At one point in the session I had a purple middle sector and would have been faster if I didn’t have traffic. I was just trying to find a gap, it was a good time, but is still not representative of the lap we could have got, but I’m just enjoying it up here in Townsville.

“It’s just practice though, it all really starts again qualifying tomorrow, which will be colder, so to have the split session is great, we start at the front and get a clear track, I can’t wait.”

Jaxon Evans returns to Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Austria

Two-time Carrera Cup Champion to contest Round 4 in Spielberg

Jaxon Evans will be back in the 992 generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car this weekend when he takes on Round 4 of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Evans is no stranger to 911 GT3 Cup Cars, having finished runner-up in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship in 2021 and raced in the category for two years as a Porsche junior, tasting success on multiple occasions.

The Championship supports the Austrian Grand Prix Formula 1 event, and cars will be on track for Free Practice on Friday, Qualifying on Saturday, and an 18-lap Race on Sunday. Evans will be racing for team CLRT in the single-driver sprint race.

The Red Bull Ring has been a happy hunting ground for Evans in the past, having won at the track on two different occasions. “I love racing at the Red Bull Ring. I’ve raced there many times and have enjoyed much success,” said Evans.

“My first Supercup race win came at the Red Bull Ring in 2020, and then I backed it up with another win last year in 2021.”

Evans is hoping for a top-five finish this weekend but is well aware of the competitive nature of the Supercup Championship and isn’t underestimating the task ahead.

“It’s going to be a tough weekend. Supercup is a very competitive championship, and having only a single 45-minute practice session to get back in the groove of driving the 992 911 GT3 Cup Car is a tough ask.

“I’m going up against guys that have been in the car nearly every weekend since the beginning of the race season. But I’m confident in the track knowledge I have and past success, so we should be able to push for a top 10 finish.

“Ultimately, I’d feel satisfied with a top five result, and I think that’s achievable,” said Evans. 

Catch all the action of the Austrian Grand Prix, including the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Championship Round 4 Qualifying and Race LIVE on Kayo Sports.

Three rounds, three different winners, who will emerge victorious in Round 4

Wood, Jones and Vidau in the hunt to repeat round success in Townsville

Australia’s top Porsche teams and drivers will converge on the Reid Park Circuit in the coastal city of Townsville in Northern Queensland for the fourth round of the 2022 Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia Championship.

It will be the 133rd round held in the history of the Championship since it began in 2003 and as the 2022 results show, this has been one of the most hotly contested seasons on record.

The first three rounds of this season have thus far produced three different round winners in each class including: Max Vidau, Harri Jones and Dale Wood in the Pro class and Geoff Emery, Matthew Belford and Liam Talbot in the Morris Pro-Am battle.

Remarkably, the 2022 round winners in Pro and Morris Pro-Am represent no less than six different Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (Type 992) teams including: TekworkX, McElrea Racing, EBM, Ash Seward Motorsport, Porsche Centre Melbourne and Wall Racing.

If one was to go back to last year, there would have been five different winners from the five most recent rounds (David Wall and Cooper Murray taking honours in the last two 2021 rounds held at Bathurst in December) in the Pro class.

Round 3 in Darwin also saw four drivers (Jackson Walls, Callum Hedge, Christian Pancione and Brad Shiels) all scoring their best round results in the most recent event, while witnessing a strong return to the top of the podium by Dale Wood, as the Timken driver continues to gel with the Earl Bamber Motorsport Team.

Dale Wood’s recent form has been impressive: progressing each round from 7th-5th-4th-3rd-2nd-1st-1st in his last 7 races. Having left Round 1 of the championship in 15th, he now sits fourth in class. In the Pro Championship the first and second belong to Harri Jones and David Wall respectively due to their ever-present pace and consistency.

The pair are the only two drivers in the entire field to have finished every race in the Top-10 this season. Jones has never been lower than seventh, Wall ninth. Max Vidau was the only other driver with such a streak prior to his 13th place in race 3 in Darwin.

While 2022 marks the Championship’s eighth visit to the Reid Park circuit on record, the 2021 round saw Cooper Murray become the first multiple round winner in Townsville’s Carrera Cup history, with Matt Payne winning the third race on that occasion. The young Kiwi had qualified on pole however stalled at the start and only finished Race 1 in 10th position.

In Morris Pro-Am, Stephen Grove won the 2021 round by a single point over Geoff Emery, thanks to his pole position. This year Grove together with Rodney Jane and Scott Taylor are the only drivers to have started every round and to have not had a DNF.

No circuit on the current calendar has an older lap record than Townsville, the benchmark set on the Championship’s first visit in 2011 by Jonny Reid (McElrea Racing) in a time of 1m14.0389s and has not been beaten since. Given the performance and pace of the new 992 at every track this year, will 2022 be the year this age old record falls?

Following two practice sessions on Friday 08 July, Saturday plays host to a split qualifying due to the nature of the tight street circuit, before the first sprint race at midday. A 40-minute (approx. 28 lap) Endurance race takes place early on Sunday morning before the final sprint race at midday.

All three races will be broadcast live on both FoxSports and Kayo Sports throughout the weekend, as well as on free-to-air television on Channel 7.

For more Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia news and content follow the Porsche Motorsport Australia social pages: Instagram – @PorscheMotorsportAU / Twitter – @PorscheMspAU / Facebook.com/ PorscheMotorsportAU

Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Round 4, Townsville

Broadcast Schedule:

Friday, 08 July

09:30 – 09:55 Practice 1

13:10 – 13:35 Practice 2

Saturday, 09 July

08:25 – 08:35 Qualifying 1

08:40 – 08:50 Qualifying 2

12:45 – 13:10 Race 1 (17 laps)

Sunday, 10 July

08:30 – 09:10 Race 2 (28 laps)

12:45 – 13:10 Race 3 (17 laps)

Entry List:

Heinrich takes victory as Love endures tough Supercup debut weekend

Porsche Junior wins Supercup race in Silverstone

The decisive moment happened in the first few seconds: Dutchman Larry ten Voorde from Team GP Elite fluffed his start from pole position. This left the door open for Laurin Heinrich who grabbed his chance – the German won the sprint to the first corner in his ca. 375 kW (510 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by the SSR Huber Racing squad and snatched the lead. Ten Voorde then had to settle in behind Harry King. However, still in the first lap, the Dutchman reclaimed his second place from the local hero driving for BWT Lechner Racing.

“My strategy was to draw alongside Larry as quickly as possible after the start. I knew that I’d be on the inside at the first corner and that was the more favourable line – this plan worked perfectly,” said a delighted Heinrich after claiming the second win of his Supercup career. Ten Voorde, on the other hand, was critical of his performance: “I reacted too late at the start. Luckily, I managed to counter Harry’s move but I didn’t have a chance against Laurin.”

This was the same situation for the restart after the safety car, which was deployed after a midfield collision during the first lap. With a catapult start, Heinrich maintained his commanding lead over ten Voorde and controlled the race to the flag. “Larry was faster than me in some passages, but I had the advantage in other sections. For me, the race was more strenuous than it might have looked,” explained the Porsche Junior, who has moved up the points table to position two thanks to this victory.

Securing second place, Larry ten Voorde still managed to defend his championship lead in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Harry King took the flag in third place. The British racer had to fend off his BWT Lechner Racing teammate Dylan Pereira over the race distance. “Shortly after the start, after I got past Larry, I attempted to overtake Laurin as well. I made a mistake, which enabled Larry to reclaim second place. After that, it was all about not making any mistakes in the duel with Dylan,” concluded King.

“That was a strong race from Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich. He kept his cool in the duel with Larry ten Voorde, who is a two-time champion of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. I’m also pleased to see drivers from three different teams on the podium. I’m looking forward to the next race at the Red Bull Ring, which will no doubt be just as enthralling,” stated Oliver Schwab, Project Manager Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.

Supercup rookie, Aaron Love endured a tough Supercup debut with the Martinet by Alméras team finishing in 30^th position with a puncture. The Carrera Cup Australia driver posted to social media after the event, “Pretty tough first Supercup weekend and it just went from bad to worse. We made a few mistakes with the plan for practice which didn’t let us truely show our speed. This just continued to hang over our heads in qualifying as it started to rain at the start and just missed the chance to set a lap before it got completely wet. Started from 29th and got up to 15th and no doubt I could’ve gone further but it wasn’t meant to be. A car spun in front of me and with nowhere to go I just didn’t quite make it around ending with a puncture ruining the race. That’s just racing and we’ll live to fight again.”

Result race 3, Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Silverstone (UK)
1. Laurin Heinrich (D/SSR Huber Racing), 29.52.942 minutes
2. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), +0.531 seconds
3. Harry King (UK/BWT Lechner Racing), + 2.292 seconds
4. Dylan Pereira (L/BWT Lechner Racing), + 2.781 seconds
5. Bastian Buus (DK/BWT Lechner Racing), + 10.064 seconds
6. Lorcan Hanafin (UK/FACH AUTO TECH), + 10.186 seconds

Only a week’s break before the next Supercup race
From Silverstone, the teams contesting the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup head straight to the Red Bull Ring in the south of Austria. On the Formula 1 circuit in Styria, round four of the international one-make cup with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup will be held next weekend (8 to 10 July 2022) as part of the Austrian Grand Prix support programme.

Today’s Red Bull Ring goes back to the Österreichring, which was opened in 1969 near Zeltweg, but actually in the municipality of Spielberg. From 1970, the then six-kilometre racetrack was part of the Formula 1 World Championship. In 1995 and 1996, the Österreichring was modernised and the name was changed to A1-Ring. After another modification and since the reopening in 2011, the 4.318-kilometre circuit has been called Red Bull Ring.

Last season, two rounds of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup were held at the Red Bull Ring. The eventual champion Larry ten Voorde (Team GP Elite) from the Netherlands won the race held as support to the Grand Prix of Styria. Jaxon Evans (Martinet by Alméras) from New Zealand claimed victory at the Supercup race run as part of the Austrian Grand Prix support programme.

Schedule round 4, Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (all times CEST)
Friday, 8 July
6:30 – 7:15 pm: Practice
Saturday, 9 July
1:55 – 2.25 pm: Qualifying
Sunday, 10 July
12:05 pm: Race (14 laps)

Points’ standings 2022 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup (after 3 of 8 races)
1. Larry ten Voorde (NL/Team GP Elite), 65 points
2. Laurin Heinrich (D/SSR Huber Racing), 56 points
3. Dylan Pereira (L/BWT Lechner Racing), 53 points
4. Harry King (GB/BWT Lechner Racing), 46 points
5. Bastian Buus (DK/BWT Lechner Racing), 31 points

Full race results and championship standings:
https://motorsports.porsche.com/germany/de/category/mobil1supercup/pmsc-2022-results

2022 Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup calendar*
22 – 24 April, Imola (Italy)
26 – 29 May, Monte Carlo (Monaco)
01 – 03 July, Silverstone (Great Britain)
08 – 10 July, Spielberg (Austria)
22 – 24 July, Le Castellet (France)
26 – 28 August, Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium)
02 – 04 September, Zandvoort (Netherlands)
09 – 11 September, Monza (Italy)
*subject to change

No points for Porsche in the heat of Marrakesh

The return of Formula E to Marrakech did not result in the desired success for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team.

In the heat at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan Pascal Wehrlein finished 12th with temperatures of almost 35 degrees celsius. His teammate André Lotterer (GER/No. 36), who had to start the race from the last position on the grid, made up seven places to finish in 15th place.

In the drivers’ classification of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, André Lotterer ranks ninth after 10 of 16 races with 61 points. After a further review by the FIA, his five-second penalty from the Jakarta E-Prix was overturned in Marrakesh. Andre and the team regained ninth place – with two championship points each. Pascal Wehrlein is 10th with 55 points. In the team classification, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team lies in fifth place with 114 points.

Race 10
Pascal Wehrlein made it into the semi-finals with a strong performance in the qualifying duels and started the 2.971-kilometre race at the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan in fourth place. Unfortunately, he lost positions in the first laps and dropped back to 18th place in the course of the race before making up positions in the final phase of the race. André Lotterer had to start from the back row. This was due to a technical issue with a sensor – he was only able to leave the pits after the start of qualifying and thus could not complete his first timed lap within the six minutes after the start of qualifying as required by the regulations. He then crossed the finish line four hundredths of a second too late. As a result, all his qualifying times were cancelled. In the race, Andre improved by seven positions with some good overtaking maneuvers.

Comments on the Marrakesh E-Prix, Race 10

Florian Modlinger, Director Factory Motorsport Formula E: “In qualifying, we had a problem with André’s car that we couldn’t fix quickly enough. In the end, he was four hundredths of a second too late, so all his qualifying laps were cancelled. He had to start from the back as a result and had a difficult race. Although he improved seven positions, which was a good performance, he did not come close to the points. We cannot be satisfied with that. For Pascal, qualifying went very well. He made it into the duels and from there into the semifinals. But at the race start he got away badly because he lacked significant power at the start and on the first lap. The reason for this was that his car was switched off for longer than usual on the grid. This caused the battery temperature model to reinitialize. This meant that he did not have full power available on the first lap. The prediction of the battery temperature for the end of the race was also no longer correct and was much too high. We had to take various countermeasures to lower the value. As a result, we didn’t have the necessary pace. Our goal now has to be to bring the full potential of our cars back on track at the upcoming hot races in New York City.”

Pascal Wehrlein, Porsche works driver (#94): “The day started well with my fourth place in qualifying. In the race, I lost power and many places right after the start. After the good qualifying, we had, of course, hoped for more. It’s a shame that we didn’t make it to the top again. Now I hope that we will find our old strength again in the next races.”

André Lotterer, Porsche works driver (#36): “It was not a good weekend for me. From the first free practice, I had many minor problems, and qualifying didn’t go well for me. The race was difficult. I could make up many positions, but at the same time, I had to keep an eye on the temperatures. We were on the conservative side and had a lot of energy left in the last two laps. But by then, it was too late for further attacks, and we couldn’t score any points.”

Next up
The next event for the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team is the New York City E-Prix double-header, rounds 11 and 12 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship on 16 and 17 July.

Porsche in Formula E
With a historic one-two result thanks to Pascal Wehrlein and André Lotterer in the Porsche 99X Electric, the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team celebrated its greatest success to date in Mexico on 12 February 2022. The team contests its third season in the world’s first all-electric racing series. At the debut event in November 2019, André Lotterer scored second place at the season-opening race in Diriyah: a dream start and proof that with the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche had a competitive vehicle right from the outset. Last season, Wehrlein claimed pole position in Mexico City. Two podium results followed with Wehrlein finishing third in Rome and Lotterer securing second in Valencia. As an accelerator for innovative and sustainable mobility technologies, Formula E has brought thrilling motorsport to people living in major cities since 2014. With the all-electric Taycan, Porsche supplies the safety car this season, underlining the importance of Formula E for Porsche Motorsport.

Provisional Race Calendar 2023*
Formula E is expanding with more than ever before. 18 races are on the provisional calendar for Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which the FIA published earlier this week. The introduction of the Gen3 cars will then mark the beginning of a new era for Formula E. The traditional pre-season test will take place in Valencia/Spain from 11 to 14 December 2022. These are the races in 2023:

Race 1 – 14 January: Mexico City (Mexico)
Race 2 – 27 January: Diriyah (Saudi Arabia)
Race 3 – 28 January: Diriyah (Saudi Arabia)
Race 4 – 11 February: Hyderabad (India)
Race 5 – 25 February: TBD
Race 6 – 11 March: TBD
Race 7 – 25 March: Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Race 8 – 22 April: Berlin (Germany)
Race 9 – 6 May: Monaco (Monaco)
Race 10 – 20 May: Seoul (South Korea)
Race 11 – 21 May: Seoul (South Korea)
Race 12 – 3 June: Jakarta (Indonesia)
Race 13 – 4 June: Jakarta (Indonesia)
Race 14 – 24 June: TBD
Race 15 – 15 July: Rom (Italy)
Race 16 – 16 July: Rom (Italy)
Race 17 – 29 July: London (Great Britain)
Race 18 – 30 July: London (Great Britain)
* Subject to change