Porsche Motorsports Weekly Event Notes: Tuesday, August 14, 2018
This Week.
• Overall Look. Porsche Factory Team Targets Return to VIR Podium; Wright Goes After Two In-A-Row.
• England Calling. Porsche Factory and Customer Teams Ready for Silverstone.
• Clubsport Rally Concept. Porsche Runs Cayman GT4 Clubsport as Course Car.
Upcoming Porsche Race Events.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Event: Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, VIRginia International Raceway
Dateline: Alton, Virginia
Date: Friday – Sunday, August 17 – August 19, 2018
Track Length: 3.27-miles, 17-turn
Race Duration: 2-Hours, 40-minutes
Class: GTLM (Porsche 911 RSR)
GTD (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
Round: GTLM. 9 of 11
GTD. 9 of 11
Next Round: Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, September 7 – 9, 2018
IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.
Event: Biscuitville Grand Prix, VIRginia International Raceway
Dateline: Alton, Virginia
Date: Friday – Sunday, August 17 – August 19, 2018
Track Length: 3.27-miles, 17-turn
Race Duration: 2-Hours
Class: GS (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR)
Round: GS. 7 of 10
Next Round: Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, September 7 – 9, 2018
IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.
Event: Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, VIRginia International Raceway
Dateline: Alton, Virginia
Date: Friday – Sunday, August 17 – August 19, 2018
Track Length: 3.27-miles, 17-turn
Race Duration: 2, 45-Minute Races
Class: Platinum (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, MY 2017 - 2018)
Gold (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, MY 2015 – 2016)
Round: 11 – 12 of 15
Next Round: Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma California, September 14 – 16, 2018
FIA World Endurance Championship.
Event: Six Hours of Silverstone, Silverstone Circuit
Dateline: Silverstone, Great Britain
Date: Friday – Sunday, August 17 – 19, 2018
Track Length: 3.66-miles, 18-turn
Race Duration: 6-Hours
Class: LMGTE-Pro (Porsche 911 RSR)
LMGTE-Am (Porsche 911 RSR)
Round: 3 of 8
Next Round: Six Hours of Fuji, Fuji, Japan, October 12 – 14, 2018
Porsche Profile.
Event Story Lines.
Overall Look. Porsche Factory Team Targets Return to VIR Podium; Wright Goes After Two In-A-Row.
The Porsche GT Team, the official factory effort for the German marque in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, will fight for overall race honors in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR on Sunday, August 19. The two-hour, 40-minute race at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) is the ninth of 11 GT Le Mans (GTLM) class races this season. The race in southern Virginia, near Alton, marks the second time of 2018 that the GT cars – GTLM and GT Daytona (GTD) categories – will be the headliners for North America’s premier endurance sports car racing series. The 510-hp Porsche 911 RSR developed and built in Weissach, Germany has already scored victories at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the Mid-Ohio race thus far. The two-car “works” team tackles the infamously cutthroat GTLM class against strong opposition from BMW, Chevrolet and Ford with the Nos. 911 and 912.
In GTD, Porsche customer team Wright Motorsports returns with the sole 911 GT3 R in the Pro-Am style class. The No. 58 Porsche Consulting/Porsche Digital machine recently celebrated its first win of the year at Road America with factory driver Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) and Porsche Selected Driver Christina Nielsen (Denmark). The rear-engine machine, in the hands of Long, has secured two consecutive pole positions for the class and looks to VIR to earn a second race win on the season.
The 3.27-miles, 17-turn race track on the North Carolina state border has a storied history with the brand dating back to its first race when Bob Holbert piloted a Porsche 550 Spyder RS to an SCCA win. Porsche has 22 total major class victories at VIR including its most recent Virginia victory in 2017 when RS1 took honors in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge with current driver Dillon Machavern (Charlotte, Vermont) co-driving the No. 28 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR with Dylan Murcott. In 2015, the Porsche GT Team had a one-two finish in the GTLM class with Patrick Pilet (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) winning in the No. 911 while the No. 912 of Earl Bamber (New Zealand) and Jörg Bergmeister (Germany) finished in second-place. Pilet, Tandy and Bamber reprise their roles in the respective cars again this weekend while Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) joins Bamber in the No. 912 this weekend.
Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, Porsche AG.
“With the race in Virginia we turn onto the finish straight of a gripping and hotly contested IMSA SportsCar Championship season. Although it looks as if we’re out of contention for the title, we are determined to underline the potential of our 911 RSR with a strong performance. After our victories at Sebring and Mid-Ohio, our aim is to bring home our third victory of the season with our 911 RSR.”
Pascal Zurlinden, Director GT Factory Motorsport.
“The Virginia International Raceway is a circuit that demands a great deal of precision from the drivers. The tiniest error usually ends up in the grass. The team will do its utmost to find again the perfect setup for our 911 RSR for this race. The conditions aren’t easy for all competitors, not least due to the heat and high humidity we’re expecting.”
Sebastian Golz, Project Manager, Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“After securing the second pole position and the first victory for the 911 GT3 R in the USA, our customer team Wright Motorsports is well prepared to continue the series of successes on the Virginia International Raceway. However, this typical American racetrack has its quirks. For the drivers there’s a very fine line between a fast lap time and losing traction.”
Patrick Pilet, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Racing in Virginia is always great fun. The track is very fast and demanding – a real challenge. The fact that we’re going for overall victory gives us an additional boost. In 2015, we scored a one-two finish here with Porsche and I hope we’ll be amongst the frontrunners again this year. However, to do this, everything has to come together perfectly because with all the fast corners you can’t afford to make the slightest mistake. A trip onto the green turns your car into a lawnmower and by the time your pit crew has removed all the grass from the radiator the race will be over.”
Nick Tandy, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“I’m really looking forward to this race. Virginia is a beautiful region with a lot of forests. It reminds a little of the region where I live in the UK. The circuit has a lot of fast corners and this should really suit our 911 RSR. I have fond memories of our victory here three years ago. It’s always especially motivating to return to a race track where you’ve won before.”
Laurens Vanthoor, Driver, No. 912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Virginia is the third to last race of the season. It’s crazy how fast time flies. The circuit is very special because it doesn’t leave any room for error. If you don’t watch out, you end up on the grass and heading for the forest. You can never regain the time you lose. It’s a cool race track that should suit our 911 RSR well.”
Earl Bamber, Driver, No. 912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Virginia marks the critical phase of the championship. From this point on we can’t afford to give away any more points. We’re bracing ourselves for a very close and tough fight. The track is fascinating and it’s always been good turf for Porsche. At my last race there in 2015 I climbed the podium in second-place. On the home straight of the season, we want to grab every chance to score a victory with the 911 RSR.”
Patrick Long, Driver, No. 58 Porsche Consulting/Porsche Digital Wright Motorsports. Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“Traditionally, Virginia has a lot of sports car fans. I hope we can offer them an exciting race. The Virginia International Raceway is technically very demanding and it requires a perfect setup. Strategy also plays an important role here because compared to other racetracks there are usually less safety car phases due to the many run-off areas. Our first win of the season gave the entire team a real boost. We now want to make the most of this excitement to bring home another top result.”
Christina Nielsen, Driver, No. 58 Porsche Consulting/Porsche Digital Wright Motorsports. Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“You drive a fine line on the Virginia International Raceway. If you stray from the racing line, it gets extremely slippery. You have to carefully weigh up the risks you’re willing to take; if it’s too much you end up on the grass. That costs time. However, if you hold back too much, you’ll be left behind. On this track you have to get it all exactly right.”
England Calling. Porsche Factory and Customer Teams Ready for Silverstone.
The Silverstone Circuit in Great Britain will host round three of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) on August 19. After scoring a one-two finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Porsche GT Team travels to England leading the drivers’ and manufacturers’ classifications in the LMGTE-Pro class. A six-strong fleet of 510 hp Porsche 911 RSR will tackle the race on the 3.66-mile (5.901-kilometer) tradition-steeped circuit in the British Midlands. The “works” program brings two 911 RSR to the LMGTE-Pro class while customer efforts have entered four of the two-class Le Mans-winning cars to the LMGTE-Am category.
Richard Lietz (Austria) and Gianmaria Bruni (Italy) tackle the six-hour race in the No. 91 car. Bruni won the WEC Silverstone race in 2012 and 2015, while Lietz crossed the finish line first there in 2014. Le Mans champions Kévin Estre (France) and Michael Christensen (Denmark) share the cockpit of the No. 92 Porsche 911 RSR. After winning the world’s toughest endurance race earlier this year, the two now lead the drivers’ classification in the LMGTE-Pro class. Porsche currently ranks first in the manufacturers’ classification.
Three customer squads field four more 911 RSR in LMGTE-Am. Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer (France), Christian Ried from Germany and Porsche Young Professional Matt Campbell (Australia) compete in the No. 77 car. Driving for Dempsey Proton Racing, the trio travels to Silverstone leading the drivers’ and team classification after scoring a class victory at Le Mans. Manning the sister car are Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy), Khaled Al Qubaisi ( United Arab Emirates) and Italy’s Giorgio Roda. Competing in the 911 RSR campaigned by the Project 1 team are Porsche works driver Jörg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, California) and Norwegian Egidio Perfetti. Bergmeister and Lindsey will return to IMSA WeatherTech GTD competition at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca early next month. The two Englishmen Michael Wainwright and Ben Barker join forces with Alex Davison from Australia in the cockpit of the No. 86 run by the British customer team Gulf Racing.
The Porsche 911 RSR celebrated its WEC debut at Silverstone in 2017. So far this season, the racer from Weissach, Germany has clinched a one-two result in the GTE-Pro class at Le Mans as well as the GTE-Am class win. The water-cooled four-liter boxer engine is based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports car and produces around 510 hp depending on the restrictor. The Nos. 91 and 92 vehicles tackled Le Mans sporting a special historic design. For the Silverstone round, the Porsche GT Team will revert to the factory design with the primary colors white, red and black.
Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, Porsche AG.
“After the close fight at Le Mans we’re ready to take on the next challenge. Our aim is to defend our lead in the points. Silverstone enjoys a long tradition and holds a very special place in the hearts of drivers and motor racing enthusiasts. We’re up against tough competition, but we’re perfectly prepared. At Le Mans, the Porsche 911 RSR once again underlined that it can handle huge stresses and is reliable.”
Pascal Zurlinden, Director GT Factory Motorsport.
“The high grip level at Silverstone puts special demands on the setup of the 911 RSR. Intuition and finesse are needed here. Only those who opt for the right setup will be in a position to fight for victory. We were among the frontrunners to the end at Spa and we scored a double victory at Le Mans – it should continue like this at Silverstone.”
Richard Lietz, Driver, No. 91 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Our podium result here last year indicates that the track suits the 911 RSR. And this was reconfirmed at our last test here. The new track surface, however, is really aggressive, so we’ll have to keep an eye on our tires. Traditionally, loads of fans flock to the racetrack. I can’t wait to finally go racing again after Le Mans!”
Gianmaria Bruni, Driver, No. 91 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Richard and I will do our very best to get the most out of it for Porsche. I’ve won twice at Silverstone and I’d now like to achieve another victory in England. During the summer break I worked on my fitness in Italy so that I’m perfectly prepared to take on the next races.”
Kévin Estre, Driver, No. 92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“After the Le Mans win we’re heading to Silverstone feeling very confident. Thanks to our second-place at Spa and victory in France, we’re leading the championship. To retain our lead, however, we need to keep earning points. Due to the corner combinations, the tires are put under immense stress, especially at high temperatures. We need to keep this in mind.”
Michael Christensen, Driver, No. 92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“The Silverstone circuit suits the 911 RSR. In the past, we’ve achieved great results there. I’m expecting to fight for a top spot again this year, although the competition is very strong. After the Le Mans win I contested a few [Pirelli World Challenge] races in America, but I still managed to recharge my batteries. I’m ready for the next WEC races.”
Jörg Bergmeister, Driver, No. 56 Team Project 1 Porsche 911 RSR.
“I’m heading to Silverstone feeling very optimistic. Our pace was good at the previous races in Spa and Le Mans. The only thing that was missing for us to finish at the front was a little race luck. We’re hoping to finish on the podium in England.”
Clubsport Rally Concept. Porsche Runs Cayman GT4 Clubsport as Course Car.
Porsche fans are in for a real treat at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland. A special course car, the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, will run ahead of the starting field at the August 16 – 19 rally. For Porsche, the entry of a concept study for the FIA R-GT category based on the near-production GT circuit race car is a critical test under real-world conditions. Whether this turns into a rally project for customers with a similar vehicle will be determined in the future.
Porsche works driver Romain Dumas (France), considered one of the best all-round race drivers in motorsport today, will pilot the vehicle. For the last twelve years, the 24 Hours of Le Mans winner has contested rallies around the world with his own team. Dumas has also won the legendary Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado four times including this past July where he captured a new overall track record. Factory drivers Richard Lietz (Austria) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) are also seasoned rally drivers and were involved in the test program with the Cayman GT4 Clubsport concept rally car.
The Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, which has been campaigned at clubsport levels worldwide – including in North America’s IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and Pirelli World Challenge – since the 2016 season, is powered by a 385 hp 3.8-liter flat-six engine. The mid-mounted engine drives the rear wheels. The vehicle features a Porsche dual clutch transmission (PDK) with shift paddles on the steering wheel. For rallying, Porsche fit full underbody protection and an energy-absorbing foam element, as used in WRC rally cars, in the doors.
Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars, Porsche AG.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how the rally world responds to our FIA R-GT concept study. I would like to invite every interested driver and team principal to visit the service park and take a close look at our rally concept car. Based on the feedback and the interest from potential customers, we will then decide by the end of the year whether we’ll develop in the mid-term a competition car for near-standard rallying based on a future Porsche model.”
Social Media.
Porsche Cars North America. @Porsche
Porsche GT Team (North America). @PorscheNARacing
Porsche Motorsport – GT Cars. @PorscheRaces
Porsche Racing. @Porsche_Team
Porsche Motorsport North America @porschecustomerracingna (Instagram)
Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI. #PorscheRennsport
Model Hashtags.
Porsche 911 RSR. #911RSR
Porsche 911 GT3 R. #911GT3R
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. #911Cup
Event Hashtag.
Michelin GT Challenge at VIR #MichelinVIR
Series Hashtags and Handles.
GT3 Cup Challenge USA. #GT3USA
GT3 Cup Challenge Canada. #GT3CAN
Pirelli Trophy West USA. @PirelliTrophy (Twitter)
@PirelliTrophyWestUSA (Instagram)
Intercontinental GT Challenge. @IntercontGTC
Future Porsche Events.
Pirelli World Challenge.
Event: Sprint Championship Finale: Grand Prix of Watkins Glen, Watkins Glen International
Dateline: Watkins Glen, New York
Date: Friday – Sunday, August 10 – 12, 2018
Track Length: 3.4-miles, 11-turn
Race Duration: 2, 50-minutes
Class: GT (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
GTS (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR)
Round: GT. 9 and 10 of 10
GTS. 9 and 10 of 10
Next Round: Season Finale
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Event: Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Dateline: Monterey, California
Date: Friday – Sunday, September 7 – 9, 2018
Track Length: 2.238-miles, 11-turn
Race Duration: 2-Hours, 40-minutes
Class: GTLM (Porsche 911 RSR)
GTD (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
Round: GTLM. 10 of 11
GTD. 10 of 11
Next Round: Petit Le Mans, Road Atlanta, October 10 – 13, 2018
IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.
Event: Continental Tire Monterey Grand Prix, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Dateline: Monterey, California
Date: Friday – Sunday, September 7 – 8, 2018
Track Length: 2.238-miles, 11-turn
Race Duration: 2-Hours
Class: GS (Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR)
Round: GS. 9 of 10
Next Round: Petit Le Mans, Road Atlanta, October 10 – 13, 2018
IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.
Event: Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, Sonoma Raceway
Dateline: Sonoma, California
Date: Friday – Sunday, September 14 – 17, 2018
Track Length: 2.52-miles, 12-turn
Race Duration: 2, 45-Minute Races
Class: Platinum (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, MY 2017 - 2018)
Gold (Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, MY 2015 – 2016)
Round: 13 – 14 of 16
Next Round: Petit Le Mans, Road Atlanta, October 10 – 13, 2018
FIA World Endurance Championship.
Event: Six Hours of Fuji, Fuji Speedway
Dateline: Fuji, Japan
Date: Friday – Sunday, October 12 – 14, 2018
Track Length: 2.84-miles, 16-turn
Race Duration: 6-Hours
Class: LMGTE-Pro (Porsche 911 RSR)
LMGTE-Am (Porsche 911 RSR)
Round: 4 of 8
Next Round: Six Hours of Shanghai, Shanghai, China, November 16 - 18, 2018