Porsche Motorsport Weekly Event Notes: Monday, December 14, 2020
This Week. • Entries Open. Porsche Carrera Cup North America Opens Official Entry Submissions. • Porsche 2021. Two Major Works Projects and Enticing Customer Sport at Porsche. • 2021 Works Drivers. Despite Pandemic, Only Minor Changes to Line-up. • Customer Racing. Customer Campaigns Around the World. • Porsche Cup 2020. Robert Renauer Wins Second Prestigious Privateer Award. • Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. Champion Sebastian Job Honored. • Porsche Drivers. 2021 Porsche Motorsport Driver Line-Up. • Covers Off. New 911 GT3 Cup Unveiled at Annual Porsche Night of Champions. • Special Attention. Detailed Improvements Reflected in New Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. • Back in Plaid. Pfaff Motorsports Enters 2021 IMSA GTD Season. • Daytona Drivers. TGM Announces Line-Up for Rolex 24 Porsche 911 GT3 R Entry. • Porsche Remembers. Porsche Motorsport Family Farewell to Walter Lechner.
Entries Open. Porsche Carrera Cup North America Opens Official Entry Submissions.
The Porsche Carrera Cup North America takes a major step forward this week with the opening of official entry submissions. Porsche Motorsport North America will accept the entry requests from teams for the 2021 season beginning on Monday, December 14. Race programs may submit an entry for their 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car or a previous generation Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Teams need-not have a driver listed as part of their entry. All cars will race on the same MICHELIN® Pilot® Sport Cup N3 racing slick. The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car – model year 2021 – made its international debut on December 12 at the virtual Porsche Night of Champions. The first delivery of cars is tabbed for the North American market in February. International delivery will follow.
The official web site of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America is now live. PorscheCarreraCup.us (www.PorscheCarreraCup.us) plays host to all-things Carrera Cup in North America for fans, partners and participants alike. In the coming weeks and months, the site will be regularly updated with news regarding the series debut, team and driver bios, schedules, live streaming as well as live timing and scoring and more during event weekends.
The inaugural season of the highest Porsche one-make series on the continent will make its debut March 17 – 20, 2021 at Sebring International Raceway. An official open test for all cars will be held two-weeks prior to the two-race season-opener run in conjunction with the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at the Florida race track.
The Porsche Carrera Cup North America joins the 21 Porsche one-make championships competing in 31 countries on five continents. The series will take its place as the pinnacle of one-make cup championships on the Porsche Motorsport Pyramid in North America. The inaugural season of the single driver per-car championship will host 16-rounds at eight venues in the eastern United States and Canada. Each 45-minute race will count toward a season-long driver and team championship.
Brian Blocker, Series Manager, Porsche Carrera Cup North America.
“This is a very exciting next step in the life of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America. In this first year, everything is a milestone and to be able to officially start accepting entry submissions is much more significant than might first be recognized from the outside. We have a good handle on the teams that want to participate as everyone that bought the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car committed to the full Carrera Cup North America season. We also have had a significant interest in bringing the previous generation car to the Pro-Am class as well. Opening registration means that the sporting regulations are in place for the inaugural season of the series. That is a landmark moment for the Porsche Carrera Cup North America.”
Porsche 2021. Two Major Works Projects and Enticing Customer Sport at Porsche.
Porsche will be well represented in major international motorsport series’ in the 2021 season. Porsche announced the plans for the coming year during the first virtual Night of Champions on December 12. In 2020, the event, which in recent years has traditionally been hosted in Weissach, Germany in the first half of December, was conducted digitally for the first time due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Porsche reflected on multiple international motorsport accomplishments, for example three consecutive victories to close the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and a win at the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours as well as major achievements in the final rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). In his online welcome address, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, underlined the tremendous competitive spirit within the company and “pulling together when things get difficult”. This has been particularly evident in the 2020 crisis year.
ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team Takes the Next Step.
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Motorsport.
“We’re very pleased that today we can make a clear statement about our continued participation in the ABB FIA Formula E. We are completely convinced by the outstanding stage and the unique concept. We use the fully-electric single-seater series for the systematic development work and expansion of our skills in the field of battery-electric powertrains. We want to move the championship forward together with the FIA/FEO and the teams in the years ahead.”
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E-Team heads into the upcoming season with big goals. After a successful first year, the experienced engineers in Weissach, Germany have extensively upgraded the drivetrain and crafted new ways to define the operating strategy. The factory drivers of the Porsche 99X Electric race cars for the season are André Lotterer (Germany) piloting the No. 36 and Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) in the No. 99. Swiss drivers Simona de Silvestro and Neel Jani are available to step in if required. The new season kicks-off in mid-January with two races in the Chilean capital of Santiago.
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). Porsche Returns With Two Factory-Run Porsche 911 RSR.
In the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), Porsche will continue to field two factory-entered Porsche 911 RSR in the 2021 season. The two ca. 515 hp vehicles will compete in all six races operated by Manthey-Racing but with a slightly different driver line-up. Gianmaria Bruni (Italy) and the Richard Lietz (Austria) again share the No. 91 car. Joining Frenchman Kévin Estre in the No. 92 sister car is the 2016 WEC LMP1 class champion Neel Jani (Switzerland). The first race of the new season is scheduled for March in the United States at Florida’s Sebring International Raceway. On June 12 - 13 2021, the two Porsche 911 RSR will participate in the season highlight at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France.
2021 Works Drivers. Despite Pandemic, Only Minor Changes to Line-up.
The Porsche family pulling together in times of crisis, as quoted by Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, underlines the driver line-up for the 2021 motorsport season. Porsche heads into the new year with a squad of 14 factory, also known as “works”, drivers, one Young Professional and a Porsche Junior. In addition to the Formula E driver Pascal Wehrlein, Austria’s Thomas Preining joins the works driver roster of Porsche for the first time. Julien Andlauer (France) continues as the Porsche Young Professional with Ayhancan Güven (Turkey) completing his second season as a Porsche Junior. Jaxon Evans (New Zealand) has finished his junior program and will race for customer teams in the Porsche 911 RSR, among others. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 travel restrictions, Porsche was unable to run its traditional Junior selection process in late autumn of this year. As a result, there is no second Porsche Junior for 2021. New Zealander Earl Bamber, Nick Tandy (Great Britain), Patrick Pilet (France), Michael Christensen (Denmark) and the two Germans Sven Müller and Dirk Werner are leaving the official “works” driver squad. However, they still have the opportunity to represent Porsche at races as drivers – including in the Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Customer Racing. Customer Campaigns Around the World.
Most of the ten new Porsche 911 RSR that were delivered to customers will be fielded in the LMGTE-Am class of the FIA WEC and in the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) for the 2021 season. Hollywood actor Michael Fassbender will once again stand in the limelight. For the German-Irishman, 2021 marks the second season in the long-distance series at the wheel of a 911 RSR run by Dempsey Proton Racing. His aim is to systematically prepare for a potential start at the Le Mans 24-hour race.
Porsche also supports a number of customer teams who campaign the 500+hp 911 GT3 R on the world stage. Earl Bamber and the works drivers Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) and Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) will compete for customer teams in the GTD class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In the GT World Challenge Europe, several Porsche 911 GT3 R race cars take on the competition from twelve other manufacturers. Earl Bamber (New Zealand), Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Frédéric Makowiecki (France) have been designated as drivers in the GT3-spec race series. Almost all drivers in the squad will contest the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. A large field of Porsche 911 GT3 R customer teams will tackle the Eifel classic on the first weekend of June 2021. Customers will also take on the German ADAC GT Masters. It has not yet been determined whether customer teams will field the popular and successful Porsche 911 GT3 R in the DTM.
Privateer operations will also campaign the Porsche 911 GT3 R racer in the SRO GT America championship with programs being announced by teams in the coming months.
Porsche Cup 2020. Robert Renauer Wins Second Prestigious Privateer Award.
The revered Porsche Cup has been presented annually to the most successful privateer driver since 1970. In 2020, the trophy goes to Germany’s Robert Renauer. During the digital Night of Champions, Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board, Porsche AG, acknowledged the success of the 35-year-old from Dachau at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 R race car in the ADAC GT Masters and the Creventic Series. This is the second time Renauer has been awarded the coveted trophy, the first coming in 2016. The Bavarian will also receive a new Porsche 911. The award for successful amateur drivers, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year, is based on an idea of Ferry Porsche.
Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. Champion Sebastian Job Honored.
Britain’s Sebastian Job was honored for winning the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup. The 20-year-old from the Red Bull Racing Esports Team beat last year’s champion Joshua Rogers (Australia) in an exciting and spectacular online racing season. Job, who has now turned his hobby sim racing into a profession, will tackle his third season of the racing series held on the iRacing platform as the defending champion. The 2021 Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup opens January 9, 2021 on the virtual version of the Brazilian Formula 1 circuit in Interlagos.
Porsche Drivers. 2021 Porsche Motorsport Driver Line-Up.
Porsche Factory Drivers
Gianmaria Bruni (Italy), 39-years-old
Matt Campbell (Australia), 25
Romain Dumas (France), 42
Kévin Estre (France), 32
Mathieu Jaminet (France), 26
Neel Jani (Switzerland), 36
Richard Lietz (Austria), 36
Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California), 39
André Lotterer (Germany), 39
Frédéric Makowiecki (France), 40
Thomas Preining (Austria), 22
Simona de Silvestro (Switzerland), 32
Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium), 29
Pascal Wehrlein (Germany), 26
Porsche Young Professional
Julien Andlauer (France), 21
Porsche Junior
Ayhancan Güven (Turkey), 22
2021 Factory Programs Overview.
ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
Porsche 99X Electric, No. 36 – André Lotterer
Porsche 99X Electric, No. 99 – Pascal Wehrlein
FIA World Endurance Championship 2021
Porsche 911 RSR, No. 91 – Gianmaria Bruni / Richard Lietz
Porsche 911 RSR, No. 92 – Kévin Estre / Neel Jani
Covers Off. New 911 GT3 Cup Unveiled at Annual Porsche Night of Champions.
Porsche has unveiled the latest generation of the world’s best-selling race car: the new 911 GT3 Cup. Opening with the inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup North America event on March 16 – 17, 2021 at Sebring International Raceway, this racer will be campaigned in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and in addition to Carrera Cup North America, the national Porsche Carrera Cups in Germany, France, Asia and Benelux. The spectacularly styled Cup car is the first racing machine based on the current Porsche 911 platform, known as the 992 generation, and the first one-make racer of the sports car manufacturer to feature a wide, turbo-spec body.
Producing 510 hp (375 kW), the new-for-2021 machine exceeds the output of its immediate predecessor by about 25 horsepower. Moreover, the new GT3 Cup car can run on synthetic fuels, which significantly lowers CO2 emissions under racing conditions. The completely new Cup 911 race car is expected to cut lap times, depending on the track layout, by an astounding one-percent – an almost unheard of gain made year-to-year. Delivery to teams will begin in February 2021 with the first production allocation scheduled to be delivered to North America to support its’ first-ever Carrera Cup championship (announced September 25, 2020).
Porsche unveiled the very first 911 Cup car in 1990. It was based on the 964 generation debuted in the German Porsche Carrera Cup producing 260 hp. Beginning in 1993, it also raced in the newly established Porsche Supercup, as part of the Formula 1 support series program just does it does today. Five more generations of this exceptionally successful racing vehicle followed. To-date, a record number of 4,251 units have been produced.
The groundwork for the latest model was laid in 2018. Concrete development began in early 2019. The main development goals of the team led by project manager Jan Feldmann were to further improve performance, achieve a more aggressive design and greater durability with less outlay in terms of time and maintenance. The result is reflected in many aspects of the new racing vehicle, which, like its predecessor, rolls off the production line in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen alongside the 911 production models.
One of the most striking features of the new 911 GT3 Cup is its optimized aerodynamics and the overall more muscular appearance. This is partly thanks to the wide, turbo-spec lightweight body that is being used for the first time in the Cup car. Measuring a total of 74.9 inches (1,902 millimeters) in width, it exceeds the rear width of the previous model by 1.1-inch (28 millimeters) and is distinguished by its additional cooling air inlets in front of the wheels. Furthermore, the front axle of the 992 generation of the 911 is also significantly broader. Thanks to additional flared fenders, the new 911 GT3 Cup race car now measures as much as 74.9 inches (1,920 millimeters) at the front axle. This allows for a harmonious wheel-tire combination with 12-inch wide rims on the front and 13-inch wheels at the rear axle. This is typical for GT racing and has a positive effect on the handling and drivability of the racing car. At the same time, the seventh generation of the Cup racer generates noticeably more aerodynamic downforce. This is thanks to the combination of the rear spoiler with the larger rear wing and front fascia, which was specifically adapted to racing by means of a front lip spoiler and strategically-positioned separation edges. The adjustable rear wing with ‘swan neck’ mounting has eleven different positions that can be adjusted manually and ensures uninterrupted under-wing airflow. This improved aerodynamic efficiency also ensures more stable handling, particularly in high-speed corners.
The body of the previous 991.2 generation Cup car consisted of 70-percent steel and 30-percent aluminum. The ratio between those materials in the successor has been flipped. The vehicle’s dry weight is 2,778-pounds (1,260 kilograms).
The removable escape hatch in the roof complies with the latest FIA standards. All windows in the GT3 Cup car are made of lightweight polycarbonate and have scratch-resistant hard-coat glazing. The doors, engine hood and rear wing are made of carbon-fiber composite. In contrast, the front hood, with its distinctive exit airduct and central air-intake, is a prime example of the intelligent use of materials. Like in the 911 Carrera, it is made of aluminum – which lowers repair costs in the case of damage.
The designers put a great deal of thought into the ergonomics specifically for the drivers. In addition to the incline, the new racing seat can now be adjusted in two height settings. In conjunction with the adjustable steering column, this ensures an ideal fit for every driver stature. A range of padding thicknesses allows the seats to be adapted to the needs of individual drivers as well. The redesigned, open-top, motorsport multi-function steering wheel made of carbon-fiber is yet another development adopted from the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Based on feedback from racing drivers, the wheel’s illuminated buttons have been rearranged. The so-called “Rubber Switch Panel” (RSP) with its ten large buttons on the right is reminiscent of a control element in the Porsche 919 Hybrid. These buttons are easy to use, even in the heat of a race, and are given designated central functions such as lighting and ventilation or to change tire settings from dry to wet tires.
A further example of an enhancement to details is the adjustment of brake balance. Now, the moving of the brake “bias” can be intuitively controlled front to rear via a rotary knob switch on the outside right of the RSP in or against the direction of travel, depending on whether the front axle needs more or less brake pressure.
The designers have revamped the centrally-positioned, 10.3-inch color monitor as well. The screen prioritizes the display of key data and information for the driver while racing. Displayed alongside the engine speed are water and oil temperatures, the gear currently engaged and error messages or information on important baseline settings, such as “wet” for racing in rain. After the readout of the data, the design of both the display and the computer monitors are aligned so that the driver and race engineer see the same information. This helps with analysis after each session. The electronics are designed to be user-friendly for easier trouble-shooting and specific help in problem-solving. Approximately 700 diagnostic options are available to drivers, engineers and technicians. Specific software summarizes all information more clearly and comprehensibly. Optional vehicle functions such as ABS or traction control are already stored in the system. They can be activated via a digital code. In the Porsche Carrera Cup North America as well as the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the majority of these driving aids are switched off in the professional classes. The focus of Carrera Cup and Supercup is on the talent of the drivers. Another example of subtle, sophisticated solutions in the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car can be seen in the arrangement of the electronic components. Motorsport control units and data loggers have been relocated from the passenger footwell to the right-rear of the vehicle’s interior. As a result, these no longer hinder the installation of a passenger seat, useful for coaching and passenger ride opportunities.
While the rear axle in the new Cup car essentially remains unchanged compared to the production 911 model, the front wheels are now controlled by a double wishbone suspension and Uniball bearings – like in the Porsche 911 RSR, the top racing model in the Porsche lineup. Through this, the shock absorbers/dampers are no longer exposed to lateral forces, only axial forces. This ensures more precise turn-in behavior and gives the driver a better feeling for the front axle. The shock absorbers have also inherited the cutting-edge valve technology from the Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP race car and 911 RSR. Fully electro-mechanical power steering has been introduced into the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for the first time. This means that the hydraulic pump and associated hydraulic lines are no longer needed.
In terms of the engine, the 911 GT3 Cup remains true to the naturally-aspirated principle. In its racing version, the four-liter, water-cooled flat-six engine develops 510 hp (375 kW). The high-revving unit with dry-sump lubrication generates its maximum performance at 8,400 rpm – up from the previous 7,500 rpm peak. It redlines at 8,750 rpm with maximum torque of 470 Newton meters at 6,150 rpm. A single throttle butterfly system with two resonance flaps ensures an even more spontaneous response and underscores the inimitable Porsche racing sound in conjunction with the catalytic converter racing exhaust system. Three different exhaust systems are available to choose from depending on regulations of the racing series and specific racetracks. Bosch supplies the MS 6.6 electronic engine management system. Like with its immediate predecessor, the six-cylinder only needs a maintenance check following 100 hours of track time. The engine is connected to the sequential, 159-pound (72-kilogram) six-speed dog-type gearbox via a single-mass flywheel and a three-plate sintered metal racing clutch. Gear changes are made via a paddle shift on the steering wheel, with a “minor inspection” of the gearbox needed after 60-hours of racing – which corresponds to roughly two years of racing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. A major overhaul is due after 120 hours of racing. The shift barrel actuator is operated by an electric servo-motor, replacing the previous pneumatic unit. The advantages are faster gear changes, the option of live diagnoses and a lowered risk of damage in the event of gearshift errors.
Dr. Daniel Armbruster, President and CEO, Porsche Motorsport North America.
“The launch of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America matches perfectly with the launch of the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car internationally. This is not only true in terms of these two things being new at the same time but because the type 992 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car is seamlessly in tune with where the Carrera Cup North America is positioned in the Motorsport Pyramid, at the very top of the one-make series in the United States and Canada. Our teams and drivers have been asking for this new car, a very professional car, and its features. This is the best platform we could ask for as we launch the Carrera Cup on this continent. We are excited that our customer teams will be the first to race this car anywhere in the world. The energy is building for March 2021 in Sebring.”
Michael Dreiser, Director Sales, Porsche Motorsport.
“The 911 made history as the baseline model for the Carrera Cups and the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup – no other racing car has found as many satisfied customers since the 911. The new 911 GT3 Cup now starts a new chapter. Our goal is to top the 5,000 mark in production over the coming years. Like its ancestral lineage, this model will also assist a whole new generation of talented racing drivers on their path to professional motorsport and shape the face of our customer sport commitment around the world.”
Jan Feldmann, Project Manager.
“We wanted to position the new 911 GT3 Cup even more as professional racing car, while also making it more cost-effective for the teams to run. We were particularly successful in achieving this thanks to its striking appearance, the improved suspension and intelligent solutions for electrical details. The handling of the new 911 GT3 Cup is noticeably more precise and even more fun. With its improved performance and the optimized cockpit, it’s the best Cup car that Porsche has ever built.”
Special Attention. Detailed Improvements Reflected in New Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
New Porsche road and race cars always bring innovation to the customer. These are derived from long hours of analysis and review by engineers, teams, drivers, sanctioning bodies and Porsche Motorsport specialists at the track. However, as the first race car based on the 992 generation of the 911 sports car, the 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car has demanded an even greater intensity to the design, development and build process. Key elements include:
• Every Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car from Porsche Motorsport is now delivered with a complete accessory kit, which includes, for example, all special tools and wishbone spacers required for track adjustment. Hence, the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car is ready to race without customer teams having to order these parts individually.
• In the new model generation, the water radiators remain directly behind the front apron. This positioning was deliberately retained: the risk of damaging the radiators prevents an overly aggressive driving style. At the same time, the placing of a strut ensures that minor nudges go unpunished.
• Special brake calipers now enable the brake pads to be changed more quickly.
• The drive shafts of the rear axle now have a special, more durable motor
racing design.
• Textile loops have been reintroduced as attachment points for tow ropes. These replace the previously used steel swivel tow hooks.
• A new central nozzle for the fire extinguishing system improves the distribution of the extinguishing agent inside the cockpit.
• The new positioning of the release unit makes it easier for scrutineers to check from the outside whether the fire extinguisher is working correctly.
• Adapted safety quick releases for the inside door openers improve the ergonomics when exiting the cockpit as well as safety in the event of an emergency.
• The onboard electrical system functions without actual plug fuses. This reduces the amount of materials used in the wiring harness and saves weight. The redesign is easier to access thanks to its central positioning.
• For standing starts, should the engine stall at the start of the race, the hazard warning lights switch on automatically to warn other competitors.
Back in Plaid. Pfaff Motorsports Enters 2021 IMSA GTD Season.
Following a heavily-condensed 2020 season that saw Pfaff Motorsports race just two events as a result of COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Canadian operation announced a return to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD class. The program will again run the Porsche 911 GT3 R for the full-season. The Steve Bortolotti-managed team will see a new endurance and full-season driver lineup with Porsche factory driver Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) join longtime Pfaff driver Zach Robichon (Canada) for the full IMSA calendar in the No. 9 plaid-livery Motul-sponsored Porsche 911 GT3 R. Porsche development driver Lars Kern (Germany) returns for North American Endurance Championship rounds, while Porsche factory driver Matt Campbell (Australia) will complete the team’s four-driver Rolex 24 At Daytona roster.
Robichon and Campbell enjoyed success in 2019 with a class win at Road America, and given the team’s strong performances in 2020, including the Rolex 24 class pole position, expectations run high for the upcoming season. Daytona marks Campbell’s third time racing in the 24, and following experiences in both the Porsche 911 GT3 R, and a GTLM podium last season with the Porsche 911 RSR, the Australian is looking forward to
his return with Pfaff Motorsports.
Steve Bortolotti, Manager, Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“I would like to thank our partners for sticking by us during all the uncertainty we faced in 2020. We’re really looking forward to having Motul back on board for the new season, because they’re instrumental in making all of this possible. Porsche Centre Markham, the Pfaff group’s new dealership, joins Pfaff Porsche on the car alongside our other long-term partners. We’re really looking at the bigger picture in 2021. In 2019, we proved that we had the pace, but I think our downfall was that we were too focused on winning every race we attended. Going in with the mindset of maximizing points week in and week out, I believe with our driver lineup and the team we’ve built that we can contend for the championship. Within that, the wins will come.”
About the line-up.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be back in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2021. Obviously, we started last season showing some great promise and we’re looking to pick up right where we left off. Primarily, I’m looking forward to our four drivers working together; in some way, Lars, Matt and Zach have all worked together. Laurens will be working with the three of them for the first time, but he obviously comes with some incredible experience and an impressive resume, so I’m sure it will be a seamless adaptation between all of them.”
Laurens Vanthoor, Driver, No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“When Porsche announced the end of the current GTLM program, I was disappointed because I love racing in America. So to be able to continue here and build on my future in IMSA with Pfaff is something I’m very happy about. I’ve done my homework on Pfaff Motorsports and have heard a lot of good things, so I think together with Zach Robichon, we have a very good package to go for the championship. That’s clearly our goal and mine as well, so I’m very much looking forward to that.”
Zach Robichon, Driver, No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“I don’t think we can underestimate the excitement that myself and the team have just to be racing again. Looking at both our performances from [Daytona and Road Atlanta] last
season, we believe that we can accomplish a lot going into 2021.”
Matt Campbell, Driver, No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“I’m excited to be back with Pfaff. It’s obviously a great team We had some really good
performance here last year with Zach getting pole position. For us drivers, we have the same goal this year and – that’s fighting for the Rolex that everyone is after and going for the win. I really enjoyed my time with them previously, so I’m looking to get back at it and I’m sure we’re going to have a lot of fun.”
Daytona Drivers. TGM Announces Line-Up for Rolex 24 Porsche 911 GT3 R Entry.
Team TGM’s impending debut in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship at the Rolex 24 at Daytona will feature four drivers who are doing double-duty for the team – competing for Team TGM in both the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race and the Rolex 24. After an earlier announcement that the team will be racing a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the ultra-competitive GTD category, team owner Ted Giovanis has confirmed the line-up for the team’s 24-hour endurance race debut will include himself, Matt Plumb, Owen Trinkler and Hugh Plumb.
Giovanis will make his first start as a driver in the Rolex 24 event while the remainder of the impressive line-up includes Team TGM’s veteran sportscar racer Matt Plumb and 2018 Michelin Pilot Champions, Owen Trinkler and Hugh Plumb. All four drivers – Giovanis and Trinkler in car No. 64 and Hugh and Matt Plumb in car No. 46 – will also drive for the team in Friday’s four-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge event.
Team TGM will return to IMSA competition after a hiatus in 2020 while Giovanis focused his efforts on the JKTG Foundation and its work toward the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccine development. They will do so not only with a familiar driver lineup but a familiar livery as well. Engaging the talents of famed motorsports artist, Andy Blackmore, the team’s Porsche 911 GT3 R has been wrapped in the programs familiar blue, orange and white.
The Roar Before the 24 test will be held from January 22 – 24 with teams returning to Daytona International Speedway January 28 – 31 for the 59th running of North America’s most famous 24-hour race.
Ted Giovanis, Driver/Owner, Team TGM.
“The driver line-up was really a very easy decision to make because I had already done all the due diligence and consideration a couple years ago when I decided on Hugh, Owen and Matt to drive our Michelin Pilot cars. These guys bring with them such tremendous talent and experience, it was an easy decision then and it’s the same now. Together these three drivers have accumulated 21 previous Rolex 24 Hour race starts. I couldn’t be surrounded by a more knowledgeable and experienced group of drivers who I can depend on to take care of our equipment, while constantly pushing to the front. We already have a great relationship from the Michelin Pilot Series and keeping us together allows us to leverage on that synergy. These are the guys who I trust to race our cars in Michelin Pilot and I know I can count on them for the best result in the Rolex 24.
About the livery.
“We were very excited when Andy (Blackmore) was available to help create the livery for the Porsche 911 GT3 R for the team’s first run in the Rolex 24. I think Andy has created something stunning which is also easily seen by our team’s crew on pit lane, spotters and fans.”
Porsche Remembers. Porsche Motorsport Family Farewell to Walter Lechner.
Porsche Motorsport mourns the loss of Walter Lechner (1949-2020). The Austrian has been a valued member of the Porsche family since 1985 when he raced the venerable Porsche 956 prototype race car to victory in his debut. During his successful career spanning more than two decades, the racing driver won two titles driving Group C prototypes from Porsche.
After hanging up his racing helmet in 1996, Lechner established a successful motorsport company. Today, Lechner Racing is managed by his sons Robert and Walter Jr. and, in addition to the racing team, includes a racing driver school and event agency. In the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland and Porsche Carrera Cup France, Walter Lechner promoted numerous talented drivers, with both professional and personal dedication – in the same way he had supported later Formula 1 drivers Stefan Bellof from Germany and Karl Wendlinger from Austria. A total of eleven team titles, most recently seven of them in a row, makes Lechner Racing the most successful program in the history of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Lechner Racing’s drivers have claimed eight titles in the same championship, three of which were won by the eventual DTM champion René Rast from Germany.
As the organizer of the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East, Lechner spread his enthusiasm for Porsche Motorsport throughout the world. Last weekend in Bahrain was his final campaign in this racing series.
The Porsche Motorsport family wishes Walter Lechner’s family the strength to come through this difficult time, and says wholeheartedly: ‘Thank you, Walter!’
Michael Dreiser, Director Motorsport Sales.
“Walter Lechner was a very special person and a man of action, who was respected in the motor racing scene and much further afield. He was a man of his word and he lived by this principle. For decades, Walter Lechner has been a trusted partner of Porsche Motorsport and has had a huge impact on our brand’s customer racing. Under the most difficult conditions, he built up the Porsche Sprint Challenge Middle East, which has now been running for more than ten years. Walter Lechner taught me a lot, his death is a great loss for the Porsche Motorsport family.”
Oliver Schwab, Project Manager Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.
“Walter was a true gentleman and a respected figure in all areas of life. I will remember him as a good friend who for many years shaped the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup with his admirable character, his unbridled emotion and his incredible enthusiasm. His sons Robert and Walter Jr. are also an integral part of the Porsche Motorsport family. My deepest condolences go to them and Walter’s wife Christine.”
*Image courtesy of Porsche. 121420