Porsche’s season started off with an unexpected win by a Porsche Cayenne powered Daytona Prototype at the Rolex 24 Hours. How will they fare at Homestead this weekend? We’ll let you know in real-time as we head to Miami to watch the race. Not to be forgotten, the ALMS premiers in just two short weeks at the legendary 12 Hours of Sebring. PorschePurist will make the drive up through the orange groves to call the action track-side. Incidentally, we’ll be making the drive through the truck route of central Florida in a new Porsche Cayman S courtesy of PCNA. We’ll be sure to let you know how many tickets we get along with our thoughts on the Cayman and the race results.
Meanwhile, if you’re not able to keep up with each Porsche Motorsport post here on FlatSixes.com and would prefer a brief synopsis of what’s happening in the world of Porsche Motorsport, there is no better way to stay in touch than by reviewing the monthly Porsche Motorsport Newsletter. Filled with interesting facts and figures about past and upcoming races, along with changes to team and crew, the Porsche Motorsport Newsletter is an easy way to keep up-to-date on this year’s racing activities.
Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid: Porsche Intelligent Performance
110 years ago, Ferdinand Porsche developed the first vehicle with hybrid drive. Porsche now takes up this visionary concept in racing with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid. The race car, which contests the Nürburgring 24 Hours, features a 480 hp boxer rear engine, plus two electric motors on the front axle. Charged during braking, each flywheel generator supplies 60 kW (ca. 80 hp). An intelligent electronic control utilizes the stored energy predominantly to reduce fuel consumption. When overtaking, drivers can call up this additional power for six to eight seconds at the press of a button. On March 2nd, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid celebrated its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
Porsche Fitness Camp: Sweat for Success
On the island of Fuerteventura Porsche works drivers as well as Porsche Junior Marco Holzer conducted their annual intensive fitness training. Firstly, they underwent a performance analysis in Potsdam University’s sports medicine department as well as a very thorough physical examination. Seven hours of weight and endurance training were scheduled daily. Sports medicine specialist Prof. Dr. Frank Mayer: “Even prior to the training, all drivers were in extremely good physical condition. Thanks to the particularly intensive program they now head into the new season with an extra boost in fitness.”
American Le Mans Series: Test-Fest in Sebring with Record Turnout
Four 911 GT3 RSR, an RS Spyder and seven 911 GT3 Cup: With twelve race cars, Porsche customers made up the largest contingent at the ALMS winter tests in Sebring (22/23 February), which with 28 vehicles marked a record number of participants. As reigning champions in the GT2 class, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long will be joined by Marc Lieb to compete with the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports. The driver pairing Wolf Henzler/Bryan Sellers pilots a GT3 RSR for the Falken Tire team for the first time. Jeroen Bleekemolen joins up with team-owner Tim Pappas in Black Swan Racing’s GT3 RSR. Richard Lietz joins regulars Darren Law and Seth Neiman in the second Lizard Porsche. Greg Pickett, team principal of Cytosport Racing, runs an RS Spyder. He shares the cockpit with Klaus Graf. Sascha Maassen lends the team support at three races. The seven 911 GT3 Cup vehicles race in the GT Challenge class. Season-opening: 20th March, Sebring.
UAE GT Championship: René Rast Beats Points’ Leader
Pole position, fastest lap and victory: With an immaculate performance, René Rast had the upper hand at the fifth of eight races in the UAE GT Championship on the last weekend in February. In the cockpit of a Mühlner Motorsport Cytech Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S, the reigning Carrera Cup Deutschland champion put a stop to Corvette pilot Karim Al Azhari’s four-race winning streak on the Yas Marina Circuit. Supercup ace Sean Edwards took the flag as third in an ARM Porsche.
European FIA GT Championship: Strong 911 GT3 R contingent
Three top teams plan to bring the 480 hp 911 GT3 R to contest the European FIA GT3 Championship: The Belgian ProSpeed Competition team – 2009 GT2 champions with Porsche – as well as Mühlner Motorsport (Belgium) and Trackspeed Racing from England.
Central American & Caribbean Racing: Four starts, four wins, champions
Putting in an immaculate performance, Jacinto Peynado from the Dominican Republic won the Campeonato Centroamericano y del Caribe de Automovilismo 2009, central America’s most important race series. The Porsche dealer prevailed in the 911 GT3 Cup at the first two races and also proved unbeatable at the last two races.
Matmut Carrera Cup France: Heading for Le Mans 24 Hours
The Matmut Carrera Cup France celebrates the 40th anniversary of Porsche’s first overall victory at Le Mans with a very special event. Several hours before the start of the 24 hour race (12 June), a championship round of the popular race series, now in its 24th year, takes place for the first time on the “big” circuit. Also on the calendar of the 2010 Matmut Carrera Cup France are traditional tracks like Spa, Monza and Magny-Cours.
GT3 Cup Challenge Australia: “Man the lifeboats” at season-opening Bathurst
Torrential downpours at the season-opening round of the GT3 Cup Challenge Australia (12/13 February) at Bathurst, about 200 kilometres west of Sydney: In the first corner, the Porsches of reigning champion Matt Kingsley and vice-champ Sven Burchartz touched, punting both into retirement. Only two clear laps were possible before pole-sitter Rodney Forbes saw the flag as winner. Race two was cancelled due to flooding on the track.
GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East: Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal clear favourite
With four rounds still to run in the GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal (Saudi Arabia) already looks set to become champion after claiming three wins from the last four races in Abu Dhabi (5/6 and 20/21 February). Prince Khalid Al Faisal ranks second. Sheikh Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa celebrated his first GT3 Cup Challenge win at the seventh round (20th February).
GT3 Cup Challenge New Zealand: Craig Baird well on way to sixth title
With just three championship rounds left on the GT3 Cup Challenge New Zealand calendar (19-21 March, Taupo), five-time champion Craig Baird is on course for another title. Notching up two third positions and a fifth place on the Manfeild Motor Racing Circuit (12/14 February), the 39-year-old earned himself further points. Matt Halliday, 2009 Supercup Rookie of the Year and Baird’s toughest rival, experienced a weekend of mixed fortunes: Unbeatable in qualifying, third was his best result.
Carrera Cup Great Britain: Record-setting man and team to compete
Tim Harvey is unstoppable: With Red Line Racing, the 48-year-old professional contests his eighth full Carrera Cup season. During this time, the 2008 champion and triple vice-champion has secured 24 race wins. Harvey, however, faces plenty of opposition: Motorbase Performance plan to bring a record six 911 GT3 Cup racers. Parker Racing with 2009 champion Tim Bridgman, as well as the Celtic Speed squad also take up the challenge. Porsche Cars Great Britain takes care of its motorsport customers in its new motorsport centre and at the race track from the 1st March.
Porsch Race notes
- Five young race drivers are excited about being chosen as “Porsche Motorsport Talents”: Niall Breen (23, Ireland), Jono Lester (20, New Zealand), Tim Sandtler (22, Germany), Harald Schlegelmilch (22, Latvia) and Ferdinand Stuck (18, Germany) asserted themselves over tough competition and will be supported in their 2010 campaign in the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup or Carrera Cup Deutschland.
Related Porsche Posts
Cayenne Powered Porsche Wins at Daytona
Flying Lizard Motorsport Merchandise
Porsche Motorsport Newsletter: 2010 Volume 1
[Source: PCNA]