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Porsche Motorsport Newsletter
Maybe you’re not able to, or put more simply, you don’t want to read each little news blurb about Porsche Motorsports. If that’s the case, there is no better way to stay up to date than by reviewing the monthly Porsche Motorsport Newsletter here on PorschePurist.
There’s always a lot going on and this month is no different. 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 on top of this year’s racing activities within the Porsche community.
Le Mans Series: All GT2 titles go to Porsche drivers, team and factory
For Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz, fifth place at the fifth and final round in Silverstone (12 September) was enough for the pair to defend their title, after winning three rounds in 2010. Under the direction of team owner Christian Ried, the German-based Felbermayr squad took home the team championship. And in the fiercely-contested GT2 manufacturers’ category featuring six automobile brands, the title went to Porsche. With four titles to his credit, Marc Lieb is the most successful pilot in the Le Mans Series. His works driver colleague Timo Bernhard took off from the first grid row with an Audi R15 TDI sports prototype to finish in third with teammate Dindo Capello.
Porsche Motorsport North America: Change at the top
Jens Walther (41) is the new President of Porsche Motorsport North America. He succeeds Paul Ritchie who has decided to retire from the motorsports business. From 2001 to 2004, Walther worked at the Porsche Engineering Group GmbH in Weissach as Manager of Marketing, Communications and Business Development. From 2005, Walther was responsible for the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup and most recently he managed a total of 19 international Porsche brand trophy series.
International GT Open: Two Porsche teams give chase in final phase
After their victory at the twelfth round of the International GT Open in Brands Hatch (19 September), Porsche factory pilot Patrick Pilet and his compatriot Raymond Narac rank second in the drivers’ standings with their IMSA Performance Matmut 911 GT3 RSR heading into the final phase of the championship. With four races left, the two Frenchmen share position two in the points with works driver Richard Lietz and his teammate Gianluca Roda, who yielded fifth place in England with an Autorlando Sport 911 GT3 RSR.
FIA GT3 European Championship: Holzer and van Splunteren take first EC win
Porsche-Junior Marco Holzer and Paul van Splunteren notched up their first victory in the European Championship at round nine (19 September) on the Autódromo International do Algarve. At round ten the two finished second in the Prospeed Competition 911 GT3 R after swapping paint with a rival. Currently ranking third with two races to go in Zolder (10 October), Holzer and van Splunteren are keeping their vice-championship hopes alive.
British GT Championship: David Ashburn pockets title in torrential rain
David Ashburn is the new champion of the British GT Championship. His fourth win of the season at race eleven and a cautious drive to claim fifth place in pouring rain at race twelve on the classic Brands Hatch circuit (26 September) was enough for the Londoner to claim the title prior to the finale in Donington (16 October). Ashburn shared the cockpit of Trackspeed’s Porsche 911 GT3 R with his compatriot Glynn Geddie.
Porsche Mobil1 Supercup: René Rast nets title at finale
Only at the finale in Monza (12 September) could René Rast win the duel for the title against Britain’s Nick Tandy. Over the season the German clinched four wins and a total of seven podium results to claim the trophy by a six-point margin. Rast is the first German Supercup champion since Wolf Henzler (2005). His Al Faisal Lechner Racing squad celebrated winning the team championship title. Tandy was already crowned “BBS Rookie of the Year” well before the finale.
Patrón GT3 Challenge: Ross Smith wins the Platinum Cup
It was a family affair: Under the technical direction of his father and with his brother Kendall as team boss, 23-year-old Ross Smith won the Platinum Cup in the 911 GT3 Cup of Maxwell Paper Racing at the American Patrón GT3 Challenge after a win and a second place at Road America (17 September). Ross notched up ten pole positions as well as eight victories from 12 starts heading to the final race as part of the ALMS in Road Atlanta.
Carrera Cup Asia: Double win in Singapore plants Craig Baird at top of table
A perfect weekend for Craig Baird at races seven and eight of the Carrera Cup Asia in Singapore (25/26 September). The New Zealander won both races and shunted Germany’s Christian Menzel from position one in the drivers’ classification. At race seven, Menzel took off from pole position on rain tyres which proved to be a mistake. He fell back to 13th position – his grid position for race eight which the Porsche old-hand finished in fourth.
Carrera Cup Deutschland: Nicolas or Nicholas?
Nicolas Armindo from France or Nicholas “Nick” Tandy from Great Britain: One of these two drivers will be crowned champion after the finale in Hockenheim (17 October). Armindo has three wins and three second places under his belt with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by Hermes Attempto Racing putting him five points ahead of Tandy, who has yielded five wins for Konrad Motorsport – the last three in a row – and one second place. Tandy, however, went home from one race empty-handed.
Carrera Cup Great Britain: Michael Caine chases, Tim Harvey thwarts
A riveting chase in the Carrera Cup Great Britain: With three straight wins – a double victory recently in Donington (19 September) – pursuer Michael Caine with the Motorbase Performance 911 GT3 Cup chipped away at the gap to points’ leader Tim Harvey who has consistently brought home top results in the Porsche of Red Line Racing. With his success streak, Caine still hopes to elbow Harvey off his path to the title at the finale in Brands Hatch (9/10 October).
Porsche Race notes
- Gianluca Roda and Richard Lietz win race eleven of the Italian GT Championship in Vallelunga (25 September) in a 33-strong field and secure another podium result with third at the wheel of the Autorlando 911 GT3 R at race twelve. Roda extends his points’ lead.
- Lucas Luhr and Richard Westbrook win at round eight of the VLN Long Distance Championship on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (25 September) in Manthey Racing’s Haribo-Porsche 911 GT3 R. With this, Porsche remains unbeaten on the Nordschleife this year. Seven Porsche 911 finish in the top ten.
- GT3 Cup Challenge Brasil: Former Moto-GP star Alex Barros wins both non-championship races in Buenos Aires (25 September). Points’ leader Ricardo Rosset scores a DNF and a second place.
- GT3 Cup Challenge Australia: Matt Kingsley has finally fallen after nine straight wins. Sven Burcharts, Roger Lago and Shaun Juniger win the three rounds in Eastern Creek (Sydney, 11/12 September). Title decision between Kingsley and Lago in Sandown (23/24 October).
- Two starts, two wins for Kévin Estre in the 911 GT3 Cup of Sofrev ASP at races nine and ten of the Carrera Cup France in Albi (11/12 September)
- Round eight of the Carrera Cup Japan (11/12 September) was canceled after a typhoon wreaked havoc in the region of the Fuji race track.
- Third place at races 13 and 14 of the Carrera Cup Scandinavia in Knutsdorp (17/18 September) is enough for points’ leader Robin Rudholm to travel to the finale in Mantorp Park (1/2 October) with a healthy points’ advantage over Fredrik Larsson. Larsson won race one in Knutsdorp, Martin Öhlin dominated race two.
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