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.
Spa 24 Hours: Overall win and success in the GT3 class for Porsche
The reliability of the Porsche 911 and the perfect work from teams and drivers were rewarded with a double victory in the overall classification and the GT3 class win at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL, 31 July/1 August). Works drivers Joerg Bergmeister, Romain Dumas, Wolf Henzler as well as former Porsche Junior Martin Ragginger pocketed the overall win in the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by BMS Scuderia Italia.
Only 76 seconds later, the 911 GT3 RSR of the IMSA Performance Matmut squad piloted by Richard Lietz, Patrick Long, Patrick Pilet and team owner Raymond Narac was the second car to cross the finish line. In the GT3 class, Dr. Jürgen Häring, Taki Konstantinou, Gilles Vannelet and Arnaud Peyroles took the lead after 20 hours in a 911 GT3 R run by Mühlner Motorsport and held the top position to the flag.
Spa 24 Hours: Romain Dumas writes motorsport history
The 32-year-old Porsche works driver Romain Dumas from France achieved a rare feat, claiming overall wins from both the 24 hour race at Spa-Francorchamps and in Le Mans in 2010. The last pilot to write his name in the history books winning both classics in one year was the Italian-born American, Luigi Chinetti in 1949.
American Le Mans Series: Porsche remains on title course
With a dash through the field from eighth on the grid to fourth at the flag, Porsche factory pilots Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long defended their GT2 class lead. The pair missed out on a podium spot by just four-tenths of a second with their 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports at round six of the ALMS on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (7 August). The RS Spyder entered by Muscle Milk Team Cytosport could not compete due to an accident while testing, effectively putting a halt to the spectacular success streak of ten podium results in a row.
Nürburgring Long Distance Championship: 911 GT3 R sets distance record
Lance David Arnold and Christian Menzel won round seven of the championship (31 July) in a 911 GT3 R of Manthey Racing ahead of two other 911 GT3 R racers fielded by the Nürburgring-based team. Arnold and Menzel set a new distance record at the six hour race on the world’s toughest race track completing 1,023.498 kilometres with their “Haribo 911”. Thirteen Porsche 911 GT3 racers finishing in the top 15 overall underline the famed reliability of the racing 911. After the race, the two Porsche 911 GT3 R front-runners underwent intensive technical scrutineering, involving the control of fuel tank volumes and the engine performance on a test bed. The result of the organisers’ official inspection: not one irregularity.
Porsche Mobil1 Supercup: Nick Tandy guns ahead after Budapest win
Pole position, fastest race lap and victory: Britain’s Nick Tandy experienced the perfect weekend at round eight of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup on the Hungaroring near Budapest (1 August). Tandy scored a commanding win while almost a third of the grid looked on from the sidelines after accidents in the first two corners. With victory number two heading into the last two races of the season in Spa and Monza, Tandy sits just ten points shy of series’ leader René Rast, who finished the race in third behind Tandy’s compatriot Sean Edwards.
Carrera Cup Deutschland: Hat-trick for Armindo, bad luck for pursuers
Whilst Frenchman Nicolas Armindo drove to his third straight victory in a 911 GT3 Cup of Hermes Attempto Racing at round five on the Nürburgring (8 August), his toughest rival Nick Tandy (GBR) only managed 16th after contact with another car causing tyre damage. Sean Edwards from Great Britain yielded second ahead of Germany’s Uwe Alzen. With his result, Alzen knocked Tandy off second place in the drivers’ standings.
Porsche Race notes:
- Michael Schein wins the Platinum Class in the Patrón GT3 Challenge on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (7 August). Points’ leader Ross Smith finishes ninth after a spin. Henrique Cisneros wins the Gold Cup Class.
- Michael Caine dominates in the Motorbase Performance Porsche 911 GT3 Cup at race eleven of the Carrera Cup Great Britain in Snetterton (8 August). Tim Harvey answers on the same day with his tenth win of the season from 12 races in the Red Line Racing Porsche.
- With his victories at races six and seven of the Carrera Cup Japan in Sugo (24/25 July), pursuer Hideto Yasuoka now sits just two points off leader Yasuhiro Shimizu.
- At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, points’ leaders Olaf Dobberkau/Alexandra König win the Wartburg Rally, the third round of the German Rally Series (31 July/1 August).
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