Porsche Motorsport Newsletter: 2011 Volume 2

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.

Porsche Intelligent Performance: Successful premiere for the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0

On the toughest race track in the world, the further-developed Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 gave a successful debut. Works drivers Joerg Bergmeister, Marco Holzer and Patrick Long brought the innovative hybrid race car home in eleventh place at round two of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship (30 April). With a 50 kg weight reduction to 1,300 kilograms and further improved aerodynamics, the version 2.0 now provides even better fuel efficiency. The four-hour race on the Nordschleife served as a preparation for the 24 hour race in June.

International GT Open: Two home victories for Autorlando in Imola

An excellent start to the International GT Open (30 Apr./1 May) season for the Italian Autorlando Sport squad. At round one in Imola, Gianluca Roda and Fabio Babini won the GTS class in the 911 GT3 R, race two yielded third place for the duo. In the top category and overall classification, Alvaro Barba and Andrea Ceccato won the second race of the weekend in the Autorlando Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

Blancpain Endurance Series: Porsche win at premiere race

Victory at the first round of the new European GT Series in Monza (17 April) went to the Porsche Cup winner Gianluca Roda as well as Paolo Ruberti and Raffaele Giammaria. Taking up the three-hour race from sixth on the grid with a 911 GT3 R fielded by Autorlando Sport, Roda and his teammates profited from the speed and extraordinary efficiency of the 911 GT3 R. While their strong competition made three pit stops, Autorlando pitted just twice to refuel.

British GT Championship: David Ashburn starts title defence campaign with a win

Reigning British GT champion David Ashburn and his new teammate, former Porsche works driver Richard Westbrook made an almost perfect start to the new season in Oulton Park on Easter Monday: Victory at race one and pole position for race two courtesy of Westbrook. A time penalty and safety car phase hindered the charge of Trackspeed’s 911 GT3 R in race two: Fourth place, however, yielded an early points’ lead.

French GT Championship: Porsche teams win in Nogaro

Double victory for Porsche customers at the second meeting of the French GT Championship in Nogaro (24/25 April): Title defenders Patrick Bornhauser and Laurent Groppi won race three in a Larbre Compétition 911 GT3 R, round four went to Anthony Beltoise and Laurent Pasquali in the 911 GT3 R fielded by Pro GT by Almerars.

Spanish GT Championship: Pole and win for Porsche squad

With two races of 30 laps each, the Spanish GT Championship kicked off the season in Valencia (17 April). Race one went to the Portuguese pairing Manuel Giao and Miguel Amaral at the wheel of the Drivex Team 911 GT3 RSR. Securing fifth place at race two, Giao and Amaral travel to the second race weekend in Jarama on 28/29 May ranking second overall.

Porsche Racing Reunion IV: Race legend Brian Redman official ambassador

Porsche Cars North America gained the British racing legend Brian Redman as the official ambassador for the Porsche Racing Reunion IV from 14th to 16th October in Laguna Seca, California. The Porsche Racing Reunion is the largest meeting of historic and current Porsche race cars in the world. Redman (74) was part of the 1969 works team that clinched the first World Manufacturers’ Championship for Porsche with the 908 LH and the 908/2.

Carrera Cup Asia: Porsche newcomer dominates in Shanghai

The 23-three-year-old German-Swiss Alexandre Imperatori hit the track running at the Carrera Cup Asia. At the season-opening race as support to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Shanghai (15/17 April), the former Formula 3 Japan and A1 GP pilot won both races in his StarChase 911 GT3 Cup race car. The other podium spots went to a seasoned ace from Japan, Keita Sawa, and Rodolfo Avila from Macau.

Carrera Cup Deutschland: Nick Tandy wins tyre gamble

After a rain shower shortly before the start of the first race of the season on the Hockenheimring (1 May), Britain’s Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport) decided to opt for slicks – and his decision paid off with victory, one second ahead of the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup reigning champion René Rast. Tandy’s compatriot Sean Edwards saw the flag in third place after 18 laps.

Carrera Cup Great Britain: Double victory for James Sutton in Thruxton

With a double win at the third race weekend in Thruxton (30 Apr./1 May), James Sutton (SAS/Red Line) extended his lead to 19 points. The 2007 champion’s strongest rival was again the ex-motorsport scholar of Porsche Cars GB, Euan Hankey, with two second places. The Carrera Cup Great Britain is again strongly supported this year with 24 competitors.

Carrera Cup Italia: Champion Alessandro Balzan wins first race of season

As support to the International GT Open, the Carrera Cup Italia headed into the new season in Imola (30 Apr./1 May). After winning the last two races of 2010, reigning champion Alessandro Balzan (Ebimotors) continued his winning streak seamlessly with victory from race one. Race two went to Vito Postiglione (Petricorse Motorsport).

Carrera Cup Japan: Hideto Yasuoka scores season-opener

Porsche Japan’s race scholar, Hideto Yasuoka, made a promising start to the season last weekend in Fuji (1 May) with a victory at round one of the Carrera Cup Japan. The 2010 runner-up clinched pole position, was taken by surprise by Kamitori at the start on a damp track, but by the flag had managed to snatch back the lead. Kamitori came second.

Carrera Cup Scandinavia: Charge of the youth brigade

A dream start for the youngsters on Denmark’s Jyllandsringen (22/23 Apr). Race one went to 22-year-old pole-sitter Johan Kristoffersson (Kristoffersson Motorsport), with 20-year-old Linus Ohlsson (Xlander Racing) proving unbeatable in race two. Reigning champion Robin Rudholm (31) saw the flag after both 14-lap sprints ranking second. Next power struggle: 6/7 May in Sweden’s Knutsdorp.

IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge: Madison Snow is the youngest winner in history

The IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge has a new record from the third round in the Miller Motorsports Park (Utah, 29/30 April): at 15-years and four months, Madison Snow (Snow Racing) claimed his first win of the Gold Cup class. Tim McKenzie (Kelly Moss Motorsports) won the Platinum category. Again in race four, Snow and McKenzie proved to be unbeatable on this weekend.

GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East: Title goes to Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa

Drama to the finish line: With a mere four-point advantage, Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa won the fight for the title against Prince Abdulaziz Al Faisal after the twelfth and final race in the Dubai Autodrome (17 April). Prince Abdulaziz won the double-header in Dubai, giving him seven victories to his credit. Sheikh Salman secured four victories, but regularly yielded high points from other the races.

Race notes:

Second for Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Lucas Luhr in Manthey Racing’s 911 GT3 R at round two of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship (30 April).
The Felbermayr-Proton team with team owner Christian Ried as well as Horst Felbermayr snr. and Horst Felbermayr jnr. win the GTE-Am class at the season-opener of the Le Mans Series in Le Castellet, France (3 April). The three 911 GT3 RSR race cars contesting the GTE-Pro class retire through a start accident that was not their fault.
Fourth place for works driver Wolf Henzler in the 911 GT3 RSR of Falken Tire at round two of the ALMS in Long Beach (16 April). Patrick Long is forced into retirement while leading.
David Donohue and Darren Law rank third in the drivers’ classification with their Porsche-Riley Prototype in the Grand-Am after the first two races.
Roger Lago (Lago Racing) heads to round two of the Carrera Cup Australia (Mallala, 13/15 May) topping the drivers’ championship table. Matt Kingsley leads the Jim Richards Endurance Trophy.