After a successful start to the season in the USA, the new Porsche 911 RSR narrowly missed out on securing its third podium result in the IMSA SportsCar Championship on the Circuit of the Americas at Austin. With the 510 hp (#911) race car Patrick Pilet (France) and Dirk Werner (Germany) secured fourth in the GTLM class after holding the lead at one point. The second 911 RSR (#912), fielded by the Porsche GT Team Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Wolf Henzler (Germany), took the flag in eighth place. Shortly after the start the pair became entangled in a collision which threw them back down the field.
Patrick Pilet (France) got off the line well on the 5.513-kilometre Grand Prix circuit near the capital of Texas. When several cars became entangled during the sprint to the first turn, Pilet managed to avoid the melee and launch a pursuit race from fourth place.
First he snatched third and several laps later he overtook another competitor. After almost an hour of racing he was in the lead. This pace, however, could not go on. His teammate Dirk Werner, who took the wheel of the 911 RSR, was first shunted by a GTD car, and was then handed a 60-second penalty which he served in the pit lane. As a result, all hopes for a possible podium finish were dashed. After two hours and forty minutes, Patrick Pilet finally saw the flag in fourth place.
An accident put an early end to the race for the second 911 RSR with the starting number 912 shortly after the start. Wolf Henzler, who replaced Kévin Estre (France) at Austin so that the Frenchman could contest the WEC round in Spa, rejoined the race in fifth after the first stop for repairs. However, associated damages required longer repairs in the team workshop. When Laurens Vanthoor finally returned to the racetrack with 911 RSR, he was too far behind to make up any positions.
Wolf Henzler (911 RSR #912): “I didn’t imagine my first race this season with the 911 RSR would be like this. In the very first corner after the start, a Ford and a Ferrari had a big encounter and that set off a chain reaction. When I sped up right behind a Corvette, it suddenly spun. I couldn’t avoid it and we collided. Our 911 RSR was so badly damaged that the resulting repairs cost us all chances of a good result.”
Round five of the IMSA SportsCar Championship will be contested on 2 July at Watkins Glen in the US state of New York, following a break after the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
GTLM Class Race result
1. Garcia/Magnussen (E/DK), Corvette, 71 laps
2. Auberlen/Sims (USA/GB), BMW M6, 71
3. Edwards/Tomczyk (USA/D), BMW M6, 71
4. Pilet/Werner (F/D), Porsche 911 RSR, 71
5. Hand/Müller (USA/D), Ford GT, 70
6. Westbrook/Briscoe (GB/USA), Ford GT, 63
7. Gavin/Milner (GB/USA), Corvette, 41
8. Estre/Vanthoor (F/B), Porsche 911 RSR, 10
9. Fisichella/Vilander (I/SF), Ferrari 488, 1
GTD Class Race result
1. Bleekemolen/Keating (NL/USA), Mercedes GT3, 69 laps
2. Balzan/Nielsen (I/DK), Ferrerari 488, 69
3. Vautier/Habul (F/USA), Mercedes GT3, 69
7. Jaminet/Morad (F/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 69
8. Bergmeister/Lindsey (D/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 69
14. Bennett/Braun (USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 69
16. Chase/Gottsacker (USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 68
GTLM Drivers’ points standings after 4 of 11 races
1. Garcia, Magnussen, Chevrolet, 126 points
2. Müller, Hand, Ford, 118
3. Pilet, Werner, Porsche, 110
4. Auberlen, Sims, BMW, 108
5. Westbrook, Briscoe, Ford, 107
6. Fisichella, Vilander, Ferrari, 104
7. Gavin, Milner, Chevrolet, 102
8. Vanthoor, Porsche, 102
9. Edwards, Tomczyk, BMW, 96
Manufacturers
1. Chevrolet 133 points
1. Ford 127
3. Porsche 118
4. BMW 114
5. Ferrari 112
Teams
1. #3 Corvette Racing, 124 points
2. #66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 118
3. #911 Porsche GT Team, 110
4. #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 107
5. #62 Risi Competizione, 104
6. #4 Corvette Racing, 102
7. #912 Porsche GT Team, 101
8. #25 BMW Team RLL, 98
9. #24 BMW Team RLL, 72
10. #68 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 50