Round 9 of the 11 race IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship took place at Virginia International Raceway this past weekend. Through the grueling heat, Porsche works drivers Earl Bamber and Frédéric Makowiecki kept cool heads and managed to clinch third place on the podium. For Porsche, this marks the first podium result in the series since May 1st at the Laguna Seca. Their sister car, the other 911 RSR fielded by the Porsche North America works team, Long Beach winners Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy earned vital championship points with their sixth place finish. Check out Porsche’s full race report and results after the gallery.
Porsche’s Race Report & Results From VIR
Spectators lining the tradition-steeped 5.263-kilometre race circuit in the US state of Virginia were treated to some action-packed racing, despite the absence of the P and PC classes. In hot summer temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, drivers delivered tough duels for positions, particularly in the GTLM class in which five automobile manufacturers battle for victories and titles. After the first round of pit stops, Earl Bamber took over driving duties from Frédéric Makowiecki in the number 912 contender and was running in third place. After a difficult qualifying, the Frenchman had taken up the race from the ninth grid spot but made up ground with consistently fast lap times. Patrick Pilet took over from Nick Tandy and was sitting in fifth. But in the 48th lap, the two left the track in quick succession and lost positions. Patrick Pilet had to return to the pits to remove pieces of grass that he’d collected on his number 911 Porsche 911 RSR from his excursion into the greens.
Despite this setback, the Porsche pilots didn’t give up. In a dramatic closing stage of the race, which was shortened by the one and only caution phase in the entire 2:40 hour race, Earl Bamber took up the charge again with the 912 contender and, after a spirited chase, brought it to a successful conclusion by reclaiming third place. Patrick Pilet, who had at times fallen back to eighth place, finished the race on sixth.
Earl Bamber (911 RSR #912): “What crazy final laps. At last we’ve achieved another podium for Porsche, the last one was a while ago. The fans witnessed an exciting and eventful sports car race. It was exactly what they wanted. In Austin, we now aim to continue from where we left off.”
GTD Class Race Report
In the GTD class, in which customer teams field the 500 hp Porsche 911 GT3 R, the former Porsche Junior Alex Riberas (Spain) and Mario Farnbacher (Germany) also made a great comeback. After receiving a drive-through penalty, the Seattle/Alex Job Racing pilots found themselves at the back of the pack, from where they put in an inspired drive to plough through the field to net fourth place.
Alex Riberas (911 GT3 R #23): “Our fifth place feels more like a victory. If we’d had to predict this morning that we’d come so far forward from so far behind, I would have called you crazy. That normally doesn’t happen in such a strong field.”
Race result
Overall and GLTM class victory
1. Magnussen/Garcia (DK/E), Chevrolet Corvette, 90 laps
2. Hand/Müller (USA/D), Ford GT, 90
3. Bamber/Makowiecki (NZ/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 90
4. Briscoe/Westbrook (AUS/GB), Ford GT, 90
5. Auberlen/Werner (USA/D), BMW M6, 90
6. Pilet/Tandy (F/GB), Porsche 911 RSR, 90
7. Fisichella/Vilander (I/SF), Ferrari 488 GTE, 90
8. Edwards/Luhr (USA/D), BMW M6, 89
9. Gavin/Milner (GB/USA) Chevrolet Corvette, 86
GTD class
1. Sellers/Snow (USA/USA), Lamborghini GT3, 88 laps
2. Aschenbach/Bell (USA/USA), Audi R8, 88
3. Liddell/Davis (GB/USA), Audi R8, 88
4. Farnbacher/Riberas (D/E), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 88
5. Pumpelly/Lewis (USA/USA), Lamborghini GT3, 87
6. Bleekemolen/Keating (NL/USA), Dodge Viper GT3, 87
Points’ standings GTLM class after 9 of 11 races
Driver
1. Millner, Gavin, Corvette, 287 points
2. Briscoe, Westbrook, Ford, 280
3. Garcia, Magnussen, Chevrolet, 259
4. Bamber, Makowiecki, Porsche, 250
5. Auberlen, Werner, BMW, 246
6. Fisichella, Vilander, Ferrari, 245
7. Hand, Müller, Ford, 242
8. Pilet, Tandy, Porsche, 230
9. Edwards, Luhr, BMW, 216
Manufacturer
1. Chevrolet, 297 points
2. Ford, 281
3. Porsche, 267
4. BMW, 258
5. Ferrari, 256
Teams
1. #4 Corvette Racing, 287 points
2. #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 280
3. #3 Corvette Racing, 259
4. #66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 250
5. #912 Porsche North America, 246
5. #25 BMW Team RLL, 246
6. #62 Risi Competizione, 245
7. #911 Porsche North America, 242
8. #100 BMW Team RLL, 216
Round ten of the IMSA SportsCar Championship will be contested on 17 September on the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.