Less than four minutes were missing for Porsche to clinch its 99th class win at the Le Mans 24 Hours. With the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by the IMSA Performance Matmut team, Frenchman Nicolas Armindo, Raymond Narac and Anthony Pons had led the field just a few laps before the flag dropped on the 80th running of the long distance classic in the Sarthe. But in the final minutes, tyre damage robbed the 2011-spec 911 of all hopes for victory. Nevertheless, the joy over second place was huge for the French Porsche customer team. Continue reading ‘IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche 2nd at the 24 Hours of Le Mans’
We’ve seen some great racing in both the GTE-Pro and GTE-Am from the last rounds including Le Mans. Today’s qualifying showed us more of the same from Porsche, BMW, Ferrari and Corvette. GTE-Pro saw the top six in the 1:44′s.
The first step is taken with success. Porsche customer teams from all over Europe and the USA have secured good grid positions after the qualifying sessions for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The fastest Porsche driver, works pilot Marc Lieb (Germany), planted the Felbermayr 911 GT3 RSR on seventh in the GTE Pro class. Lieb competes for last year’s winning team with works drivers Richard Lietz (Austria) and Wolf Henzler (Germany). Four other 2011-spec 911 GT3 RSR take up the race in the GTE Pro category. In the GTE Am class, three 911 GT3 RSR from last year take off into the 79th edition of the long distance classic on Saturday at 15.00 hours from positions two, three and four. Continue reading ‘Porsche qualifying report from the 24 Hours of Le Mans’
Five teams, eight vehicles, 24 pilots: Porsche customer teams from Europe and the USA are particularly well represented at the 79th running of the long distance classic in Le Mans on 11/12 June. At the toughest automobile race in the world they field a total of eight Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the two sports car classes: GTE Pro and GTE Am. All Porsche works drivers compete – including last year’s winning trio, Marc Lieb (Germany), Richard Lietz (Austria) and Wolf Henzler (Germany). With 16 overall and 98 class victories, Porsche is by far the most successful make in Le Mans. Continue reading ‘Strong contingent of Porsche customer teams with eight 911 GT3 RSR’
At the season-opener of the Le Mans Series, four of the five Porsche 911 GT3 RSR were caught up in a start crash that was not their fault. For all three professional Porsche teams contesting the GTE-Pro class, this marked an early end in Le Castellet after their vehicles suffered too much damage. After the formation lap, the safety car stayed out on the track with lights off while the start lights for the race were turned to green. This led to an unfortunate chain reaction: The back-markers in the field were still accelerating while those at the front were braking hard. The starter field was pushed together over the entire width of the track, leading to a collision. Luckily, the Porsche drivers remained largely uninjured. Continue reading ‘LMS: Start crash causes early retirement for Porsche 911 GT3 RSR’s’
Starts are always hectic, usually at turn 1, but this mornings start to the 6 Hours of Castellet was terrible. Everything looks to be fine, pace car leading out, yellow flags, etc. GREEN-GREEN-GREEN, field jumps but out of sight, the pace car stays on track. It had never entered pit-road causing an accordion effect for the GTE class. Continue reading ‘LMS: All GTE-Pro Porsches taken out in Paul Ricard start’
A perfect start into the Le Mans Series for Nicolas Armindo: At the season-opener in Le Castellet, the Frenchman clinched the best time in qualifying in the newly created GTE-Am sports car class at the wheel of his Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. In this class, only one professional driver is permitted per vehicle. In the 911 fielded by the Felbermayr-Proton team, Austria’s Horst Felbermayr Junior rounded off Porsche’s success. In the GTE-Pro class, Porsche works driver Marco Holzer (Germany), Richard Lietz (Austria) and Patrick Pilet (France) secured positions six to eight respectively with 2011-versions of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Continue reading ‘LMS: Porsche qualifies 1-2 in GTE-Am for the 6 Hours of Castellet’
With last month’s testing out-of-the-way, Porsche teams head to the Paul Ricard in Le Castellet this weekend well prepared. Drivers we’re impressed with the new 911 GT3 RSR changes and will bring the fight to Ferrari and Aston Martin. Tomorrow will kick off practice sessions, with qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday. Continue reading ‘Porsche heads to Paul Ricard for the 6 Hours of Castellet’
