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Tennis idol to become brand ambassador of the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer
**Maria Sharapova to represent Porsche**
Stuttgart. Tennis megastar Maria Sharapova has taken on a new role: Effective immediately, the 26-year-old world class player will be representing the sports car manufacturer, Porsche AG, as brand ambassador.
Maria Sharapova…
The cooperation is initially signed for three years and involves a global communications campaign. The athlete is already very familiar with the vehicles from Zuffenhausen: As last year´s winner of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Sharapova not only took home prize money, but also a white 911 Carrera S Cabriolet.
Maria Sharapova to represent Porsche
Born in Russia and living in the United States, Sharapova has achieved victories at all four Grand Slam tournaments in women’s tennis and she was ranked number 1 for a total of 21 weeks.
“Maria Sharapova is an exceptional athlete. She combines top performance in her sports with elegance and power. These are precisely the qualities that are embroiled in our sports cars”, as Matthias Mueller, CEO of Porsche AG, explained in today’s introduction of the partnership. According to Mueller it was not easy to find the right person to be Porsche´s ambassador.
Matthias Müller President and CEO, Porsche AG, Maria Sharapova
“Maria Sharapova is the perfect choice. Her profile and charisma are an ideal fit for Porsche. She is also highly respected around the world and enjoys an outstanding reputation.”
Maria Sharapova did not really have to think twice: “This is a really special day for me. I have had the privilege to be associated with some of the best brands in the world, but now to be partners with Porsche, is such an amazing honor”, she explained during her presentation in Stuttgart.
Maria Sharapova to represent Porsche
For Porsche, the choice of Maria Sharapova as brand ambassador extends its long-term commitment to women´s tennis. The company sponsors the German women’s national team, which competes as the Porsche Team Germany in the Fed Cup, and the Porsche Talent Team Germany, which supports promising young players.
Maria Sharapova to represent Porsche
“We are fully committed to these activities for a long term. And with Maria Sharapova, we are now extending our involvement in women’s tennis globally”, Mueller added.
Maria Sharapova was born in the Western Siberian town of Nyagan on 18 April, 1987. She moved to Bradenton on the Gulf Coast of Florida (USA), when she was seven years old. Two years later she was accepted at the world-renowned Tennis Academy of coach Nick Bollettieri. In 2004, at the age of 17, she won her first Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon, the third-youngest player ever.
Maria Sharapova to represent Porsche
This feat was followed by titles in the other three Grand Slam tournaments: U.S. Open 2006, Australian Open 2008, and French Open 2012. To date, Maria Sharapova has won a total of 28 singles titles, including last year´s Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, the WTA Championships in 2004, and the silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
Along with her involvement in the “Maria Sharapova Foundation”, she is also active as ambassador of the United Nations Development Program.
SOURCE: Porsche AG Media – Corporate Communication
Stuttgart. The first two drivers to contest the top class of the sports car World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the Le Mans 24 hour race are confirmed.
Le Mans overall winners Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) will take the wheel of the new LMP1 vehicle from Weissach in the 2014 season.
Already this year the two Porsche works drivers Bernhard and Dumas will commence testing the new Le Mans racer.
Timo Bernhard & Romain Dumas
“Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas are regarded as some of the fastest and most experienced sports car pilots in the world. I’m very pleased that we have these two men contesting the World Endurance Championship and the Le Mans 24 Hours for us from 2014”, says Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board – Research and Development at Porsche AG.
“I particularly appreciate about the two is their competence as test drivers. For this reason the pair is already closely integrated in the development program of our new car and will embark on an intensive test schedule from the middle of this year”, says Fritz Enzinger, director LMP1-project.
Timo Bernhard & Romain Dumas in Silverstone
Timo Bernhard comes from Porsche’s own junior development programme. In 1999, Porsche recognised the talent of the then 18-year-old and coached him in the Porsche Junior Team to become a professional race driver.
In 2002, Bernhard was signed on as a works driver and since then has notched up victories and championship titles all over the world. In 2010 he was voted “Race Driver of the Year” by Germany’s automobile club ADAC for his outstanding achievements. Bernhard is the only race driver to have clinched overall victory at all four of the most famous sports car classics.
He won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 2010, in 2003 the Daytona 24 Hours, the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2004, and a total of five times at the 24 hour race on the Nürburgring – another record.
Timo Bernhard & Romain Dumas in Silverstone
Romain Dumas joined the circle of Porsche factory drivers in 2004. Previously he attracted attention in the Formula 3, Formula 3000, at international GT races as well as the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland.
He is one of the most experienced pilots at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. All together, Dumas has contested his favourite race at La Sarthe twelve times. With Timo Bernhard, he scored overall victory there in 2010 at the wheel of an Audi. Together, the pair also celebrated huge successes in the U.S. in the RS Spyder sports prototype.
In 2007 and 2008, the two Porsche works drivers convincingly clinched the title in the American Le Mans Series. Bernhard shared the cockpit with Dumas at four of his five wins at the Nürburgring 24 hour race. Moreover, in 2010 Dumas celebrated overall victory in Spa at the wheel of a Porsche 911.
Stuttgart. Latest photos from free practice on the Silverstone Circuit, on which the first round of the World Endurance Championship WEC is contested on Sunday.
World Endurance Championship, round 1 in Silverstone, Great Britain
Joerg Bergmeister, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey
Stuttgart. At the six hour race on the Silverstone Circuit, which signals the start of the 2013 World Endurance Championship (WEC) season on 14th April, the Porsche 911 RSR celebrates its race debut. Running the campaign on the storied 5.981 kilometre circuit in the British Midlands is the Porsche AG Team Manthey works team with Olaf Manthey at the helm.
Joerg Bergmeister, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey
The Porsche drivers
Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Pilet (France) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) take up the GTE-Pro class in the 911 RSR with starting number 91.
Porsche 911 RSR , Porsche AG Team Manthey: Joerg Bergmeister, Timo Bernhard, Patrick Pilet
Sharing driving duties in the cockpit of the number 92 vehicle are their factory driver colleagues Marc Lieb (Germany), Richard Lietz (Austria) and Romain Dumas (France).
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey: Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz, Romain Dumas
Two customer teams tackle the GTE-Am class with last year’s Porsche 911 GT3 RSR: Driving the Proton Competition entry is Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian teammates Paolo Ruberti and Gianluca Roda, with an all-French line-up of Raymond Narac, Christophe Bourret and Jean-Karl Vernay competing for IMSA Performance Matmut.
The Porsche 911 RSR
The Porsche 911 RSR delivers 460 hp and is based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports car.
Timo Bernhard, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey
As the successor to the winning 911 GT3 RSR, with which Porsche customers scored many victories and title wins since 2004, it is characterized by consequent lightweight design and sophisticated aerodynamics.
Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey: Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz, Romain Dumas
Joerg Bergmeister, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey
The look of the new 911 RSR is dominated by the flared mudguards and the deep cooling air intakes at the front. The exceptional vehicle styling honours the anniversary “50 years of the 911”.
Timo Bernhard, Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche AG Team Manthey
The schedule
The six hour race takes off on Sunday, 14 April, at midday local time (13.00 hrs CET). Eurosport 2 televises the start of the race live at 13.00 hours (30 minutes) and returns to a live broadcast at 15.00 hours (30 minutes). The final hour is aired live from 18.00 hours on Eurosport 1. The race can be viewed live on the internet under http://www.fiawec.com.
Comments before the race
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “The whole team is ready and raring to tackle the first race with the 911 RSR. Our squad has worked extremely hard over the last months to make our new car competitive right from the start.”
Jörg Bergmeister
Joerg Bergmeister (# 91): “I’m looking forward to my premiere in the WEC – in the most beautiful and spectacular 911 ever.”
Patrick Pilet
Patrick Pilet (# 91): “To share the cockpit with such successful Porsche pilots like Joerg and Timo is a great and exciting challenge.”
Timo Bernhard
Timo Bernhard (# 91): “I felt great at the tests in the 911 RSR. We have a good chance to win our class with this car.”
Marc Lieb
Marc Lieb (# 92): “The new 911 RSR is a significant step forward. I hope that the good test results can be confirmed at the first race.”
Richard Lietz
Richard Lietz (# 92): “We face very strong opposition from the works teams from Ferrari and Aston Martin. In Silverstone we’ll see where we stand.”
Romain Dumas
Romain Dumas (# 92): “I’m looking forward to racing the new 911 RSR with Marc and Richard and I’m confident that we’ll make a good start into the season.”
In the World Endurance Championship, sports prototypes and GT vehicles start in four different classes: LMGTE-Pro, LMGTE-Am, LMP1 and LMP2. They all compete together in one race but are classified separately.
Stuttgart. For five decades, the 911 has been the heart of the Porsche brand. Few other automobiles in the world can look back on such a long tradition and such continuity as the Porsche 911. It has been inspiring car enthusiasts the world over since its debut as the model 901 at the IAA International Automotive Show in September 1963. Today it is considered the quintessential sports car, the benchmark for all others. The 911 is also the central point of reference for all other Porsche series. From the Cayenne to the Panamera, every Porsche is the most sporting automobile in its category, and each one carries a piece of the 911 philosophy.
Over 820,000 Porsche 911s have been built, making it the most successful sports car in the world. For each of its seven generations the engineers in Zuffenhausen and Weissach have reinvented it, time and time again demonstrating to the world the innovative power of the Porsche brand.
Porsche 911 S 2.7 Coupé, 1974
Like no other vehicle, the 911 reconciles apparent contradictions such as sportiness and everyday practicality, tradition and innovation, exclusivity and social acceptance, design and functionality. It is no wonder that each generation has written its own personal success story.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé and Porsche 911 2.0 Coupé (Model Year 1964)
Ferry Porsche best described its unique qualities: “The 911 is the only car you could drive on an African safari or at Le Mans, to the theatre or through New York City traffic.”
Type 911 T8, 1964, Prototype 901-1
In addition to its classic yet unique lines, the Porsche 911 has always been distinguished by its advanced technology. Many of the ideas and technologies that made their debut in the Porsche 911 were conceived on the race track.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé and Porsche 911 2.0 Coupé (Model Year 1964)
The 911 was committed to the performance principle from the start, and motor racing is its most important test lab. From the very beginning it has been at home on circuits all over the world, earning a reputation as a versatile and dependable winner. Indeed, a good two thirds of Porsche’s 30,000 race victories to date were notched up by the 911.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé and Porsche 911 2.0 Coupé (Model Year 1964)
How Porsche celebrates the anniversary
For Porsche, the 50th anniversary of this iconic sports car is the central theme of 2013. There will be a wide variety of anniversary events, starting with the “Retro Classics” automobile show in Stuttgart.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé and Porsche 911 2.0 Coupé (Model Year 1964)
From 7 to 10 March the Porsche Museum will ring in the anniversary year with four special exhibits, an early-model 911 Turbo Coupé, a 911 Cabriolet study from 1981, a 1997 street version 911 GT1 and the pre-series Type 754 T7. This chassis by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche was a milestone on the way to the 911 design.
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé and Porsche 911 2.0 Coupé (Model Year 1964)
The company is also sending an authentic 1967 model 911 on a world tour. Over the course of the year, this vintage nine-eleven will travel to five continents where it will be shown in places like Pebble Beach CA, Shanghai, Goodwood UK, Paris and Australia. As an ambassador for the Porsche brand, this vintage 911 will be in attendance at many international fairs, historical rallies and motor sport events. Fans and interested individuals can follow the car’s progress at http://www.porsche.com/follow-911 (end of February).
Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupé and Porsche 911 2.0 Coupé (Model Year 1964)
The Porsche Museum is celebrating “50 years of the Porsche 911” from 4 June through 29 September 2013, with a special exhibition featuring the history and development of the nine-eleven.
Porsche 911 Carrera S 3.8, 2005
In the spring the museum’s own publishing house, Edition Porsche-Museum, will publish an anniversary edition entitled “911×911.”
Porsche 911 Carrera 4 3.6 Cabriolet, 1990; (first: 911 Carrera 4 3.6 Cabriolet; second: 911 Carrera 4 3.6 Targa; third: 911 Carrera 4 3.6 Coupé)
The generations
The First 911 (1963) – Birth of a Legend
As the successor to the Porsche 356, the 911 won the hearts of sports car enthusiasts from the outset. The prototype was first unveiled at the Frankfurt IAA Motor Show in 1963 as the 901, and renamed the 911 for its market launch in 1964. Its air-cooled six-cylinder boxer engine delivered 130 hp, giving it an impressive top speed of 210 hp. If you wanted to take things a little slower, starting in 1965 you could also opt for the four-cylinder Porsche 912. In 1966 Porsche presented the 160 hp 911 S, which was the first to feature forged alloy wheels from Fuchs. The 911 Targa, with its distinctive stainless steel roll bar, made its debut in late 1966 as the world’s first ever safety cabriolet.
The semiautomatic Sportomatic four-speed transmission joined the lineup in 1967. With the 911T of the same year, and the later E and S variants, Porsche became the first German manufacturer to comply with strict US exhaust emission control regulations. The Porsche 911 became more and more powerful as displacement increased, initially to 2.2 litres (1969) and later to 2.4 (1971). The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 of 1972 with 210 hp engine and weighing less than 1000 kg remains the epitome of a dream car to this day. Its characteristic “ducktail” was the world’s first rear spoiler on a production vehicle.
Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Coupé, August 1972, test logo
The G-Series (1973) – The Second Generation
Ten years after its premiere, the engineers at Porsche gave the 911 its first thorough makeover. The G model was produced from 1973 to 1989, longer than any other 911 generation. It featured prominent bellows bumpers, an innovation designed to meet the latest crash test standards in the United States. Occupant protection was further improved by three-point safety belts as standard equipment, as well as integrated headrests. One of the most important milestones in the 911 saga was the 1974 unveiling of the first Porsche 911 Turbo with a three-litre 260 hp engine and enormous rear spoiler. With its unique blend of luxury and performance, the Turbo became synonymous with the Porsche mystique. The next performance jump came in 1977 with the intercooler-equipped 911 Turbo 3.3. At 300 hp it was the best in its class. In 1983 the naturally aspirated 911 Carrera superseded the SC; with a 3.2 litre 231 hp engine, it became a favourite collectors’ item. Starting in 1982, fresh air enthusiasts could also order the 911 as a Cabriolet. The 911 Carrera Speedster, launched in 1989, was evocative of the legendary 356 of the fifties.
Porsche 911 Carrera 3.8 Coupé, 2005
The 964 (1988) – Classic Modern
Just when automotive experts were predicting the imminent end of an era, in 1988 Porsche came out with the 911 Carrera 4 (964). After fifteen years of production the 911 platform was radically renewed with 85 percent new components, giving Porsche a modern and sustainable vehicle. Its air-cooled 3.6 litre boxer engine delivered 250 hp. Externally, the 964 differed from its predecessors only slightly, in its aerodynamic polyurethane bumpers and automatically extending rear spoiler, but internally it was almost completely different. The new model was designed to captivate drivers not only with sporty performance but also with enhanced comfort. It came with ABS, Tiptronic, power steering, and airbags, and rode on a completely redesigned chassis with light alloy control arms and coil springs instead of the previous torsion-bar suspension. A revolutionary member of the new 911 line right from the start was the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 model. In addition to Carrera Coupé, Cabriolet and Targa versions, starting in 1990 customers could also order the 964 Turbo. Initially powered by the proven 3.3 litre boxer engine, in 1992 the Turbo was upgraded to a more powerful 360 hp 3.6 litre power plant. Today, the 964 Carrera RS, 911 Turbo S, and 911 Carrera 2 Speedster are particularly in demand among collectors.
The 993 (1993) – The Last Air-Cooled Models
The 911 with the internal design number 993 remains the one true love of many a Porsche driver. The remarkably pleasing design has much to do with this. The integrated bumpers underscore the smooth elegance of its styling. The front section is lower-slung than on the earlier models, made possible by a switch from round to polyellipsoid headlights. The 993 quickly gained a reputation for exceptional dependability and reliability. It was also agile, as the first 911 with a newly designed aluminium chassis. The Turbo version was the first to have a bi-turbo engine, giving it the lowest-emission stock automotive powertrain in the world in 1995. The hollow-spoke aluminium wheels, never before used on any car, were yet another innovation of the all-wheel drive Turbo version. The Porsche 911 GT2 was aimed at the sports car purist who cherished the thrill of high speeds. An electric glass roof that slid under the rear window was one of the innovations of the 911 Targa. But the real reason dyed-in-the-wool Porsche enthusiasts still revere the 993 is that this model, produced from 1993 to 1998, was the last 911 with an air-cooled engine.
Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 Coupé, 1986
The 996 (1997) – Water-Cooled
The 996, which rolled off the assembly line from 1997 to 2005, represented a major turning point in the history of the 911. It retained all the character of its classic heritage, but was an entirely new automobile. This comprehensively redesigned generation was the first to be driven by a water-cooled boxer engine. Thanks to its four-valve cylinder heads it achieved 300 hp and broke new ground in terms of reduced emissions, noise, and fuel consumption. The exterior design was a reinterpretation of the 911’s classic line, but with a lower drag coefficient (cW) of 0.30. The lines of the 996 were also a result of component sharing with Porsche’s successful Boxster model. Its most obvious exterior feature were the headlights with integrated turn signals, at first controversial but later copied by many other manufacturers. On the inside, drivers experienced an entirely new cockpit. Driving comfort now also played a greater role alongside the typical sporty characteristics. With the 996 Porsche launched an unprecedented product offensive with a whole series of new variations. The 911 GT3 became one of the highlights of the model range in 1999, keeping the tradition of the Carrera RS alive. The 911 GT2, the first car equipped with ceramic brakes as standard, was marketed as an extreme sports vehicle starting in the fall of 2000.
Porsche Type 911 Carrera 3.4 Coupé, 1998
The 997 (2004) – Classicism and Modernity
In July 2004 Porsche unveiled the new generation 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S models, referred to internally as the 997. The clear oval headlights with separate blinkers in the front apron were a visual return to older 911 models, but the 997 offered more than just style. It was a high-performance vehicle, with a 3.6 litre boxer engine that turned out out 325 hp while the new 3.8 litre engine of the Carrera S managed an incredible 355 hp. The chassis was also substantially reworked, and the Carrera S came with Porsche Active Suspension Management as standard equipment. In 2006 Porsche introduced the 911 Turbo, the first gasoline-powered production automobile to include a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry. A model update in the fall of 2008 made the 997 even more efficient thanks to direct fuel injection and a dual clutch transmission. Never before had the 911 series made such extensive allowances to suit drivers’ individual preferences, and with Carrera, Targa, Cabriolet, rear or all-wheel drive, Turbo, GTS, special models, and road versions of GT racing cars, the 911 family ultimately comprised 24 model versions.
Porsche Type 911 Carrera 4 3.4 Coupé, 1999
The 991 (2011) – Refined by Experience
This car, known internally as the 991, represents the greatest technical leap in the evolution of the 911. Already the class benchmark for decades, the new 911 generation raised performance and efficiency to new levels. A totally new suspension with a longer wheelbase, wider track, larger tyres and an ergonomically optimized interior – it all adds up to an even sportier yet more comfortable driving experience. Technically, the 911 is the epitome of Porsche Intelligent Performance – even lower fuel consumption, even higher performance. This is due in part to the smaller 3.4 litre displacement in the Carrera basic model (yet developing 5 hp more than the 997/II), and to its hybrid steel/aluminium construction, which significantly reduces curb weight. Other innovations include Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and the world’s first seven-gear manual transmission. The design of the 991 has likewise met with high critical acclaim. With its flat, stretched silhouette, exciting contours, and precisely designed details, the seventh generation of the Porsche 911 Carrera remains unmistakably a 911 that has once again succeeded in redefining the standard for automobile design. It is the best 911 of all time – until the next generation.
Stuttgart. Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova will once again grace the Stuttgart tournament.
Last year’s winner has affirmed to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) that she intends to play the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix from 20 to 28 April 2013. In addition to the Russian, six other Top 10 players have also entered the world class event in the Porsche Arena.
“I’m really pleased we’re again able to present the public with the world’s top players.
Maria Sharapova’s signing up for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is another indication of just how much at home the players feel here,” said Tournament Director Markus Günthardt.
The Stuttgart entry list published by the WTA is headed by Maria Sharapova, the current world No. 2. Especially pleasing for German tennis fans is the fact that a home player is second on the list.
Maria Sharapova (RUS) back in the Porsche Arena
Angelique Kerber, who has climbed up to fifth in the rankings, this year won the indoor tournaments in Paris and Copenhagen. Another player due to appear at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is Sara Errani.
Presently world ranked No. 6, the 25-year-old Italian managed to win four WTA tournaments in 2012.
At the French Open this year, she went all the way to the final where she was only stopped by Maria Sharapova. The following Top 10 players have also entered the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix:
The 36th Porsche Tennis Grand Prix will take place in the Porsche Arena from 20 – 28 April 2013. Advance tickets can be ordered from Easy Ticket Service (telephone: + 49 711-2555 555, Internet: www.easyticket.de).
Stuttgart. The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is the most successful race car in the world. Since 1998, 2,395 units of the near standard vehicle for customer sport were produced.
The new edition of the 911 GT3 Cup is the motorsports version of the future 911 GT3 and as such is the first race car that is based on the seventh generation of the sports car icon from Zuffenhausen.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
The 911 GT3 Cup will be run exclusively in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in 2013.
The car for one-make racing made its debut on the occasion of the end of motorsport season “Night of Champions” celebration at the R&D Centre in Weissach.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
The new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is powered by a 3.8-litre six-cylinder flat engine. It generates 460 hp (338 kW) at 7,500 revs, surpassing the predecessor by 10 hp.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
A six-speed dog-type gearbox developed by Porsche Motorsport which is operated via shift paddles at the steering wheel for the first time in a Porsche brand trophy race car transmits the power to the rear axle.
The single piece race wheels with centre mount were also newly designed by Porsche Motorsport.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
The width of the Michelin race slicks was increased by two centimetres to 27 centimetres at the front and by ten millimetres at the rear axle to now measure 31 centimetres.
A newly developed race braking system further improves the excellent endurance qualities compared to its successful predecessor. The 380 millimetre slotted and inner-vented steel brake rotors at the front axle are decelerated by six-piston aluminium fixed callipers. The rear axle features a four-piston version.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
During the development of the new car a particular emphasis was put on the driver safety. A newly designed safety cage protects the pilot in case of a roll or a collision as does a newly developed race seat which is distinctively shaped around the head and shoulders and can be adjusted individually with the help of padding. A rescue hatch in the roof provides easy access for primary medical attention and for the extrication of the driver.
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
“The new 911 GT3 Cup is much easier to drive at the limit,” says Porsche works driver Timo Bernhard, who was significantly involved in the development of the new vehicle.
“The car is excellently balanced. The new axle geometry is enormously positive for the handling. Apart from that the new Cup 911 is great fun to drive.”
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
Like its predecessor the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is produced in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen on the same assembly line as the road legal models.
At the Motorsport Centre in Weissach it receives a general set-up for the circuit and is tested by a professional race driver before delivery to the customers. The basic price for the vehicle, which is available exclusively in white, is 181,200 Euro plus the country-specific value added tax.
Podium LM GTE Am (l.-r.): Franck Rava, Anthony Pons, Raymond Narac, Nicolas Armindo (IMSA Performance Matmut) Pedro Lamy, Jack Leconte, Patrick Bornhauser, Julien Canal (Larbre Competition) Niclas Jonsson, Michele Rugolo, Tracy Krohn (Krohn Racing)
Stuttgart. Less than four minutes were missing for Porsche to clinch its 99th class win at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, IMSA Performance Matmut, Nicolas Armindo, Raymond Narac, Anthony Pons[slideshow]
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.
IMSA Performance Matmut (l.-r.): Anthony Pons, Raymond Narac, Nicolas Armindo
“For our team and partners, Le Mans is the most important race of the year,” said team owner Raymond Narac.
“To have finished second with such a great team effort is a success that we will all savour for a long time. Thank you also to Porsche for the unbelievable support.” Nicolas Armindo said, “We focused all our work on this race. Achieving class victory at the dress rehearsal in Spa was wonderful, but it’s nothing compared to the feeling of climbing the podium here in Le Mans.”
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, IMSA Performance Matmut: Raymond Narac, Nicolas Armindo, Anthony Pons
In the GTE Pro class the race was over during the night for the two Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports and Felbermayr-Proton.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports: Spencer Pumpelly, Patrick Pilet, Seth Neiman (79) – Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Marco Holzer (80)
Porsche works driver Patrick Long (USA), who shared the Flying Lizard 911 with his German works driver colleagues Joerg Bergmeister and Marco Holzer, slid on gravel, which another vehicle had just spread on the track in the first chicane, hit the stack of tyres and retired after 114 laps.
“I didn’t have a chance to bring the car safely back to the pits,” he said. It was not the first problem that the number 80 vehicle had to contend with in Le Mans. In the first race lap, a broken shock absorber cost several positions, and later tyre damage caused even more time loss. “The race wasn’t going well for us right from the start,” said Joerg Bergmeister.
“Still, we kept fighting. You never give up in Le Mans, a lot can happen here right to the end. It’s just a shame we couldn’t finish the race.”
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports: Jörg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Marco Holzer
The unexpected early retirement of the Felbermayr-Proton Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the GTE Pro class came after 184 laps when Marc Lieb (Germany) came to a standstill on the infamous Hunaudières straight with gearbox damage.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team Felbermayr-Proton: Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz, Wolf Henzler
“I wanted to shift up but couldn’t get any gears in,” said Marc Lieb, who at the time was running in fourth place with his works driver colleagues Richard Lietz (Austria) and Wolf Henzler (Germany). The trio had won in Le Mans in 2010.
“It’s such a shame we couldn’t take home points, especially at this race. Up until our retirement we were running really well. We experienced a few hiccups along the way, but mostly things were good. A podium result would have been possible.”
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team Felbermayr-Proton: Marc Lieb, Richard Lietz, Wolf Henzler
In the GTE Am class, Porsche had another iron in the fire for 17 hours with last year’s 911 run by Felbermayr-Proton. Team owner Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian teammates Gianluca Roda and Paolo Ruberti, class winners of the season-opening round in Sebring, were running a promising fourth in the race.
But after 222 laps, the Porsche Cup winner Gianluca Roda had to park the 911 trackside without any drive.
However, Porsche works driver, Patrick Pilet (France) and Americans Seth Neiman and Spencer Pumpelly secured fourth place with the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports.
Taking up the race as pole-sitters in their class, they could defend their top position in the early phase of the race, only to be temporarily thrown out of the top ten after a journey into the gravel.
“First and foremost, thank you to all the teams and drivers for their superb effort,” said Porsche Head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen. “Regardless of the result, we must analyse the race so that we can talk to the authorities of the WEC about a more balanced grading of our cars in the GTE Pro class for the second half of the season.
We will also immediately begin preparations for the next races with the teams, as the championship classification is still open. We look forward with optimism.”
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Round four of the World Endurance Championship is run on 26 August in Silverstone/Great Britain.
Result
GTE Am class
1. Bornhauser/Canal/Lamy (F/F/P), Chevrolet Corvette, 329 laps
2. Armindo/Narac/Pons (F/F/F), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 328
3. Krohn/Jonsson/Rugola (USA/S/I), Ferrari F458 Italia, 323
4. Pilet/Neiman/Pumpelly (F/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 313
5. Belloc/Bourret/Gibon (F/F/F), Chevrolet Corvette, 309
8. Daniels/Palttala/Camathias (GB/SF/CH), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 290
This is the World Endurance Championship
Sports prototypes and GT vehicles contest the World Endurance Championship, for which double points are awarded in Le Mans. They are divided into four classes that start together but are classified separately:
LMGTE Pro class: This class is reserved for slightly modified standard sports cars with 440 to 500 hp and a minimum weight of 1,245 kilograms (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).
LMGTE Am class: Like the LMGTE Pro, but the regulations stipulate that only last year’s cars are eligible and there must be no more than one professional driver per vehicle.
LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 550 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms.
LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with around 440 hp and a 900 kilogram minimum weight.
SOURCE: Le Mans 24 Hours and the World Endurance Championship
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, IMSA Performance Matmut: Raymond Narac, Nicolas Armindo, Anthony Pons
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, IMSA Performance Matmut, Nicolas Armindo, Raymond Narac, Anthony Pons
Podium LM GTE Am (l.-r.): Franck Rava, Anthony Pons, Raymond Narac, Nicolas Armindo (IMSA Performance Matmut) Pedro Lamy, Jack Leconte, Patrick Bornhauser, Julien Canal (Larbre Competition) Niclas Jonsson, Michele Rugolo, Tracy Krohn (Krohn Racing)
IMSA Performance Matmut (l.-r.): Anthony Pons, Raymond Narac, Nicolas Armindo
A variety of small exhibits from Porsche Clubs worldwide.
The Porsche Museum is presenting today, “60 Years of Porsche clubs”
This Porsche 911 Carrera S was brought out in a limited edition of 50 units exclusively for American Club members.
Stuttgart. The Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, museum is presenting a new anniversary exhibition: In 1952, 13 Porsche drivers founded the world’s first Porsche Clubs in Germany. The Porsche Club scene now numbers more than 181,000 members worldwide.
One highlight of the special exhibition is the Porsche 914/6 GT from 1970.
The special exhibition displays rare Porsche models like the 914/6 GT or the 968 Turbo S.
To mark this 60th club anniversary, the Porsche Museum is putting on a special exhibition until 26 August 2012 featuring, in addition to twelve vehicle exhibits, very rare photographs, personal documents and small exhibits from club members.
Exclusively to Porsche Club members: Porsche is offering the 911 Club Coupe, limited to only 13 units.
The sports car manufacturer is also using the anniversary as an opportunity to thank club members for their steadfast loyalty over the decades and their deep commitment: Based on the 911 Carrera S, Porsche is offering the 911 Club Coupe, limited to only 13 units.
This special “911”, available exclusively to Porsche Club members, will make its debut appearance in the Porsche Museum.
With an extensive optional equipment offering and the newly developed Powerkit upgrade to 430 hp (316 kW), the SportDesign package and the lavishly refined interior, Porsche Excusive is exploiting every angle of the extensive individualisation offering to the utmost. The 911 Club Coupe is painted “Brewster Green” as are the 20-inch SportTechno wheels.
The exclusivity of the 911 Club Coupe is underlined by the illuminated door entry guards bearing the model designation and anniversary logo.
The exclusivity of the 911 Club Coupe is underlined by the decorative trim with lettering individually created for each customer as well as the illuminated door entry guards bearing the model designation and anniversary logo.
Dr. Wolfgang Porsche provides a rare vehicle from his private collection for the special exhibition: a 911 Turbo S (993).
One vehicle will remain with Porsche in honour of the Porsche Club universe. Porsche Club members have until 16 July 2012 to register their right to purchase one of the twelve remaining unique vehicles at www.porsche.com/911-club-coupe. The twelve winners will then be determined by a legally certified draw. The 911 Club Coupe will be offered in all markets worldwide with the exception of China and India. In Germany the vehicle costs 142,831 euro excluding VAT.
Also on show in the Porsche Museum for the first time will be the 911 T Coupé.
Also on show in the Porsche Museum for the first time as part of the “60 years of the Porsche Club” special exhibition will be the 911 T Coupé. Last year, Porsche Classic experts were commissioned by the Porsche Club of America to restore a 1973 vintage US version of this model under the motto “Revive the Passion.” This unique vehicle was raffled among American Club members in a tombola.
Also the Porsche “Jagdwagen” Type 597 has proudly his own Porsche Club.
The Porsche Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is eight euro for adults and four euro for concessions.
Production of the most anticipated Porsche starts at the company’s Stuttgart plant on Sept. 18, 2013 with only 918 units to be produced. Porsche will start selling the car for a starting price tag of $845,000 and the first customer cars will begin arriving in the United States near the end of 2013.
That’s quite a bit time. But before all that happens, Porsche decided to give a select few a first ride in a very early prototype for the 918 Spyder.
A ride in a 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder prototype, the only one in the world at a remote test track, a gaggle of Porsche engineers are at work, surrounded by all sorts of data-logging equipment. And there, in the middle of it all, is the 918.
The first ever Porsche 918 Spyder to run under its own means is nothing more than a rolling chassis pieced together so engineers can test its gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain.
Partly covered in modified Porsche 911 body panels and flaunting outrageous exhaust pipes that sprout up from the engine bay at the rear (a feature we’re assured will be retained for production), it is a long way from the 918 Spyder concept that basked in the spotlight at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show.
“The production version will be very similar to the concept car in overall appearance,” Frank Walliser, chief engineer for the 918 program.
“There will be some changes, like these tailpipes. This is really just a systems mule that we’re using to sort the various gasoline-electric hybrid components and its electronics package before we begin construction of road-going prototypes back in Weissach (Porsche’s research and development center in Germany).”
As we know the Porsche 918 Spyder by now. Mere months after its unveiling, Porsche confirmed it would put the supercar into production as a successor to the celebrated Carrera GT, starting on September 18, 2013.
Just 918 examples are planned, each running down a dedicated line that is being established in a former paint shop at the car maker’s Zuffenhausen headquarters in Germany. It is the same factory that builds the latest Boxster and 911 — a holy grail to true Porsche fans, no less.
Waking Up the Engine
The Porsche engineers make some adjustments to the prototype’s electronics, which are housed in a makeshift aluminum box strapped to an area that will eventually be occupied by the production car’s rear spoiler. Walliser’s boss, Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche’s chief of research and development, slides down into the driver seat and twists a key in the left-hand-mounted ignition. Odd whirring sounds rise up from underneath before the gasoline engine catches and fills the garage with a deep pulsating blare of exhaust from those prominent tailpipes.
The centerpiece of the new Porsche is its mid-rear-mounted V8 gasoline engine, seated on traditional rubber mounts (rather than the hydraulic mounts used on the 911) within a carbon-fiber cradle that is attached to the back of the main tub by six prominent mounting points.
Similar to the 90-degree V8 used in the Porsche RS Spyder successfully campaigned in the American Le Mans series between 2005 and 2008, the engine has gained 1.2 liters of displacement, going from 3.4 liters in race trim up to 4.6 liters in this application.
Walliser describes the engine as “entirely new,” noting that it features an all-new crankcase, cylinder head design and low-reciprocating-mass internals, plus that radical exhaust system that sees two pipes exit just behind the integral carbon-fiber roll hoops. The point of this arrangement is to keep hot exhaust gases well away from the car’s heat-sensitive battery pack mounted down low directly behind the tub.
Let’s Talk About the Numbers
The revamped V8 has been tuned to rev to a dizzying 9,200 rpm (though in its current state of tune, it has a lower redline), and owing to its racing gene, Walliser promises it will deliver the same razor-sharp throttle response as the Carrera GT’s 5.7-liter V10. Porsche engineers tell us the V8 makes about 562 horsepower.
But the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder is a hybrid, remember, so it also has a pair of synchronous electric motors — one mounted up front acting exclusively on the front wheels with 107 hp, and a second, 121-hp motor attached to the rear of the gasoline engine providing drive to the rear wheels. We’re told total system power will be in the neighborhood of 759 hp, with 568 pound-feet of torque.
Barely containing his delight at finally getting to show off the 918 Spyder to someone other than an engineer, Hatz gingerly guides the prototype out of the garage. After prodding the throttle a couple times to release some heat into the engine and its peripheries, he speeds off into the distance. We scramble back into the Multivan and catch up with the prototype at the end of an immense test track. The engineering team has spent the 10 days here at the track methodically running through the first systems test of the new car.
This car will offer five driving modes. There’s “e power” for all-electric operation, a “hybrid” mode that allows either electric or gasoline operation, followed by “sport hybrid,” which is the first of three performance-oriented gasoline-electric modes. Beyond that, “race hybrid” calls up even further levels of performance, while “hot lap” unleashes all the battery’s remaining power for short periods of what Walliser describes as overboost.
How Quick Is It?
Nothing is official just yet, but Porsche is aiming for a curb weight around 1,700 kg (3,747 pounds), with 0-62-mph acceleration in less than 3 seconds.
Officials also hint at a 0-124-mph time of less than 9 seconds and zero to 186 mph in less than 27 seconds — quicker than the Carrera GT. Top speed, achieved with the help of a series of active aerodynamic functions including diffuser elements behind the front wheels and a multistage rear wing that extends to a maximum height of 4.7 inches, is pegged at 202 mph
The Chassis
The 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder prototype rides on a unique chassis made almost entirely from cast-aluminum components. The suspension is a combination of double wishbones at the front and a multilink setup in back, but unlike the system on the Carrera GT, which used a racecarlike pushrod system attached to the unit-body, the 918 has conventional springs and dampers sited outboard near the center-lock-style wheels, which measure 20 inches up front and 21 inches in the rear and are wrapped in 265/35R20 and 325/35R21 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup rubber.
Computer simulations suggest the production car will be capable of generating up to a 1.4g on the skid pad (though that’s a maximum figure, rather than the average lateral acceleration we customarily report). He also drops a Nurburgring claim: Porsche is targeting 7 minutes, 22 seconds on the Nordschleife — still well short of the Dodge Viper’s 7:12, but moving nonetheless.
Even in early prototype form, the 2014 Porsche 918 Spyder is hugely impressive. There’s still a long way to go — another 18 months of intensive development, no less. But as our ride comes to an end, we’re struck by just how far Porsche’s engineering team has come during just 10 days of development work on the rolling chassis.
evo’s Editorial Director and Founder Harry Metcalfe has a look at the future of the supercar.
From Top Gear: The performance headlines are this. Acceleration from 0-62mph in ‘less than three’ seconds. Zero to 125mph in a time that almost matches a Bugatti Veyron. And a Nürburgring lap time (so far verified only on Porsche’s supernaturally accurate simulators), of 7.22. That’s 10 seconds faster than the old Carrera GT, and 10 seconds.
From AutoWeek: As if that’s not enough, Porsche also says its new supercar will boast a combined city/highway fuel-consumption figure of more than 78.4 mpg (U.S.) on the current European cycle. By comparison, the Carrera GT returned just 13.2 mpg (U.S.) under the same test procedure.
From Wired: Porsche pulled a variant of the 4.6-liter V8 originally fitted to the three-time ALMS LMP2 Championship-winning RS Spyder. That engine put out a comparatively paltry 503 horsepower, but fitted to the 918, output is up to 570 hp. That figure is before you account for the 918′s two electric motors, and it’s also where the similarities to past supercars ends.
Stuttgart. New record at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix: 19 of the Top 20 players on the WTA world rankings will be appearing in Stuttgart’s Porsche Arena at the 35th edition of the long-standing tournament from 21 to 29 April.
Logo der Porsche Arena in Stuttgart (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Südfront Porsche Arena in Stuttgart (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For the first time ever, superstarMaria Sharapova will also be in the hunt for prize money totalling 740,000 dollars and the Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet for the winner.
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart Maria Sharapova (RUS)
Porsche Team Germany’s Fed Cup tie against Australia and the duel between the tennis legends John McEnroe and Pat Cash are further highlights.
“The sensational field with all the Top 10 players is a dream,” said Tournament Director Markus Günthardt. “We’re therefore certain to be the tournament with the best main draw field on the WTA Tour.”
Victoria Azarenka will be returning to Stuttgart as the new world number one. The Belarusian celebrated the biggest success of her career in January when winning the Australian Open.
Another favourite to win the tournament is Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic.The Most Improved Player of 2011 took the titles in Wimbledon and at the WTA Championships.
Petra Kvitova - US Open 2010 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Last year’s runner-up and former worldNo. 1, Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) is another top 10 player in the line up in the Porsche Arena.
Not forgetting Germany’sAndrea Petkovic who is hoping to make a return in Stuttgart after a long injury break.
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart – Andrea Petkovic, Porsche Team Deutschland
Germany’s top players will be looking to present themselves as a force to be reckoned with on home soil, especially last year’s winner Julia Görges. The member of the Porsche Team Germany recently reached the final of the tournament in Dubai which moved her up to No. 15.
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart Julia Görges, Porsche Team Deutschland
Spectators in the Porsche Arena can also look forward to Sabine Lisicki (No. 13)
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart Sabine Lisicki, Porsche Team Deutschland
and Angelique Kerber (No. 14), who secured the first WTA title of her career in Paris in February and who sensationally reached the semifinals of the million dollar tournament in Indian Wells last week. After her great performance, she is now ranked a career high No. 14.
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix Stuttgart Angelique Kerber, Porsche Team Deutschland
Four Germans definitely in the main draw of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix – the last time it happened was in 1992 when Anke Huber, Wiltrud Probst, Veronika Martinek and Barbara Rittner were direct acceptances. With two wild cards still to be awarded by the tournament, the number could well rise to six.
Before play starts in earnest at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, the members of the Porsche Team Germany will get some serious match “practice” as they will be battling to stay in the World Group in their Fed Cup play-off tie against Australia in the Porsche Arena on 21 and 22 April.
However, Porsche Team Germany’s second appearance in Stuttgart is not the only highlight that tennis fans at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix can look forward to.
Image via Wikipedia
The Berenberg Bank Classics on the Centre Court in the Porsche Arena on Monday, 23 April (play starts at 5.30 pm local time) will include an historical exhibition match between the tennis legends John McEnroe and Pat Cash.
Tickets for the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix and the Fed Cup are available via Easy Ticket Service (telephone +49 711-2555 555, Internet http://www.easyticket.de) or at the Porsche Arena box offices during the tournament weekend
Eingang Porsche Arena in Stuttgart (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Visitors to the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix are traditionally offered a multitude of activities between the matches and off-court in the Porsche Arena and the Schleyerhalle. In the attractive Sport and Lifestyle Village, a boulevard and an attractive mixture of sport and entertainment will ensure a day of tennis in Stuttgart will turn into an unforgettable experience for the whole family.
The world class tournament, where the most important matches will be televised live on Eurosport and Eurosport 2, will begin with qualifying on Saturday, 21 April.
This year’s schedule includes a major change to the order of play on finals day on Sunday, 29 April. In contrast to the previous years, the singles final will begin later at 6.30 pm local time. It will be preceded by the doubles final at 2.30 pm.
“The six finalists have had very little opportunity to get experience at the wheel of a GT race car. They have far exceeded our expectations,” praises Maassen.
“All of the pilots very quickly grasped how you have to drive the 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in order to be fast.”
Aside from financial support, the drivers receive assistance similar to the
Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart’s new sports car in the SUV segment has been given the name Macan. The name Macan is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger and combines suppleness, power, fascination and dynamics – core characteristics of the new off-road car.
“The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of a SUV and is a genuine Porsche”, said Bernhard Maier, Member of the Executive Board Sales and Marketing of Porsche AG.
“The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations.”
As the fifth Porsche model line, the Macan is a central plank of Strategy 2018, by which the sports car manufacturer wishes to expand its model portfolio. Porsche intends the Macan to emulate the success of the Cayenne.
The SUV will start coming off the production lines in Leipzig in 2013.
To that end, the site in this city in Saxony is being expanded into a fully-fledged production plant including body assembly line and paint shop – with 500 million euro of investment one of the biggest building projects in Porsche’s corporate history. In the medium-term, the sports car manufacturer will be creating more than 1,000 new jobs here.
Word names at Porsche have a concrete connection with the corresponding model and its characteristics: the name Boxster describes the combination of boxer engine and roadster, Cayenne stands for sharpness, the Cayman is snappy and agile and a Panamera is more than a Gran Turismo, capable also of winning the Carrera Panamericana long-distance race.
Tennis Fedcup World Group First Round 2012 – Germany Czech Republic in Stuttgart Germany – Porsche Team Deutschland: Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Sabine Lisicki, Barbara Rittner, Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber (v.l.)
Stuttgart. Porsche Team Germany hasn’t give up hope yet of reaching the Fed Cup semifinals.
Porsche Team Deutschland: Julia Görges, Angelique Kerber, Barbara Rittner, Anna-Lena Grönefeld, Sabine Lisicki (v. l.)
Even though, in spite of putting up stiff resistance, they are 2-0 behind at the end of the first day of the first round tie against title holders the Czech Republic in the Porsche Arena, captain Barbara Rittner still feels they are in with a chance of advancing.
“We’re not going to let our heads drop,”
she said, “Nothing’s lost yet.”
At the premiere of Porsche Team Germany, the sell-out crowd in the Porsche Arena experienced an unbelievably exciting tennis thriller. Julia Görges, who celebrated the biggest success of her career by winning the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix at the same venue one year ago, played out of her skin against Petra Kvitova.
Julia Görges, Porsche Team Deutschland
Petra Kvitova (CZ)
In the third set of the top class match, she had the Wimbledon champion and winner of the WTA Championships 2011 on the verge of a defeat. The German eventually went down 6-3, 3-6, 8-10 against the current world No. 2.
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“In the first moments after such a tight match one’s naturally disappointed,” she said, but, “I can’t put any blame on myself but it just wasn’t enough in the end.
Nevertheless we’re not giving up. We’re a strong team and it’s not all over in such a situation.”
Commenting on her return to the Porsche Arena she said: “I had goose bumps all over. I really enjoyed everything out there. It’s an unbelievably nice feeling when everybody’s right behind you.”
In the opening rubber, Sabine Lisicki surprisingly lost 6-2, 4-6, 2-6 against Iveta Benesova. After taking the first set comfortably, it seemed the German, the world No. 14, would win the first point for Porsche Team Germany.
Sabine Lisicki, Porsche Team Deutschland
Iveta Benesova (CZ)
But then in the second set she failed to convert the chances she had to break and proceeded to let the match slip.
“I played aggressively from the start and kept fighting to the end,” said the visibly disappointed Lisicki, “but I didn’t serve hard enough and I couldn’t get any length in my shots.
It was the main reason why I wasn’t able to turn the match around in the third set.” She had no problems with pressure of being the team’s No. 1: “I normally play better under pressure.
But unfortunately it didn’t work out that way today. I hope I can show it again tomorrow.”
In spite of trailing the defending champions, Barbara Rittner is still hoping her players can pull off a surprise on Sunday.
Barbara Rittner, Julia Görges, Petra Kvitova (v.l.)
“Julia forced Petra to dig very deep physically in a fantastic match and Sabine can definitely play much better than she did today,” said the German captain.
“Up until the moment the Czech Republic wins the third point, then nothing’s decided.”
Starting at 11.00 am (local time), two further singles and a doubles will be played in the Porsche Arena on Sunday.
Traditionally, the 24 hour race on the Daytona International Speedway is the first highlight of the motorsport season and year after year attracts the best pilots from all kinds of race series worldwide to the ‘Sunshine State’ of the USA.
Spearheaded by title defender Wolf Henzler (Germany), seven Porsche works drivers contest the strongly supported GT class. With 22 overall wins, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of the race.
The race
The endurance classic, which kicks off the Grand-Am Series season, started out in 1962 as a three hour race. At 1,250 miles in 1964, the race grew to double the distance of the classic 1,000 kilometre races of Spa, Monza and the Nürburgring. The maiden 24 hour event in Daytona took place in 1966. Due to the oil crisis in 1974 the race was not run. Taking their places on the winner’s list are Formula 1 champions like Phil Hill and Mario Andretti as well as legendary Porsche pilots like Hans Herrmann, Rolf Stommelen, Hurley Haywood and Bob Wollek.
The circuit
The Daytona International Speedway is one of the world’s most famous race tracks. The 24 hour race is contested on the 5.729 kilometre track combination of oval with banked corner and the infield. The circuit is also the venue for the famed NASCAR Daytona 500 race with over 250,000 spectators annually.
The Porsche drivers
In the traditionally very competitive GT class, seven Porsche works drivers have victory in sight with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup:
Title defender Wolf Henzler competes for TRG Racing, Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) line up for Flying Lizard Motorsports, their winning team from the American Le Mans Series. Alex Job Racing has Marco Holzer (Germany) onboard, with Patrick Pilet (Franc) taking the wheel of the second TRG-Porsche. Magnus Racing competes with Richard Lietz (Austria), whilst his teammate in the new World Endurance Championship, Marc Lieb (Germany), lines up for Brumos Racing.
One of the partners of the Porsche works driver is the US racing legend Hurley Haywood (USA). With five overall and six class victories, Haywood is the most successful pilot ever in Daytona. On 4 May he celebrates his 64th birthday.
US racing legendHurley Haywood (USA)
Also taking up the race with the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is Audi factory pilot Mike Rockenfeller (Switzerland).
Audi factory pilotMike Rockenfeller (Switzerland)
In recognition of their brilliant performances in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, Porsche AG gave the two-time champion René Rast (Germany) as well as “Rookie of the Year” Kévin Estre (France) the chance to compete at Daytona.
Two-time championRené Rast (Germany)
“Rookie of the Year” Kévin Estre (France)
What they said before the race
Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport:
“Daytona is always a very special race for Porsche. Our Porsche teams have already yielded many great results here with the Porsche 911. And with 21 vehicles we are very well represented again this year. For teams like Brumos who compete in 2012 as title defenders of the Grand-Am Series, it is particularly exciting that the most important race of the year is also the start of the season. And it will be particularly interesting to see the new competitors who compete with modified and, in fact, more powerful GT3 vehicles.”
Jörg Bergmeister:
“After the long break over winter, this race is a great way to get ready for the new season. Porsche was always very strong in Daytona. I last won the race here in 2009 and I’m feeling quite confident that we’ll be good for a win again this year. The competition was never this strong. It’ll be a tough fight from start to finish.”
Joerg Bergmeister (Germany)
Patrick Long:
“Our excursion into the prototype class last year was an interesting experience. But now I’m looking forward to racing a 911 again in Daytona. The fact that our GT-class rivals are not only much stronger in sheer numbers makes the task for us and our team even more interesting.”
Patrick Long (USA)
Marc Lieb:
“Our tests ran well in Daytona and I’m sure that we’ll be competitive in the race. The 24 Hours of Daytona is always a cool event, and added to this is the unbelievably big grid for the 50th anniversary. I’m looking forward to driving for such a well established and successful team like Brumos Racing with the legendary starting number 59.”
Marc Lieb (Germany)
Wolf Henzler:
“When we tested I was really impressed by the strength of our competition. With 42 GT cars on the grid, it’ll certainly not be an easy race. I imagine things will get really tough right from the start flag. I’m driving again for TRG, the team with which I won last year. My teammates are very strong and of course I’ll do my best to repeat my victory from last year.”
Wolf Henzler (Germany)
Marco Holzer:
“It’s a fantastic challenge to start the season with a 24 hour race, and a classic like Daytona at that. I very much like this circuit. It’s demanding but real fun. We did a great deal of work on the car with my team Alex Job Racing. I’m quite optimistic for the race.”
Marco Holzer (Germany)
Richard Lietz:
“Great that the season finally gets underway. The GT class booms, the competition is stronger this year than ever before. That will surely be an interesting race. We always had a good car in the last years and we are keen to continue the success streak of Porsche in Daytona.”
Richard Lietz (Austria)
Patrick Pilet:
“Driving in Daytona is something very special for us all. This race is a legend and a great challenge, particularly in its anniversary year. Manufacturers send the best GT teams with very strong driver contingents to Daytona. The fight for victory is open like never before.”
Patrick Pilet (France)
Porsche successes
With 22 overall and 72 class victories, Porsche is by far the most successful manufacturer in the history of the Daytona 24 hour race.
The first overall win for Porsche was in 1968 with Vic Elford, Jochen Neerpasch, Rolf Stommelen, Jo Siffert and Hans Herrmann with the Porsche 907.
The latest win in 2010 went to Joao Barbosa, Terry Borcheller, Ryan Dalziel and Mike Rockenfeller with the Porsche-Riley. In 2003, Joerg Bergmeister, Timo Bernhard, Kevin Buckler and Michael Schrom clinched a sensational overall win with the near-standard Porsche 911 GT3 RS against more powerful Daytona prototypes.
In the previous year, Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler secured the GT class victory at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
The schedule
The 24 hour race in Daytona starts on Saturday, 28 January, at 15.30 hrs local time (21.30 hrs CET).
Other interesting facts
– Marking the longest winning streak in the history of the race, Porsche notched up a total of eleven overall victories between 1977 and 1987. Add the class victories to this and Porsche has 21 wins in succession between 1966 and 1987 (in 1974 the race was not contested due to the oil crisis).
– According to statistics, Porsche veteran Hurley Haywood has turned more than 18,800 laps from his 37 Daytona starts to date and with this has completed almost 110,000 kilometres – that’s far more than two and a half times the circumference of the earth. For this, the Porsche dealer from Jacksonville/Florida has spent 476 hours behind the wheel and used around 1,100 sets of tyres.
– Right behind front-runner Hurley Haywood with five overall wins (1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1991) in the all-time list of winners at Daytona are two further Porsche pilots: Rolf Stommelen (1968, 1978, 1980, 1982) and Bob Wollek (1983, 1985, 1989, 1991) each with four overall victories.
The calendar
Thirteen races in the USA and Canada make up the calendar of the Grand-Am Series for 2012:
28/29.01. 24 Hours Daytona/Florida
01.04. Birmingham/Alabama
29.04. Miami/Florida
13.05. Millville/New Jersey
03.06. Detroit/Michigan
10.06. Lexington/Ohio
24.06. Elkhart Lake/Wisconsin
01.07 6 Hours Watkins Glen/New York
29.07. Indianapolis/Indiana
12.08. Watkins Glen/New York
19.08. Montreal/Canada
09.09. Laguna Seca/California
28.09. Lime Rock, Connecticut
This year marks an important race in the manufacturer’s history because we will be celebrating 50 years at Daytona. As the most winning Marque of the Rolex 24, Porsche will be the official pace car of the 24 hour race, showcasing the new 911. Porsche Cars North America is excited to announce the return of the two-day customer hospitality program at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Each hospitality package is $300 and includes an official race ticket to the Rolex 24 and access to the Porsche hospitality tent Saturday (Jan 28) and Sunday (Jan 29) with the following amenities:
Food and Beverage (3 meals per day)
Lounge area
Track feed from the race
Team/Sponsor presentations
Driving Simulators for xBox
Gift bag
In addition to the Rolex 24 at Daytona, any additional customer hospitality programs that will be implemented later in the year will appear on the same website. Dealers, customers, and prospects are able to use this site to order any of the motorsport hospitality packages.
For more information on each of the events or to order hospitality packages please visit:www.porscheracingusa.com.
“My father took the prints and made a wooden pattern of the car from which the foundry made an aluminum sand casting. The first casting was a test pour, the second was a keeper, and the first Porsche replica toy was created – based on real prints, no less!” – quote byJeff Gasparitsch
This story begins with a phone call to the front office at the 356 CAR – California Alta Region, vice-president Jim Reeder’s place of business in Fremont:
“There’s a guy on the phone named Jeff who says he wants to talk about Porsche 356s.”
Never one to pass up a Porsche conversation in the middle of his work day, Jim takes the call from Jeff Gasparitsch who said he found Jim on the 356CAR website and saw that they both lived in the same town. He was anxious to tell the story about his father Victor Gasparitsch and his personal history with Ferdinand Porsche and what turned out to be the Gmünd Coupe.
Jim listened in amazement as the following incredible tale unfolded from Jeff Gasparitsch.
Any idea what the very first Porsche toy ever made was?
It is very likely the 15-inch-long cast Gmünd replica made by my father. As a young boy I found an old and somewhat odd toy car on a family trip back to Austria back in 1976. It was used as doorstop at my grandparent’s house in Ledenitzen.
When we returned to Canada, I kept reminding my father on future visits to bring the “toy” back for me. At the time I had no idea what it was. It was just neat and different. It wasn’t until after several subsequent trips in the 1980s that he finally remembered to pick it up for me and bring it to Canada.
That is when I finally learned the real story behind my funny old toy car.
My father, Victor Gasparitsch, was schooled as a Mechanical Engineer at the Federal Engineering School for Mechanical & Electrical Engineering in Lundenbrg (which at the time I believe was Austria, and is now part of the Czech Republic). Then he apprenticed as a Pattern Maker at a company called KMF (Kärntner Maschinenfabrik) in Carinthia, Austria from 1945 until the spring of 1948.
It was during the latter part of this tenure that two gentlemen came to the shop in which he worked. They had a meeting with the foundry manager and after some time, they approached my father.
The gentlemen were Erwin Komenda (known to my father as Chief Engineer Komenda) and Ferry Porsche! As it turned out, the foundry manager and other senior people turned down the job proposal so Porsche and Komenda decided they would speak to my father directly, since he had a background in Mechanical Engineering and not just pattern making.
They showed him some drawings of what was to become the first Porsche 356 and asked if he could produce for them what became the metal-forming fixtures for the left and right doors. He accepted the challenge and KMF got the work from the fledgling Porsche Company.
As my father was completing the work on the first fixture (it was for the left door) he approached his management and asked to be paid a salary commensurate with the other senior tradesmen as he was doing the work the seniors would not touch while being paid substantially less.
The management turned down his request, citing the union pay scale rules. This was enough to make my father decide to leave KMF. He informed Chief Engineer Komenda of his intentions to leave. Komenda asked that he stay with KMF until the first assembly was complete, then roll the drawing up under his arm and they would follow him. My father did so, and Porsche followed suit as promised.
My father moved to what was a new pattern making division of the J. Fercher Company in Villach, Austria that was then a relatively small furniture making company. Porsche then placed the balance of the order with J. Fercher and that is where my father completed the right side door fixtures. J. Fercher then received additional work from Porsche including the firewall for the car.
It was during this time that my father requested a 1:10 scale drawing from Chief Engineer Komenda so he could build a small model for personal use. Komenda was happy to oblige. My father took the prints and made a wooden pattern of the car from which the foundry made an aluminum sand casting. The first casting was a test pour, the second was a keeper, and the first Porsche replica toy was created – based on real prints, no less!
After Ferdinand Porsche’s death and the company’s move, the J. Fercher Company closed the doors on its Pattern Shop in 1952 to focus on the furniture business. I would have to assume that all the old patterns from the pattern shop were scrapped. Today J. Fercher (now operated as FRC Austria) is a very large furniture company in Austria. I visited the plant in 1976 with my father, but only recently learned what the connection was to his past.
My dad moved on to work in Switzerland and eventually immigrated to Canada. In 1966 he opened his own pattern shop, Cosmos Pattern Company in Stoney Creek, Ontario that he operated until 1994. Into the late ‘80s he still received requests for quotations from Porsche. The last I saw was for several large wind tunnel sections for work that I believe was going to be conducted in Toronto.
Victor Gasparitsch and the first Porsche 15-inch-long cast Gmünd replica toy
That one remaining generic toy casting became a play toy for various generations of kids visiting my grandparents over 40+ years. Of course no one was the wiser as to its origin. Unfortunately, somewhere over the course of the toy’s life someone tried to alter it to make it more of a toy than a casting. They used a drill to open one of the front windows and started on the second window but fortunately never finished the job.
My father will be 82 years old this year and I have made a point to return to his home in Canada to document several details of his life before it is too late.
One day soon we’ll drop by Stuttgart perhaps to find a spot on a shelf for it in the Porsche Museum. That seems to be a much more fitting place for it than where it previously resided for over 55 years! – Jeff Gasparitsch
UPDATE December 2012 – Jeff Gasparitsch recently was kind of enough to be in touch with me and he forwarded several photos from the visit to Stuttgart with his father and the model was documented at the Porsche Museum in the summer of 2010.
Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is doubling the driving fun to be had from the new 911 Carrera by putting a Cabriolet alongside the Coupé.
The debut of the new generation of the sports car classic is being followed only a few months later by the open-top models of the 911 Carrera and 911 Carrera S in the new 911 design.
What the Coupé began with the new aluminium-steel body, the Cabriolet continues with the all-new, unique hood: As a result, the typical 911 roof line is initially retained in its entirety.
Even when closed up, the Cabriolet cuts a fine figure. Intelligent lightweight design, even including the use of magnesium in the hood, ensures less weight and more sportiness, lower fuel consumption and greater comfort. With the open-top 911s as well, Porsche has managed to reverse the weight spiral and make the new Cabrio models significantly lighter than its predecessors.
Each of the two new Cabriolets has the same engine as its Carrera Coupé equivalent. The rear of the 911 Carrera Cabrio houses a 3.4-litre flat engine generating 350 hp (257 kW) of power driving the rear wheels through a seven-gear manual transmission. The open-top Carrera S comes with a 3.8-litre six-cylinder engine developing 400 hp (294 kW) and also a seven-gear manual transmission featured as standard.
That means that the open-top 911s as well are distancing themselves even further from the competition in terms of efficiency; both models consume less than ten litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (NEDC). The Cabriolets as well have the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) available as an optional extra, delivering even lower fuel consumption and shorter acceleration times.
With the longer wheelbase compared with the predecessor model, the wider front track and the new electro-mechanical power steering, the new Cabriolets offer even sportier driving characteristics, greater precision and agility. Depending on model, there are other standard or optional active control systems available as well that further enhance the driving dynamics.
The 911 Carrera Cabriolet will be launched in Germany on March 3, 2012. The prices for the 911 Carrera Cabriolet start in Germany with 100,532 Euros, the 911 Carrera S Cabriolet starts with 114,931 Euros including value-added tax in both cases.
Stuttgart. His sunglasses are his trademark. White rims and coloured mirror glass – they could almost come from the hippy commune era.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
But René Rast, who celebrated his second straight title win in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Abu Dhabi on Saturday is anything but Mr Razzle Dazzle.
“I’m more of a quiet type. But if there is reason to celebrate I don’t hold back,” says the 25-year-old from Steyerberg in Germany. And he grins as cheekily as a student who places a drawing pin on his teacher’s chair and waits for him to sit down.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Ungarn 2011
At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by VELTINS Lechner Racing, he took off into the season as the clear favourite.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
But the year started slowly. At the season-opener in Istanbul he finished fifth, and in Barcelona he had to settle for seventh.
“That was nothing like the start I imagined,” he says, “but it was no reason to panic. Perhaps we were too confident after winning the title in 2010.” Naturally he felt the pressure from the huge expectations – but he didn’t lose his composure. “I approach every race cool and calm, anything else doesn’t work.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
His patience paid off:
In Monaco he was back in force with his first win of the season. This success in the glamorous world of the rich and famous was well deserved with drivers having to change gears 34 times per lap through the twisting labyrinth of Monte Carlo.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast explains:
“That is an incredibly difficult task. But when you’re handed your trophy in the Royal Box you quickly forget about it.”
For the title defender, this success in the Principality on the Cote d’Azur was the spark he needed after such a slow start to the season. With his win on the legendary Nürburgring-Nordschleife, where the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup ran as part of the inaugural Porsche Carrera World Cup – the greatest Porsche race in history with 100 competitors from 25 countries – he celebrated the biggest success of his career.
“Winning this race was an unforgettable experience,” he says about his tour de force on the rain-sodden famed race track. “I’d never driven a Porsche on the Nordschleife prior to this and the conditions were really challenging. The key to success was that I didn’t make one mistake.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
After these two victories, René Rast was the hero of the hour in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. And in Silverstone as well he proved unbeatable: On the legendary race track in the British Midlands he celebrated his third consecutive win. This catapulted him into the points’ lead. When the world’s fastest international one-make series returned to the Nürburgring for the 200th race in its successful history, René Rast was again the man to beat, and in typical Eifel conditions he continued on his winning streak with victory number four.
“That was a perfect race,” he remembers. “With regard to the championship, that was a great weekend for us.”
One of his greatest strengths is his boundless confidence. Even in critical situations he rarely loses the overview.
“René is not someone who makes silly mistakes when he’s under pressure,” says Kuba Giermaziak, who fought him hard for the title right to the final race in Abu Dhabi.
That is something the new champion has over all his rivals. “I believe in myself and I know what I can do,” he says. “Inside I’m just as tense as my opponents, but I just don’t show it on the outside.”
René Rast (D), Nick Tandy (GB), Kevin Estre (F) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
That is typical of René Rast:
He doesn’t regard the fierce competition in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as a problem, but more as a challenge. And it was with this attitude that he competed as a tiny tot. At the age of four he contested his first race – in an electric car on a supermarket car park in Steyerberg. His opponents were good and twice his age, but still he won. Rast made a minor detour to motocross before his uncle put him in a kart. From this point on, he focused seriously on his racing career: 2003 and 2004 he contested the Formula BMW, 2005 he won the VW Polo Cup.
He climbed aboard a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup for the first time in 2007, and a year later was crowned champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. In his first Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup season he won most of the races, but concluded the year as runner-up. In 2010 he took home the championship.
On the way to successfully defending his title he was at times in the lead on the Hungaroring on the outskirts of Budapest, but technical problems with his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup forced him into retirement. Although he lost the points’ lead, he didn’t lose sight of the title.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Deutschland 2011
Promptly at the race in Spa-Francorchamps, where he settled for second place (“if I don’t see a chance I’d rather leave it”), he was back at the top of the table.
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D), Team Lechner Racing Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
And again in Monza he didn’t take any risks, saw the flag in second and was more than happy:
“Things look good for the championship,” he said. “Now we just have to be up near the front in Abu Dhabi and we should have it in the bag.”
He turned this comparatively simple tactic into deeds in the United Arab Emirates capital – and took home the title.
Hartmut Kristen, René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
In a review of the season in which he secured pole position three times and the fastest race lap twice, he comments on…
… successfully defending the title:
“I’m simply thrilled and relieved. It’s difficult to describe what it means to have won this championship two times in a row. This year was even tougher than last season because there were more drivers competing who were good to take the title. To do this despite experiencing a difficult start to the season is fantastic.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
… the key to success:
“That is undoubtedly our streak of four wins. These successes were an enormous boost for our team and rather sobering for our opposition. We earned so many points through these wins that we didn’t have to take unnecessary risks at every race, but could be satisfied with second place.”
… his most wonderful win:
“There are two victories that shine over the others: Monaco and the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Winning the race in Monaco in front of this unparalleled backdrop is something quite special for every race driver. And to be the first winner of the Porsche Carrera World Cup, the greatest Porsche race in history, will always be a highlight of my career. They were two extraordinary races this season that I won.”
… his VELTINS Lechner Racing team:
“It’s a team that every driver wishes for. We all clicked right from the start and we never had any real problems. And if things did get difficult, like at the beginning of the year when the first races didn’t go as we thought, we all found a way to overcome these hurdles. Now we know there are no problems we can’t solve.”
René Rast (D), Team Lechner Racing Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
… his strengths:
“My main strength is surely my consistency. I’m quick on all tracks. There is not one circuit where I would say it doesn’t suit me. Moreover, I don’t make many mistakes. I spend a lot of time analysing data. Often I’ll lie awake in bed and think about how I can become even quicker.”
… his dreams:
“To land a works cockpit is the dream of all race drivers, mine as well. I hope that this dream will be fulfilled one day.”
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
René Rast (D) Porsche Mobil1 Supercup GP Abu Dhabi 2011
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
“Contesting the Porsche Makes Cup was the best decision I ever made”
Nick Tandy (GB), Helmut Greiner – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
Stuttgart. Nick Tandy is the new champion of the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland. In an exciting finale, third place was enough for the Konrad Motorsport driver from Great Britain to beat his toughest rival of the season, Sean Edwards (Deutsche Post by tolimit), to the trophy.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 01 Hockenheimring 2011
Winning the title of Germany’s fastest one-make series is all the more impressive considering the extraordinary level of competition amongst the contenders.
“A huge dream has come true for me,” said the new champion. “To contest the Porsche brand trophy series is the best decision I ever made. I was never this successful before in racing.”
In the 22-year history of the championship, this marks only the second time that a non-German has won – and the first for a British citizen.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 01 Hockenheimring 2011
For 26-year-old Tandy, his title win in Hockenheim is quietly satisfying. It was here last year at the finale in the Motodrom that an accident in the first race lap shunted him out of contention for the championship.
Despite a brilliant debut season with five victories from nine rounds, the shooting star of 2010 had to settle for vice-championship honours, whilst Nicolas Armindo (France, Hermes Attempto Racing) took home the title. And in the international Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as well, René Rast came out on top with Tandy again finishing as runner-up.
Tandy took off into the new season as the favourite – and promptly fulfilled all expectations with victory at round one.
“I drove away from the race in Hockenheim and knew that I would become champion this year,” he admits. “This might sound arrogant, but I was simply sure that I was strong enough.”
What he faced, however, was a roller-coaster ride. At round two in Zandvoort everything was turned upside down. Tandy rolled his 911 in free practice and also received a penalty for driving too fast under yellow. The high-flyer from the previous year had to take up the race from the back of the field – to drive, as he says himself,
“the race of my life”.
On a circuit that is not known for its overtaking opportunities, the Briton passed one rival after another. After the flag, an ecstatic Tandy climbed the podium in third.
“My car ran perfectly and I drove a faultless race,” he said. “It was crazy overtaking virtually all the competitors. In this case, third place felt much better than some of my victories.”
The British specialist car magazine Autosport wrote as a headline:
“Is this the new DTM star?”
Jaap van Lagen won the Spielberg race in torrential rain, with Tandy extending his lead with second place. He finished fourth on the Lausitzring, but remained at the top of the points’ table.
“The championship has become much tougher compared to last year,” he declared.
“The reason for this is that the level of performance has greatly increased. Moreover, in 2010 I learned that five wins in a season don’t automatically make you champion.”
Then comes the low point. As points’ leader, Tandy travels to the season highlight in the Eifel, where the Carrera World Cup is contested on a combination of the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife.
Over motivated, Tandy crashes after ten minutes, retires and slides down the ranks to sit third overall. Sean Edwards moves to the top of the table.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 06 Norisring 2011
With a poorly set-up 911, he finds it almost impossible to stay on the track on the rained-out Norisring and wades his way to fifth.
Is Tandy’s star fading?
Edwards, in the meantime, celebrates his first Carrera Cup win as the ‘rainman’.
At the second race in the Eifel, this time on the Grand Prix course, the table turns. While in the lead, Edwards’s Porsche 911 GT3 Cup suffers a puncture in the final lap.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera World Cup – Nürburgring 2011
Tandy, trailing him like a shadow, inherits victory and takes his place back at the top of the points.
“I’ve had my share of bad luck this season,” he says almost defiantly. “Now lady luck has returned.”
With an immaculate drive to victory at the penultimate race in Oschersleben, the Briton further extends his lead. In heavy rain, his rival Edwards finishes fifth. Nick Tandy arrives at the finale with a twelve-point advantage, he posts the quickest time in both free practices – throwing down the gauntlet to his fellow compatriot. He clinches pole position and with third place secures the long-awaited championship title.
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 07 Nürburgring 2011
Fundamentally, the 2011 season is a mirror image of the new champion’s career, which didn’t take the usual route and is strongly influenced by British racing.
“I’m not your normal kart kid,” he says.
Nick Tandy (GB)
With his twin brother Joe, he honed his reflexes in the so-called ministocks – a Mini Cooper fitted with a type of bullbar – on small ovals.
“It was just huge fun,” reminisces Tandy. “But after four years we were asked to leave the series, we were getting a little too wild.”
Tandy then wins the competition for a single-seater class and enters the British Formula Ford Championship, which enjoys a cult status in the UK.
In 2007, Tandy wins the world final of the series, gets a cockpit in the national Formula 3 and achieves a raft of successes – until a blow of fate hits him hard.
In May 2009, his brother, who also competes in the Formula 3 team, dies in a traffic accident. Tandy’s career seems to stall.
Joe Tandy, 1983-2009
Perhaps the exceptional talent would have sunk into oblivion if it weren’t for Franz Konrad. The long-standing team boss of the successful Porsche racing squad is known as a talent scout.
In September 2009, he opens the way for the Briton to contest a Carrera Cup race. Tandy comes to Dijon with experience as a guest starter in the British Cup, qualifies in second in the rain and finishes second behind Jeroen Bleekemolen who was driving for the Konrad team in the Supercup.
“I could have won then,” says Tandy. “But obviously I didn’t want to go for Jeroen.”
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland 2011
His gratitude to Franz Konrad is as real as the man himself.
“Without Franz I would be off the radar today and I would be earning my money in my profession in automotive glass and with some second job in motorsport. I’m extremely thankful to him.”
Tandy only stopped work as an automotive glass specialist in 2011. Last year when he wasn’t racing he still worked in his profession. And because he knows how, he helps his team when a windscreen needs changing.
Nick Tandy on…
… the competitiveness in the Carrera Cup Deutschland:
“Alongside the Supercup, the Carrera Cup is definitely the best and most popular national Porsche Cup. This year the competition was incredibly tough. Perhaps we were too good last year as a team. Compared to that, we seemed somehow clueless this year when things didn’t always run perfectly. But there were six different winners from the first six races in the Carrera Cup this season and that says volumes about the level of competition.”
… the accident at the Porsche World Cup on the Nürburgring:
“The low point of my year. My first thought when I stood beside my stranded car in the forest was ‘what a stupid idea to come to the Nürburgring’. Then I berated myself: What an idiot! The accident cost me the points’ lead in the Carrera Cup and the Supercup. That meant a lot of prize money went down the drain, and we really needed it because our budget for the season was really tight. Financially, we just made it from weekend to weekend.”
…his rival from last year Nicolas Armindo:
“I was mostly affected by how much bad luck Nicolas experienced as reigning champion this season. I tried to imagine how I would feel if it had happened to me – a horrible thought!”
… his dreams:
“I’m convinced that the bosses in the series above the Carrera Cup and Supercup of the Porsche one-make series are watching and I’m sure that they know I’ve done a great job here. Perhaps someone will notice me. My big dream would be to drive NASCAR. Even as a small boy I watched TV and dreamed of oval racing in the USA.”
… his long-time partner Brittany McKenzie:
“I’d be nothing without Brittany. We’ve known each other since I was seven and we’ve been together for almost six years. Without her I’d probably not make it to the circuits, I’d not catch my planes and I’d be sleeping in a truck rather than a hotel. Brittany organises almost all my motorsport life.”
… his basic principle in competition:
“I love a challenge and that also crosses over into my hobbies. I love to play darts or golf and I play both particularly well when it’s a competition and I have to beat an opponent. Hobbies or sports without any real competition is not for me. I’m ambitious. I’d be happy to manage a round of golf in 82.”
Nick Tandy (GB) – Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland – 09 Hockenheimring 2011
American Le Mans Series, round 9 / Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, round 6 in Road Atlanta, USA
Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Long (USA) and Patrick Pilet (France)
Stuttgart. A strong season finale for Porsche in the American Le Mans Series: At the thrilling 1,000 mile Petit Le Mans race in Road Atlanta, Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Long (USA) and Patrick Pilet (France) snatched second place in a heart-stopping final.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports – Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Patrick Long (USA) and Patrick Pilet (France)
At the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports, the trio were a mere six seconds shy of a GT class victory after more than nine and a half hours packed with tough fights for positions and many changes at the lead. Their second position secured the vice-championship for Porsche in the race series featuring the world’s fastest sports cars.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports – Porsche works driver Patrick Long (USA)
”Patrick Long added:
“We stuck to our plan and kept out of any trouble so that we could attack in the last ten laps. This plan worked.”
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports – Porsche works driver Patrick Pilet (France)
“It was a fantastic experience to contest the Petit Le Mans for Flying Lizard Motorsports,” said Patrick Pilet.
“Over the course of the race the balance of our car became better and better and towards the end it was virtually perfect. I’m totally happy.
On the time-honoured circuit in the US state of Georgia, Joerg Bergmeister again showed nerves of steel, waiting until the penultimate lap before making his decisive move on the BMW in front of him.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports – Porsche works driver Joerg Bergmeister (Germany)
“In my last stint I speculated that I would be able to snatch the BMW,” said the five-time Road Atlanta winner.
“I used the traffic after the safety car phase, took a risk and overtook him on the outside through Turn six. I’m pleased that I secured the decisive points to win the tyre manufacturers’ classification for Michelin.”
His teammates Patrick Long and Patrick Pilet had laid the foundation for this success with their faultless performances.
Another decisive factor in this good result aside from the strong performance of the drivers was the perfect work of the pit crew.
“The entire Flying Lizard squad did a tremendous job. Every single pit stop was incredible,” commented Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport.
“Through their excellent effort, the team compensated very well for the handicap from the Balance of Performance measures that were again in place here. In a sensational push at the end, Joerg Bergmeister secured second place and this gave our partner Michelin the tyre manufacturers’ title. Well done to all those who contributed to this success.”
Rounding off the excellent team result for Porsche at the 1,000 mile classic was Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) and his teammates Bryan Sellers (USA) and Martin Ragginger (Austria).
Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) and his teammate Martin Ragginger (Austria)
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team Falken Tire: Wolf Henzler, Bryan Sellers, Martin Ragginger
Driving the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR of Falken Tire, they brought home fifth place.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Team Falken Tire: Wolf Henzler, Bryan Sellers, Martin Ragginger
“I’m very pleased with this,” said Wolf Henzler, winner of the races in Mid-Ohio and Baltimore together with Bryan Sellers.
“We drove a controlled race and didn’t take any unnecessary risks. I can look back on a good season with two victories to our credit. That was more than we had expected.”
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Flying Lizard Motorsports: Marco Holzer, Darren Law, Seth Neiman
Factory pilot colleague Marco Holzer (Germany) and his American teammates Seth Neiman und Darren Law saw the flag in eighth place in the second Flying-Lizard Porsche.
Darren Law
Victory in the GTC class went to Porsche Supercup pilots Jeroen and Sebastiaan Bleekemolen (Netherlands) together with American Tim Pappas, who won the title.
Petit Le Mans, which counts as a round of the GTE Am class of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, brought no luck for Porsche works driver Richard Lietz (Austria):
Porsche works driver Richard Lietz (Austria)
With the Proton Competition-run Porsche 911 GT3 RSR he lay in the lead, but had to retire after 163 laps with a damaged drive system.
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, Proton Competition: Richard Lietz, Christian Ried, Mark Bullitt
Statistics: 9th and final race in Road Atlanta, Georgia
Result GT class
1. Fisichella/Bruni/Kaffer (I/I/D), Ferrari F458 Italia, 367 laps
2. Bergmeister/Long/Pilet (D/USA/F), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 367
3. Werner/Auberlen/Farfus (D/USA/BRA), BMW M3 GT, 367
4. Magnussen/Gavin/Westbrook (DK/GB/GB), Chevrolet Corvette, 366
5. Henzler/Sellers/Ragginger (D/USA/A), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 365
6. Sharp/van Overbeek/Farnbacher (USA/USA/D), Ferrari F458 Italia, 365
8. Holzer/Neiman/Law (D/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 361
11. Maassen/Miller/Collard (D/USA/F), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 357
Result GTC class
1. J./S. Bleekemolen/Pappas (NL/NL/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 346 laps
2. Sweedler/Keen/Wong (USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 346
3. Pumpelly/Ende/Ludwig (USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, 345
Final standings GT class Drivers
1. Dirk Müller, Joey Hand, BMW, 161 points
2. Oliver Gavin, Jan Magnussen, Chevrolet, 135
3. Dirk Werner, Bill Auberlen, BMW, 129
4. Joerg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Porsche, 102
5. Wolf Henzler, Bryan Sellers, Porsche, 97
6. Jaime Melo, Toni Vilander, Ferrari, 83
Teams
1. BMW Team RLL, BMW, 180 points
2. Corvette Racing, Chevrolet, 139
3. Flying Lizard Motorsports, Porsche, 115
4. Team Falken Tire, Porsche, 97
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Facts and Figures
This is the American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series (ALMS) was created in 1999 for sports prototypes and GT vehicles. The regulations correspond to those of the Le Mans 24 hour race.
GT class: This most popular class amongst car manufacturers is traditionally extremely well supported: Slightly modified standard sports cars with 440 to 500 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 – 1,325 kilograms (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 RSR). GTC class: This class is reserved for vehicles from one-make race series (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 Cup). LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 550 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms. LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with ca. 440 hp and an 825 kg minimum weight. LMPC class: Prototype brand trophy series for the ORECA FLM 09.
As part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the GTE Am class is also contested in Road Atlanta. The difference to the GT class: Vehicles in the 2010 technical specification may be entered and the rules stipulate that only one professional race driver per vehicle is permitted.
All classes start together but are classified separately. This ensures racing that is exciting and constantly changing with many overtaking manoeuvres. Points are awarded only for placings in each class.
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