Porsche GT Team aims for second overall win in Virginia

August 22, 2017 Tim Havermans 911 RSR, Dirk Werner, Gianmaria Bruni, IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship, Jörg Bergmeister, Laurens Vanthoor, Patrick Long, Patrick Pilet, Virginia International Raceway

Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche GT Team (911): Patrick Pilet, Dirk Werner

Comments before the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Race 9 at Danville /USA

Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars: “Gripping races with innovative race cars on a storied racetrack such as in Virginia, which has retained its charm and character over the years, are what make the IMSA SportsCar Championship so incredibly appealing. And fans really get their money’s worth, especially with the GT classes. After a heart-stopping sprint to the finish at Road America recently, our 911 RSR was only six-tenths of a second off claiming our second win of the season. The fight for honours in Virginia will definitely be just as tough. However, this time we’re aiming for a better ending for us.”
Marco Ujhasi, Director GT Factory Motorsports: “Precision is what’s needed on the Virginia International Raceway. The drivers are advised not to stray from this beautiful, typically American racetrack onto the grass of the run-off areas, because it’s really difficult to save the cars. Normally at this time of year it’ very hot with high humidity. This makes things even more demanding for everyone. It’s not easy finding a perfect setup for this track, but we’re confident that we’re well prepared for this race.”
Sebastian Golz, Project Manager GT Customer Motorsport: “There are no paved areas next to the track. One minor error and two wheels over the white line at the Virginia International Raceway means you’ll very likely take a trip into the greens. There’s a very fine line between a fast lap time and losing traction. The 911 GT3 R won at Lime Rock and came second at Road America. Our customer teams are fully prepared to continue this series of successes in Virginia.”

Porsche 911 RSR, Porsche GT Team (912): Laurens Vanthoor, Gianmaria Bruni

Patrick Pilet (911 RSR #911): “I have fond memories of this storied racetrack deep in the heart of the America: In 2015 we celebrated a double victory there with Porsche. It’s an old school circuit with many fast curves where you can’t afford to make one mistake. If you end up on the grass, you might as well drive straight back to the pits to get the radiator cleaned. And you won’t be able to make up the time you’ve lost. I’m keen to see how our new 911 RSR performs on this demanding track.”
Dirk Werner (911 RSR #911): “In Virginia things get really serious in the fight for the championship. At this stage you can’t give away any points, otherwise you lose contact with the frontrunners for the final stage. We’ve never race the new 911 RSR in Virginia. For this reason, we’ll start with a baseline setup, which we’ll then modify from session to session. And the tyre choice on this unforgiving racetrack will also play a decisive role.”
Laurens Vanthoor (911 RSR #912): “Racing the new 911 RSR on this fantastic racetrack will definitely be great fun. I’m very much looking forward to it and to build on our good performances from Lime Rock and Elkhart Lake, where we finished second at both events. Perhaps we’ll manage to bring home our first win of the season from Virginia.”
Gianmaria Bruni (911 RSR #912): “This is a new race for me. I’ve never competed on the Virginia International Raceway, but I’ve heard a lot of positive things about this demanding racetrack from my teammates. It would be awesome if we could perform strongly there like we did recently at Lime Rock and Road America.”
Patrick Long (911 GT3 R #28): “I am looking forward to rejoining Alegra Motorsports and Daniel Morad after a successful race together at Lime Rock. We are hoping the twist-and-turn nature of VIR will complement the 911 GT3 R. This season the GTD class has been very, very competitive and we will do our best to continue forward with the momentum for the team and manufacturer championships.”
Jörg Bergmeister (911 GT3 R #73): “The Virginia International Raceway is one of the racetracks in the United States that I particularly enjoy. It’s fast and challenging and every tiny mistake costs you time. I love such tracks. The team at Park Place Motorsports were elated with our win at Lime Rock Park. I hope that this euphoria will buoy us along to clinch another podium result in Virginia.”