Comments before the IMSA Weathertech Race in Alton (Virginia)
Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars: “With the race in Virginia we turn onto the finish straight of a gripping and hotly contested IMSA SportsCar Championship season. Although it looks as if we’re out of contention for the title, we are determined to underline the potential of our 911 RSR with a strong performance. After our victories at Sebring and Mid-Ohio, our aim is to bring home our third victory of the season with our 911 RSR.”
Pascal Zurlinden, Director GT Factory Motorsport: “The Virginia International Raceway is a circuit that demands a great deal of precision from the drivers. The tiniest error usually ends up in the grass. The team will do its utmost to again find the perfect setup for our 911 RSR for this race. The conditions aren’t easy for all competitors, not least due to the heat and high humidity we’re expecting.”
Sebastian Golz, Project Manager 911 GT3 R: “After securing the second pole position and the first victory for the 911 GT3 R in the USA, our customer team Wright Motorsports is well prepared to continue the series of successes on the Virginia International Raceway. However, this typical American racetrack has its quirks. For the drivers there’s a very fine line between a fast lap time and losing traction.”
Patrick Pilet (911 RSR #911): “Racing in Virginia is always great fun. The track is very fast and demanding – a real challenge. The fact that we’re going for overall victory gives us an additional boost. In 2015 we scored a double victory here with Porsche and I hope we’ll be amongst the frontrunners again this year. But to do this, everything has to come together perfectly because with all the fast corners you can’t afford to make the slightest mistake. A trip onto the greens turns your car into a lawnmower and by the time your pit crew has removed all the grass from the radiator the race will be over.”
Nick Tandy (911 RSR #911): “I’m really looking forward to this race. Virginia is a beautiful region with a lot of forests. It reminds a little of the region where I live in the UK. The circuit has a lot of fast corners and this should really suit our 911 RSR. I have fond memories of our victory here three years ago. It’s always especially motivating to return to a racetrack where you’ve won before.”
Laurens Vanthoor (911 RSR #912): “Virginia is the third to last race of the season. It’s crazy how fast time flies. The circuit is in the middle of nowhere and it’s very special because it doesn’t leave any room for error. If you don’t watch out, you end up on the grass and heading for the forest. You can never regain the time you lose. It’s a cool racetrack that should suit our 911 RSR well.”
Earl Bamber (911 RSR #912): “Virginia marks the critical phase of the championship. From this point on we can’t afford to give away any more points. We’re bracing ourselves for a very close and tough fight. The track is fascinating and it’s always been good turf for Porsche. At my last race there in 2015 I climbed the podium in second place. On the home straight of the season, we want to grab every chance to score the odd victory with the 911 RSR.”
Patrick Long (911 GT3 R #58): “Traditionally, Virginia has a lot of sports car fans. I hope we can offer them an exciting race. The Virginia International Raceway is technically very demanding and it requires a perfect setup. Strategy also plays an important role here because compared to other racetracks there are usually less safety car phases due to the many run-off areas. Our first win of the season gave the entire team a real boost. We now want to make the most of this excitement to bring home another top result.”
Christina Nielsen (911 GT3 R #58): “You drive a fine line on the Virginia International Raceway. If you stray from the racing line it gets extremely slippery. You have to carefully weigh up the risks you’re willing to take; if it’s too much you end up on the grass. That costs time. But if you hold back too much, you’ll be left behind. On this track you have to get it all exactly right.”
This is the IMSA SportsCar Championship
The IMSA SportsCar Championship, a sports car race series contested in the USA and Canada, was run in 2014 for the first time. The series was formed from the merger of the American Le Mans Series and the Grand-Am Series. Sports prototypes and sports cars start in three different classes: GTLM (GT Le Mans), GTD (GT Daytona) and P (Prototype). The Porsche 911 RSR runs in the GTLM class, with the Porsche 911 GT3 R contesting the GTD class.
