Another journey of discovery

The sixth out of eight rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is going to take place on November 2 on the Shanghai International Circuit.

919 Hybrid, WEC, Shanghai, 2014, Porsche AG

Once again the Porsche Team has to prepare the Porsche 919 Hybrids for an unfamiliar track. Software instead of hardware is the way it works. Computer simulation is what the team uses when adapting the current car’s hybrid strategy and set-up for different circuit profiles. However, for the final set-up work track time in the three free practice sessions in Shanghai is invaluable.

“Each track is a new challenge for our young team with the Porsche 919 Hybrid. In Fuji we managed the situation very well with an extremely steep learning curve from the first practice laps up to the race,” says Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1. “We hope we can do the same in Shanghai, which is a completely different circuit. We are pleased to have this race on the calendar, as China is such an attractive market for Porsche. We want to perform there as well as possible in comparison to our strong competition.”

GTE-Pro: Porsche pilots keen to make headway in title fight

The Porsche Manthey team – winner of the season-opener at Silverstone – is strongly represented in China’s economic powerhouse, fielding a pair of Porsche 911 RSR racers in the intensely competitive GTE-Pro class. In the manufacturers’ classification, Porsche currently ranks second. Sharing the cockpit of the No. 91 Porsche 911 RSR on the 5.451-kilometre Grand Prix circuit are works drivers Jörg Bergmeister (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria). Their French factory pilot colleagues Frédéric Makowiecki and Patrick Pilet also contest the GTE-Pro class in the 470 hp number 92 car. Two customer teams tackle the GTE-Am class: Proton Competition with Porsche junior Klaus Bachler (Austria) and Prospeed Competition, both fielding the 911 RSR.

“We performed very well in Fuji recently and the 911 RSR ran without any problems. Still, we were unable to improve our position in the championship”, summarises Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Porsche Head of Motorsport. “With just three races left, this makes the fight for the title just that much harder. We’re well prepared heading into the final phase of the season. A challenging circuit awaits us at Shanghai, but we believe that our car and our tyres will work very well together there. This makes us very confident that we can go for victory.”

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