Porsche built the vehicle for GT3 series worldwide based on the 911 GT3 RS production sports car and celebrated its race debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January with the new ultra-modern four-litre flat-six engine with direct fuel injection. The first victory in the IMSA SportsCar Championship came at Laguna Seca in May. The drivers of the 911 GT3 R fielded by Porsche’s American customer team Seattle/Alex Job Racing at Watkins Glen were the Laguna Seca winners Mario Farnbacher (Germany), Ian James (Great Britain) as well as the former Porsche Junior Alex Riberas (Spain). In the manufacturers’ classification of the GTD class, Porsche is tied for the lead with Ferrari.
In the strongest supported GTLM class with five automobile manufacturers, the two 911 RSR run by the Porsche North America factory squad finished the traditional six-hour race in positions nine and ten. Crewing the racers were Patrick Pilet (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain), the winners of the Long Beach race, as well as Earl Bamber (New Zealand) and Frédéric Makowiecki (France). In the manufacturers’ championship, Porsche as the defending champions still rank second.
Race quotes
GTD
Alex Riberas (911 GT3 R #23): “That was a very eventful race for us. Had we not got a puncture in the final phase of the race we would have had a good chance to clinch our second win of the season. But this podium earns us vital points towards the championship. As long as we bring a trophy home from every race we won’t complain.”
Mario Farnbacher (911 GT3 R #23): “We can be very pleased with this result. Those are important points for the championship. Our goal is to stand at the very top at the end of the season.”
Ian James (911 GT3 R #23): “It was a great race. We managed to lead every so often, but we’re still pleased with this third place. Every day that ends on the podium is a good day.”
GTLM
Steffen Höllwarth, Program Manager IMSA SportsCar Championship: “The gap to the top was big already in qualifying. Although we improved in the race, we didn’t manage to close that gap. Still, a big compliment to the team and the drivers who did their very best under difficult circumstances. With perfect pit stops we constantly managed to make up positions. For this reason we don’t need to stick our heads in the sand. In a week we’ll be tackling the next race in Canada and that’s what we’ll be concentrating on now.”
Nick Tandy (911 RSR #911): “It was a tough weekend, but the team worked together brilliantly. This makes me optimistic for the future. I’m confident that the next races will not all go like this one.”
Patrick Pilet (911 RSR #911): “That was very probably my toughest race in the USA by now. We fought and again we had a sensational crew of which I’m proud. We will now do everything so that things go better for us next week in Canada.”
Frédéric Makowiecki (911 RSR #912): “The whole team was very focused on working together. Unfortunately they weren’t rewarded for this with a better result. But we won’t give up. We’re still within striking distance of the championship.”
Earl Bamber (911 RSR #912): “The team worked really well and tried everything to prepare the 911 RSR perfectly for the race. Our pit stops were sensational. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough for a better result.”
Race result
GTLM class
1. Briscoe/Westbrook (AUS/GB), Ford GT, 190 laps
2. Hand/Müller (USA/D), Ford GT, 190
3. Auberlen/Werner (USA/D), BMW M6, 190
4. Gavin/Milner (GB/USA) Chevrolet Corvette, 190
5. Pier Guidi/Serra (I/BRA), Ferrari 488 GTE, 190
6. Fisichella/Vilander (I/SF), Ferrari 488 GTE, 190
9. Pilet/Tandy (F/GB), Porsche 911 RSR, 190
10. Bamber/Makowiecki (NZ/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 190
GTD class
1. Nielsen/Balzan/Segal (DK/I/USA), Ferrari 488 GT3, 185 laps
2. Lally/Potter (USA/USA), Audi R8, 185
3. Riberas/Farnbacher/James (E/D/GB), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 185
4. Bleekemolen/Keating (NL/USA), Dodge Viper, 184
5. MacNeil/Keen/Jeannette (USA/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 184
7. Pappas/Pilgrim/Catsburg (USA/USA/NL), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 184
8. Bergmeister/Lindsey/MacMurry (D/USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R, 173
Points’ standings in the GTLM class after 5 of 11 races
Drivers
1. Millner, Gavin, Corvette, 159 points
2. Briscoe, Westbrook, Ford, 151
3. Auberlen, Werner, BMW, 141
4. Bamber, Makowiecki, Porsche, 140
4. Serra, Ferrari, 140
5. Fisichella, Vilander, Ferrari, 139
6. Garcia, Magnussen, Chevrolet, 133
7. Hand, Müller, Ford, 132
8. Pilet, Tandy, Porsche, 129
9. Edwards, Luhr, BMW, 115
Manufacturers
1. Chevrolet, 160 points
2. Porsche, 153
3. Ford, 150
4. Ferrari, 148
5. BMW, 144
Teams
1. #4 Corvette Racing, 159 points
2. #67 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 151
3. #25 BMW Team RLL, 141
4. #912 Porsche North America, 140
4. #68 Scuderia Corsa, 140
5. #62 Risi Competizione, 139
6. #3 Corvette Racing, 133
7. #66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing, 132
8. #911 Porsche North America, 129
9. #100 BMW Team RLL, 115
Info
Round six of the IMSA SportsCar Championship will be contested on 10 July in the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park at Bowmanville/Canada.
This is the IMSA SportsCar Championship
The IMSA SportsCar Championship is a sports car race series contested in the USA and Canada, which 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 four different classes: GTLM (GT Le Mans), GTD (GT Daytona), P (Prototype) and PC (Prototype Challenge). The Porsche 911 RSR runs in the GTLM class, with the new Porsche 911 GT3 R contesting the GTD class.
Consumption data
911 GT3 R: Combined fuel consumption 12.4 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions: 289 g/km
911 GT3 RS: Combined fuel consumption 12.7 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions: 296 g/km
