With the double triumph in the eighth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Porsche has extended its lead in all championship standings. The two Porsche 963 cars from Proton Competition and JDC-Miller MotorSports finished in fifth and sixth positions, respectively. In the GTD-Pro class, the Porsche customer team AO Racing defended their lead in the overall standings with a fourth-place finish.
The race
Spectators at the picturesque Road America witnessed one of the most exciting IMSA races in recent history on Sunday. After five safety car phases, the decision for the win came in a final 17-minute sprint. Porsche Penske Motorsport had performed optimal strategic work leading into this shootout, manoeuvring the two Porsche 963 cars to the front. En route to Porsche’s fourth win of the season, Mathieu Jaminet in the No. 6 car and Felipe Nasr in the No. 7 car kept their cool and fended off all attacks from strong competitors.
“Motorsport doesn’t get much better and more exciting than this. It was once again a celebration for all sports car racing fans and a beautiful double victory for our team,” exclaimes Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “With the great success at Road America, we have further improved our position in the championship and are now heading into the last two races of the year in high spirits. Many thanks to the team for the perfect strategy and to the drivers for their strong performances under very difficult conditions. My thanks also go to all the employees at the development centre in Weissach and to our fantastic partners who always support us to the maximum. A compliment also goes to our customer teams who once again put in an impressive performance at Elkhart Lake.”
On the way to the fourth win of the season for the Porsche Penske Motorsport team, both Porsche 963s experienced minor setbacks. The No. 6 car had to serve a drive-through penalty due to an early collision with a competitor, initially losing contact with the front. The sister car came in for an unscheduled pit stop shortly after the halfway mark to replace a damaged rear section. Thanks to clever tactics, the team’s strategists brought both hybrid cars to the front for the grand finale.
“We turned the tables impressively just before the end. The last few laps were not for the faint-hearted,” summarises Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh. He adds: “After a disappointing qualifying on Saturday, the conditions didn’t look promising. On race day, we rewarded ourselves for perfect work. The strategy was absolutely top-notch, and the drivers were incredibly fast and consistent. Overall, it was an amazing team effort!”
“I couldn’t have imagined such a result in my wildest dreams,” says Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “It was a wonderful day. The No. 7 car extended its lead in the championship, and Porsche’s lead in the manufacturers’ standings also increased. This race is a prime example of great teamwork: everyone gave their all for the overall project. Now we celebrate this fantastic success!”
In the manufacturers’ championship, Porsche now leads with a margin of 89 points. The No. 7 crew of Porsche Penske Motorsport is in P1 of the team standings. The two-time season winners Felipe Nasr and Dane Cameron head into the penultimate race of the season in Indianapolis as leaders in the driver standings. The duo's margin over their second-placed brand colleagues Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet is 100 points.
The customer team Proton Competition underlined their strong form after a good qualifying session on race day. In the first half of the race, works driver Gianmaria Bruni in the No. 5 car particularly shone. The Italian improved to third position at the start and even led the race behind the wheel of the German team’s Porsche 963 at times by the race’s midpoint. Proton Competition eventually finished fifth, followed by the identical car of JDC-Miller MotorSports.
AO Racing’s Porsche 911 GT3 R stays on top of the standings after fourth place
In the GTD Pro category, the AO Racing team once again maximised the potential of the Porsche 911 GT3 R. German driver Laurin Heinrich and Frenchman Julien Andlauer piloted the pink-liveried No. 77 car flawlessly over the 2:40-hour distance to finish fourth. The team thus defended their lead in the championship. The identical cars from MDK Motorsports and Wright Motorsports finished 10th and thirteenth in the GTD category.
The ninth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship takes place on 25th August at Virginia International Raceway, where only the two GT classes will compete. The top GTP category will not return until 22nd September, when a six-hour endurance race will be held for the first time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Drivers’ comments after the race
Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 963 #6): “Fortune favours the brave, as they say. That was certainly true for us today. We calculated that we could challenge for the win at the end if we saved as much fuel as possible in the second half of the race. I adhered to that. We also got lucky with the yellow flags. Had the safety car come in a lap earlier, I probably wouldn’t have made it to the finish – but it worked out perfectly. The last laps were wild, with lots of contact in the lapped traffic. It was a spectacle, but one with a perfect ending for us.”
Nick Tandy (Porsche 963 #6): “After the disappointing qualifying, we knew we had one of the slowest GTP cars at Road America. With that in mind, we went into the race on Sunday. Just over two hours later, we’re on the podium with both crews celebrating a one-two finish. It’s incredible! But that’s what the IMSA series is all about. We love it and look forward to every single race. Today’s success is a testament to the fact that we never give up and always pull together as a team.”
Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “The last laps under green were eventful, to put it mildly. When we hit the lapped GT traffic with the leading cars, it was chaotic. But we somehow survived. Today’s result is perfect for Porsche and the Porsche Penske Motorsport team. At one point, I thought it was all over: After being hit from behind by a competitor, we had to make an extra stop. After that, we just aimed to maximise our points haul. We achieved that optimally.”
Bent Viscaal (Porsche 963 #5): “We made significant progress since the previous race at Watkins Glen. Fifth place is a decent result. It was my first time at Road America this weekend, and I learned a lot – unfortunately, about handling cold tyres the hard way. I lost a lot of positions, which I regret for the team. I simply lack experience in that area. But overall, things are going quite well.”
Tijmen van der Helm (Porsche 963 #85): “Sixth place is okay. We made a few minor mistakes today. Considering that, we can be pleased with the result. We’re taking a lot of learnings and know exactly what we need to work on ahead of the next race in Indianapolis.”
Laurin Heinrich (Porsche 911 GT3 R #77): “For Julien and me, it was our first race at Road America, and it was a great experience. We had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we lacked pace compared to some of the other manufacturers’ cars. That was very clear. So, damage limitation was our priority. With smart strategy and clean driving, we achieved fourth place. Our lead in the championship has narrowed slightly, but we’re still in front – that was our main goal.”
Race results
GTP class:
1. Tandy/Jaminet (UK/F) Porsche 963 #6 62 laps
2. Cameron/Nasr (USA/BR) Porsche 963 #7 +0.390 seconds
3. R. Taylor/Albuquerque (USA/P) Acura #10 +1.150 seconds
5. Bruni/Viscaal (I/NL) Porsche 963 #5 +10.084 seconds
6. Van der Helm/Westbrook (NL/UK) Porsche 963 #85 +10.904 seconds
GTD Pro class:
1. Altoe/Serra (I/BR), Ferrari #35, 61 laps
2. Snow/Sellers (USA/USA), BMW #1, + 1,873 seconds
3. Riberas/Gunn (E/UK), Aston Martin #23, + 14,613 seconds
4. Heinrich/Andlauer (D/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #77, 1 lap down
GTD class:
1. Foley/Gallagher (USA/USA) BMW #96 60 laps
2. Iribe/Schandorff (USA/DK) McLaren #70 +1.130 seconds
3. Monk/McAleer (USA/UK) Acura #66 +7.206 seconds
10. Fjordbach/Li (DK/CHN) Porsche 911 GT3 R #86 +14.440 seconds
13. Adelson/Skeer (USA/USA) Porsche 911 GT3 R #120 14 laps down
Qualifying
The Proton Competition Porsche 963 will start from the second row into round eight of the 2024 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Italian Porsche works driver Gianmaria Bruni achieved the fourth fastest lap in qualifying at Road America. The two identical hybrid prototypes from the Porsche Penske Motorsport works team secured seventh and ninth positions. Customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports will start the 160-minute race from eighth place with another Porsche 963.
In summer conditions and air temperatures of 29 degrees Celsius, a heated 15-minute qualifying session unfolded for the best starting positions. The two Porsche 963 from the works team immediately hit the 6.515 kilometer Road America track after the green light for the session start. While Briton Nick Tandy in car number 6 patiently built up speed with each lap, his teammate Dane Cameron attacked early. This had consequences: the American slipped off the track in the spectacular "Carousel" right-hander during his fourth lap, damaging the rear of his Porsche 963. Cameron was unable to significantly move up the ranks, while Tandy improved to seventh place.
Even faster in the end was the 514 kW (699 PS) LMDh car from Proton Competition. Gianmaria "Gimmi" Bruni made maximum use of the remaining grip of his Michelin tyres on his final flying lap to jump to fourth position.
"Congratulations to our customer team Proton Competition. JDC-Miller MotorSports was also strong," summarises Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh. "Regarding our two works cars, we are not satisfied. We still have some work to do before we head into the competition. The race at Road America is relatively short at 2:40 hours, and there are few overtaking opportunities on the track in dense traffic. I hope we can still move forward significantly on Sunday."
"We are not where we want to be," concludes Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. "Our two Porsche 963 clearly lacked speed in qualifying. The gap to fourth place is small, but the gap to the absolute top is far too large. I hope for a good race. It will be very warm on race day, so tire durability will play a crucial role. We are usually good in this discipline. We want to make up positions."
GT Classes: Three Porsche 911 GT3 R will start from the far back
In the GTD Pro category, the championship-leading AO Racing team experienced a difficult qualifying. Julien Andlauer drove the "Roxy" Porsche 911 GT3 R to tenth position. The Frenchman, competing at Road America for the first time in his career, shares the pink-liveried race car with German Laurin Heinrich. Both AO Racing drivers are former Porsche Juniors. In the GTD class, the up to 416 kW (565 PS) Porsche 911 GT3 R from Wright Motorsports and MDK Motorsports secured twelfth and fourteenth starting positions.
The eighth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (USA) starts on Sunday, August 4, at 14:10 local time (21:10 CEST). Outside North America, IMSA.TV will broadcast the race live and free of charge for the entire 2:40-hour duration.
Drivers’ comments after qualifying
Nick Tandy (Porsche 963 #6): “We are unhappy with our starting positions. There were numerous cars within a narrow time corridor. This highlights how fiercely contested the GTP class is. That's great because we all want a close competition. We are only in seventh place. Nevertheless, the 963 drives really well. We made noticeable progress since practice. Our Porsche should be more competitive in the race than over a single fast lap in qualifying. This gives us a positive and hopeful outlook for Sunday.”
Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 963 #5): “We started our adventure with the Porsche 963 exactly one year ago at Road America. This is the first time we are returning to a track with our car and can build on our experiences. This is clearly evident. I very much hope that we will see this not just today but consistently until the end of the season.”
Richard Westbrook (Porsche 963 #85): “I haven't competed in a qualifying for a very long time – if I recall correctly, it was with JDC-Miller MotorSports in 2022. Unfortunately, I got caught in the slipstream of Gimmi Bruni's 963. No blame on him. It cost some time, but that's how it is. The disappointing result shows that the Porsche may not be the fastest car this weekend. We have to deal with that and make the best of it.”
Julien Andlauer (Porsche 911 GT3 R #77): “Regarding the car's behaviour, our 911 GT3 R was much better in qualifying than in the practice sessions. The performance over a single fast lap was not impressive, but it really counts on race day. With good strategy and consistent driving, we can certainly move up significantly.”
Qualifying results:
GTP class:
1. R. Taylor/Albuquerque (USA/P), Acura #10, 1:48.610 minutes
2. J. Taylor/Deletraz (USA/CH), Acura #40, + 0.262 seconds
3. Van der Zande/Bourdais (NL/F), Cadillac #01, + 0.319 seconds
4. Bruni/Viscaal (I/NL), Porsche 963 #5, + 0.791 seconds
7. Tandy/Jaminet (UK/F), Porsche 963 #6, + 0.864 seconds
8. Van der Helm/Westbrook (NL/UK), Porsche 963 #85, + 1.144 seconds
9. Cameron/Nasr (USA/BR), Porsche 963 #7, + 1.375 seconds
GTD Pro class:
1. Milner/Catsburg (USA/NL), Corvette #4, 2:02.198 minutes
2. Garcia/Sims (E/UK), Corvette #3, + 0.194 seconds
3. Serra/Altoe (BR/I), Ferrari #35, + 0.531 seconds
10. Andlauer/Heinrich (F/D), Porsche 911 GT3 R #77, + 1.390 seconds
GTD class:
1. Grenier/Koch (CDN/USA), Mercedes-AMG #32, 2:03.634 seconds
2. De Angelis/Robichon (CDN/CDN), Aston Martin #27, + 0.130 seconds
3. Triarsi/Rovera (USA/I), Ferrari #023, + 0.207 seconds
12. Adelson/Skeer (USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R #120, + 1.560 seconds
14. Fjordbach/Li (DK/CHN), Porsche 911 GT3 R #86, + 2.875 seconds
Preview
In the eighth race of the season, the team again fields two hybrid prototypes in the top GTP class. The Proton Competition and JDC-Miller MotorSports customer squads will run two more Porsche 963 from Weissach. Three partner teams will contest the two GT classes with one Porsche 911 GT3 R each.
Porsche Penske Motorsport returns to Road America with great memories. In 2023, the works team clinched a lights-to-flag victory on the picturesque racetrack in Elkhart Lake. Thus, expectations are high as they head to round eight in North America. Porsche currently leads the manufacturers' championship. In the team standings, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 7 crew occupies the top spot. Factory drivers Dane Cameron from the USA and Felipe Nasr from Brazil rank first in the drivers’ championship, with their Porsche colleagues Nick Tandy (Great Britain) and Mathieu Jaminet (France) in third place.
“We have great memories of last year. In July 2023, we took a commanding lights-to-flag win at Road America. That was the second victory for the Porsche 963 and the first for the No. 7 crew. We’re eager to repeat such a result,” explains Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh. "We’re now turning onto the home straight of the season and leading all classifications with three races still to go. We want to hold our position and extend our lead over the competition with another win. After our recent victory in Watkins Glen, the whole team is in high spirits.”
“In 2023, Road America represented an important turning point in our development as a team. We now want to continue this upward trajectory that has allowed us to lead the championship since the start of the season,” explains Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “With three races left on the 2024 calendar, the team is focused on maintaining the level of performance and execution that we have displayed to date. The competition is still fierce, and our competitors are pushing us. After a well-deserved summer break, we’re excited to get back to the racetrack and battle it out to the end of the season.”
The Proton Competition customer squad returns to the venue of its GTP debut. In 2023, the German outfit fielded a Porsche 963 in the IMSA series for the first time at Road America. Next weekend, Porsche works driver Gianmaria Bruni from Italy will share the cockpit of the No. 5 car with 24-year-old Dutchman Bent Viscaal. Richard Westbrook from Great Britain and Tijmen van der Helm from the Netherlands will take turns at the wheel of the identical No. 85 entry from JDC-Miller MotorSports.
In the GTD Pro category, the AO Racing customer team with the former Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich from Germany is determined to take another step in the bid of the title. After winning Laguna Seca and Detroit, the team now tackles Road America with its pink No. 77 Porsche 911 GT3 R dubbed “Roxy”. AO Racing’s drivers currently rank first in the GTD-Pro drivers’ championship with Porsche leading the manufacturers’ championship. In the GTD class, MDK Motorsports and Wright Motorsports field two ca. 416 kW (565 PS) 911.
The race
Road America near Elkhart Lake in the US state of Wisconsin is a favourite among many drivers. The 6.515-kilometre circuit featuring 14 turns blends perfectly into the parklike landscape. The undulating course offers several overtaking opportunities and daunting passages – one of which is the so-called “kink” on the back straight, an extremely fast right-hander with minimal run-off zones. The venue, which lies around 25 kilometres west of Lake Michigan, was opened in 1955.
For the 2023 season, the racetrack was resurfaced, which further increased the already high average speeds of up to 215 km/h (2022 DPi class qualifying). In last year’s qualifying session, Porsche works driver Matt Campbell from Australia lapped the circuit with an average of well over 217 km/h. This makes Road America the second fastest track on the IMSA calendar after Daytona’s oval and infield combination.
Live stream of the race
Outside the USA and Canada, the race will be broadcast live over the full distance in a free stream on imsa.tv. The website scoring.imsa.com offers live timing. Round eight of the season gets underway on Sunday, 4 August at 14:10 am local time (20:10 pm CEST).
Drivers’ comments ahead of the race
Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 963 #6): “We’ve had more than a month off since the last race in Watkins Glen so it’s high time we got back into the car. We want to continue our success streak in the IMSA championship. I particularly enjoy coming to Road America, the track’s great fun. There’s a lot of slower traffic to overtake so tactics play a key role. If we get through unscathed, we can achieve a good result. We want to keep the team on track for the title.”
Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “After the long summer break in the IMSA series, I’m thrilled to be finally racing again at Road America. The venue is one of my absolute favourites. The circuit features wonderfully fast and flowing corners. In 2023, we clinched our first victory there with our number 7 car. Dane Cameron and I are always focussed on maximising our chances. We’ll stick to this approach. Consistency is the most important factor in the fight for the championship.”
Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 963 #5): “Racing at Road America is always a highlight because everyone loves the track layout. The course is a big challenge, especially in a fast prototype. However, I’m holding my expectations for the race in check because, unlike many other teams, our team has never tested there. Our priority is to make up for this drawback. It’ll be tough.”
Richard Westbrook (Porsche 963 #85): “Road America is the closest racetrack to our team headquarters in Minneapolis, which makes it JDC-Miller MotorSports’ home race. We’re expecting huge support from fans and many of our sponsors will be there too. This fantastic track has a bit of everything: fast and challenging corners like the ‘Carousel’ or ‘Kink’ as well as long straights and narrow passages. We performed very strongly there with our Porsche 963 last year and I expect us to be up the front again this year. We’re aiming for a top result.”
Laurin Heinrich (Porsche 911 GT3 R #77): “Elkhart Lake is a completely new track for me – just like Canada’s Mosport, which was exclusively for GT racing. I’m super excited because heaps of drivers rave about the track. We’ve consistently made the most of our chances recently and extended our championship lead. We’ve built a small advantage, but this doesn’t mean much in the IMSA series due to the points system. It’s close. Everyone in the team is full on the gas at all times!”
An overview of the drivers and teams
GTP class (Porsche 963)
Proton Competition #5: Gianmaria Bruni (I) / Bent Viscaal (NL)
Porsche Penske Motorsport #6: Mathieu Jaminet (F) / Nick Tandy (UK)
Porsche Penske Motorsport #7: Dane Cameron (USA) / Felipe Nasr (BR)
JDC-Miller MotorSports #85: Tijmen van der Helm (NL) / Richard Westbrook (UK)
GTD-Pro class (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
AO Racing #77: Laurin Heinrich (D) / Julien Andlauer (F)
GTD class (Porsche 911 GT3 R)
MDK Motorsports (#86); Anders Fjordbach (DK) / Kerong Li (CHN)
Wright Motorsports (#120): Adam Adelson (USA) / Elliott Skeer (USA)
The schedule (local time, CEST -6 hours)
Friday, 2 August
13:55 – 15:25 hrs: Free practice 1
Saturday, 3 August
09:55 – 11:25 hrs: Free practice 2
16:20 – 16:35 hrs: Qualifying GTD-Pro / GTD
17:10 – 17:25 hrs: Qualifying GTP
Sunday, 4 August
14:10 – 16:50 hrs: Race
