Porsche retains IMSA lead despite disappointing race in Indianapolis

Indianapolis, Ind. After a mediocre qualifying, Porsche Penske Motorsport had pinned its hopes on the weather, however the anticipated rain never arrived. In dry conditions, the No. 6 car at times held the lead, but was unable to fend off the relentless competition in the final third of the race. Australian Matt Campbell and Mathieu Jaminet of France ultimately finished seventh. Despite the modest result, the pair retain their championship lead as they head into the season finale at Road Atlanta on October 11. The sister car shared by Brazil’s Felipe Nasr and Englishman Nick Tandy were hampered by penalties and incidents mid-race. Unable to make up the lost lap, the No. 7 Porsche 963 wrapped up the penultimate round of the season in twelfth.

“That definitely wasn’t the result we’d hoped for,” Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport, said. “As always, our team gave their all and fought valiantly, but incidents, penalties, and, not least, suboptimal competitiveness prevented us from mounting a serious challenge for the race win. Now our focus is on the Road Atlanta finale, where we start as leaders across all championships and aim to secure the titles.”

“We knew before the race that it would be a tough challenge,” said Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh. “As announced, the race officials were stricter with enforcement. We weren’t the only team to be handed penalties. Overall, it wasn’t an ideal day. We have the same team, the same car, and the same drivers who delivered a strong start to the season. Now we head into the season finale as leaders, and we know we can do it. We’re determined to seal the deal at Road Atlanta!”

“Our No. 6 crew had a good day, while their teammates struggled,” said Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “There were penalties and several other issues, and we need to fix that. Still, we head into the Atlanta finale as championship leaders, and we can’t complain about that. We remain positive and focus on what’s ahead.”

The season-ending Petit Le Mans promises plenty of excitement: Porsche travels to the finale with a narrow seven-point lead in the manufacturers’ championship. In the drivers’ standings, Campbell and Jaminet have strengthened their commanding lead, holding a 131-point advantage over teammates Nasr and Tandy.

Factory driver Nico Müller gave a stellar performance at his comeback with the customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports. Joining forces with Dutch teammate Tijmen van der Helm, the Swiss driver took the checkered flag eighth in the Porsche 963, handing the team it’s second-best result of the season.

GT classes: Wright Motorsports’ Porsche 911 GT3 R clinches GTD podium

In the GTD Pro category, AO Racing’s “Rexy” 911 GT3 R kept fans on the edge of their seats for almost six hours. Thanks to an inspired and spirited performance, former Porsche Juniors Klaus Bachler (Austria) and Laurin Heinrich (Germany) spent large stints at the front, but several late-race contacts saw them relegated to seventh.

Customer team Wright Motorsports enjoyed a better outcome in the GTD category: the Porsche 911 shared by Americans Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer as well as Australian Tom Sargent, delivered a flawless performance to claim second place. The runner-up finish was the best finish by Wright Motorsports since a second-place finish in the season-opening round at Daytona.

Porsche leads Pilot Challenge standings into finale; Porsche Carrera Cup lead changes hands

A late cut tire left the Michelin Pilot Challenge GS class leaders from RS1, Luca Mars and Jan Heylen, relegated to a 19th place finish in Saturday’s two-hour race. Mars started on pole and led 24 laps but dropped from a podium position to a lap down in the closing stages of the race following contact. The duo hold a 100 point lead heading into the finale at Road Atlanta.

Ryan Yardley of Topp Racing rode a pair of runner-up finishes at Indianapolis to take over the Porsche Carrera Cup North America championship lead with two rounds remaining in the season. Zachary Vanier of JDX Racing captured the victory in Friday’s 40-minute race. Aaron Jeansonne won Saturday’s race to become the seventh different winner of the season, a Carrera Cup single-season record.

Driver comments after the race

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 963 #6): “If someone had told me before the weekend that we would extend our lead in the drivers’ championship, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. Obviously, we’re thrilled about that, but the race itself was frustrating. There were plenty of intense on-track battles. At times, a top-five result seemed within reach, but in the end, others benefited from a yellow phase. Now it’s on to the final round at Petit Le Mans. I’m really looking forward to it.”

Nick Tandy (Porsche 963 #7): “It was a long and tough race. Just before halfway, things were going really well. Our pace was strong, and we were running quite far up the field. The battle in the GTP class is always very close and intense. Unfortunately, things didn’t go our way after that. It’s hard to accept a result like this, but we’re moving on quickly and hope to strike back at Road Atlanta.”

Nico Müller (Porsche 963 #85): “Overall, I’m satisfied. We started the race twelfth with a package that wasn’t perfect and finished eighth. Considering that other manufacturers were better positioned in Indianapolis, that’s a solid result. It’s a great achievement for the whole team. We maintained pace, stayed in the fight, and the strategy and pit stops worked well. We got the maximum out of the race and are happy with that.”

Klaus Bachler (Porsche 911 GT3 R #77): “What a disappointing day. Unfortunately, we’re no longer in contention to defend our title. At times, things looked promising, but we had to take significant risks just to reach the leading group. In the final stages, there wasn’t a lot we could do. We were shunted from the track several times. It’s frustrating.”

Adam Adelson (Porsche 911 GT3 R #120): “It feels good, though not perfect. We always aim for the top step of the podium, that’s just who we are. It’s been a tough season so far, but today’s strong performance was rewarded with a podium. The result is another testament to the strength of our entire team.”

Full results and championship standings: https://results.imsa.com.