This Week.
- Taking Shape. Porsche TAG Heuer Formula E Team Announcements Made.
- Electric Livery. Keeping the Porsche 99X Electric In the Family
- Decisive Factor. Porsche E-Performance Powertrain.
- Porsche Partners. New and Old Partners for Formula E Entry.
- Back in the Loop. Porsche Returns to Single-Seater Racing with Formula E Program.
- Remembering Ferdinand Piëch. Legendary Manger/Engineer Passes Away.
- Timing Electricity. TAG Heuer Becomes Title and Timing Partner of Porsche Formula E Team.
- One-Two. Porsche GT Team Scores Sixth Win of IMSA Season; Also Adds Second-Place at VIR.
- The World Awaits. Porsche GT Team to Open WEC Title Defense at Silverstone.
- Back to Work. Porsche Customer Teams Re-Start SRO Season in Watkins Glen.
Porsche Profile. Event Story Lines.
Unveiling Formula. TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team Unveils 99X Electric.
With the international premiere of the Porsche 99X Electric, Porsche has reached another milestone on the way to the German manufacturer’s entry in the 2019/2020 season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship. The digital community was actively involved in the unveiling of the race car as part of the live video game ‘Formula E Unlocked’ on twitch.tv/Porsche today.
Porsche full season drivers Neel Jani (Switzerland) and André Lotterer (Germany) played an active role in the presentation with gamers from around the world. They were guided through the Porsche Digital GmbH property in Ludwigsburg, Germany by specific instructions from the gaming community, first to find the Porsche 99X Electric and then to unveil it.
Highlights of the ‘Formula E Unlocked’ video game will be available at newstv.porsche.com as of August 29.
Neel Jani, Driver, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
“It was a unique car presentation unlike anything the motorsport world has ever experienced before. It was great fun joining the gamers’ search for the Porsche 99X Electric both virtually and in real life. It is great that Porsche is breaking new ground and involving the young, digital generation.”
André Lotterer, Driver, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team.
“A different kind of car premiere; I really enjoyed the fact that Neel and I acted as live players. It is fantastic that we are communicating with the digital target audience as equals and that they were able to be part of it.”
Taking Shape. Porsche TAG Heuer Formula E Team Announcements Made.
The Porsche TAG Heuer Formula E Team welcomes another member from the Porsche family. Pascal Zurlinden, Director GT Factory Motorsport since 2018, will take on a key role in Formula E in addition to his role in GT “works” racing as Director Factory Motorsport. The Frenchman has been working for Porsche at the Weissach development center since 2014, initially on the Porsche 919 hybrid LMP1 project, and in the GT sector beginning in 2017.
Pascal Zurlinden, Director Factory Motorsport.
“I’m looking forward to also being part of the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team from now on and supporting my colleagues with my experience. The Formula E concept is very interesting and is different from traditional motorsport series, a new and exciting task that I am really looking forward to. Of course, it is also great to see so many familiar faces from my time in LMP1 and to be working with the team again.”
Electric Livery. Keeping the Porsche 99X Electric In the Family
In terms of the livery design, the traditional Porsche motorsport colors were chosen for the Formula E racing car. From a bird’s-eye perspective, the Porsche emblem is clearly visible around the Halo system. As usual, the naming format is three digits, which represent Porsche racing cars and two-door sports cars. The highest number, nine, was used twice, to re-emphasize the importance of the Formula E project for Porsche, while the X stands for the forward-looking approach and prototype racing. The Porsche 99X Electric also serves as a development platform for future fully electric production models.
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Porsche Motorsport and Group Motorsport Volkswagen AG.
“Today is an important day. With the premiere of the Porsche 99X Electric, we are taking a big step towards the Porsche works entry in Formula E. I am really proud of our team, which has shown a high level of commitment to the Formula E project. Now I am looking forward to seeing the Porsche 99X Electric on the racetrack.”
Pascal Zurlinden, Director Factory Motorsport.
“Today sees the Porsche 99X Electric join the list of historic Porsche motorsport cars. The naming and the design give the car its initial character and bring it to life. It is a special day for everyone who has put a lot of work into the Porsche Formula E project in recent months.”
Decisive Factor. Porsche E-Performance Powertrain.
The development of the Porsche powertrain, the ‘Porsche E-Performance Powertrain’, has played a central role from the start. The Formula E regulations stipulate a standardized chassis and a standard battery, while the drive technologies are developed by the manufacturers. The engineers were able to make use of their LMP1 experience when developing the Porsche Formula E powertrain. With the hybrid technology, the foundations were laid for electric mobility.
The 800-volt technology used in Formula E is also used in the series production of the fully electric Porsche sports car, the Taycan. In addition, energy management and efficiency are the keys to success in both Formula E and series production. This is where the permanent synchronous motor comes into play, which has an important role in optimizing the drive concept.
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will make its first official appearance in mid-October 2019 at the Formula E test in Valencia, Spain.
Malte Huneke, Technical Project Leader Formula E.
“In hindsight, we laid the foundations for Porsche’s future involvement in Formula E during the LMP1 project. We used the insights gained during that time in the development of the Porsche Formula E powertrain. We focused on building a highly effective powertrain with the highest level of efficiency.
In recent months, we have been able to sound out the reliability of the Porsche Formula E powertrain on the racetrack and on the test bench. We are very pleased and are optimistic going into the final preparations for the first race.”
Amiel Lindesay, Head of Operations Formula E.
“In the coming weeks, we will focus on the performance of the Porsche 99X Electric. This is the next step on the road to the Porsche works entry in Formula E. Both Porsche 99X Electrics will take to the race track there for the first time, with Neel Jani and André Lotterer in the cockpit. From an operational perspective, it will be an exciting assignment for everyone involved. A good test before we contest our first Formula E race in November.”
Porsche Partners. New and Old Partners for Formula E Entry.
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team will contest its first season in the 2019/2020 ABB FIA Formula E Championship with a total of 12 partners. By entering Formula E, Porsche is also breaking new ground from a commercial perspective. This environment addresses a young, different-minded and digitally oriented target audience.
Alongside TAG Heuer, simulation software specialists ANSYS is a new corporation active internationally joining Formula E as official Technology Partner. Vodafone is also on board as Communication Partner, which sees it expand its partnership with Porsche. ExxonMobil is providing support with its Mobil brand as Technology Partner with newly developed fluids for electric drive and is closely involved in the development of the Porsche 99X Electric. The renowned fashion house from Metzingen, Hugo Boss, as global clothing partner of Porsche Motorsport, will clothe the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E team and bring the partnership to a new level both on the racetrack and in the workshop.
Lighting manufacturer TRILUX is also continuing its partnership – as official Lighting Partner of the team – and, alongside the brewery C. & A. VELTINS, will also be involved in Formula E as a long-standing partner. As Technical Partner of the team for fire-resistant racing gear and for shoes and luggage, Porsche will be kitted out by Puma, the globally active sport-lifestyle corporation from Herzogenaurach, with relevant products.
Tire manufacturer Michelin, as a long-standing Porsche Motorsport partner will also join the team in Formula E. Tool supplier Hazet, Hospitality Partner Red Bull and Helmet Partner Stilo will provide the necessary support for the team.
Carlo Wiggers, Director Team Management & Business Relations Porsche Motorsport.
“TAG Heuer has been firmly established in motorsport for many years and has already celebrated many successes with Porsche. We are really looking forward to welcoming TAG Heuer as our partner once again. In the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, we will now build on previous successes in a highly innovative environment and write the next chapter in motorsport history.
We are very proud of having many long-standing partners now on board the Formula E project. They are special partnerships that have grown over the years which is why we are even more delighted that many of them are joining us in Formula E. We welcome our new partners. We are really looking forward to our future collaboration.
This sphere allows us to explore what customers expect from vehicles and mobility in general both now and in the future, also in terms of innovative products and services.”
Back in the Loop. Porsche Returns to Single-Seater Racing with Formula E Program.
After more than 30 years, Porsche returns to single-seater racing. Entering Formula E and the accompanying restructuring of the motorsport involvement is directly tied to the 2025 Porsche strategy for e-mobility. In addition to traditional GT road-going sports cars, fully electric sports cars are also firmly anchored in the strategy. Both should be reflected in the Porsche world of motorsport in the future. A large part of the corporation’s ‘Mission E’ is also the presence and success in motorsport with race cars with electric drive. In terms of hybrid technology and thus e-drive technology, racing and production have been enriching each other at Porsche for around a decade. The technological lessons learned from the first Porsche hybrid race car, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid of 2010, went into the development of the 918 Spyder. In part, the 918 was the basis for the 919 Hybrid, which in turn influenced the development of the Porsche Formula E powertrain and the Porsche Taycan.
Remembering Ferdinand Piëch. Legendary Manager/Engineer Passes Away.
Ferdinand Piëch, former Member of the Supervisory Board of Porsche AG, passed away on August 25, 2019 at the age of 82. As the grandson of design engineer Ferdinand Porsche, a fascination for cars ran in his blood. While his influence on Porsche can still be felt at every level, Piëch is most famously recognized for his guidance of the Motorsport Department of the German marque. The principles crafted during his direction of sports car company’s formative racing years set the course by which Porsche still steers itself today.
"His love of cars and his constant desire to drive forward technical progress will never be forgotten." Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.
Piëch began his professional career in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany on April 1, 1963 as an engine-testing department employee at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche KG. After successful design of an oil cooler for the Type 904 race car and a 180 PS six-cylinder race engine, Piëch became head of the testing department in 1966. The legendary six-cylinder boxer engine of the Porsche 911 was developed to series maturity under his leadership. In 1968, Piëch was appointed Head of Development, before he assumed responsibility for the technology and external development areas in the Executive Board of Porsche KG in 1971.
Piëch placed particular importance on professionalization of the Porsche motor racing department, which achieved countless motorsport successes under his leadership. He directed Porsche motorsport engineers to create the 917K race car in 1969. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the 917 is consistently recognized as one of the most significant race cars ever produced. The first overall victory of the 917 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 – a victory earned under his leadership – represented the start of a new era for Porsche. Due to the transformation of Porsche KG into a stock corporation, and the decision that family members should no longer occupy operational management positions, Piëch left the company in 1972 like all other family representatives, joining Audi in the same year.
Piëch remained associated with Porsche as a Member of the Supervisory Board from 1981 to 2015. In 1984, Vienna Technical University awarded him an honorary doctorate in technical sciences. In 1999, 132 car journalists and industry experts from 33 countries named him “Car Manager of the Century” at the same ceremony his grandfather, Ferdinand Porsche, was named “Car Engineer of the Century.”
Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.
“The news of his death represents a very sad loss for us. Our thoughts are with Ferdinand Piëch’s family. His love of cars and his constant desire to drive forward technical progress will never be forgotten. Piëch was an automotive man through and through. We thank him for his passion and the courage with which he led Porsche to outstanding engineering achievements. Through strategic decisions, he laid the foundations for successful development of our company.”
Timing Electricity. TAG Heuer Becomes Title and Timing Partner of Porsche Formula E Team.
TAG Heuer and Porsche have entered into a long-term agreement that will see the Swiss luxury watchmaker become Title and Timing Partner of the German marques’ “works” entry in the 2019/2020 ABB FIA Formula E Championship. The two Porsche Formula E electric cars will be entered as TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team. The 2019/2020 race season, the first for the sports car manufacturer, begins November 22 – 23, 2019 in Saudi Arabia.
While the announcement formalizes a new connection between the two brands, both Porsche and TAG Heuer have a long history of shared achievements throughout their history in motor racing. For Porsche, a noteworthy highlight is the “TAG-Turbo made by Porsche” race engine which powered Formula 1 cars in the 1980s winning two World Constructors’ Championships (1984 and 1985) and three Drivers’ Championships (1984 –1986). The Swiss watchmaker, Heuer, was already involved in motorsports in the 1970s, teaming with Porsche factory driver Jo Siffert from 1966 to 1971. The pairing won a number of endurance races as well as contributed to Porsche’s 1969 World Sportscar Championship. In the 1990s, TAG Heuer became a sponsor of the Porsche Supercup and continues its role as partner for several Porsche Cups around the world today. Building on previous successes, Porsche and TAG Heuer now move toward new frontiers with their engagement in Formula E, the world’s first electric formula car racing series, which will start its sixth season in November.
One-Two. Porsche GT Team Scores Sixth Win of IMSA Season; Also Adds Second-Place at VIR.
With a one-two finish in the Michelin GT Challenge at VIR, Porsche continued its winning ways in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. As the 2019 season draws to a close, Patrick Pilet (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain) crossed the finish line as overall race winners in the No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR). The No. 912 sister car, shared by Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Earl Bamber (New Zealand) finished less than a second behind in second-place. In the GTD class for designed for Pro-Am customer GT3 programs, Pfaff Motorsports led much of the first-half of the two-hour, 40-minute race at Alton, Virginia-area track from the class pole position. Drivers Zacharie Robichon (Canada) and Scott Hargrove (Canada) would bring the No. 9 Porsche 911 GT3 R home in fourth-place, one position ahead of Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) and Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, California) in the No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Thanks to class victories at Long Beach, Mid-Ohio and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bamber/Vanthoor continue to hold the GTLM Drivers’ Championship lead with the No. 912 Porsche GT Team topping the Team Championship. The Sebring, Watkins Glen and VIR winners, Pilet and Tandy, managed to reduce the gap to their stable mates with their third win of the season. Porsche also holds a clear lead the Manufacturers’ classification with 304 points. In GTD, Robichon leads the WeatherTech Sprint Championship for races under six-hours in length by one point with one race remaining. The 2018 IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama Champion is second in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Drivers’ standings, 37 markers behind the leaders in the season-long championship.
The Monterey SportsCar Championships is the first of two remaining events in North America’s premier sports car racing series. The two-hour, 40-minute feature event on the celebrated WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will take place September 13 – 15 in Monterey, California.
"The car ran beautifully over the entire race weekend and our strategy was super." Nick Tandy, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR
Steffen Höllwarth, Program Manager IMSA SportsCar Championship.
“I’m incredibly proud of the whole program. What a great team effort. We found a good strategy for this circuit, the track suits the Porsche 911 RSR perfectly and our pit stops were again excellent. We were rewarded for this. Now we’ll enjoy and celebrate our done-two finish. On Monday, we’ll begin the meticulous work for the last two races of the year.”
Patrick Pilet, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“What a great race! Nick put in a fabulous start and we kept pushing hard over the whole distance. Our strategy worked. We’re delighted with this outstanding result for Porsche.”
Nick Tandy, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“I had a really good start. In the first corner everyone took the inside line. I braked late and managed to make up four positions by taking the outside line. That was the key to success. The car ran beautifully over the entire race weekend and our strategy was super. A great team effort.”
Earl Bamber, Driver, No. 912 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Everything ran well for us and for Porsche on the whole. Positions one and two is the perfect outcome. In the manufacturer’s classification we only have to start both races to take home overall honors. I’m very pleased with this great result for the team.”
Laurens Vanthoor, Driver, No. 911 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“You can’t do better than a one-two finish. It’s a fantastic result for the entire squad. Both Porsche 911 RSR were consistently fast over the whole weekend. Of course, Earl and I would have preferred to stand at the top of the podium, but one can’t really complain about position two.”
Zach Robichon, Driver, No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R.
“We should be very happy with fourth place this weekend. If you look at where we started the weekend, I think fourth was something we would have been happy with, and the team executed all the way through to give us the best possible chance.”
The World Awaits. Porsche GT Team to Open WEC Title Defense at Silverstone.
The new Porsche 911 RSR will celebrate its race debut at the season-opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Great Britain. The first race of the 2019/2020 season will be held September 1 at the Silverstone Circuit. The Porsche GT Team, which will tackle the WEC as the reigning LMGTE-Pro Manufacturers’ World Champion, will field two ca. 515 hp sports cars in the four-hour race. In the LMGTE-Am category, the customer teams of Team Project 1, Gulf Racing and Dempsey Proton Racing campaign a total of five of last year’s Porsche 911 RSR models.
After the nearly two-year-long WEC “Super Season” that concluded with the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans, the new WEC season kicks off in summer for the first time. The first round at Silverstone offers another specialty: The World Endurance Championship deviates from its standard format of the past with six-hour races. The duration of the race in Great Britain will now be four hours. The storied circuit in the British Midlands, with its legendary passages such as Copse, Stowe and Becketts, poses big challenges for drivers, engineers and teams. Moreover, rain is always a strong possibility in the British Isles, even in late summer. In the past two seasons, the Porsche GT Team has earned a podium result at Silverstone in the fiercely contested LMGTE-Pro class.
"Despite all the changes, there are two important constants: our two driver pairings and the team behind the mission." Alexander Stehlig, Program Manager FIA WEC
Austria’s Richard Lietz and Gianmaria Bruni from Italy enter the season in the No. 91 Porsche 911 RSR. The second Porsche 911 RSR (No. 92) is shared by World Champions Kévin Estre (France) and Michael Christensen (Denmark). After winning all world titles in the 2018/2019 Super Season, the driver pairings in the two factory cars remain unchanged for the upcoming season.
The previous year’s model with the starting number 56 fielded by the customer Team Project 1 is shared by Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy), the reigning LMGTE-Am champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner Egidio Perfetti from Norway as well as David Heinemeier Hansson (Denmark). Sharing driving duties in the No. 57 sister car is the Ben Keating (Tomball, Texas), Felipe Fraga (Brazil) and the former Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup champion Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands.
The all-British driver line-up of Ben Barker, Andrew Watson and Michael Wainwright return to the ca. 510 hp No. 86 racer run by the customer team Gulf Racing. Manning the two vehicles fielded by the German squad Dempsey-Proton Racing (Nos. 77 and 88) are the two Porsche Young Professionals Matt Campbell (Australia) and Thomas Preining (Austria) as well as team owner Christian Ried (Germany) and the Italian Riccardo Pera. With five Porsche 911 RSR race cars, the sports car manufacturer from Stuttgart, Germany is represented by the largest contingent in the LMGTE-Am category.
The new Porsche 911 RSR (2019 model year) is contesting its maiden race in Silverstone. The newest Porsche race car, which produces approximately 515 hp depending on series’ mandated air restrictor, was launched at Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2019. Compared to its extremely successful predecessor, the FIA WEC LMGTE-Pro and IMSA GTLM race car received improvements to areas such as drivability, efficiency, ergonomics and serviceability. Approximately 95 percent of the car is new. The 911 RSR is powered by a 4.2-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine.
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President Motorsport.
“During extensive tests as well as the ‘Prologue’ of the FIA WEC in Barcelona, the new Porsche 911 RSR ran without problems. We’re turning up as the world champions with a clear goal: to defend the title. The car is brand new and progress has been achieved in many areas compared to the successful predecessor. With the team and the driver crews in the two sports cars, we’re sticking with our trusty specialists. And although the tension is high amongst everyone involved in the first race of a new car – all the signs look excellent to yield more successes.”
Pascal Zurlinden, Director GT Factory Motorsport.
“There are a few innovations for the new FIA WEC season. The series starts in summer with the Silverstone event, the race distances have changed and our rivals in the GTE-Pro category have a season of experience with their vehicles under their belt. We’re at the very beginning with our new car, but we’ve managed to prepare well for the new challenges. The team, drivers and the new Porsche 911 RSR are ready for the start. We’re eager to build on the world-class performances of last season with more successes.”
Alexander Stehlig, Program Manager FIA WEC.
“The last 18 months have been very intense. Parallel to our world championship season, we conducted comprehensive tests with the new Porsche 911 RSR. For this reason, we’re all looking forward to finally tackling the first race with our new car. Despite all the changes, there are two important constants: our two driver pairings and the team behind the mission. So we’re very confident we’re following in the great footsteps of our old RSR and in doing well at the Silverstone race.”
Richard Lietz, Driver, No. 91 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Starting the new season in summer takes a bit of getting used to. This is a consequence of the FIA WEC’s so-called ‘winter calendar’. I’m pleased that, after a period of intensive testing, the time has finally come to go racing with our new Porsche 911 RSR. The competitive environment has changed for the upcoming season, but the class remains extremely competitive with excellent cars and fast, seasoned drivers. Our vehicle is new and we still have a lot to learn, but I’m hoping for a top result at the first race of the season.”
Gianmaria Bruni, Driver, No. 91 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“At the unveiling of the new Porsche 911 RSR I got goose bumps when I had the chance to drive up the hill at Goodwood in front of avid fans. Now we’ll take our new baby for its first race. I’m curious and excited to tackle my second FIA WEC season for Porsche. I have ambitious goals for me and my teammate Richard Lietz. We aim to be at the very front this season.”
Kévin Estre, Driver, No. 92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“To be able to take on the new season as world champion is a very special feeling, of course. The anticipation is huge. We’re facing a major challenge because we’re competing with a brand new vehicle. Everything ran perfectly with the tests, and the results at the Prologue looked good, too. Still, we have to wait and see where we actually stand compared to the competition. Silverstone always attracts a lot of spectators. This and the fact that it’s a terrific track make the race a lot of fun.”
Michael Christensen, Driver, No. 92 Porsche GT Team Porsche 911 RSR.
“Of course, as last year’s champions our goals are high. We want to win and claim more titles. The new Porsche 911 RSR impressed us during the tests. Now we’re all very curious to see how the vehicle performs in direct comparison to the competition. The fact that our team is strong is totally beyond question after winning the world championship. We have all the ingredients for further successes.”
Matt Campbell, Driver, No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche 911 RSR.
“I’m delighted to head into my second FIA WEC season again with Dempsey-Proton Racing. We’re a well-oiled team. We demonstrated this clearly with top results last season. Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough to bring home the title, but we aim to change that this season. We have every opportunity to win the championship in the GTE-Am class and we want to lay the foundation for this with a victory at Silverstone.”
Back to Work. Porsche Customer Teams Re-Start SRO Season in Watkins Glen.
After nearly three months away, the SRO Blancpain GT World Challenge America returns to competition this weekend at Watkins Glen International (WGI). Five Porsche customer teams bring the latest 911 GT3 R to the historic track in Watkins Glen, New York for Rounds 9 and 10 of the GT3 season on Saturday August 29 and Sunday August 30. The pair of 90-minute races on the 3.4-mile, 11-turn race course re-starts the season after a summer respite. The No. 58 Porsche Consulting Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R earned the most recent race victory at Sonoma Raceway on June 9.
Wright Motorsports enters Labor Day weekend with a pair of Porsche 911 GT3 R race cars entered. The No. 58 machine of Porsche factory driver Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) and Porsche Selected Driver Scott Hargrove (Canada) won Round 8 at Sonoma. The victory moved the 2017 GT Champions to third-place in the Team point standings with Long/Hargrove in fourth-place for the Drivers’ Championship. The Ohio-based program also brings the No. 91 Henry Repeating Arms Porsche 911 GT3 R to the Finger Lakes Region of New York. Porsche Young Professional Dennis Olsen (Norway) joins Anthony Imperato (Brooklyn, New York) in the Pro-Am class.
Alegra Motorsports will unload its twin Porsche 911 GT3 R racers at “The Glen” to challenge for its first win of 2019. The No. 22 sees a driver change from earlier in the season. Longtime Alegra driver Daniel Morad (Canada) will be teamed with Billy Johnson (Lake Worth, Florida) for the first time. Veteran Porsche pilots Wolf Henzler (Germany) and Marco Holzer (Germany) continue in the No. 24 Alegra Porsche 911 GT3 R. The teammates sit in fifth-place overall of the Drivers’ Championship coming to New York. K2R Motorsports with drivers Kevin Millstein and former Indy car driver Alex Barron will look for their first Pro-Am podium result at WGI in the No. 38 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
Porsche is in third-place of the Manufacturers’ Championship standings as competitors enter the second-half of the seven-event weekend, 14-race SRO Blancpain GT World Challenge America season. Rounds 11 and 12 of the GT3 series will be contested at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 20 – 22. The SRO World Finale will crown the series’ champions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Rounds 13 and 14 on October 18 – 20.