Podium for Porsche Penske Motorsport, victory in the GTD class

Race

Nick Tandy and Mathieu Jaminet were successful in defending their lead in the drivers’ championship. In the two consecutive IMSA races in California, the British-French works driver duo earned more points than any other driver pairing: They followed up their victory in Long Beach with second place in Laguna Seca. In the manufacturers’ classification, Porsche has advanced to second place. Porsche Penske Motorsport also ranks second in the team championship. On the way to scoring a podium result on the track close to the harbour of Monterey at the Pacific, the works squad had to overcome numerous hurdles. 

In sunshine and cool temperatures, the two hybrid prototypes fielded by Porsche Penske Motorsport tackled the race over 2:40 hours from the first grid row. The first setback came right after the start: Matt Campbell missed the braking point at the wheel of the No. 7 pole-setting car and fell back to sixth place. His teammate Jaminet dropped to third place in the early stages of the race. After 20 minutes, misfortune returned for Campbell. After making contact with a GT car, the Australian was handed a drive-through penalty, which relegated him to the back of the GTP field. During a full course yellow, he handed the No. 7 car to his teammate Felipe Nasr. Bad luck also plagued the Brazilian. After a restart, he slid off the track and crashed into the barriers with the 500+ kW (680 PS) prototype. The repairs cost him eight laps to the top. As a result, Campbell/Nasr were out of contention. 

Meanwhile, from the halfway point in the race, the sister car of the Long Beach winners ploughed its way up the order. Nick Tandy gave an impressive performance putting in a spirited drive, particularly during the last stint. In the final phase, the UK driver and 2015 outright Le Mans winner with Porsche attempted some bold overtaking moves, which catapulted him from fourth to second place with 20 minutes remaining. At the flag, the No. 6 car was just 3.882 seconds shy of clinching its second victory of the season. 

“We had both cars on the front grid row. So, second place in the race is not what we had hoped for,” says Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh, summing up the situation. “We fought our way back well with car number 6. We need to learn from the things that happened to us today with the sister car. The team did a great job. Our strategy was promising. We did well at Laguna Seca this weekend. Our success is thanks to consistent progress. The Porsche Penske Motorsport crews on both sides of the Atlantic and all the employees at the Development Centre in Weissach played a part in this. It was also great to see how JDC-Miller MotorSports performed at its first outing with the Porsche 963. The team is learning rapidly and making good progress. Congratulations as well to Porsche’s successful GT customer teams.”

JDC-Miller MotorSports’ Porsche 963 wraps up its strong debut in seventh

The Porsche 963 campaigned by the customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports made a convincing debut in the GTP class. The American squad arrived in Laguna Seca without a single kilometre of testing and experienced a steep learning curve during the weekend in California. The 19-year-old Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm and the seasoned specialist from Germany Mike Rockenfeller gained momentum as the race progressed and ultimately finished in a respectable seventh place with the No. 5 car. “That was eventful. We learned a lot about the car, the tyres, the brakes and much more,” says team co-owner John Church. “We’re not yet matching the pace of the competition but we’ve steadily improved. We made it over the distance and there’s not a single scratch on the car.”

Porsche 911 GT3 R wins the GTD class, Pfaff Motorsports finishes on podium

Porsche’s customer teams took full advantage of the new 911 GT3 R’s strengths in Laguna Seca. In the GTD class, amateur driver Alan Metni and the talented youngster Kay van Berlo drove to victory. The Dutchman, who is supported by Porsche Motorsport North America, laid the foundation for his win with the No. 91 car in the final stint. At the same time, the former Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer achieved third place in the sister car fielded by Kellymoss with Riley. The Frenchman shared the cockpit with Alec Udell from America. Wright Motorsports’s No. 77 entry finished sixth, with AO Racing’s 911 GT3 R “Rexy” decked out in a dinosaur livery crossing the finish line in eleventh place. In the GTD-Pro category, Pfaff Motorsports once again demonstrated its prowess. Despite receiving two penalties, Austria’s Klaus Bachler and Frenchman Patrick Pilet worked their way up to third place. 

Porsche Penske Motorsport gains ground in the overall classification of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In the manufacturer and team championship, Porsche ranks second. In the drivers’ classification, Mathieu Jaminet and Nick Tandy have now built a 25-point advantage over their closest rivals. Round five of the North American IMSA series will be contested on 25 June at Watkins Glen in the US state of New York. Two weeks before that, the Porsche Penske Motorsport works squad will field three Porsche 963 at Le Mans sporting an anniversary livery on the occasion of the 75th celebration of the Stuttgart sports car brand. On 10/11 June, the 24-hour classic celebrates its 100th anniversary. 

Drivers’ comments after the race

Nick Tandy (Porsche 963 #6): “It was an exciting race; I thoroughly enjoyed it and we scored a lot of points. It was interesting that the different GTP cars had very different paces after the restarts. That made for some spectacular action. I would’ve preferred a more uneventful race, but it was still a lot of fun. We got the most out of it. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about, because we certainly won’t be able to win every race. Now we’ve been on the podium three times in four races – that’s something to be proud of!”

Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “Obviously, that wasn’t what we had hoped for. Our number 7 crew deserved better. We had the pace to fight for victory. That was obvious in the qualifying and race. I’m sorry that I crashed. After the restart, I saw the chance to grab two positions at once. I gave it everything, the rear of my car got away from me - that was it. I had no chance of catching the car. Now I’m looking ahead to Le Mans and the next IMSA race at Watkins Glen.”

Mike Rockenfeller (Porsche 963 #5): “Our first outing with the Porsche 963 went really well. The car wasn’t easy to drive, but I’m sure everyone struggled with a lack of grip. Seventh place is obviously not our goal. We want to get on the podium, but we also have to be realistic. We learned a lot. For example, I experimented with the brake balance during the race. It feels like there are 500 different configuration options. You first have to try them all out. Jokes aside, it was a good start for us. Thanks to the team, they worked very well.”

Patrick Pilet (Porsche 911 GT3 R #9): “First, we were given a 60-second penalty, then another drive-through penalty - all in all, it wasn’t easy. Nevertheless, we didn't give up. The team did everything right strategically and got us back into the leading group. At one point I thought we might even have a chance of winning, but then the tyres deteriorated surprisingly quickly. Overall, we’re satisfied, although we weren’t quite as fast as we’d have liked. We’ll continue to work on improvements.”

Kay van Berlo (Porsche 911 GT3 R #91): “What a great day for our team! After the difficult first races of the season, we never gave up and kept working hard on improving. We reaped the rewards here. My teammate Alan drove a first-class race and I was able to wrap up the success in the end. The Porsche 911 GT3 R was great to drive today. It was an absolute pleasure. I’m so happy that our team finally achieved such a strong result with first and third place.”

Julien Andlauer (Porsche 911 GT3 R #92): “After the difficulties we’ve had since the start of the season at Daytona, this result feels great. We were very strong throughout the weekend; the car ran perfectly. Of course, I would have liked to be at the top of the podium, but the sister car was a touch better. My colleagues deserve this victory. I’m delighted for our team Kellymoss with Riley, who worked incredibly hard for this success.”

Race result

GTP class:
1. Bourdais/van der Zande (F/NL), Cadillac #01, 102 laps
2. Tandy/Jaminet (UK/F), Porsche 963 #6, 102 laps
3. Derani/Sims (BR/UK), Cadillac #31, 102 laps
7. Rockenfeller/van der Helm (D/NL), Porsche 963 #5, 102 laps
9. Campbell/Nasr (AUS/BR), Porsche 963 #7, 94 laps

GTD-Pro class:
1. Juncadella/Gounon (E/F), Mercedes-AMG #79, 97 laps
2. Hawksworth/Barnicoat (UK/UK), Lexus #14, 97 laps
3. Bachler/Pilet (A/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #9, 97 laps

GTD class:
1. Metni/van Berlo (USA/NL), Porsche 911 GT3 R #91, 97 laps
2. Auberlen/Hull (USA/USA), BMW #97, 97 laps
3. Udell/Andlauer (USA/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #92, 97 laps
6. Brynjolfsson/Hindman (USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R #77, 97 laps
11. Jeannette/Priaulx (USA/UK), Porsche 911 GT3 R #80, 97 laps

Qualifying

On the back of the first-ever win for the Porsche 963 at the previous round in Long Beach, the new hybrid prototype from Weissach has now notched up its first pole position: in qualifying at Laguna Seca, factory driver Matt Campbell dominated the qualifying in Laguna Seca at the wheel of the No. 7 car fielded by Porsche Penske Motorsport followed closely by his brand colleague Mathieu Jaminet. For the race, the Australian, who topped the time sheets in both practice sessions, shares the cockpit of the vehicle with Felipe Nasr from Brazil. Jaminet shares driving duties in the No. 6 car with Nick Tandy from the UK. In the GTD-Pro class, Klaus Bachler secured the best grid position in Pfaff Motorsports’ Porsche 911 GT3 R. Alec Udell from the USA achieved the same in the GTD category in the identical model campaigned by Kellymoss with Riley.

One manufacturer clinches three pole positions in three different vehicle categories on a single day – something unprecedented in the history of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In sunshine and temperatures just above 20 degrees Celsius, the two Porsche 963 fielded by Porsche Penske Motorsport left no doubts about their strength during the 20-minute qualifying session. After setting the fastest times in the top GTP class in the two previous practice sessions on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, Matt Campbell promptly appeared at the top of the timesheet halfway through the qualifying session. With about four minutes remaining on the clock, his brand colleague Jaminet replaced the Australian at the top, only for Campbell to reclaim it shortly afterwards. His advantage at the end: 0.090 seconds. Both of the works team’s Porsche 963 will tackle round four of the North American IMSA championship from the first grid row. Tijmen van der Helm from the Netherlands planted the vehicle of the new customer squad JDC-Miller MotorSports on P9. 

“A great result,” says a pleased Urs Kuratle, Director Factory Motorsport LMDh. “After the strong performance in the sessions on Friday and Saturday afternoon, we’d expected a decent qualifying result – but first and second place? No way. This result shows that we’re taking good steps in the right direction. I also see that our new customer team JDC-Miller MotorSports is on a positive learning curve. Things are looking good there too. Our data gives us hope for race day. We’re looking forward to it. Congratulations as well to our customer teams in the two GT classes. Three poles for Porsche in one day – that’s a dream.” 

“We’d already underlined our strong form in the practice sessions. It’s fantastic that we turned this into a strong qualifying result,” concludes Jonathan Diuguid. The Managing Director of Porsche Penske Motorsport adds: “Despite our recent victory at Long Beach, the team has worked systematically and intensely on improving. We achieved maximum progress on all fronts. Our colleagues from the FIA WEC also contributed significantly to this, for example during tests. As a result, we’ve made good progress, especially in the areas of software and systems. I’m delighted for the whole team. Hopefully, we can follow up with another victory tomorrow.”

Porsche 963 of JDC-Miller MotorSports starts from P9

The bright yellow Porsche 963 fielded by the JDC-Miller Motorsports customer team contested the official sessions of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for the first time. While the experienced German Mike Rockenfeller turned most of the practice laps, it was 19-year-old Tijmen van der Helm who tackled the qualifying session in the No. 5 car. Over the 20-minute hunt for top times, the youngster improved from lap to lap and gained important insights ahead of the team’s first race in the top GTP class. 

Porsche 911 GT3 R tackle both GT classes from pole position

Porsche’s customer teams contesting the two GT classes of the IMSA series rounded off a banner day for Porsche Motorsport. Austria’s Klaus Bachler clinched pole position in the GTD-Pro class at the wheel of Pfaff Motorsports’ Porsche 911 GT3 R. In the race, Bachler shares the cockpit of the No. 9 car with Frenchman Patrick Pilet. In the GTD category, the amateur driver Alec Udell gave an impressive performance. Surprisingly, the American out-qualified professional drivers from rival manufacturers and teams and secured the first pole for Kellymoss with Riley in the IMSA series. AO Racing’s 911 with the nickname “Rexy” starts from the third grid spot. The No. 91 entry of Kellymoss with Riley achieved ninth, with Wright Motorsports’ car on P15.

Round four of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is contested over 2:40 hours. The event on the famous Laguna Seca Raceway gets underway on Sunday at 12:10 pm local time (21:10 CEST).

Qualifying quotes

Matt Campbell (Porsche 963 #7): “Finally, the first pole position for the new Porsche 963! We’ve made noticeable progress since the race weekend in Long Beach. That was immediately evident at Laguna Seca. We were fastest in both practice sessions and now we’ve underlined that in qualifying as well. Overtaking is very difficult on this track. So, it’s all the more important that we’re starting from the front row with both cars. Strategy will be a decisive factor in the race. I hope we can stay at the very front.”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 963 #6): “A perfect day for Porsche and our factory team: the first pole - and then both cars at the front of the grid. Second place is a good result for me. We made a few small adjustments to the setup before qualifying. That paid off. Our car was really nice to drive. I made a minor mistake on my flying lap. That happens sometimes. Nevertheless, it’s been and will continue to be an excellent Saturday for all of us. I’m thrilled for my colleague Matt, who scored the first pole position for the Porsche 963.”

Tijmen van der Helm (Porsche 963 #5): “We made further progress in qualifying with what is a completely new car for us. We’re continuing to learn and improve. The qualifying result was less important to us. Now we’re looking at all the data and implementing further improvements to our Porsche 963 for race day. I’m feeling confident.”

Klaus Bachler (Porsche 911 GT3 R #9): “This is insane! It's my very first time at Laguna Seca and I’ve clinched my first pole in the IMSA series on this difficult track of all places – that’s incredible. Today is a day I certainly won’t forget in a hurry. We’ve worked hard and systematically developed our Porsche 911 GT3 R. Tomorrow, there are big trophies to be won. We’re hungry for the class win.”

Alec Udell (Porsche 911 GT3 R #92): “This car is just great. We worked on the details during practice. It didn’t take much at all to set it up optimally. Of course, I’m extremely pleased with the result! Working with my teammate Julien Andlauer is fantastic. Our entire team is doing a mega job. Some of our colleagues already arrived a week ago to prepare our Porsche 911 GT3 R perfectly - a dream!”

Qualifying result

GTP class:
1. Campbell/Nasr (AUS/BR), Porsche 963 #7, 1:14.774 minutes
2. Tandy/Jaminet (UK/F), Porsche 963 #6, 1:14.864 minutes
3. Blomqvist/Braun (UK/USA), Acura #60, 1:14.979 minutes

GTD-Pro class:
1. Bachler/Pilet (A/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #9, 1:24.529 minutes
2. Gunn/Riberas (UK/E), Aston Martin #23, 1:24.654 minutes
3. Jundadella/Gounon (E/F), Mercedes-AMG #79, 1:24.706 minutes

GTD class:
1. Udell/Andlauer (USA/F), Porsche 911 GT3 R #92, 1:24.539 minutes
2. Sörensen/de Angelis (DK/CDN), Aston Martin #27, 1:24.647 minutes
3. Jeannette/Priaulx (USA/UK), Porsche 911 GT3 R #80, 1:25.005 minutes
9. Metni/van Berlo (USA/NL), Porsche 911 GT3 R #91, 1:25.601 minutes
15. Brynjolfsson/Hindman (USA/USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R #77, 1:26.365 minutes

Preview

The Porsche Penske Motorsport works team is keen to continue its upward trend in North America with the two Porsche 963. After its victory at Long Beach in mid-April, the factory squad is now eager to climb the podium again at round four of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The customer team JDC-Miller Motorsports fields a Porsche 963 in the top GTP class for the first time in the race over two hours and 40 minutes on the Laguna Seca Raceway. In the two GTD categories, four customer teams campaign a total of five Porsche 911 GT3 R.

On the back of its triumph at the previous race in Long Beach, Porsche Penske Motorsport heads to round four in Laguna Seca with big aspirations. At the second event in California after Long Beach, the works drivers Nick Tandy from the UK and Frenchman Mathieu Jaminet compete in the No. 6 Porsche 963 as the leaders of the drivers’ championship. Their team colleagues Matt Campbell from Australia and Felipe Nasr from Brazil currently rank fifth after achieving a hotly-contested third place in Long Beach. At the race over 2:40 hours, the customer squad JDC-Miller Motorsports celebrates its debut in the top GTP class on the legendary course close to the harbour of the City of Monterey. The former Porsche-Junior and ex-works driver Mike Rockenfeller from Germany and Tijmen van der Helm from the Netherlands share the cockpit of the No. 5 Porsche 963.

“I’m very much looking forward to the race at Laguna Seca. It’s one of my favourite circuits on the calendar,” explains Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “Our recent victory gave the team a huge boost and we want to use this to score another win next weekend. We’re well aware that we still have some progress to make in terms of the optimal preparation and setup of our cars. This was obvious at the previous FIA World Endurance Championship round in Spa. At the same time, I look forward to our customer team JDC-Miller Motorsports, which will contest the GTP class with the Porsche 963 and thus fight for overall victories.”

“The Laguna Seca racetrack has different characteristics compared to the circuits at Daytona, Sebring and Long Beach. No one has tested at this venue so it’ll be a journey into the unknown for us all in the top GTP class,” describes Urs Kuratle, Director Factor Motorsport LMDh. “There is no doubt that our squad tackles the upcoming challenge feeling highly motivated after our win on the streets of Long Beach. We want to improve further and establish ourselves at the top with the Porsche 963. I’m also very excited about the first outing for our customer car in the hands of JDC-Miller Motorsports. A third hybrid prototype from Weissach will certainly add extra spice to the already gripping competition in the IMSA series.”  

“Our team goes racing in California for the second time in two months, however we’re in a different position than last time in Long Beach,” says Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “We travel to Laguna Seca as the race winners and championship leaders. This doesn’t change our approach in the slightest, but we’ll do everything we can to keep the momentum up. As a globally active team, we can use the insights that our FIA WEC colleagues gained recently. The knowledge from Spa and Portimão is very helpful in developing a good baseline setup. There are very few chances to test in Laguna Seca so we don’t have any experience there. The drivers and all IMSA personnel are looking forward to taking on the special challenges that the circuit and the competition throw at us.”

The race

The 3.6-kilometre Laguna Seca Raceway is famous for its “corkscrew” passage. The narrow, steeply banked left-right combination is often the scene for spectacular overtaking moves. The “corkscrew” section of the racetrack is so unique that Porsche replicated it on its own racetrack in Leipzig. The tradition-steeped American circuit lies on a plateau just a few kilometres from the Pacific coast. The surface of the racetrack built in 1957 offers very little grip. Persistent winds blow sand onto the track. Porsche enjoys coming to Laguna Seca: From 28 September to 1 October this year, the raceway will host the “Rennsport Reunion” for the fourth time. This gathering is extremely popular with fans and Porsche customers.   

Debut for JDC-Miller Motorsports’ bright yellow Porsche 963

Just two weeks after the impressive debut of Hertz Team Jota’s Porsche 963 in the FIA World Endurance Championship, a second customer squad takes on the challenge: JDC-Miller Motorsports tackles the top GTP category for the first time in Laguna Seca.

“It’s a great honour for us that Porsche selected JDC-Miller as the first customer in the IMSA series,” says John Church, co-owner of JDC-Miller Motorsports. “This is a huge affirmation that others recognize what we have built. The car is an incredible work of engineering and the support system behind it very impressive. Working with Porsche has been amazing. Our team has spend over 75 man-days in Weissach getting training and building the car. The high level of commitment the staff and management at Porsche have given to our program was obvious from day one and has gotten stronger as we have gone along. We, of course, compete to win but we are realistic about what this weekend will bring. We have a lot to learn and the other teams have three races under their belt. Just one example of many is that our drivers have not turned a wheel in a Porsche 963. We are confident they will get up to speed quickly but there is a lot that is new here.”

The Porsche teams and drivers

The Long Beach winners Nick Tandy from the United Kingdom and Frenchman Mathieu Jaminet will again share the cockpit of the No. 6 Porsche 963 at Laguna Seca. After three of eleven races on this year’s calendar, the two works drivers currently lead the drivers’ championship. Matt Campbell from Australia and Felipe Nasr from Brazil helm the sister car. After securing a podium result in Long Beach, the crew of Porsche Penske Motorsport’s No. 7 car travels to Laguna Seca in P5 of the standings. Porsche ranks third in the manufacturers’ classification.

The customer car campaigned by JDC-Miller Motorsports is shared by the 19-year-old Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm and Mike Rockenfeller. The German has close ties with the Porsche brand: In 2004, he won the Carrera Cup Deutschland as a Porsche Junior. In the following two years, he contested various racing series as a works driver. In 2005, he won the GT2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. In 2010, the now 39-year-old German won the world’s greatest endurance race with today’s Porsche ambassador Timo Bernhard (Germany) and works driver Romain Dumas (France). Three years later, Rockenfeller clinched the title in the DTM.  

As last year’s Laguna Seca winner, Pfaff Motorsports tackles the GTD-Pro class with the newest model Porsche 911 GT3 R. Sharing driving duties in the cockpit are Austria’s Klaus Bachler and Patrick Pilet from France. In March, the pair achieved a class win at the 12 Hours of Sebring with the Belgian works driver Laurens Vanthoor. In the GTD category, two more 992-generation 911 GT3 R fielded by Kelly-Moss with Riley will compete. The former Porsche Junior Julien Andlauer from France is one of the driver crew. Wright Motorsports and AO Racing run one 911 GT3 R each.

An overview of the teams and drivers

GTP-class (Porsche 963):
JDC-Miller Motorsports (#5): Mike Rockenfeller (D), Tijmen van der Helm (NL)
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#6): Mathieu Jaminet (F), Nick Tandy (UK)
Porsche Penske Motorsport (#7): Matt Campbell (AUS), Felipe Nasr (BR)

GTD-Pro class (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
Pfaff Motorsports (#9): Klaus Bachler (A), Patrick Pilet (F)

GTD-class (Porsche 911 GT3 R):
Wright Motorsports (#77): Alan Brynjolfsson (USA), Trent Hindman (USA)
AO Racing (#80): PJ Hyett (USA), Sebastian Priaulx (UK)
Kelly-Moss with Riley (#91): Alan Metni (USA), Kay van Berlo (NL)
Kelly-Moss with Riley (#92): Julien Andlauer (F), Alec Udell (USA)

The schedule (local time, CEST -9 hours)

Friday, 12 May
4:05 pm – 5:35 pm: Free practice 1

Saturday, 13 May
8:55 am – 10:40 am: Free practice 2
12:55 pm – 1:10 pm: Qualifying GTD-Pro/GTD
1:45 pm – 2:05 pm: Qualifying GTP

Sunday, 14 May
8:00 am – 8:20 am: Warm-up
12:10 pm – 2:50 pm: Race

Drivers’ comments ahead of the race

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 963 #6): “I’m really looking forward to the race in Laguna Seca, even if we don’t quite know what’s in store for us there. Taking into account the results and the competition since the beginning of the season, it’s very hard to tell what the real situation will look like. So far, we’re certainly not the best over a fast lap but anything can happen in a race – the team and strategy play a big role in this regard. That’s how we’ve always managed to fight among the frontrunners. After the victory and third place in Long Beach, we’re confident that we can continue our streak.”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 963 #7): “This is the last race of the season on the West Coast of America before we shift our attention to the east for the rest of the year. We’re keen to achieve something similar to what we did recently in Long Beach. However, the circuit is completely different from the previous ones on the calendar and that comes with a major challenge for us. On the other hand, I can’t wait to compete there. Laguna Seca is one of my all-time favourite racetracks.”

Mike Rockenfeller (Porsche 963 #5): “I’m delighted that I get the chance to sit in the JDC-Miller Porsche. Even if it’s not a works car, in a way I’m back at Porsche. That’s where my professional career began. I was part of the junior squad for three years, then I spent two seasons as a works driver. We’re heading into the race with humility and realistic expectations. The car is brand new and very complex. We regard this race as a test. We have zero experience compared to other GTP teams, so no one should expect too much from us. That said, as always, we’re competing to achieve the best possible result. If we are quick learners as the season progresses, I think we’ll be good for some surprises later this year.”  

Patrick Pilet (Porsche 911 GT3 R #9): “The circuit is one of the best that North America has to offer in motorsport. I’ve really missed racing at Laguna Seca. I’m excited to return there. Last year, our team Pfaff Motorsports won there, so the Porsche 911 GT3 R should fit well with the track characteristics. The track has to be resurfaced later this year – but unfortunately only after our event, so we have to cope with a lack of grip again. My teammate Klaus Bachler has never raced at Laguna Seca. With the help of our team, I’m sure he’ll adapt quickly.”