2012 WEC, ALMS&ELMS News

[Rob]

LMGTE: ASTON TAKE FIRST VICTORY WHILE LARBRE SECURE TEAM TITLE

28/10/2012 - 09h19

In LMGTE Pro the dice had already been thrown in favour of AF Corse and Ferrari, the Italian constructor sealing the LMGTE Manufacturers’ World Cup well before the end of the season. However, the 6 Hours of Shanghai belonged to Aston Martin Racing, the well-deserved class victory being their first of the year. Darren Turner and Stefan Mücke had what amounted to a perfect weekend after qualifying in pole position and they finished 52 seconds ahead of the second placed No.77 Team Felbermayr-Proton Porsche.

The Anglo-German duo had a trouble-free run in the No.97 Aston Martin Vantage GTE but it certainly wasn’t a walk in the park. Both the Porsche and the No.52 AF Corse Ferrari had turns at the head of the classification during the 6-hour race but a faultless run and good pit work saw them prevail over their rivals.

The result allowed Aston Martin Racing to secure its second place in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Pro teams in front of its German rivals. While the AF Corse Ferraris saw the chequered flag first on five occasions this year, the Italian team weren’t able to close out the 2012 season as they would have wished. The No.71 Ferrari 458 Italia of Andrea Bertolini, a former FIA GT World Champion, and Olivier Beretta finished on the third step of the podium but more than a lap down on the first two in class. Worse still, for a team which is used to great success, the No.51 sister car of Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni lost eight laps in the pits to repair a broken alternator and then had to retire because of an oil leak.

Conversely, Larbre Competition’s season couldn’t have finished any better. The French team’s No.50 Chevrolet Corvette C6.R not only took the chequered flag one lap ahead of its nearest rivals, the German Team Felbermayr-Proton, but also clinched the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMGTE Am teams. Julien Canal and Patrick Bornhauser were superbly backed up by Pedro Lamy and enjoyed a completely trouble-free race. Larbre’s season might have tasted sweeter without the two exclusions for non-conformity of the regulations in São Paulo and Bahrain, but an appeal is waiting to be heard for one of these.

The pole position which Paolo Ruberti claimed yesterday gave the Felbermayr-Proton team an additional point but, by finishing second in the 6 Hours of Shanghai, the Italian and his team mates Christian Ried and Gianluca Roda saw their chances of championship victory slipping away. The German team finished second in the race and in the classification, just as Krohn Racing finished third in class and standings, Tracy Krohn, Nic Jönsson and Michele Rugolo driving the distinctive green No.57 Ferrari 458 Italia.

The 25,000 Chinese visitors over the first 6 Hours of Shanghai weekend were treated to their first Le Mans experience and the next visit on the 10th November 2013 will undoubtedly see even more fans travelling to the Shanghai International Circuit next year.

[Rob]

LMP: AUDI DRIVERS CROWNED CHAMPIONS WHILE TOYOTA WIN IN SHANGHAI

28/10/2012 - 10h00

Toyota Racing utterly dominated today’s 6 Hours of Shanghai, the eighth and final round of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship. Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre finished a lap ahead of the No.2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro of Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen having led the way from the start.

However, it was also a day of celebration and smiles in the Audi garage. By crossing the finish line in third place, André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Marcel Fässler scored enough points to capture the World Drivers’ Championship – the first for this new FIA championship. The trio made history in June by becoming the first hybrid powered car to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and followed this with two further wins at the 6 Hours of Silverstone and 6 Hours of Bahrain.

The No.7 Toyota TS030 Hybrid’s victory in China was its third of the season, and the result confirms a remarkable debut season for the Japanese manufacturer. In just six races they have secured three wins, and raised the bar in terms of performance – 2013 already promises to be even more exciting! Just as Toyota today had a faultless race, so did Audi and nothing should be taken away from their 2012 season, as demonstrated by them sealing the LMP1 Manufacturers’ World Championship title as early as August.

While there was laughter and champagne at one end of the pit lane, there was heartbreak and tears at the other. LMP1 Privateer champions Rebellion Racing were on course to finish fourth overall with their No.12 Lola-Toyota entry of Nicolas Prost and Neel Jani, the duo having taken the lead after the third lap of the race. Instead, there was dismay as the car ground to a halt with just eight minutes of the race to run and Prost and Jani had to watch a third place overall in the Drivers’ Championship slip through their fingers. There was some consolation for the Swiss team as their second, No.13 entry was promoted to first among the Private teams, the only Chinese driver in the field Cong Fu ‘Frankie’ Cheng standing proudly on the podium alongside his team mates Andrea Belicchi and Harold Primat.

Behind them were the two HPD ARX 03a Hondas of JRM and Strakka Racing. JRM’s Karun Chandhok, David Brabham and Peter Dumbreck recovered from contact which meant the rear bodywork of the HPD had to be replaced during a pit stop, and they were just 8 seconds behind the Rebellion Lola at the chequered flag. Strakka’s Nick Leventis, Danny Watts and Jonny Kane were a further three laps back after a faltering race.

The No.25 ADR-Delta team took their second consecutive victory and their fourth of the year – a huge achievement for the small, privately-funded British team which vaulted them ahead of Pecom Racing into second place in the final classification for the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams. ADR’s driver line up of Tor Graves and John Martin, joined in Shanghai by Matthias Beche, took control of the class early in the race and had a steady run to the finish. Behind them were the No.44 Starworks Motorsport HPD ARX 03b, the class champions, and the No.24 OAK Racing Morgan Nissan, both of which overcame minor issues to finish on the podium.

The 25,000 Chinese visitors over the first 6 Hours of Shanghai weekend were treated to their first Le Mans experience and the next visit on the 10th November 2013 will undoubtably see even more fans travelling to the Shanghai International Circuit next year.

[458 Italia]

Only caught ast hour or so, when i got up. Got it recorded, so start watching it tomorrow. Dont really like the track even for F1.

But what a year for sportscars. A proper Championship for Enduro racing, love it. And Ferrari won the title, in the first year, just as we did last year in the ILMC. Aston had good win today, well deserved.

I love endurance racing! It was a brilliant season with the 24 hours being the massive highlight, something worth getting/staying up for in the early hours of the morning! It's unpredictable and you just know you're in for some entertainment.

[Rob]

I love endurance racing! It was a brilliant season with the 24 hours being the massive highlight, something worth getting/staying up for in the early hours of the morning! It's unpredictable and you just know you're in for some entertainment.

would of got up for it normally,but yesterday wasnt great day. Long and hard day.

[458 Italia]

would of got up for it normally,but yesterday wasnt great day. Long and hard day.

I know you would've mate.

Roll on next year!

[Rob]

Year especially with the GTE driver title aswell, just a shame Sebring isnt WEC race. But first race of 2013 season, Silverstone. Get christmas out of the way, and get my tickets.

[Nova]

Yea, wonder what happened to us there..we got whacked pretty good.
Then again, I always want a Ferrari to win. Never gets old to me.

[Rob]

FIA World Endurance Championship, Round 8 in Shanghai/China, Race report
Two podiums for Porsche at season final

The maiden season of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) concluded with a double podium for the Porsche pilots. At the six hour race on the Shanghai International Circuit, Porsche factory drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) scored second place in the GTE Pro class at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by the Felbermayr-Proton team. Christian Ried (Germany) and his Italian teammates Paolo Ruberti and Gianluca Roda also clinched second in the GTE Am class with the 911 GT3 RSR from last year. With this, Felbermayr-Proton secured vice-championship honours in the FIA Endurance Trophy.
"It was a very interesting season"
“That was no easy race for us. We can be happy with second place. That was the most we could do today,” said Richard Lietz. Marc Lieb commented, “Right from the start we knew that this track doesn’t particularly suit our car with its long corners. But the closing stage of the race was very good for us. We were able to show how fast the car is when the tarmac temperatures are not too high. It was a very interesting season. To drive on so many challenging circuits in different lands and continents was a fabulous experience for us all. Had we not come home empty-handed from Le Mans we would surely have been in contention for the title.”
Excellent start
On the morning before the start of the season’s final race of the new long distance championship a haze hung over Shanghai. The warm-up on the Grand Prix track located on the outskirts of the Chinese mega-city had to be cancelled due to poor visibility. But in the race the Porsche pilots kept a clear view. Richard Lietz got away excellently at the start and in the first corner moved into the lead of the GT field and held on to it in the opening phase of the race. Over the distance, however, it was not enough for the Porsche works drivers to score a third win of the season with the 911 GT3 RSR after their previous WEC victories at Spa-Francorchamps and Fuji. With consistently strong performances at the eight rounds of the season, they secured two pole positions and climbed the podium at six races.
Three wins in the GTE Am category
Christian Ried, Paolo Ruberti and Gianluca Roda achieved a top three result even more often during the season, only missing out on a podium finish at one race. The trio celebrated three wins – at the twelve hour classic in Sebring, in Sao Paulo and in the desert of Bahrain. At the race in Shanghai, Paolo Ruberti took off from pole position and defended the lead over long distances with his teammates at the wheel of last year’s 911 run by Felbermayr-Proton. However, at the end of the race, in which there was not one caution phase, they had to settle for second place. Team owner Christian Ried is satisfied with how the season has panned out. “We’ve put on some great races as a team,” he said. “If we’d had a little more luck in Le Mans things might have looked a little different in the championship.”

Eurosport broadcasts highlights of the race at midnight on 30 October.

Facts and figures
Result
GTE Pro class
1. Mücke/Turner (D/GB), Aston Martin Vantage, 169 laps
2. Lieb/Lietz (D/A), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 169
3. Bertolini/Beretta (I/MC), Ferrari F458 Italia, 168

GTE Am class
1. Bornhauser/Canal/Lamy (F/F/P), Chevrolet Corvette, 166 laps
2. Ried/Roda/Ruberti (D/I/I), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 166
3. Krohn/Jönsson/Rugolo (USA/S/I), Ferrari F458 Italia, 164
4. Kauffmann/Aguas/Cioci (USA/P/I), Ferrari F458 Italia, 164
5. Bourret/Gibon/Belloc (F/F/F), Chevrolet Corvette, 163
6. Camathias/Daniels/Bell (CH/GB/GB), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, 152

Points’ standings
World Cup Manufacturers GTE
1. Ferrari 325 points
2. Porsche 214
3. Chevrolet 147

Endurance Trophy GTE Pro
1. AF Corse, Ferrari 201 points
2. Aston Martin Racing, Aston Martin 141
3. Felbermayr-Proton, Porsche 133
4. Luxury Racing, Ferrari 53

Endurance Trophy GTE Am
1. Labre Competition, Corvette 179 points
2. Felbermayr-Proton, Porsche 152
3. Krohn Racing, Ferrari 119
4. AF Corse Waltrip, Ferrari 108
5. JWA Avila, Porsche 88

[Rob]

ASTON MARTIN WINS THE SIX HOURS OF SHANGHAI

Shanghai, 28th October 2012 – Aston Martin Racing has won the final round of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the Six Hours of Shanghai, to finish second in the highly competitive GTE Pro championship standings. The team’s maiden WEC race win tops off a superb run of six consecutive podium finishes to prove the pace and reliability of the V8-powered Vantage GTE.


Heading into the six-hour endurance race, Aston Martin Racing was focused on retaining second position in the championship, with its sights also trained on a first WEC victory. Having never before raced at the 5.4km circuit, the team was uncertain just how well suited the #97 Vantage GTE would be to the Shanghai International Circuit. After the first free practice session it was clear that the abrasive surface and long straights would enable works drivers Darren Turner (GB) and Stefan Mucke (D) to get the most out of the Gulf-liveried racer, but its rivals appeared to be similarly well suited as just fractions of a second separated them.

Turner approached the 20-minute qualifying session with a simple plan; set a competitive lap time early on while tyres were at their peak before quickly returning to the garage to preserve them for the start of the race. His first flying lap stopped the clock at 2.03.721, which turned out to be the fastest GTE lap of the entire weekend and enough to earn the team pole position by more than half a second ahead of its championship runner-up rival, the #77 Porsche.

When race day came, fog covered the circuit causing the pre-race warm up session to be cancelled. However, as the morning passed so did the fog and at 10am local time Mücke assumed his position at the front of the GTE grid. Mucke lost a place to the #77 Porsche away from the lights having been held up by an LMP2 car. However, after 17 laps of gripping wheel-to-wheel racing, the Aston Martin works driver regained the lead and used the Vantage GTE’s class-leading race pace to pull away from his rival.

Turner and Mucke pushed hard during their one-hour stints to extend the advantage. By the mid-way point of the race, the Vantage GTE was leading the #51 Ferrari by 11.4 seconds with the third-placed Porsche by more than 50 seconds adrift.

As the race progressed into its final hours, Turner and Mucke had established a lead of more than a minute. As Mucke handed the Vantage GTE over to Turner for the final time, the Briton emerged from the pit lane directly behind the #77 Porsche. Unsure if it would need to stop once more for fuel, Turner muscled his way past to regain the lead of the GTE field, one that he wouldn’t relinquish for the remainder of the race. Turner crossed the finish line for the final time after 169 laps of the circuit to record Aston Martin Racing’s maiden WEC victory and ensure it retained second position in the championship standings.

Darren Turner comments: “We’ve had an amazing weekend. This result is a great reward for everyone’s efforts. The car has been at the sharp end in every race and the guys here have got faster and faster in the pit stops. It’s a true team effort and they should all be proud of what has been achieved here. What a way to end the season!”
Stefan Mücke adds: “The Vantage GTE was competitive from the start of the season when we achieved a podium in Sebring. Since then it has improved every race. The team has worked hard to get the most out of the car and it has been really exciting to go from third, to second to winning. I’m sure this is a sign of things to come for Aston Martin for next year.
“As for this race, it was one of the most enjoyable of the year. It’s great to end a fantastic season on such a high.”

Team Principal, John Gaw adds: “What a fantastic way to finish the season. We came here with the goal of beating the Porsche and aiming for a win and to come away with both is a great achievement for the team. The engineers employed a short fill strategy, which, coupled with consistent driving from Darren and Stefan and a well-prepared car, enabled us to extend our lead throughout the race.

“For the last three rounds of the championship, we’ve changed pit stop routines and personel and it’s improved our performance versus our competitors by a significant number of seconds.
“Our objectives for our return year to GT racing were to be competitive and score podiums and we can return to Banbury confident that we have achieved and exceeded these – we’ve finished seven out of the eight races and scored podiums on all of those. Everyone involved in the team this year should be very proud and we thank them all for their hard work and commitment.

“We’d also like to thanks the WEC organisers for putting on a fantastic series this year and hope to return again in 2013.”

Across the eight rounds of the inaugural WEC season, during which the #97 Vantage GTE has competed at iconic race tracks such as Le Man’s Circuit de la Sarthe and Sebring International Raceway, the V8-powered racer has performed reliably and competitively to rack up an impressive tally of seven podiums. It has covered more than 11,000km of trouble-free racing during more than 62 hours of highly-competive action.

The 2012 season marked Aston Martin’s return to GT racing; a discipline in which the marque has enjoyed huge success, most notably winning the GT class at Le Mans in both 2007 and 2008. The Vantage GTE is based on the road-going Vantage; the sportiest model in the prestigious marque’s line-up.

[Rob]

KROHN RACING CELEBRATES PODIUM FINISH IN WEC FINALE AT 6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI
The Krohn Racing Team celebrated another podium finish today in the World Endurance Championship GTE-Am class at the 6 Hours of Shanghai race, their fifth podium in eight races this season. The No. 57 Krohn Racing Ferrari scored a third-place finish today at Shanghai International Circuit, as they had previously at Le Mans, Silverstone and Bahrain.
They earned a second-place at the penultimate race at the 6 Hours of Fuji earlier this month.

Team owner and qualifying driver Tracy W. Krohn started the No. 57 Krohn Ferrari from the sixth position in class and 28th overall. He elevated his position by one place on the first lap and turned the car over to Michele Rugolo on Lap 31 in position four in class. Rugolo managed to climb up to the second position before a pit stop dropped the Team to third, where they stayed for the balance of the six hours in a race with no caution periods.

Krohn Racing finished third in the FIA Endurance Trophy for GTE-Am Team championship for the close of the 2012 season.

QUOTES: TRACY W. KROHN, Krohn Racing Team Owner/Driver, No. 57 Krohn Racing Ferrari F458 GTE-Am:
“We tried a different strategy that unfortunately didn’t work, a different pit strategy that didn’t pan out. We ended up on the podium, but we’re a little disappointed in the outcome of that. I think the car was actually quite good. It was a little tricky when you first got in the car with the balance and then it became neutral and towards the end of the race it was pretty predictable. Mechanically the car was very sound and it went very well. I was particularly pleased with the prototype drivers. I think the message has finally gotten across that we, as GT drivers, only have one line at the exit of the corners. There’s nothing else we can do. I think they respect that and I’m proud to see that. We went the entire race without a caution. It’s very cool to have a race that’s green flag the entire time.

“I also would like to put in some good words for the team. The car was very good today. Everybody worked really hard. I appreciate the effort the team members have made this year and hopefully next year will bring some other good results.”
NIC JONSSON, No. 57 Krohn Racing Ferrari F458 GTE-Am: “It’s another podium for the Krohn Racing Team at the end of the year and we can’t be too disappointed with that. It’s the third podium in a row. I think that’s good but unfortunately we have not been able to win a race this year which I’m disappointed in. In today’s race we were trying to do a little different strategy with a four-stop strategy and we fell short one lap, which made us have to stop five times. Since we tried to stop four times we had to go pretty slow to conserve fuel so we lost a lot of time there and it didn’t work out after all. We finished third, in one piece. I think this is at least a good finish for the season and to go into the winter and do a test and development program so we can come back stronger next year and try to win the championship in 2013.”

MICHELE RUGOLO, No. 57 Krohn Racing Ferrari F458 GTE-Am: “I think for this race we were no super competitive or quick. I think Tracy had a great race, probably his best race. He was very consistent with good times and good performance, no mistakes and even when there were prototypes coming to overtake him, he didn’t lose much time and did a very good job. Nic as well, as always, and Nic is very good. He had the same problem because at the beginning we were supposed to do one stint with him so he was to save some fuel but it was not possible.

“I think I drove a normal race, but I wasn’t super quick. Shanghai is a difficult track and also the problem of not achieving our strategy on fueling. We could have finished probably in the same position, but I think much closer to the first two cars in class.” DAVID BROWN, Krohn Racing Team Manager/Race Engineer: “We had an eventful race. We attempted a fairly adventurous strategy but we couldn’t quite make it work. The performance of the car was not as good as it has been in recent races so there were other cars which were quicker than us, unfortunately. All three drivers drove extremely well. We were very impressed with the Michelin tires again. The crew, as ever, have prepared the car to be completely reliable and we had very good pit stops. They are to be congratulated for a thoroughly professional season. We look forward very much to next year so we can beat these other teams.”

JEFF HAZELL, Krohn Racing Motorsport Manager:
“Confucius said ‘When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.’ He was a pretty smart guy, two thousand five hundred years ago. He probably would have enjoyed motor racing. We are not quite achieving our goals but we have a lot of goals we want to achieve. We have to just work slightly differently and slightly smarter and harder over the winter with our testing. I’m disappointed that we didn’t manage to win a race this year so we have jolly well got to get that done next year.”

The World Endurance Championship (WEC) will return to all the venues on the 2012 calendar, with one exception in the U.S., as follows: April 14, 6 Hours of Silverstone (UK); May 4, 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium); June 22-23, 24 Hours of Le Mans (France); August 31, 6 Hours of Sao Paulo (Brazil); September 22, 6 Hours of Austin (Texas, USA); October 20, 6 Hours of Fuji (Japan); November 30, 6 Hours of Bahrain (Middle East).

[Rob]

Last race of the FIA WEC: AF Corse has the title in the bag
Thursday, 25 October 2012

SHANGHAI, 25 October – With the Team GTE Pro title already in the bag, AF Corse is preparing for the final race of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), In Shanghai this weekend, the Italian team will try to end the season the same way it began, namely with a win.

The two AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 have won five races out of seven so far: it began in Sebring (won by Andrea Bertolini and Olivier Beretta) then came Le Mans and the legendary 24 Hours, followed by Silverstone, Sao Paolo and Bahrain (these last four seeing victory secured by Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni). Even when they did not win, on two occasions, they nevertheless made it to the podium. In China, the GTE Pro cars will be banking on the same crews they have used all season and you only need to look at the numbers to see they are a winning outfit: Fisichella- Bruni in their Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 number 51, Bertolini- Beretta on board Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 number 71. Alongside these two Prancing Horse cars bearing the Italian flag, also taking part in the GTE Am category is the Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 number 61 of Robert Kauffman, Rui Aguas and Marco Cioci.


It’s worth pointing out that Ferrari has already won the GT Constructors’ title, with two races in hand in this inaugural WEC championship.

[Nova]

YES...Congrats to Ferrari and the beautiful 458's. Do it again next year.
Winning these races, especially Lemans is monumental!

[Rob]

YES...Congrats to Ferrari and the beautiful 458's. Do it again next year.
Winning these races, especially Lemans is monumental!

Been great year, AF Corse has crushed the Porsches and Astons, brilliant. Bring on Sebring, i know it isnt part of the WEC and classic event. Then WEC kicks off at Silverstone, as i said before get christmas out of the way then im getting me tickets.

Be great if the ESM Racing would race in the Silver chrome they had for Petit. Looked stunning.

[Rob]

ALMS Confirms 2013 Mazda Raceway Date Change
Four-hour race in Monterey moved to May 11

Braselton, Ga. (Oct. 26, 2012) – The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón has confirmed a date change for its 2013 race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. The new date – Saturday, May 11 – reflects a change from the previously announced May 18 date, which conflicts with the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

The American Le Mans Series Monterey presented by Patrón at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which has been a fixture on the ALMS schedule for each of the Series’ 14 seasons, is a four-hour enduro run over the track’s 2.238-mile, 11-turn circuit.

2013 ALMS TV Schedule (all times Eastern)

March 16 – Sat. Sebring International Raceway Time TBD, Live SPEED
April 20 - Sat. Long Beach Grand Prix Circuit - * 1 p.m., April 21 ABC
May 11 - Sat. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Time TBD, May 12 ESPN2
July 6 - Sat. Lime Rock Park 3 p.m., Live ESPN2
July 21 - Sun. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park 1 p.m., Live ESPN2
Aug. 11 - Sun. Road America - # 3 p.m., Live ABC
Aug. 31 - Sat. Grand Prix of Baltimore Circuit - * Noon, Sept. 1 ABC
Sept. 21 - Sat. Circuit of The Americas - & 1 p.m., Sept. 22 ESPN2
Oct. 5 - Sat. VIRginia International Raceway 2:30 p.m., Oct. 6 ESPN2
Oct. 19 - Sat. Road Atlanta Time TBD, Live SPEED ^
* - Shared weekend with IZOD IndyCar Series
# - Shared weekend with GRAND-AM
& - Shared weekend with FIA WEC
^ - To be confirmed

[Rob]

THANK YOU FOR A GREAT 2012 SEASON

29/10/2012 - 16h57

The final round of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship took place in Shanghai and saw Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer and Andre Lotterer crowned as World Driver’s Champions. After eight races in eight countries on four continents, the first season of the FIA WEC has attracted over 800,000 spectators at the circuits and many, many more watching from home on the TV or the live streaming.

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, and Gerard Neveu, CEO of the FIA WEC, said: “The first season of the FIA WEC has been hugely successful and has provided us with a firm foundation on which to build and improve for the 2013 season and beyond. We’d like to congratulate all our champions – Ferrari, Rebellion Racing, Starworks Motorsports, AF Corse, Larbre Competition and of course our new World Champions Audi and Marcel Fassler, Benoit Treluyer and Andre Lotterer.

“Of course it is not just about the winners, it is about all the teams, drivers and the mechanics who participated in the 2012 championship and we would like to thank each and everyone of them for providing such a great spectacle and entertainment throughout the year.

“Special thanks go to our partners, Audi, Rolex and Michelin, for their continuing support and participation in this new world championship. We also would like to thank and congratulate the promoters at each of the rounds who provided us with some fantastic facilities and support and some of the best circuits in the world. A great thanks to everyone at Spa-Francorchamps, Sebring International Raceway, Le Mans, Silverstone, Interlagos, Bahrain International Circuit, Fuji International Speedway and Shanghai International Circuit. We also worked with some of the most famous names in motorsport, with Emerson Fittipaldi promoting the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo and we are already working with him for an even bigger event in Brazil in 2013. I would also like to thank Sheik Salman al Khalifa for the warm welcome in Bahrain, Tsutsumi San for the amazing event in Fuji and our friends at the American Le Mans Series, Don Panoz and Scott Atherton, for the great opening race at Sebring last March and we are looking forward to working with them for our new event at Austin in Texas next September.

“Thanks go to all our suppliers and support staff who also are an important part of the FIAWEC, as are all the international media who have followed the first year of the championship with interest and this has been reflected in the number of articles we have seen since we announced the WEC in 2011 at Le Mans. We must also include the many thousands of fans who travelled to the events and the millions who watched the races around the world on TV and on the internet.

“The World Endurance Championship is a partnership between the ACO and the FIA and we would like to thank all of the officials from both sides, who demonstrated a great team spirit throughout the season. There is also the work of the FIA World Endurance Commission headed by Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones and thank Sir Lindsay for his enthusiasm and tireless work.

“And finally we would like to specially thank the FIA President Jean Todt who has been instrumental in bringing the World Endurance Championship into reality. As the President of the ACO it is a pleasure to work alongside him and we will both continue to champion and support endurance racing around the world.

“Thank you to everyone for their support in 2012 and we look forward to seeing you at Silverstone on the 14th April 2013.”

[Rob]

IN THE COCKPIT: Allan McNish, Shanghai WEC
For us, it was quite clear in our car, that we had to try and win the race...
Allan McNish | allanmcnish.com | Posted November 01, 2012

Allan McNish concluded the FIA WEC season with a runner-up finish in Shanghai and the championship.
It was the last round of the FIA World Endurance Championship and also a very important one from our team's point of view. One of our car crews was going to be signed off as World Champions at the end of it.

For us, it was quite clear in our car, that we had to try and win the race. Then we'd then see how the points racked up at the end of it. We could control that part of it, but we couldn't control the sister car's performance or if they had anything tricky happen to them over the course of it.

So it was a clear strategy from that respect. It was also quite a different strategy in the way we worked with the car. This was the second race that our engineer (Kyle Wilson-Clarke) had actually worked with the R18 e-tron quattro. We definitely found that experience was a big effect.

From the beginning of first practice to the end of the race, we had the upper hand in terms of performance over the sister car. But in terms of balance and feel, I have to say it was much more like a racing car that Tom and I like to drive.

Especially on this track. The track was such a tricky one. It was a demanding little circuit in its own way. Even though there were five first-gear corners, the first corner was the longest corner I've ever seen in the world! It's 300 degrees from start to finish and just tightens. In fact, the apex of Turn 2, I only saw twice, and that was in the run that Tom and I did before we even started practice and the second was when we did a track walk with the engineers!

After that, I have to say that I probably took 100 different lines into that corner, just because of the fact that it's so tight and line critical. To get the feel and the grip through there... Also, with it being a right-hander that dips down the hill, you don't exactly see very much either.

Turn 13 is the exact opposite. It's a really tight entry and then leads onto a banked camber right-hander onto the back straight. So it was a circuit that was about balance in a lot of ways. It probably means it was more balanced for car as well as anything else.

The race itself was going to be tricky because what we saw straight away was that there was going to be a lot of (rubber) pickup. I remember watching the Formula One Grand Prix there and there was a tremendous amount. After half a session in Free Practice 1 on Friday, if you pulled out from the standard racing line on the back straight, you just got so much pickup, where it was like driving on square tires.

So that was definitely going to be a factor. We worked with our setup to try and take that into account. It was something we found a big issue with on our car in Fuji, so we basically reversed all of the philosophy we had taken for that and had gone back to something that was maybe a little more that Tom and I got on with.

I qualified on the front row, a tenth behind Alex Wurz. That was probably one of my best qualifying laps in the last two or three years. I was absolutely on it. I got it in the first timed lap, when the tires were fresh. It was probably half a tenth of a loss into Turn 14, where I just overshot the apex very, very slightly. But in reality, it was a really, really good qually lap.

Something to take away from it, I ended up as the best Audi qualifier at the end of the season. So there's still a little bit of speed in the right foot.

Unfortunately, though, I spoke to Alex Wurz that night and he said he made a mistake and lost six-tenths in the final sector. So we came out of qualifying that we nearly had a run on them and found that out. That was a little bit of a disappointment.

But we saw that at the beginning of the race when the Toyota pulled off into the distance a little bit. I had to try and stretch the gap to Ben, who was starting the sister car, while also trying to keep as much pressure on the Toyota as possible.

Traffic was an issue. I had a 10 second gap over Ben, and within two laps, I had just caught gaggles of cars fighting over each other, which was fine, but I lost 9.5 seconds of that 10 second gap. So it was something that we really had to be a bit careful of. That was part of the race.

At the end, we finished second, quite a bit behind the Toyota but also 40 odd seconds ahead of the sister car. That put us second in the championship.

I have to say it was a good final race from us and the maximum we could do. I don't think there was anything more that could come out of it. It just proves that we've got a big fight on our hands for 2013.

But as we come to the end of the championship in China, I have to say that I think the series was a big success. Especially when we consider where we were back in January when Peugeot was pulling out at the last minute. The general opinion was that it was going to be a dominant season by Audi.

The competition we've seen from Toyota and also the battles we've seen in the LMP1 Privateer or LMP2, where Starworks came out on top... Or in GT, which has also been really, really good all the way through. I think it bodes very well for 2013 and also '14 when they also have the 'might' of Porsche joining again.

From our point of view, the championship is not won or lost in one race; it's over the course of a season. I think we had too many problems, some self-induced, some not self-induced, when we were running in pretty good positions. And you can't give those points away.

Ben, Andre and Marcel had a very good season. They drove very well and we have to tip the hats to them for their championship victory. But also for the whole No. 1 car crew. As much as we work on the other side of the garage and focus on your own job, and you want to win, I've won a lot of races and championships, including the ALMS, with some of those guys as well.

To see them smiling on Sunday night was quite a nice position. Ultimately we would have liked to be smiling a little bit more ourselves, but as we'd come out of it, I think we'll look towards 2013 with quite a strong determination to tip the tables in our favor.

~Allan

[Nova]

Theres an article in the newest Road&Track about the merger of ALMS and the Rolex.
ALM=Hi tech cutting edge racing series..Rolex=Lower budget simpler format. Everything is now owned by Nascar..yep,
Dont know about you, but Im not sure this was a good idea. It could mean the end of hi tech racing in the US, and a series
more in line w/low cost racing. Of course I could be wrong.

[Rob]

Theres an article in the newest Road&Track about the merger of ALMS and the Rolex.
ALM=Hi tech cutting edge racing series..Rolex=Lower budget simpler format. Everything is now owned by Nascar..yep,
Dont know about you, but Im not sure this was a good idea. It could mean the end of hi tech racing in the US, and a series
more in line w/low cost racing. Of course I could be wrong.

Couldnt agree more. LMP1s are now dead in America, they will not be allowed to race in the new merger-series. The DPs will be the highest cars in the series. Its a shame for LMP1s, and im sure the 458s will be pegged back abit as the GT regs in Grand-Am i think are slightly different, not sure on that though. But im sure they will make new rules for the GT's.

[Nova]

The rules in GT in Rolex appear to favor the American marques..
But Audi, Porsche, BMW, they do a lot of selling here...so Im hoping for some sort of compromise, or creation of new classes so
we can still enjoy the racing we're used to. I live in Fl close to many of the tracks, but if its all Rolex cars, I wont make a trip
for the races. Now if I can see those bad boys, the Lemans cars, I make trip.

[Rob]

Extreme Speed squad renews for 2013 ALMS

Florida-based Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) announced its team will return unchanged for a fourth straight year in the 2013 season of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón. The team's GT-class Ferrari 458 Italia race cars will be driven Scott Sharp, Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek and Guy Cosmo.

ESM team owner and racer Sharp will once again co-drive with Northern California racer van Overbeek in the No. 01 Patrón Ferrari Italia 458 and Brown will re-team with Cosmo in the sister No. 02 machine. In 2012 Sharp and van Overbeek earned two wins (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Petit Le Mans), two pole positions (Virginia International Raceway and Road Atlanta), and four additional podium finishes (third place at Long Beach, Baltimore, Road America and Virginia International Raceway) en route to a second place finish in the fiercely competitive GT driver standings. It also ranked third in the ALMS GT class standings, an impressive feat considering ESM is the lone Ferrari team in the GT class,. In the previous two seasons of ALMS competition, ESM finished sixth (2011) and fifth (2010).

“It's been so rewarding to watch the Tequila Patrón ESM team get stronger with each season and even each race. The continuity in our team has been the key to all of the success we've seen on all fronts and all positions," said Sharp. "ESM is blessed with quite a combination of drivers. Ed has progressed at a meteoric rate and came on so strong at the end of this season, while Guy has showed tremendous speed throughout this year and has played a critical role in coaching Ed to this level. Johannes, of course is so solid – super fast, smart, and very professional. We are excited to start the next ALMS season and can't wait to get back to the season opening race at Sebring.”

“All of the hard work began to pay dividends this year with six podiums and two wins in a field ultra-competitive teams and drivers. Although I'm satisfied with finishing second in the driver championship, I'm not happy with second.

Added van Overbeek: “I'm really looking forward to continuing the hard work in 2013 that we started back in 2010. The ESM-prepared Ferrari 458 on Michelin tires have been a joy to drive and I know next year they will be even better.

“In 2012 I celebrated my 100th ALMS start and I'm thrilled that many of those races were with ESM. This team is one of the best groups of guys that I've ever worked with in racing. They are a “team” in the true sense of the word.”

[Rob]

Heres just abit more about ESM next year...


ESM Patrón Orders a Double Shot
Van Overbeek, Cosmo return for 2013 season
STUART, FL – November 5, 2012 – The fourth time will be the charm for Florida-based Extreme Speed Motorsports (ESM) in the 2013 season of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón. For the fourth consecutive season, the team’s GT-class Ferrari 458 Italia race cars will be piloted by the fast foursome of Scott Sharp, Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek and Guy Cosmo.

ESM team owner and racer Scott Sharp will once again co-drive with northern California racer Johannes van Overbeek in the No. 01 Tequila Patrón Ferrari Italia 458 and Ed Brown will re-team with Guy Cosmo in the sister No. 02 machine.

Fresh off their best ALMS season to date, in 2012 Sharp and van Overbeek earned two wins (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Petit Le Mans), two pole positions (Virginia International Raceway and Road Atlanta), and four additional podium finishes (third place at Long Beach, Baltimore, Road America and Virginia International Raceway) en route to a second place finish in the fiercely competitive GT driver standings.

Brown and Cosmo also had a strong season, with one front row start (Mid-Ohio) and five top-10 finishes (Sebring, Long Beach, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Mid-Ohio and Road Atlanta).

Another milestone for the team in 2012 was their ranking third in the ALMS GT class standings, an impressive feat considering ESM is the lone Ferrari team in the GT class,. In the previous two seasons of ALMS competition, ESM finished sixth (2011) and fifth (2010).

The 2013 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón begins in 130 days with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh from Florida.

Scott Sharp
“It's been so rewarding to watch the Tequila Patrón ESM team get stronger with each season and even each race. The continuity in our team has been the key to all of the success we’ve seen on all fronts and all positions.

"I’m so excited to announce that all four drivers have been re-signed and ESM will be returning for our fourth year. The atmosphere, communication and cooperation between the four of us is unprecedented and has proven to be a huge strength for ESM!

"ESM is blessed with quite a combination of drivers. Ed has progressed at a meteoric rate and came on so strong at the end of this season, while Guy has showed tremendous speed throughout this year and has played a critical role in coaching Ed to this level. Johannes, of course is so solid - super fast, smart, and very professional. We are excited to start the next ALMS season and can’t wait to get back to the season opening race at Sebring.”

Johannes van Overbeek
“It's hard to imagine that we're going into the fourth year as an unchanged driving team. Under Scott’s leadership, ESM has pushed hard from the start and of course, none of our success would've been possible without the enthusiastic support of Ed Brown and Tequila Patrón.

“All of the hard work began to pay dividends this year with six podiums and two wins in a field ultra-competitive teams and drivers. Although I’m satisfied with finishing second in the driver championship, I'm not happy with second.

“I'm really looking forward to continuing the hard work in 2013 that we started back in 2010. The ESM-prepared Ferrari 458 on Michelin tires have been a joy to drive and I know next year they will be even better.

“In 2012 I celebrated my 100th ALMS start and I’m thrilled that many of those races were with ESM. This team is one of the best groups of guys that I've ever worked with in racing. They are a “team” in the true sense of the word.”

Ed Brown
“I’m thrilled that the four of us will team up again for the 2013 season!

“I’m so proud of the entire ESM Patrón team, we’ve all come so far these past three seasons. We have the absolute best team in racing!

“I'm looking forward to teaming with Guy again because he is such an amazing driver. He proved this year that he is one of the fastest Guy's on four wheels, and one hell of a driver coach.

“I hope that 2013 will be the start of a lot of great finishes for us.”

Guy Cosmo
“I’m thrilled to be back with ESM for 2013. Next season will mark my fourth year with the team, and it's been a very enjoyable and exciting three years thus far.

“Being with a team like this since its inception is really special, because not only have I seen it grow into a front-running, first-class operation, but I've helped play a role in it as well. We’ve got world class partners in Ferrari, Michelotto, Ferrari Corse Cliente, Michelin Tires and arguably the most supportive and influential sponsor in North American motorsports - Tequila Patrón and the Patrón Spirits Company.

“As well, ESM is comprised of an elite staff. Each and every person on this team is extremely talented and incredibly fun to work with. In my opinion this is a rare and special combination and I'm honored to be a part of it.

"We’ve more than shown our speed and strength this season, as a whole and as individual efforts with the No. 01 and No. 02 Tequila Patrón Ferraris. Ed and I have come really close to some great finishes this season, though luck just never fell our way. Ed has made tremendous strides behind the wheel and has been very dedicated to this program and his development as a driver.

“2013 will be a season where he and I realize the success we've come so close to capturing this year. I’m really looking forward to it.”

[Rob]

24 Hours of Le Mans categories
11/11/201210:08 - Auto News - 24 HOURS OF LE MANS 2012

In addition to the great fights that have made history, the wealth of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is also the fact that there are several "races within the race." Beyond overall across all categories, each class is the subject of a separate classification. Here is an overview, while the ticket office of the 90th anniversary edition, which will take place on 22 and 23 June 2013, just opened to members of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest.


LM P1 category (or Le Mans Prototype 1) - These are the cars fighting for the overall victory. At the wheel of the prototype two-seater designed exclusively for competition, there is only professional drivers. These machines the Audi e-tron quattro R18, Toyota TS030 Hybrid, Honda, OAK Pescarolo or the Lola coupe ...

LM P2 class (or Le Mans Prototype 2) - Less powerful than the LM P1 prototypes these tandems are also created exclusively for the event. But they must be equipped with engines from cars. They are manned by crews composed of professional and "gentlemen drivers" often passionate owners of the teams in which they run. We find French carmakers like OAK Pescarolo (renamed Morgan in this category) or Oreca, and also the Japanese Honda and Nissan (the latter as an engine) or the English Zytek and Lola.

Categories LM GTE Pro and LM GTE Am (or Grand Touring Endurance) - In these two categories will compete in track some of the most prestigious manufacturers of cars: Ferrari, Porsche, Corvette, Aston Martin ... They are mostly engaged officially. Reserved for sports cars adapted to the Grand Touring competition, these two classes are distinguished by the status of their drivers: professional for LM GTE Pro, "gentlemen drivers" associated to a professional (and only one per team) for LM GTE Am


The 56th stand - In the year 2012, on the occasion of the 80th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest has created a 56th booth occupied by a race car to innovative technology current off rankings. 90th anniversary in June 2013, will host the GreenGT H2, a prototype combining hydrogen and electricity.


A cross-classification categories: Michelin Green X Challenge - In both prototypes and classes Grand Touring Challenge that rewards successful racing cars with the best compromise between performance and fuel consumption. Competition at the heart of future challenges of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, who intend to remain pioneers in the development of alternative energy in motorsport. Jean-Philippe Doret Photo: CIRCUIT OF 24 HOURS (LE MANS, SARTHE) 24 HOURS MANS, FREE PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING, June 13, 2012. Toyota and Audi shoulder to shoulder: it will be the big poster of the LM P1 category for the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 22 and 23 June 2013.

[Rob]

Video: Nissan drivers DeltaWing freefall!
10/11/20129:00 - Auto News - 24 HOURS OF LE MANS 2012

The Spaniard Lucas Ordonez and Gunnar Jeannette American engaged in an experience of skydiving, a month after Felix Baumgartner became the first man to break the sound barrier in free fall. On October 20, the two drivers had finished in fifth place overall in the 2012 Petit Le Mans circuit on American Road Atlanta driving the Nissan DeltaWing, who was the stand of the 56th Le Mans 24 Hours, dedicated to a racing car to innovative off current ranking.

[Rob]

Thirteen teams automatically selected for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours
14/11/201217h11 - Auto News - 24 HEURES DU MANS 2012

Taking into account the results of the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours as well as those of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series and the American Le Mans Series, thirteen teams have won invitations to take part in qualifying practice for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours, which represent a maximum of 16 cars out of the 55 places on the grid for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours.


The following teams have been awarded this much sought-after invitation.

One invitation for:

Starworks Motorsport: LM P2 category winner in the Le Mans 24 Hours. An invitation in LM P2.
Larbre Compétition: LM GTE Am category winner in the Le Mans 24 Hours. Invitation in LM GTE Am.
Thiriet by TDS Racing: European Le Mans Series LM P2 winner. Invitation in LM P2.
OAK Racing: 2nd European Le Mans Series LM P2. Invitation in LM P2.
JMW Motorsport: European Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro winner. Invitation in LM GTE Pro.
JMB Racing: 2nd European Le Mans Series LM GTE Pro. Invitation in LM GTE Pro.
IMSA Performance Matmut: European Le Mans Series LM GTE Am winner. Invitation in LM GTE Am.
Boutsen Ginion Racing: European Le Mans Series LM PC winner. Invitation in LM P2.
Conquest Racing: designated by the American Le Mans Series. Invitation in LM P2.
Level 5 Motorosports: designated the American Le Mans Series. Invitation in LM P2.
Extreme Speed Motorsport: designated by the American Le Mans Series. Invitation in LM GTE (this entrant can choose between GTE Pro and GTE Am.).

Two invitations for:

Audi Sport Team Joest: winner in the LM P1 category in the Le Mans 24 Hours and winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Two invitations in LM P1.

Three invitations for:

AF Corse: winner in LM GTE Pro in the Le Mans 24 Hours, second in the European Le Mans Series in LM GTE Am and winner of the Michelin Green X Challenge in the FIA World Endurance Championship. This gives one invitation in LM GTE Pro and one in LM GTE Am: for the third the entrant can choose between GTE Pro and GTE Am.

To validate these invitations the teams in question must enter for the 2013 Le Mans 24 hours, and in 2013 they must enter for at least one of the following championships: the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series, American Le Mans Series or the Asian Le Mans Series.

The complete list of entries for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours and FIA World Endurance Championship will be announced on Thursday 31st January 2013 in Paris.

>> The list of teams taking part in qualifying practice for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours <<

Practical information
The 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours
90th anniversary
3rd round of the FIA World Endurance Championship

Dates: 22-23 June 2013

General enclosure tickets: 54 euros (ACO members), 71 euros (non ACO members).

The ticket office is open to ACO members until 19th November 2012. It will be open to everybody on 20th November 2012.

Free for young people born after 23rd June 1997 accompanied by an adult.

Test day: Sunday 9th June 2013.

Scrutineering: Sunday 16th and Monday 17th June.

Free practice and qualifying: Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th June.

Start of the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours: Saturday 22nd June at 15h00.

[Tifoso84]

This has been an absolutely fantastic season for Ferrari and AF Corse.

I especially enjoyed that Ferrari 1-2 finish in the LMGTE-Pro class in Le Mans, that was definitely one of the highlights of the Ferrari season for me.


Congratulations Ferrari and AF Corse on a brilliant season!

And best of luck for next season!

[Rob]

Fantastic news for ESM Racing....

Level 5, Conquest, ESM Aiming for Le Mans in 2013
Trio granted automatic entries to famed French classic

BRASELTON, Ga. – The accomplishments by three of the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón’s best in 2012 is already reaping rewards for 2013. Level 5 Motorsports, Conquest Endurance and Extreme Speed Motorsports each received invitations today to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The International Motor Sports Association – sanctioning body of the ALMS – selected the trio as at-large picks to represent the Series in the great French classic. Level 5 won its second straight ALMS P2 championship just ahead of Conquest, a first-year team in the Series. Extreme Speed finished third in the ALMS’ GT class, undoubtedly the premier category of road racing in the world.

Collectively, the three teams claimed 12 race victories in the 2012 ALMS – eight for Level 5 and two each for Conquest and Extreme Speed. While the latter two would make their debuts at Le Mans next year, Level 5 looks to make its third straight start. The Scott Tucker-owned team finished third in its 2011 debut.

The full list of entries for the 81st running of the Le Mans 24 Hours will be released Jan. 31 with additional ALMS entries likely to be announced. The race is set for June 22-23 from the famed Circuit de la Sarthe.

The 2013 ALMS season opens with the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida on March 13-16.

[Rob]

But sad news for Flying Lizards..

Flying Lizard Announces GTC Program for 2013

Neiman and Pumpelly pair in No. 44 Porsche
SONOMA, Calif. (Nov. 15, 2012) - Flying Lizard Motorsports announced today that the team will run the No. 44 Flying Lizard Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car in the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón GT Challenge class in 2013 with drivers Seth Neiman and Spencer Pumpelly. In addition, for the first time in its history, Flying Lizard is introducing a customer program for Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars.

"We're excited to race in GTC in 2013," team manager Eric Ingraham explained. "Moving to GTC also gives us the opportunity to share our Porsche experience with customers who want to race professionally in either the ALMS GTC or IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge series."

"In this production-based class all teams run a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, so there are no manufacturer differences and the GTC rules mandate more spec features than in GT," Ingraham added. "This offers a level playing field that is still extremely competitive: to succeed, teams must differentiate through driving performance, race strategy, pit stops, car setup and thorough preparation."

From 2004 through 2012, Flying Lizard competed in the ALMS GT class. Last month, Porsche announced the end of development of the 911 GT3 RSR (type 997). "With the end of Porsche developmental support for the 997, it was clear that we needed to do something different for 2013. The team wants to continue to race competitively and GTC was a logical choice given our long history with 911s," Ingraham said. "A customer program is complementary: it allows both the team and potential customers to benefit from the efficiencies of a multi-car team and leverage our Porsche experience."

The current Flying Lizard management team will transition to the GTC program, including Ingraham, chief strategist Thomas Blam and crew chief Tommy Sadler.

"We see a tremendous opportunity in GTC," said Blam. "Experienced teams like Alex Job Racing, The Racers' Group, and JDX have created a successful blueprint for competing in GTC, and have helped grow the field of professional drivers. It will be a new experience for us on many levels and we have a lot to learn, but we're looking forward to the challenge."

In 2013, drivers Neiman and Pumpelly will partner in the No. 44 Flying Lizard Porsche for their first full season. The two drove together at the 24 Heures du Mans in 2011 and 2012 in the No. 81 and No. 79 Flying Lizard Porsches, respectively. Pumpelly has competed in ALMS events since 1999, including the full 2012 GTC season in which he finished third in the drivers' championship (with The Racer's Group). He has also competed in Grand-Am for the last six years (also with TRG). Pumpelly has won twice in GT at the Rolex 24 at Daytona (2011 and 2006) and finished second and third in 2009 and 2008, respectively. Neiman has raced in the No. 44 Flying Lizard Porsche in the ALMS since 2004. In 2012, he finished 10th in the GT drivers' championship.

"I'm excited about starting this new chapter with the Lizards in the GTC class," Pumpelly said. "I've been fortunate to have raced with Seth and the entire team at Le Mans twice now and I have nothing but confidence in their abilities. Having raced in the GTC for the past several years, I know how competitive the class is. The team's storied history with Porsche and their committed group of people will be a big advantage when it comes to making the transition."

The 2013 American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón season kicks off with the 61st running of the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh from Florida is set for Saturday, March 16, at Sebring International Raceway. For information on tickets and accommodations, visit www.sebringraceway.com.

About Flying Lizard Motorsports

Flying Lizard has competed in the American Le Mans Series for nine consecutive seasons in the GT class. The Lizards have won two ALMS GT team championships (2008 and 2009) and have finished in the top three each year since 2004. The team has secured three ALMS GT drivers' championships: Bergmeister and Long took the title together in 2009 and 2010 and Bergmeister with Wolf Henzler in 2008. Bergmeister is five-time ALMS GT drivers' champion (2005-2006 and 2008-2010) and Long has won the title three times (2005, and 2009-2010), all with Bergmeister. Bergmeister is the only driver in Grand-Am and ALMS history to win the championship in both series in the same year (2006).

Flying Lizard has also competed in the 24 Heures du Mans from 2005 through 2012, finishing third in 2005, fourth in 2006, sixth in 2008, sixth in 2011, and fourth in 2012.

[Rob]

Rebellion to compete in ALMS full-time in 2013
By Gary Watkins Wednesday, November 21st 2012, 17:26 GMT

The Anglo-Swiss Rebellion LMP1 squad will race full-time in next year's American Le Mans Series in the wake of its victory in the season-ending Petit Le Mans enduro at Road Atlanta last month.

Rebellion Racing, which took the P1 privateers' title in this year's FIA World Endurance Championship, will field at least one of its fleet of Lola-Toyota B12/60 coupes in the full ALMS schedule.

It has not ruled out continuing in the WEC and plans to field two cars in the centrepiece of the series, the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Team manager Bart Hayden said: "The ALMS represents a good opportunity to win races and the plan is to do the full season, but we are not being specific on the number of cars at this stage.

"We could race in the WEC again. We have three cars and entering three in the ALMS would not be realistic, so it could be a case of running two in one and one in the other."

Hayden would not be drawn on drivers for the ALMS ahead of any official announcement of its 2013 programme.

"We are not making any announcement on drivers at this stage," he said. "It is more likely that they will be top-line rather than paying."

This year, Rebellion ran one car in the WEC for Neel Jani and Nicolas Prost and one for Andrea Belicchi and Harold Primat. Belicchi joined Jani and Prost in the single-car entry at Petit.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/104450

[Rob]

AF Corse joins British GT with Dhillon and Scott on Ferrari 458 Italia GT3


PIACENZA, 22 November 2012 - Highly successful International sports car racing team, AF Corse today an- nounced its intention to compete in the 2013 Avon Tyres British GT Championship with series regulars John Dhillon and Aaron Scott in a Ferrari 458 Italia GT3. The reigning Blancpain Endurance Series Teams Pro-Am Champions will join the exciting British series as a full season entrant when racing gets underway at Oulton Park on the Easter Weekend (29 – 31 March 2013) and hope to add a second car to its squad in the coming months.

Drivers John Dhillon (Leicester) and Aaron Scott (Shropshire) join the Italian team after a successful two-day test at Italy’s Vallelunga circuit last week. Following a progressive maiden season with the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 in British GT prepared by British outfit, Scuderia Vittoria, Dhillon and Scott finished the 2012 season se- venteenth in the standings with three top-ten finishes in arguably the most competitive season in British GT ever.

Now with twelve months experience of the 458 GT3 under their belt, two full seasons in British GT completed and a thorough testing programme planned, the British driving duo are understandably keen to get the 2013 season underway.

This year saw British GT grids swell to an average of 28 cars per race and with competition closer than ever on track, but the arrival of the Italian team is something of a landmark moment for the Championship, which will next year celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its inception.


Benjamin Franassovici, British GT Championship Manager:

“I am very excited for British GT to receive interest from the continent, it shows we are doing something special here. British GT is I think one of the strongest National GT series in Europe if not the world, the racing is exceptional and the addition of a team of the calibre of AF Corse is very positive.”

Amato Ferrari, AF Corse Team Principal:

“The British GT Championship is one of the new 2013 plans for AF Corse. We are happy to race in this championship organized by SRO; AF Corse has run from 2006 in its championships. The Avon Tyres British GT Championship is a success in European motorsport and we are glad to race with John Dhillon and Aaron Scott. We are also looking to set-up a second AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 for the upcoming British GT season”.

John Dhillon, driver:

“For me to work with AF Corse is a superb opportunity. This year I learnt a lot about the 458 and feel I improved, but with the resource of AF supporting us I think there are more ways for me to progress. I know I need to get as close to Aaron’s lap time as possible for us to improve as a pairing, so that is my aim with the additional testing. The team have shown they work well with drivers of all abilities, so I feel both Aaron and I will get the support we need next year in British GT. Due to the success they’ve had in other series, the team have a winning mentality, but don’t apply a level of expectation. This I feel will be a good environment for me to learn in and grow and to have the deal in place before Christmas means we can prepare properly for next season.”

Aaron Scott, driver:

“It’s great to be working with such a prestigious team. The deal came together in the last three weeks and the conversations with the team have been very straightforward. The plan is to focus on British GT and within the confines of budget do more testing throughout the year; we’ve kicked this off already with a two-day test at Vallelunga last week which went really well. I know John benefited from that test as his times came down progressively and we both felt settled in tour surroundings by the start of the second day. I think I’m driving at a good level, but by joining AF Corse it means I now have the opportunity to compare my data with some of the best in the world. I’m confident that the winning philosophy that AF has is as much a benefit to me as it will be to John. We’re both happy to have the deal secured already so we can focus on 2013.”

[Rob]

STARWORKS 2012 STARRING ROLE IN LMP2

22/11/2012 - 18h21

When Peter Baron re-launched Starworks Motorsport in January 2010, his original championship aims extended as far as conquering the Rolex Series in North America. However, when Venezuelan Enzo Potolicchio came knocking on his door in October last year with a proposal to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship, the world became Starworks’ oyster…an oyster which has yielded several lustrous pearls in 2012.

Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the small, tightly-knit team won the LMP2 class in the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans on its way to becoming the first-ever recipients of the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams. Apart from the FIA World Endurance Championship, the American team has also had victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and clinched the inaugural North American Endurance Championship within the Rolex Series. Their success has been truly international.

The No.44 HPD ARX 03b, in the hands of regulars Ryan Dalziel and Potolicchio, plus Stéphane Sarrazin and Tom Kimber-Smith, had just one major blip throughout the season and that was at Spa when a failure in the oil pump system led to a fire in the pitlane. Although speedy pit work saw them go on to finish the 6-hour Belgian race, it was the only time in the FIA WEC that the team finished off the LMP2 podium. A win in Brazil – tantamount to a ‘home’ race for the team’s South American driver – consolidated Starwork’s lead in the standings, and second places at Silverstone and Fuji were enough to wrap up the Championship title with the Shanghai round still to run.

With qualifying hot-shot Sarrazin adding to the points tally with poles in Sao Paulo, Bahrain and Fuji (plus being first of the full season entrants at Silverstone), there was much to celebrate by the time the final 6 hour race came around in China including a first World Championship for Honda Performance Development. Peter Baron and Starworks have yet to confirm their 2013 plans but the opportunity to conquer every round within the FIA WEC must be a big incentive for such a competitive team