2014 WEC/ELMS&TUSC news.

[Rob]

2014 TUDOR UNITED SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
SAHLEN’S SIX HOURS OF THE GLEN, WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL, NEW YORK

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT no. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Pierre Kaffer (GER)

RISI COMPETIZIONE POSITIVE FOR WATKINS GLEN ENDURO

Houston, Texas, 24 June 2014. While the GTLM spotlight might be on the four factory-backed manufacturer teams in the next round of the TUDOR United Sportscar Championship at Watkins Glen International, Risi Competizione is determined that the most iconic sportscar name of them all – Ferrari – will be the one on everyone’s lips at the close of the six hour race at Watkins Glen.

The Houston-based privately owned team is coming to New York on the back of its GTLM class podium finish at the Monterey Grand Prix at the beginning of May, and looking to repeat, or better, that result in what will be a first visit for many to the historic 3.4 mile road course.

It may be almost two months since the last race, but the team and its drivers have been far from idle. Risi completed a very positive and encouraging test session at the New York track on May 21/22, and its drivers are both coming to the USA fresh from triumphs and fighting finishes in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Nürburgring 24 endurance races.

Ferrari factory driver Giancarlo Fisichella will be making his debut at The Glen, but returns to the USA high in confidence following his second GTE Pro win in three years for Ferrari at the world’s most famous sportscar race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Together with Gimmi Bruni, who was with Risi at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring earlier this year, and former team driver Toni Vilander, Fisichella drove a flawless race against tough opposition and will be bringing that endurance performance and grit to Risi’s challenge next weekend (June 27-29).

Risi Competizione is delighted to confirm that Pierre Kaffer will remain with the team as partner to Fisichella. The German was a last minute stand-in for an injured Ferrari driver at Le Mans and just one week later achieved a 9th place finish overall at the “Green Hell”, otherwise known as the Nürburgring in Germany. Kaffer, who had a standout performance at Laguna Seca in California, brings to the team a huge bank of knowledge and experience in sportscar racing, and is anxious to return Risi to the top step of the podium.

Team Principal Giuseppe Risi commented: “I really feel we are entering this second half of the season with a great deal of confidence and positivity. We’re extremely pleased to have Pierre with us, and congratulate Giancarlo on his superb result at Le Mans. We have an excellent team, and are fully capable of taking the fight to the bigger factory teams with our Ferrari, as we showed in California. Watkins Glen presents something of a level playing field as it’s a new track to many of us, and we’re looking forward to a very good event.”

‘The Glen’ is a classic American track with decades of racing history and the venue will see the four classes (P, PC, GTLM and GTD) all racing together for the first time since Sebring in March. The track has some long medium to medium-high speed corners with a long uphill section from Turn 1 to the ‘Inner Loop’ (the Esses) reaching a top speed of 260 kph/160 mph, one of the faster permanent road courses visited by the series. With 55 entries, of which 11 are in the GTLM category, the race promises to be action-packed and, likely, incident-filled.

The Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen will be televised LIVE on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, June 29 starting at 11:00am EDT.

Risi Competizione is a Houston-based Ferrari racing team led by Managing Director Giuseppe Risi. From the time it entered the American Le Mans Series, and particularly in the opening decade of the 2000s, Risi Competizione has been recognised as the leading Ferrari GT team in North America. The professionalism of the team combined to win two GT championships, take three class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and achieve 19 outright American Le Mans Series class wins and 31 further podium finishes. Amongst those victories was an historic winning streak in the endurance majors which included multiple victories at the Sebring 12H, 24H Le Mans and Petit Le Mans.

[Rob]

[Rob]

24 HEURES DU MANS: A RESOUNDING GLOBAL SUCCESS

24/06/2014 - 17h21



The recent edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was a resounding success in all areas - on track, in the paddocks, campsites and grandstands, and on TV. Here are some of the numbers released by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest which show the scale of the race's worldwide fame and following:

Spectators at the circuit

- 263,300 spectators at the circuit, 18,300 more than in 2013.
- 29,500 spectators for the first day’s practice on Wednesday 11th June and 54,000 on the second day, Thursday 12th June.
- 24,000 spectators at the test day on Sunday 1st June.



Press

- 1,423 journalists (written press/radio/photographers/new media) accredited (1,405 in 2013). These journalists came from 49 different countries (42 in 2013).

Television

- 1,023 TV personnel were present at the Le Mans 24 Hours for TV production.
- 104 teams of TV reporters were on site.


TV broadcasters

- 31 international TV networks bought the TV broadcasting rights for the 2014 race (30 in 2013), covering 190 countries.
- This gave a potential audience of 802.1-million viewers (707.3 in 2013).
- Eurosport: this year 22.6 million TV viewers were able to follow the Le Mans 24 Hours on the Eurosport and Eurosport 2 channels all over Europe thanks to a total of more than 45 hours broadcasting.
- France Télévision: On the France 2 and France 3 channels, the Le Mans 24 Hours attracted an average of 1 million viewers, 9 % of the audience with a peak of 1.1 million viewers (12%) at the start of the race.


Le Mans 24-Hours App

The latest arrival in the world of communications tools for the Le Mans 24 Hours was the App and this met with immediate success.

It was downloaded 225,186 times on iOS and Android platforms. To this number can be added the 76,102 downloads recorded following the first two rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship. In total this application was downloaded 301,288 times.

With the Le Mans 24 Hours now over, the application will be ‘returned’ to the FIA WEC to allows fans to follow the five remaining rounds of the championship.

ACO press release

[Rob]

FERRARI CHASING HISTORY AT THE GLEN IN ANNIVERSARY YEAR
It wasn’t too long ago that a Ferrari was in victory lane at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. But while those Ferraris were vastly different than the 458 Italias that will take the green flag this Sunday at 11:00 AM ET, adorned with decals celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Ferrari North America, they share the same racing DNA known to fans the world over.

The Ferrari 458 Italias that AIM Autosport and Scuderia Corsa will field in the GT Daytona class, as well as the 458 Italias that Risi Competizione and Krohn Racing will compete with in the GT Le Mans class are based on the road-going 458 Italia – a car that is as close to a purpose-built race car that can be driven on the street. But it is two of Ferrari’s most famous prototype racers – the 312 PB and the 333 SP – that have visited victory lane at The Glen.

However, if the GT Daytona or GT Le Mans Ferraris score a class victory they will follow in the footsteps of another famous Ferrari production model. In 1972, a North American Racing Team Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ driven by Jean-Pierre Jarier and Gregg Young scored a class victory at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

That same year, three Ferrari 312 PB’s were entered in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, with the no. 85 Ferrari 312 PB of Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx scoring victory ahead of the sister no. 86 Ferrari 312 PB of Ronnie Peterson and Tim Schenken. Had the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup existed in 1972, Andretti and Ickx would have all but clinched it – the duo also won at Daytona and Sebring that year in the Ferrari 312 PB.

During the era of the World Sports Cars and the Ferrari 333 SP, it was Gianpiero Moretti’s famous MOMO-liveried Ferrari 333 SP that would win at Watkins Glen – three times, in fact. His first victory, in 1994, came when he partnered with Eliseo Salazar to win what was then a 500k contest.

The 1996 saw Moretti partner with Max Papis, who earned the nickname ‘Mad Max’ with a thrilling conclusion to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in Moretti’s Ferrari. So it was no surprise that Moretti tabbed the rapid Italian to co-drive with him at the Six Hours of the Glen that season. After two incidents which sent him off the track, Papis retook the lead of the race from Butch Leitzinger with less than five minutes remaining to score the second victory for Ferrari in three years.

1998 was not only the third victory for the Ferrari 333 SP at Watkins Glen, but would be the final one for Moretti. Teamed with Mauro Baldi and Didier Theys, it was Theys who would guide the car to the checkered flag as he withstood a serious charge from James Weaver in the race’s closing stages. Moretti retired from racing after that victory, in a year which saw him and his MOMO Ferrari 333 SP victorious at Daytona, Sebring, and Watkins Glen.

Since Ferrari entered GRAND-AM’s GT class in 2012 with the 458 Italia, a third in 2012 and second in 2013 have been the best results for the company at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Entering this weekend’s race, it is the AIM Autosport duo of Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell that lead the TUDOR Championship as well as the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup in the GT Daytona class. Their no. 555 Ferrari was victorious at Daytona, while the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia took the win at the previous race at the Raceway at Belle Isle. Coming off of a podium at the previous GT Le Mans round at Laguna Seca, the Risi Competizione team will compete this weekend for the first time at Watkins Glen since a runner-up finish in the GT class in the 2004 Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

And all four Ferrari 458 Italias will be chasing a return to victory lane at Watkins Glen International for the Prancing Horse.

It wasn’t too long ago that a Ferrari was in victory lane at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. But while those Ferraris were vastly different than the 458 Italias that will take the green flag this Sunday at 11:00 AM ET, adorned with decals celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Ferrari North America, they share the same racing DNA known to fans the world over.

The Ferrari 458 Italias that AIM Autosport and Scuderia Corsa will field in the GT Daytona class, as well as the 458 Italias that Risi Competizione and Krohn Racing will compete with in the GT Le Mans class are based on the road-going 458 Italia – a car that is as close to a purpose-built race car that can be driven on the street. But it is two of Ferrari’s most famous prototype racers – the 312 PB and the 333 SP – that have visited victory lane at The Glen.

However, if the GT Daytona or GT Le Mans Ferraris score a class victory they will follow in the footsteps of another famous Ferrari production model. In 1972, a North American Racing Team Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ driven by Jean-Pierre Jarier and Gregg Young scored a class victory at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

That same year, three Ferrari 312 PB’s were entered in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, with the no. 85 Ferrari 312 PB of Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx scoring victory ahead of the sister no. 86 Ferrari 312 PB of Ronnie Peterson and Tim Schenken. Had the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup existed in 1972, Andretti and Ickx would have all but clinched it – the duo also won at Daytona and Sebring that year in the Ferrari 312 PB.

During the era of the World Sports Cars and the Ferrari 333 SP, it was Gianpiero Moretti’s famous MOMO-liveried Ferrari 333 SP that would win at Watkins Glen – three times, in fact. His first victory, in 1994, came when he partnered with Eliseo Salazar to win what was then a 500k contest.

The 1996 saw Moretti partner with Max Papis, who earned the nickname ‘Mad Max’ with a thrilling conclusion to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in Moretti’s Ferrari. So it was no surprise that Moretti tabbed the rapid Italian to co-drive with him at the Six Hours of the Glen that season. After two incidents which sent him off the track, Papis retook the lead of the race from Butch Leitzinger with less than five minutes remaining to score the second victory for Ferrari in three years.

1998 was not only the third victory for the Ferrari 333 SP at Watkins Glen, but would be the final one for Moretti. Teamed with Mauro Baldi and Didier Theys, it was Theys who would guide the car to the checkered flag as he withstood a serious charge from James Weaver in the race’s closing stages. Moretti retired from racing after that victory, in a year which saw him and his MOMO Ferrari 333 SP victorious at Daytona, Sebring, and Watkins Glen.

Since Ferrari entered GRAND-AM’s GT class in 2012 with the 458 Italia, a third in 2012 and second in 2013 have been the best results for the company at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Entering this weekend’s race, it is the AIM Autosport duo of Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell that lead the TUDOR Championship as well as the Tequila Patrón North American Endurance Cup in the GT Daytona class. Their no. 555 Ferrari was victorious at Daytona, while the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia took the win at the previous race at the Raceway at Belle Isle. Coming off of a podium at the previous GT Le Mans round at Laguna Seca, the Risi Competizione team will compete this weekend for the first time at Watkins Glen since a runner-up finish in the GT class in the 2004 Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen.

And all four Ferrari 458 Italias will be chasing a return to victory lane at Watkins Glen International for the Prancing Horse.

- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/ferrari....FNeWVSaP.dpuf

[Nova]

There should be a LIKE button on some of those pix!!!

[Rob]

There should be a LIKE button on some of those pix!!!

yeah, there should be. That be good idea.

[Rob]

83RD LE MANS 24 HOURS 13-14 JUNE 2015

The chapter concerning the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours closed just 10 days ago, and already the Automobile Club de l’Ouest is preparing for the 83rd event, which will take place on 13-14 June 2015.



Like this year the next Le Mans 24-Hours race will be held during the 24th week of the year.

It’s the seventh time in 92 years that the Le Mans 24 Hours will be run on 13-14 June. The last time was in 2009 and prior to that the years were: 1931, 1953, 1970, 1981, 1987 and 2009.

The test day will take place on Sunday 31st May 2015, two weeks before the race.

These dates sent in by the ACO were validated today at the FIA World Council meeting in Munich (Germany).

Scrutineering and administrative checks will be on Sunday and Monday 6th and 7th June 2015, very probably on Place de la République in the centre of Le Mans.

As has been the case since 2012 and the return of the test day two weeks before the pinnacle of the FIA World Endurance Championship, this schedule will enable the teams to set up home inside the Le Mans circuit, and they will not have to dismantle their installations before the start of the blue riband event of the international endurance season.

[Rob]

2014 TUDOR UNITED SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
SAHLEN’S SIX HOURS OF THE GLEN, WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL, NEW YORK

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT no. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Pierre Kaffer (GER)

PRACTICE NOTES – FRIDAY 27 JUNE 2014

Practice Patter…

It is the first visit to Watkins Glen International for Risi Competizione for well over a decade but the Houston-based team did take part in a two-day test here at the track on 21/22 May. Pierre Kaffer drove the No.62 Ferrari 458 Italia during the two days and great progress was made on set up in preparation for the race.


Giancarlo Fisichella, who comes to the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen off the back of his second LMGTE victory with Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, turned his first laps of the iconic New York track this morning in the one-hour free practice session and had a big smile on his face afterwards.

“The track is amazing and I really, really like the layout,” said Fisichella. “It’s my first time here and I spent the first few laps learning the track and then step by step was increasing my speed. At the end I think we were quite competitive and I enjoyed driving the circuit. There are lots of nice high-speed corners and ups and downs, and I’m sure it’s going to be better tomorrow when we’ve fixed a set up problem. We had too much understeer in the practice session and that made it difficult to learn the track and be fast.

“Traffic is going to be a big issue for everyone, and I think it’s going to be a bit harder to overtake than at Sebring because it’s a smaller track and there aren’t a lot of places where you have time to overtake other cars. It’s going to be important to be quick in overtaking areas for Sunday.”

The Italian’s best lap of 1:46.359 was set before some set up changes were tried, and just one second separated eight cars in the super-competitive GTLM category.

From heaven to Green Hell…

German Pierre Kaffer is making his second 2014 start with Risi Competizione, but this weekend’s 6-hour race comes after a very busy fortnight for the Swiss based Ferrari driver. First of all he was a late replacement at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for an injured Ferrari competitor, and then just one week later he took part in the Nürburgring 24 hour event on the legendary 15.7 mile (25.4km) long circuit. His team mates in the GT3 Audi R8 LMS were former Audi Sport factory drivers Marco Werner and Frank Biela – both well known to American audiences from their time in the ALMS – and the man who fell to earth…Felix Baumgartner. The quartet finished 9th overall from over 160 competitors.

The Austrian skydiver who jumped the 128,100 ft from space in October 2012 completed a number of races around the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife track to prepare for the big race, with Kaffer as his driver coach and team mate.

Pierre reflected on their performance over the weekend: “The main aim before the race was to bring Felix up to the level needed to compete at the Nürburgring 24, and for him there was a lot of pressure. He was with three professional drivers and in my opinion he did a very good job. He never made any mistakes and lapped under nine minutes which was the target for all gentlemen drivers. It was the first time that the team finished in the top ten and they performed just like a full manufacturer backed team all weekend. It was a really great weekend.”

Saturday will see two further hours of practice (two x 1-hour sessions) followed by qualifying for Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. The race will be televised LIVE on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, June 29 starting at 11:00am EDT.

[Rob]

Scuderia Corsa Aiming to Repeat Detroit Success at Watkins Glen.

Brandon Davis Joins Balzan and Westphal for Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

June 26, 2014 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - After winning the previous TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT-Daytona race at the Raceway at Belle Isle, Scuderia Corsa and its no. 63 Ferrari 458 Italia are looking for their second win in a row at this weekend's Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen.

The combined efforts of driver Jeff Westphal and the Scuderia Corsa pit crew catapulted the Ferrari from its sixth-place starting position to the lead of the GT-Daytona class in last month's race in Detroit. After a full-course caution period, Alessandro Balzan withstood heavy pressure to guide the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia to its first victory of the year.

For the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen, Balzan and Westphal will be joined by Brandon Davis. A former World Challenge Touring Car Rookie of the Year and GT Champion, as well as a NASCAR Whelan All-American State Champion in 2011, Davis competed in this year's Rolex 24 at Daytona as well as the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

"We have known Brandon for a while and are excited to have the chance to work with him," said Giacomo Mattioli, Scuderia Corsa team owner. "He has the right balance of speed and experience that will be a great benefit to our team, and I am looking forward to seeing the very strong driver lineup of Alessandro, Brandon and Jeff drive our Ferrari this weekend."

Davis is equally thrilled to join Scuderia Corsa for the first time this weekend.

"I'm really excited to join Scuderia Corsa for the Six Hours," said Davis. "They are a premier team and to be in a championship winning car is even more of an honor. I am looking forward to the opportunity to drive the Ferrari and with the team coming off of a win, it is my goal to try and repeat those results. Watkins Glen is a great place to race - I skipped my graduation so I could compete in a World Challenge race at the Glen."

The Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen will be broadcast live on Sunday, June 29 at 11:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1.
___________

Watkins Glen Technical Analysis - Joe La Joie, engineer of no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia:

The Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen is an endurance race, so the handling sometimes takes a backseat to other aspects. Handling wise, the Glen long track is a challenging combination that requires an efficient aero package, change of direction, and a solid endurance brake package.

Turn 1 - This is the second longest straight and second hardest brake zone. It's bumpy and downhill so the car control must be good. You must watch for lacking of the front tires when trail braking. The turn has significant banking so it can be fast with high loads and can be hard on the left front tire. The exit must be fast, requiring good throttle application and gearing in order to get to the Bus Stop.

Turns 2,3, and 4 - This section of corners need to be flat which is difficult because they are fast needing efficient aero balance and support. The gearing has to be correct so the driver can shift between the turns and have the power to make it up the hill.

Bus Stop - This is the biggest brake zone and a great place to pass. That assumes you got out of T2 and up the hill flat. While we run the endurance brakes for the Six Hours, they must have good torque in order to out-brake the other cars. The Bus Stop itself requires the car to absorb the curbs while having good direction change.

Carousel - This is a long sweeper and you can lose critical time here. The throttle application is critical which requires the differential to be good. The long sustained G's require good balance and support.

Toe of the Boot - This is rather slow and requires some attention to mid-corner balance so the throttle application can be good in order to get to turn eight. This is the third-longest straight.

Heel of the Boot - This is the third biggest brake zone and another excellent opportunity to pass.

Turn 9 - The goal in this corner is to get out of it well for the runs through turn 10 and 11.

Turn 10 - This turn is fast. We want to keep the momentum up all the way through turn 11. Turns 2, 3, 4 and 10 determine the aero balance of our Ferrari.

Turn 11 - This brings you back onto the main straight - the second-longest straight on the track. It is relatively fast, not as fast as turn 10, but still very fast.
__________

[Rob]

2014 TUDOR UNITED SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
SAHLEN’S SIX HOURS OF THE GLEN, WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL, NEW YORK

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT no. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Pierre Kaffer (GER)

RACE REPORT – SUNDAY, 29 JUNE 2014
Risi endures on its return to the iconic Watkins Glen track to take more championship points

Risi Competizione overcame alternator issues and an incident-filled four-class endurance race in today’s Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen, the seventh round of the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship, to finish 7th in the GTLM class and 17th overall.

The No.62 Ferrari 458 Italia of Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer was on course for a better placed finish thanks to a sterling stint by Pierre Kaffer in the penultimate hour - during which he set the fastest GTLM lap of the race.

However, a late-race caution period closed up the 53-strong field and perhaps saved several competitors from having to make a splash and dash for fuel. That fact, combined with radio communication problems between the pits and the car, meant that Fisichella was blind-sided. In fifth place as the race went green again for the final lap of the race, the Italian had to make a move to avoid clashing with a GTD competitor and unfortunately had to cede his place in doing so.

Starting from 8th on the GTLM grid, the race was turned on its head for Risi when the Ferrari’s alternator failed and the team had to make an early first pit stop to not only take on fuel and new Michelin rubber but also a new battery. Typically quick work in the pits by the Risi crew meant that things were soon back on track and, despite extremely hot temperatures and a further battery change, the Ferrari was well placed for a top five finish.

Pierre Kaffer said after the very hard and hot race, “It was very hot in the car and with so many different cars on the track you had to be really patient with what was in front of you and behind you. As soon as the there was some more rubber on the track our car improved in its handling and performance, and every pit stop the team did was perfect. I think the GTLM class is very close and we were really unfortunate in the end as, with just 30 minutes to go we were on for a podium thanks to our strategy. I think the team deserved a better result and a big thank you to all of them for the whole weekend.”

Giancarlo Fisichella: “From the start of the weekend it was tough as we were a bit far off the pace. It was better in the race but straight away we had the problem with the alternator which lost us a bit of time in the pit lane. Then we had a problem with the radio and the communication was SO difficult. That cost us a couple of positions right at the end; I didn’t know it was the last lap although my engineer had tried to tell me. I couldn’t understand anything that was being said to me. I was also trying to overtake a GTD and he closed the door on me. I had to brake hard otherwise there would have been contact with him and I lost the rear end of the year – it was lucky that we had no damage to the car but it was shame we lost two positions. The team did a good job, and I think Pierre and I did too, but we need to fix a few problems for the next races.”

The next round of the series will be the Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Canada from 11-13 July.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
LE MANS - 03 July 2014
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

FIAFIA WEC to race into the night at Lone Star Le Mans weekend


When the FIA World Endurance Championship returns to action following the summer break, it will be to a Texas-sized sports car racing event at the Circuit of The Americas on 19/20 September.

The ‘Lone Star Le Mans’ weekend will bring together endurance racing’s only World Championship and North America’s Tudor United Sportscar Championship for a superb festival of action on and off track.

Due to be held for the second successive year at the impressive Circuit of The Americas (CoTA) in Austin, Texas, the 6 Hours of Circuit of The Americas will give fans a true taste of Le Mans as the race will run from 5:00 pm into the night. The sights and sounds of the fastest sports prototypes in the world from Audi, Porsche and Toyota, together with Aston Martins, Ferraris and Porsche GTEs are guaranteed to excite and entertain, and racing at night adds to the tension and thrill for competitors and fans alike.

With Audi’s recent win at the world’s most famous and prestigious sportscar race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, there is now just one point between current World Championship title points leaders’ Toyota and the German marque. Porsche will be determined to translate the pace and performance shown at Le Mans into their first race win of the season, and the battle for race honours in the other three classes of competition will be equally hotly contested.

The FIA WEC’s 6 Hours of Circuit of The Americas will follow the Tudor United Sportscar Championship’s 2h 45 minute race earlier in the day, which also features a host of iconic names, and together with the support races there will be over 180 sportscars for fans to see. The paddock is open to fans, there are pit walks and autograph sessions, and entry for children is free.

Off track fans will be treated to a carnival of live music and other entertainment. There is no reason not to be in Austin, Texas for the weekend of 19/20 September so ‘come on down y’all’ and join the FIA WEC for what promises to be one of the best weekends of racing since the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2014!

[Rob]

going to be a night race, brilliant. Going to look something else. Roll on September. Really? that long to wait

[budaman]

And I will be there....have my camping spot at the track & tent is ready! Camping was cheap enough for the weekend, that even though I live in the Austin area, decided I'd just spend the weekend there, and have a place to take a break between the two races.

Pics from last years race here, plus I just finished getting up the page for this years Montreal F1 race & the MotoGP race at CoTA.

http://www.mmtravelpics.com/Our_Worl...r_Weekend.html

[Rob]

great pictures. Lucky going there, going to cracking weekend of racing.

[Rob]

2014 TUDOR UNITED SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
MOBIL 1 SPORTSCAR GRAND PRIX, CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT no. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Pierre Kaffer (GER)

RISI LOOKING FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP BOOST IN CANADA

Risi Competizione moves this week onto the fast and unforgiving Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Ontario, Canada for what will be the sixth round of the 2014 TUDOR United Sportscar Championship for the GTLM class, and the eighth round for the whole series.

Mosport has in the past proven to be a successful venue for the privately-owned, Houston-based team, and the team is anxious to return to the track formerly known as Mosport for what will be the first 2 hour 45 minute race of the year. With mixed weather conditions predicted for race day, Risi won’t be the only team keeping a close eye on the radar as the track can be treacherous in the wet. With a 40-strong field and the nature of the track, several yellow flag periods are expected.

Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer will be paired in the No.62 Ferrari 458 Italia and it is once again a new track for the Italian. Kaffer has had a second placed GT finish at the 2.46 mile track (in 2009), and knows first-hand how difficult it can be to get round the fast track safely. However, he says: “I only have positive memories of this Canadian track, and in 2009 finished 2nd after a great battle with Corvette. They and the Vipers seem to be strong at the moment but our car is good on straight line speed which you need there; I think it will be tight again in the GTLM class.

“Mosport is one of my favorite tracks as it’s quick and technical, so I think we should have a good chance of a podium. I think Giancarlo will be up to speed very quickly, as we could see from how he adapted to Watkins Glen which is a much harder track to learn – in no time he was right on the pace. He likes quick circuits so that’s a big positive for Mosport!”

Risi’s Technical Director, Rick Mayer, explains further. “The track surface is bumpy in an undulating way, but not harsh and abrupt like a street circuit. The apex patches will change the grip throughout the corner. The ideal line will depend on where the grip is, and how bad last winter was, but rain will further complicate the ideal grip line. It’s a very fast track and unforgiving if you make mistakes as there’s very little run off relative to the speed of the corners. History shows that if you go off, there’s usually substantial damage – as we have found in the past.”

Mayer adds that set up is critical. “You would like to run low down force but you lose so much on the other sections it ends up being a quicker lap with a moderately high down force setup. Saying that, you still need to be conscious of strait line speed; the competition is so fierce in the GTLM class now that you can’t afford to give anything away and have to seek to gain whatever advantage you can.”

Two one-hour practice sessions take place on Friday, with a further hour Saturday morning prior to qualifying. The Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix begins at 2:05 pm on Sunday, 13 July and FOX Sports telecasts are available to viewers in Europe, Asia and Africa on IMSA.com and in the U.S. for users of the FOX Sports GO mobile app. On-board cameras are also available on IMSA.com throughout the event for both international and domestic viewers.

The Motor Racing Network will broadcast the Mobil 1 Sports Car Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance on radio in its entirety on IMSA.com, MRN.com and select affiliates. For this weekend, the broadcast will be carried locally on CHJJ, 90.7 FM from Cobourg, Ontario.

[Rob]

Got press release for Porsche today.

News Release





Porsche Motorsports Event Notes. Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix
Dateline. Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
Circuit. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Track Length/Turns. 2.459-miles/10-turn Natural Terrain Road Course
Round. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Round 6 of 12
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama: Rounds 9 and 10 of 16,
Next Round. TUDOR Championship. Brickyard Grand Prix, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 24-25


Porsche Events.
TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
Date. Sunday, July 13, 2:05 p.m. ET/ 11:05 a.m. PT
Race Duration. Two-Hours, 45-minutes
Classes. GT Le Mans (Porsche 911 RSR), GT Daytona class (Porsche 911 GT America)

Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama
Date. Race 1: Friday, July 11, 5:40 p.m. ET/ 2:40 p.m. PT Race 2: Saturday, July 12, 10:10 a.m. ET/ 7:10 a.m. PT
Race Duration. 45-minutes each
Classes. Platinum (Model Year 2014 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars), Gold (MY 2011-2012 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars)


Porsche Profile. Event Story Lines
New Leader. Porsche Announces Walliser as VP of Motorsport
Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser has been named as the new Vice President of Motorsport at Porsche AG effective October 1. In this role the Stuttgart native will be responsible for the worldwide GT racing activities as well as for GT production sports car such as the 911 GT3. He is the successor to Hartmut Kristen who will work with the Research and Development Board in an advisory role.

Kristen joined Porsche in 1983 and has been responsible for customer racing activities and GT vehicles since 1994. In 2004, he became Vice President of Porsche Motorsport.

Walliser held the position of General Manager of Motorsport Strategies from 2003 to 2008 and as the overall project manager of the 918 Spyder since November 2010. He will retain oversight of the 918 Spyder. As the Vice President of Porsche Motorsport, Dr. Walliser is responsible for the worldwide motorsport activities in the GT field as well as for GT production sports cars. Fritz Enzinger will continue at the helm of the LMP1 campaign and the running of the Porsche 919 Hybrid in the Sports Car World Championship WEC and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Factory Installed. Porsche Works Drivers
Like many things that Porsche has done in racing over the years, the Porsche Motorsport factory driver program has become a role model emulated by manufacturers around the globe. Of the 15 drivers who carry full “works” driver status piloting either a Porsche 911 RSR or the Porsche 919 Hybrid, a third of those will be racing this weekend in the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Nick Tandy (Great Britain) and Richard Lietz (Austria) share the No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR while the No. 912 has North America’s only Porsche full factory driver, Patrick Long of Playa del Rey, California and the newest Porsche driver, Michael Christensen (Denmark) sharing the seat of the official factory entry. Germany’s Wolf Henzler continues his role in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championships only non-factory entered Porsche 911 RSR, the No. 17 Team Falken Tire car he campaigns with Bryan Sellers (Braselton, Georgia). Thus far in 2014, Tandy and Lietz, along with France’s Patrick Pilet have won the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class at the Rolex 24 At Daytona to open the season. Christensen, Long and German Jörg Bergmeister raced the No. 912 to the same class victory at the next race, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Henzler has multiple-top five GTLM finishes thus far.

In total, including the endurance races to open the season, 14 works drivers, either full factory or “junior” program drivers have raced in the 2014 Tudor Championship GTLM and GT Daytona (GTD) classes. The 24 Hours at Daytona was the largest single race gathering of factory drivers in Porsche history with 14 including Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Marc Lieb (Germany) of the Porsche 919 Hybrid Prototype One (P1) effort.

2014 Porsche Factory Drivers.
Porsche 911 RSR.
Jörg Bergmeister (Germany) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship/TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (endurance)
Michael Christensen (Denmark) – TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
Wolf Henzler (Germany) – TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
Marco Holzer (Germany) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Richard Lietz (Austria) – TUDOR United SportsCar Championship/ 24 Hours of Le Mans
Patrick Long (Playa del Rey, California) – TUDOR United SportsCar Championship/ 24 Hours of Le Mans
Frédéric Makowiecki (France) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Patrick Pilet (France) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship/TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (endurance)
Nick Tandy (Great Britain) – TUDOR United SportsCar Championship/ 24 Hours of Le Mans

Porsche 919 Hybrid.
Timo Bernhard (Germany) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Romain Dumas (France) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Brendon Hartley (New Zealand) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Neel Jani (Switzerland) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Marc Lieb (Germany) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship
Mark Webber (Australia) – FIA/ACO World Endurance Championship

New to Porsche, Not to Sportscars. GB Autosport
GB Autosport might be new to the Porsche customer racing entries for the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in the GT Daytona class, but team owner Michael Avenatti and Team Manager Cole Scogham are not first-timers at the motorsports game. Avenatti, a Los Angeles-based attorney who recently took a controlling interest in Global Baristas, LLC – makers of Tully’s Coffee in Seattle – started racing in 2011 in the American Le Mans Series GT Challenge class with Competition Motorsports’ Bob Faieta (Tujunga, California). Scrogham is a long-time crew chief and team manager in the sport.

The team has shown right from the beginning they are serious contenders with their Porsche 911 GT America, first hiring Irish GT specialist Damien Faulkner to drive, and now British Porsche Supercup driver Ben Barker. Barker, who joined the team at Watkins Glen, was called in late to fill for Avenatti this weekend after the GB Autosport team principal sustained a back injury in a non-racing incident. The Tully’s Coffee Porsche has two eighth-place finishes (Laguna Seca and The Glen) so far this year. Faulkner is 11th in the GTD driver standings.


Porsche History. Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Key Victories
1961 (first spectator event at the track) – Ludwig Heimrath – Porsche RS60 – overall feature race winner
1973 – Charlie Kemp – Porsche 917 – SCCA Can-Am – overall win
1975 Hurley Haywood – Porsche 911 Carrera RSR – IMSA Camel GT win
1976 (first Trans-Am race at the track) – Ludwig Heimrath – Porsche 911 Carrera RSR – Trans-Am winner
1977 – Bob Wollek/Peter Gregg – Porsche 934 – Trans-Am winner
1977 – Ludwig Heimrath/Paul Miller – Porsche 934/5 – World Championship of Makes winner
1979 – John Paul – Porsche 935 – Trans-Am winner
1980 – John Fitzpatrick/Brian Redman – Porsche 935 – World Sportscar Championship/IMSA win
1981 – Harald Grohs/Rolf Stommelen – Porsche 935 K3 – World Sportscar Championship/IMSA win
1982 – John Paul/John Paul, Jr. – Porsche 935 JLP-3 – IMSA 6hr.
1984 – Jackie Ickx/Jochen Mass – Porsche 956 – World Sportscar Championship win
1984 – Paul Miller – Porsche 924 GT-R – Trans-Am winner
1985 – Hans Stuck/Derek Bell – Porsche 962C – World Sportscar Championship win
1999 – Cort Wagner/Dirk Mueller – Porsche 911 Carrera RSR – ALMS GT
2002 – Kevin Buckler/Brian Cunningham – Porsche 911 GT3 RS – ALMS GT
2003 – Joerg Bergmeister/Tim Bernhard – Porsche 911 GT3 RS – ALMS GT2
2004 – Joerg Bergmeister/Timo Bernhard – Porsche 911 GT3 RSR – ALMS GT2
2005 – Joerg Bergmeister/Patrick Long – Porsche 911 GT3 RSR – ALMS GT2
2006 – Romain Dumas/Lucas Luhr – Porsche RS Spyder – ALMS LMP2
2007 – Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas - Porsche RS Spyder – ALMS Overall/LMP2 win
2010 – Klaus Graf/Romain Dumas – Porsche RS Spyder – ALMS Overall Win – P1
2010 – Joerg Bergmeister/Patrick Long – Porsche 911 GT3 RSR – ALMS GT win


Porsche Point of View.
Jens Walther, President/CEO, Porsche Motorsport North America
“Canadian Tire Motorsport Park provides a unique challenge for all the teams competing. It is very fast and demanding on the cars. Durability and speed is what the Porsche 911 is known for so we look forward to racing here this weekend with the Porsche North America works program and the customer efforts in the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix. This race is the only opportunity we get to see the Porsche 911 RSR and Porsche 911 GT America race in Canada. However, at Porsche Motorsport North America we are proud of our season-long involvement in the country. The Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin has proven very competitive and popular and we are pleased to bring the US-based brother series, the GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama, to CTMP this weekend so fans and customers of Porsche can witness this series as well. We wish the best to all of our customers in each class.”

Wolf Henzler, Driver, No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR – Tudor United SportsCar Championship, GTLM Class
“Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is the track with the highest average speed on our schedule. The only track similar in Europe is the Nürburgring Nordschleife which is in a few points similar. There are also fast turns, it is hilly as well and has some hidden apexes when you turn in. Both tracks have turns where you don’t want to spin off. It is mostly fast turns, some you don’t even see the apex when you start to turn-in because it is going over hills. Although there is a long uphill backstraight, we setup our cars with maximum downforce to get the best speed in these fast turns. For sure this helps to give us a more stable car in the braking zones and a more comfortable feeling in the turns, but a race, even an endurance race, is never a easy, we always push the car to the limit.”

Ian James, Driver, No. 23 Team Seattle Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT America – Tudor United SportsCar Championship, GTD Class
“For me, the difference between my season this year with Alex Job and Team Seattle is that I am not just a driver. I have had a role in determining the make-up and structure of the team, and that has been very rewarding, especially since car owner, Gabe Newell, has covered all the racing expenses for the season, allowing us to concentrate on raising money for Seattle Children’s Hospital. We have not been one of the favorites all year, but we came close to winning at Sebring and finished second at Detroit; in fact, Mario Farnbacher and I are only seven points out of third place in the GTD standings. As a team manager, Alex Job stands out because he has a passion for winning, meticulous attention to detail, and the skill to get the best out of each team member – from drivers and technicians to tire changers and truck drivers. With the majority of races still to be run this season, we are looking for strong results, starting this weekend in Canada.”


Where to Watch.
TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
Television Race Broadcast:
Sunday, July 13
2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT on FOX Sports 1
Re-Air of Race Highlights Package
Available at IMSA.com
Live Race Streaming:
IMSA.com
FOX Sports GO mobile app
Live Radio Broadcast
Motor Racing Network on IMSA.com, MRN.com, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)
Live Timing and Scoring:
http://scoring.imsa.com/
Live Qualifying Streaming:
IMSA.com


Race Weekend Schedule. (All times ET)
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Practice Session 1 – All Classes – 10:00-10:45 a.m.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Practice Session 2 – All Classes – 3:25-4:05 p.m.
Friday, July 11, 2014
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA Qualifying – All Classes – 10:35-10:55 a.m.
TUDOR Championship Practice Session 1 – All Classes – 11:55 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
TUDOR Championship Practice Session 2 – All Classes – 4:15-5:15 p.m.
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA – Race 1 – 5:40-6:25 p.m. (45-minutes)
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA – Race 2 – 10:10-10:55 a.m. (45-minutes)
TUDOR Championship Practice Session 3 – All Classes – 11:10a.m.-12:10 p.m.
TUDOR Championship Driver Autograph Session – 4:00-4:45 p.m. – Team Transporters
TUDOR Championship Qualifying – GT Daytona Class – 5:20-5:35 p.m.
TUDOR Championship Qualifying – GT Le Mans Class – 5:40-5:55 p.m.
Sunday, July 13 2014
TUDOR Championship Warm-Up – All Classes – 9:00-9:20 a.m.
TUDOR Championship Pre-Race Activities/Recon Laps – 12:45-2:05 p.m.
TUDOR Championship Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen – All Classes – 2:05-4:50 p.m. (Two-Hours, 45-Minutes)
TUDOR Championship Post-Race Activities – 4:50 p.m.


Porsche Entries.
TUDOR United SportsCar Championship
GT Le Mans Class (3) Porsche 911 RSR
No. 911 Porsche North America Nick Tandy (UK)/Richard Lietz (Austria)
No. 912 Porsche North America Patrick Long (Playa del Rey, Calif.)/Michael Christensen (Denmark)
No. 17 Team Falken Tire Wolf Henzler (Germany)/Bryan Sellers (Braselton, Ga.)

GT Daytona Class (9) Porsche 911 GT America
No. 18 Muehlner Motorsports America Mark Thomas (Houston, Texas)/TBA
No. 19 Muehlner Motorsports America TBA/TBA
No. 22 Alex Job Racing Cooper MacNeil (Hinsdale, Ill.)/Leh Keen (Atlanta)
No. 23 Team Seattle/Alex Job Racing Ian James (Phoenix)/Mario Farnbacher (Germany)
No. 27 Dempsey Racing Patrick Dempsey (Malibu, Calif.)/Andrew Davis (Athens, Ga.)
No. 44 Magnus Racing John Potter (Salt Lake City, Utah)/Andy Lally (Dacula, Ga.)
No. 58 Snow Racing Madison Snow (Lehi, Utah)/Jan Heylen (Tampa)
No. 73 Park Place Motorsports Patrick Lindsey (Santa Barbara, Calif.)/Kevin Estre (Germany)
No. 81 GB Autosport Damien Faulkner (Ireland)/Ben Barker (Great Britain)

[Rob]

Two Races, Same Weekend Again for Scuderia Corsa
TUDOR Championship team will compete at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park while Ferrari Challenge team visits Road America

July 09, 2014 (Los Angeles, California) - Just as it did two weekends ago, Scuderia Corsa will compete in two very different places this weekend.

Near Toronto, the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia driven by Alessandro Balzan and Jeff Westphal will compete in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship round at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. It will be both drivers' first visit to the circuit, noted for being one of the most challenging in North America with a collection of high-speed corners and large elevation changes.

Balzan and Westphal finished in fifth position at the previous round at Watkins Glen International, putting in a strong performance after the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia suffered contact in the early stages. That finish, along with their victory at the previous round at the Raceway at Belle Isle, has pushed them to sixth in the TUDOR Championship's GT-Daytona championship standings.

The CTMP circuit produces a unique set of circumstances, according to team engineer Joe La Joie.

"Canadian Tire Motorsports Park is a fairly fast track having an average speed of over 115 mph," said La Joie. "Turns 1, 2, and 4 are all long sweepers between 100-to-130 mph and produce 2 lateral G's. Therefore, the car has to be well balanced in high speed with enough support to handle these turns. Considerations must be made with the gearing so that the downshifts and throttle applications do not unsettle the car here either.

"Turn 5 is the slowest turn on the track and leads to the longest straight. The lead in to turn 5 is challenging because of the decreasing radius of Turn 4, a heavy brake zone, and a tricky double apex. The car must accelerate well out of turn 5 with good throttle application and proper gearing in order to drag down the back straight which leads to turns 8, 9 and 10."

While Balzan and Westphal compete at CTMP, the Scuderia Corsa drivers who compete in the North America Ferrari Challenge will be in action at another great North American circuit - Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Driver Chris Ruud, who lives near the circuit in Milwaukee, currently leads the Coppa Shell championship ahead of teammate Jon Becker. The two drivers have taken nine out of a possible ten victories in the Coppa Shell class this season. They will be joined by John Horejsi, who competes in the Trofeo Pirelli class.

"We anticipate that we will have a big challenge on our hands at CTMP with the high level of competition in the GT-Daytona class as well as the big differences in speed with the Prototype cars", said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa.
"Alessandro and Jeff have been doing a fantastic job, as has the crew. In Ferrari Challenge, Chris and Jon have been very impressive and are first and second in the Coppa Shell championship. They are pushing each other very hard and have almost swept the season, while John has been making huge strides after being away from racing for several years. Hopefully after the end of the weekend, we are celebrating several wins for Scuderia Corsa!"

Scuderia Corsa will remain busy after the weekend, as team Sporting Director Stefan Johansson will then take part in a Ferrari Driving Experience event at Mont Tremblant that is exclusively dedicated to clients of Ferrari Beverly Hills and Ferrari Silicon Valley.
The Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix will be shown live on Sunday, July 13 at 2:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1.
About Scuderia Corsa:

The 2013 Grand-AM Rolex GT championship-winning team Scuderia Corsa
was founded in 2011 by Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo. The team was created for the sole purpose of supporting the racing needs of Ferrari clients and includes turnkey programs, GT endurance racing, the North American Ferrari Challenge Series and track events. Giacomo Mattioli is the owner of Ferrari Maserati Beverly Hills and South Bay and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.

Follow Scuderia Corsa on Twitter @Scuderia_Corsa, on Facebook at Scuderia Corsa, Instagram at #Scuderiacorsaferrari and ScuderiaCorsa.com

Team Sponsors:

Ferrari Beverly Hills / Los Angeles / Silicon Valley / South Bay - North America's premiere Ferrari dealership group specializing in new and pre-owned sales, Classiche designation work, collision repair and factory trained service and original parts.Motorola Mobility - owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives.Ferrari Palm Beach - Providing the exclusive Palm Beach market with a premium inventory of new and pre-owned Ferraris, state-of-the-art facilities and technicians for expert maintenance and repair. Wide World Ferrari - Located in Spring Valley, New York, offering Ferrari customers a premium selection of new and pre-owned Ferraris, expert authorized service and exclusive Ferrari certified body repair. AitherCO2- we offer trading and advisory services to the world's environmental and energy markets. By developing a Voluntary Offset Program for Scuderia Corsa we are helping socially responsible clients become carbon neutral while supporting eco projects in communities across the globe. Our goal is to turn today's business challenges into environmentally sound solutions. 360 Lab - A technology company focusing on creating and broadcasting immersive 360 degree video experiences in sports and surveillance markets. Ultratech- A pioneer of laser processing, Ultratech designs, manufactures and markets photolithography and laser processing equipment.

Technical Suppliers
Motegi Racing - through technical partnerships with leading professional racing teams, Motegi Racing Competition and High Performance Tuning wheels are designed and engineered for performance. Motegi Racing is a Wheel Pros brand. Wheel Pros products are sold worldwide in more than 20 countries on four continents and through a U.S. network of more than 10,000 active dealers. Sabelt - leading manufacturer of seat belts and safety harnesses for production and racings cars, race suits, shoes and helmets, carbon seats for automobiles and child restraint systems worldwide. AllState - Allstate Roadside Services strives to provide the industry's best roadside experience for our partners, their customers and our service providers.

[Rob]

RAM RACING NEWS RELEASE

Ram Racing withdraws from 2014 competition

MEDIA RELEASE: 11th July 2014

Following a difficult start to the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship, with a particularly challenging 24 Hours of Le Mans, British GTE team Ram Racing was planning to return to racing in September with renewed determination and vigour.

However, recent notification of a drastic cut in its expected funding for the second half of 2014 means that the team has been forced to withdraw from the FIA WEC and any further competition with immediate effect. New employment is being sought for the majority of the team’s employees who were released two weeks ago.

Ram Racing extends its heartfelt apologies and grateful thanks to all its drivers, technical partners, loyal employees, the FIA World Endurance Championship and the team’s many supporters. It would like to stress that it has worked tirelessly to try and avoid, or at least alleviate, the situation it finds itself in.

Ram Racing wishes all its competitors in both the LMGTE Pro and Am categories of the FIA WEC a safe and successful season – we are desperately sorry we won’t be there battling with you all on track.

Ends

[Rob]

noooo gutted for RAM

[fratelliferrari]

noooo gutted for RAM

Sad indeed

[Rob]

Sad indeed

i know, i really liked that team. Have tweeted them saying sorry to hear.

[fratelliferrari]

I also liked the livery a lot with the blue!

[Rob]

I also liked the livery a lot with the blue!

just hope they could get things back for next year. But with team members leaving and drivers, maybe hard.

[Rob]

News Release July 12, 2014
No 61/14

Farnbacher’s Fourth Place Qualifying Lap Leads Contingent of Porsche 911 GT America Teams

Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR to Start Third in Tudor Canadian Round

Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada. A hot and slick track greeted the Porsche drivers today in qualifying for Sunday’s TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix. Despite the challenging conditions, the incredibly tight competition again shone through at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park while setting the grid for the two-hour and 45-minute race. In GT Le Mans (GTLM) class qualifying, factory driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) led the way for the trio of Porsche 911 RSR qualifying third. The Porsche North America 911s will start sixth (No. 911) and eighth (No. 912). In the GT Daytona (GTD) class, Team Seattle Alex Job Racing was fourth in class, the highest qualifying position for the Porsche 911 GT America.

Porsche 911 RSR
Team Falken Tire made a significant gain in the third of three practice sessions leading into today’s qualifying session. Teammates Henzler and Bryan Sellers (Braselton, Georgia) worked closely with Falken Tire, Porsche Motorsport and team engineers to fine-tune the only customer Porsche 911 RSR in the Tudor Championship. Henzler turned a strong lap of one-minute, 15.36 seconds to come within striking distance of the class pole position-winning Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R falling only 0.16 seconds off the best lap in the class. It is the best qualifying effort for the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche this season.

The two Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR factory cars were within the same second of Henzler and the pole position. Nick Tandy’s lap of 1:15.72 was only 15/100ths of a second from taking pole position. To highlight the incredibly tight field in qualifying trim, the native of Great Britain’s time was only 1,000ths of a second quicker than seventh-place on the grid. Patrick Long, who calls Playa del Rey, California his home, was eighth with a lap of 1:15.94 on the 2.459-miles/10-turn natural terrain road course. As in previous events, the top-eight of the GTLM class was less than 0.8 seconds apart.

Porsche 911 GT America
In GT Daytona class, the Team Seattle Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT America was the fastest Porsche qualifier in fourth place with Mario Farnbacher (Germany) at the helm. Farnbacher was two-tenths of a second off the pole for the 15-minute session, which saw the top 14 cars qualify within the same second. Jan Heylen (Tampa, Florida) was sixth in the Snow Racing/Wright Motorsport Porsche, while Leh Keen (Atlanta, Georgia) put the WeatherTech Alex Job Racing Porsche in seventh position on the grid. The pole was won by Jeroen Bleekemolen (Monaco) in an SRT Viper GT3-R.

The Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix can be seen live on FOX Sports 1, Sunday at 2:00 p.m. ET. Radio coverage can be found on affiliates of MRN with timing and scoring and in-car camera footage from the No. 912 on IMSA.com.


Wolf Henzler, No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR: “Our car was very good today. Since the first practice, the car and the tries have been working really well. We found a good balance from the beginning and just did some little tuning. I tried to get a little bit more for the pole but that was it. I think P3 [third position] is a really good result for us. Everyone on the team can be happy. Everyone was working very hard. I am really looking forward to the race.”

Nick Tandy, No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR: “When the track is clear it is really amazing. It’s a lot of fun. It’s fast. It has a technical last section that is tricky to master.”

Patrick Long, No. 912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR: “This is not an easy place to pass. We were hopeful to find a little more in track position with qualifying but it is right where we have been pace-wise this week. If it rain’s tomorrow, that is a good equalizer. We need a little bit of help with the old horsepower so the rain is something that can play into our hands.”

Mario Farnbacher, No. 22 Team Seattle-Heart of Racing Porsche 911 GT America: “Wow! In today’s practice the car was not that good. This is a fast track. I did a lot of homework to try and learn the track as this is my first time here. When I drove it the first time on Friday, I thought this place is really crazy. Each practice and each lap brought more confidence. I really like it now. I cannot believe that they used to run F1 and Group C cars here. I like every corner here - turn four is really scary - but I like it.”

Owen Hayes, Director of Operations, Porsche Motorsport North America: “Obviously we’d like to be a little bit further up but we need to look and see where we are in the race. I think rain just stacks the cards in a new way. It might be good to see in our situation. Even if it is dry, we will just give our best.”

GT Le Mans Results:
1. No. 93 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R, Kuno Wittmer (Canada) 1:15.20
2. No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Antonio Garcia (Spain), 1:15.27
3. No. 17 Porsche 911 RSR, Wolf Henzler (Germany), 1:15.36
4. No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin (Great Britain), 1:15.47
5. No. 56 BMW Z4 GTE, Dirk Mueller (Switzerland), 1:15.49
6. No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, Nick Tandy (Great Britain), 1:15.72
7. No. 91 Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R, Dominic Farnbacher (Germany), 1:15.72
8. No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR, Patrick Long (Playa del Rey, California), 1:15.94
9. No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia, Pierre Kaffer (Germany), 1:16.34
10. No. 55 BMW Z4 GTE, Andy Priaulx (France), 1:16.39

GT Daytona Results:
1. No. 33 SRT Viper.GT3-R, Jeroen Bleekemolen (Monaco), 1:19.004
2. No. 45 Audi R8 LMS, Spencer Pumpelly (USA), 1:19.159
3. No. 94 BMW Z4, Dane Cameron (USA), 1:19.175
4. No.23 Porsche 911 GT America, Mario Farnbacher (Germany), 1:19.213
5. No. 35 Audi RS LMS, Dion von Moltke (USA), 1:19.223
6. No. 58 Porsche 911 GT America, Jan Haylen (USA), 1:19.249
7 . No. 22 Porsche 911 GT America , Leh Keen (USA), 1:19.356
8. No. 007 Aston Martin V-12 Vantage, James Davison (Australia), 1:19.358
9. No. 73 Porsche 911 GT America, Kevin Estre (France), 1;19.532
10. No. 48 Porsche 911 GT America, Christopher Haase (Germany), 1.19.555
12. No. 44 Porsche 911 GT America, Andy Lally (USA), 1:19.763
14. No. 27 Porsche 911 GT America, Andrew Davis (USA), 119.806
15. No. 81 Porsche 911 GT America, Damien Faulkner (Ireland), 1:20.062
16. No. 18 Porsche 911 GT America, Chris Greene (Canada), 1:20.8098

[Rob]

2014 TUDOR UNITED SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
MOBIL 1 SPORTSCAR GRAND PRIX, CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT no. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA)
Pierre Kaffer (GER)

RISI ON THE BACK FOOT AT CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK
No.62 Ferrari qualifies 9th in GTLM

Houston-based Risi Competizione has been on the back foot compared to its rivals since arriving at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the TUDOR United Sportscar Championship’s first visit north of the border.

With its Ferrari 458 Italia suffering from a marked lack of downforce and therefore unable to compete on an equal basis with competitors in the GTLM class, it was disappointing but perhaps not altogether surprising that Pierre Kaffer qualified in 9th place for tomorrow’s 2h45 race, the 6th round of the season for the category. His best time of 1:16.340, set on his eighth lap, was 1.1 seconds from pole position which was claimed by Canadian driver, Kuno Wittmer, in the No.93 SRT Dodge Viper.

The weather has been fine and warm for the practice and qualifying days but there is a strong possibility of rain for race day which may well favor Risi’s quest for a good points-scoring finish. While the track can be extremely slippery and unpredictable while wet, both Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer possess a huge amount of experience with the F458 in all types of conditions.

Team Manager, David Sims, commented: “It’s been a pretty tough few days, and there appears to be some discrepancy in the GTLM Balance of Performance which is definitely working against us. If it rains tomorrow, it will definitely shake things up and that might work well for us providing we stay out of trouble.”

Pierre Kaffer said after qualifying: “The last lot of changes we made before qualifying were positive, the car is well balanced and we improved on what we had before, but we’re still behind the others. We’ll study the data overnight and hopefully tomorrow it will start to rain and then everything’s possible. The boys did a good job, and the car is nice to drive, but we’re just not quick enough.”

The Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix begins at 2:05 pm on Sunday, 13 July and will be shown on FOX Sports 1, with telecasts available to viewers in Europe, Asia and Africa on IMSA.com and in the U.S. for users of the FOX Sports GO mobile app. On-board cameras are also available on IMSA.com throughout the event for both international and domestic viewers.

The Motor Racing Network will broadcast the Mobil 1 Sports Car Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance on radio in its entirety on IMSA.com, MRN.com and select affiliates. For this weekend, the broadcast will be carried locally on CHJJ, 90.7 FM from Cobourg, Ontario.

[Rob]

TUDOR UNITED SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Round 7 – MOBIL 1 SPORTSCAR GRAND PRIX presented by HAWK PERFORMANCE
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, 11-13 July 2014
14.04.2014 - OAK Racing Press Release - Race


OAK RACING WINS THE MOBIL 1 SPORTSCAR GRAND PRIX

BOWMANVILLE, ON (July 13, 2014) – OAK Racing captured their first win of the season for the seventh round of the Tudor United SportsCar Championship at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. Olivier Pla and Gustavo Yacaman were behind the wheel of the No. 42 Morgan-Nissan LM P2 machine, which started on the pole position for the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix that lasted two hours and 45 minutes.


This was the first time on the 2.459-mile circuit for the French team, but their second consecutive pole position this season. It also marked the first time racing at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park for Pla and Yacaman. With four races remaining in the 2014 season for the Prototype class, OAK Racing is still in the fight for the championship title.

“Today is a great victory for OAK Racing,” said Philippe Dumas, Team Principal. “I am so happy for Gustavo (Yacaman) and Olivier (Pla). It was not easy, but it was a perfect weekend. It is not a small victory to land on the podium, but rather a great, great victory for the whole team. We will keep fighting for the championship during the remainder of the season.”
Gustavo Yacaman took to the wheel first. He qualified the Onroak Automotive-designed and built No. 42 Morgan LM P2 car in the first position with a best lap of 1:09.167, which was the first pole of his career. The Colombian maintained the race lead throughout his entire stint, before coming in for a pit stop and driver change with one hour and 12 minutes remaining in the race.

“I am very happy,” said Yacaman. “The team did a great job and all of the pit stops were perfect. The car was perfect and we came here to do our job of keeping our nose clean in traffic and we were able to pull off this win. The win is for everyone at OAK Racing for their hard work and their determination in showing what they can do.”

Frenchman Olivier Pla took over for the remaining second half of the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix. He was able to maintain a dominate lead throughout the remainder of the race. In addition, he set the fastest lap time of the race at 1:11.308.
“It was a perfect race from beginning to end,” said Pla. “The car was great and the strategy was great. The team has done a fantastic job the whole season to understand the car and tires. I could not be more excited to have won the race. Gustavo (Yacaman) did a wonderful job at the beginning of the race to keep a gap to the next car.”

OAK Racing moves onto the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway next for the Brickyard Grand Prix from July 24-25.

For more information, visit www.oak-racing.com. Be sure to follow OAK Racing on Twitter at @OAKRacingLive and “like” the team’s Facebook page, OAK Racing Community.

The Mobil 1 Sportcar Grand Prix Top-3
1- #42 OAK Racing / Morgan-Nissan LM P2
2- #90 Spirit of Daytona / Corvette DP
3- #10 Konica Minolta / Corvette DP

[Rob]

ELMS..

LMGTE and GTC Austrian Balance of Performance
This weekend the Red Bull Ring in Austria will host the third round of the European Le Mans Series and the new Balance of Performance (BoP) figures that were released in June will be implemented for the first time in ELMS when the teams and drivers take to the track this weekend.

The only change in LMGTE is to the Ferrari 458 which has had the 2 engine restrictors reduced by 1.3mm. The BoP figures for the Aston Martin Vantage and Porsche GT3 RSR are unchanged.

There are several changes to the GTC BoP, which is based on the FIA GT3 regulations. The cars affected by the changes are Audi R8 (+3mm engine restrictors), the BMW Z4 (-40kg), the Porsche 911 GT3R (-30kg), the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 (-2mm engine restrictors) and the McLaren MP4-12C (Turbo boost pressure). Some adjustments on the refueling restrictors have also been implemented in order to balance the refueling time of the different model of cars.

ACO Sporting Director Vincent Beaumesnil explains the reasons behind the changes.

Q: How is the data collected that determine the changes made last month to the BoP figures?

We look at the lap times, we take into account the level of the drivers, weather conditions, consistency of the car. This process has proven in the past that it is efficient. The WEC process is much more complex, more expensive and requires more human resource and equipment. In the ELMS we are in a customer car championship in which the teams and drivers must make the difference, our goal is to give a chance to everyone on the potential of their car, then it is up to the drivers and the team to do the job!

Q: The GTC BoP is based on the FIA GT3 Balance of Performance. How do the ACO adapt the BoP for the European Le Mans Series or are they implemented without change?

Generally we add 40kg on all GT3 cars to maintain the gap with GTE (GT3 cars are much less technical but more powerful than a GTE car) except a few ones that do not need it. Then we make decisions based on the information we collect from each race weekend, which is new. Before Imola the principle was to strictly apply the FIA BoP and add 40kg to each car. But there is no more FIA GT3 Championship and it was clear that in that condition the FIA BoP would not be updated in the way we need. Then we have decided to make some changes on this BoP ourselves. We use race data but also we look at what is done in the other GT3 championships because it gives a good idea of the level of each car.

Q: Will there be any further updates to the BoP in 2014?

Any time it is needed we will update the BoP.

[Rob]

ELMS...

Alpine excursion decisive for the Alpine A450B!
Team Info



A month after finishing on the podium at Le Mans, Signatech-Alpine resumes its European Le Mans Series campaign as the championship moves on to a round that promises to play a pivotal role in the defence of the team's 2013 title.

After visits to the United Kingdom and Italy, the ELMS travels to the Red Bull Ring in the Austrian Alps.

Nelson Panciatici, Oliver Webb and Paul-Loup Chatin will share the Alpine A450b which has taken them to third in the provisional championship standings, 10 points short of the leaders.


The first half of the year harvested a memorable podium finish for the Alpine A450b in the LM P2 class at Le Mans. Not only that, but Signatech-Alpine also completed the French 24-hour classic in seventh position overall, in addition to seeing Paul-Loup Chatin earn the Prix Jean Rondeau, while Nelson Panciatici posted the LM P2 category's fastest race lap.

One month on, the team's priority now is to defend the European Le Mans Series title it won in 2013.

“Everyone in the team did an extraordinary job during the Le Mans 24 Hours,” underlines Signatech-Alpine's Team Principal Philippe Sinault. “Once again, we were able to gauge how popular this project is. The way we performed, coming seventh overall and posting the fastest race lap in our class have put us on a dynamic footing. That's crucial as we go into the third round of the 2014 European Le Mans Series which will be vital if we want to win the title for the second year running.”

In 2013, Signatech-Alpine came second overall at the 3 Hours of Red Bull Ring, while Paul-Loup Chatin secured the laurels in the LM PC class.

Nelson Panciatici: “We need to be thinking in terms of the championship. We have no other option than to win in Austria and victory could be decided by the outcome of qualifying. It is a very difficult circuit for overtaking, so it will be important to start from pole position. We have already shown that we can be the fastest at the Red Bull Ring, so it will be up to us to be competitive from the moment we start free practice in order to facilitate the issue of traffic during what is this year a four-hour race.”

Oliver Webb: “Le Mans was a truly exceptional experience but we now need to re-focus on the championship. I know this circuit well from my single-seater days. It's very narrow and passing isn't easy, so it needs an aggressive style. Race strategy and fuel consumption also promise to be important factors. We need to score a good result in order to narrow the gap to first place.”

Paul-Loup Chatin: “We demonstrated that we were competitive during Le Mans week and we need to keep up that momentum. To defend the team's ELMS crown, we can't afford to make any mistakes. The Red Bull Ring is a reasonably technical track. We will need to take risks because the competition is likely to be very close and it's never easy to produce the perfect lap there.”

[Rob]

ACO Press Conference : Presentation of the new LMP3 category
ACO Press Release

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest has launched a new category called LM P3 (Le Mans prototype 3), which will be part of the Asian Le Mans Series and European Le Mans Series continental championships in 2015. This formula is a gateway to Le Mans–type endurance racing.


A joint presentation of this new category took place at the Red Bull Ring (Austria) and at Inje Speedium (South Korea) where the third round of the European Le Mans Series and the first round of the Asian Le Mans Series were taking place. In 2015 the LM P3 is aimed at Le Mans–type continental championships organised directly or indirectly by the ACO.

The aim of these championships is to enable teams, drivers and constructors to learn the specific aspects of endurance racing before moving up to the top level, the FIA World Endurance Championship of which the Automobile Club de l'Ouest is the promoter and organiser. At the summit of the pyramid is the Le Mans 24 Hours, the blue riband event in the FIA World Endurance Championship, in which all the participants in the different endurance series hope to take part and dream of winning!

However, before achieving this aim they have to learn all the ins and outs of endurance racing. This is the aim of the new LM P3 prototype. The LM P3 is a modern, simple, safe car whose looks resemble those of the prestigious LM P2s and LM P1s, although its dimensions are slightly smaller (it is 15 cm shorter but has the same width), and its performance is guaranteed (2 seconds quicker than the LM GTEs on a normal circuit). It can be built by any constructor.

The ACO specification has to be taken into account. It imposes a closed vehicle with a carbon chassis and a metal rollbar, FIA safety standards, an obligatory crash test, a shark's fin, openings on top of the wheel arches and a weight of between 870 and 900 kg.

Cars will have a single engine (to be confirmed before end of july), V8, putting out around 420. The engine management system will come from Magneti Marelli. This ensemble will be sold by Oreca, which will provide a back-up service to help the teams at all the circuits. A single engine will be allowed per car per season and each one must last 10 000 km without maintenance. A certain number of other common parts will be imposed. The size of the tyres will be similar to those used in the Porsche Cup.All these measures will lead to cost capping. The sales price of these cars should not exceed 195 000 euros (chassis: around 135 000 euros, engine: around 60 000 euros).

The running costs of a car over an ELMS season should be between 350 and 400 000 euros. It will not require a large staff.The LM P3s are aimed at opening the door to endurance racing and they are destined in priority for young drivers and gentlemen drivers.In the LM P pyramid the LM P3s will be the first step before moving up to the LM P2s (accepted in all series as well as the Le Mans 24 Hours) and the LM P1 (FIA WEC and Le Mans 24 Hours only).

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest: “From the base to the summit we want to make it easy for drivers, teams and constructors to enter for endurance. For drivers we're promoting a specific training course starting with endurance races for karts – with the Le Mans 24 Hours for Karts – up to the Le Mans 24 Hours for cars. Quite a few of the most recent winners of the event cut their teeth on the Le Mans circuits. For the teams what was lacking was a quick, safe low-cost car to help them learn the sport and move up the steps of the ladder one by one. This LM P3 is the base of our pyramid devoted to the different LM Ps.”

Vincent Beaumesnil, Automobile Club de l'Ouest, Sports Manager: “We decided to create the LM P3 to continue the endurance ladder. This brand new prototype, which bears a familiar resemblance to the different LM Ps, will be very competitive, reliable and safe and will be sold at reasonable prices with low running costs. We reckon that the yearly budget for a season in the ELMS will be only about twenty per cent higher than a closed CN with a much better positioned product profile. We've thought everything through so that the restrictions for drivers and teams should be reduced to the minimum. The sporting regulations governing the LM P3s in the series they will be racing in will also be adapted to economic constraints without, however, infringing on the performance, the safety and the quality of the on-track spectacle.”

Gérard Neveu, European Le Mans Series, General Manager: “The creation of the LM P3 category is great news and it will be a big asset in the European Le Mans Series, a championship that is capable of providing drivers and teams who wish to race in top-level endurance events with an excellent training environment. Sports prototypes are the very essence of endurance and this entry-level prototype category will enable new teams to highlight new talents in the ELMS. We'll be delighted to welcome those taking part in this new category in our 2015 championship.”

Mark Thomas, Asian Le Mans Series, Managing Director: "For the Asian Le Mans Series the launch of the LM P3 is an extremely positive step forward for the development of Le Mans prototype racing in Asia. As a developing region there is an obvious demand for an entry level and more economic prototype that can enable teams and drivers to the take the first step into endurance racing. We have already started in this direction in the 2014 Asian LMS with the addition of CN Prototypes into our grid. However, the LM P3 will provide the long term solution for us to introduce a proper ACO homologated car into the Series and we are convinced this is a platform that will be well received in Asia. We now believe we have the portfolio of cars that can both compliment the emerging Asian LMS and support the global Le Mans pyramid that will enable endurance motorsport to grow in the region."

[Rob]

2014/07/19 12:30
The battle has started at the Red Bull Ring ...

The first free practice session of the weekend for the 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring was held this morning on a completely dry track and in hot, sunny conditions with air and track temperatures being 25o and 29oC.

The 33 cars on the grid for the Austrian round started work on their set ups during the first 90 minutes on track and in the top category, LMP2, it was the No.34 ORECA03 Nissan of Race Performance which set the fastest time of 1:24.163 ahead of the No.43 NewBlood by Morand Racing Morgan Judd (1:24.497) and the No.38 Zytek Z11SN of JOTA Sport at 1:24.698.

For NewBlood by Morand Racing this is something of a home race and it has already shown it means business. The driving trio of Austrian Christian Klien, Swiss Garry Hirsch and newcomer to the French team, Pierre Ragues, is determined to do well and has already demonstrated this. However, Race Performance wasn't to be outdone as Franck Mailleux and Michel Frey placed the No.34 ORECA03 Judd at the top of the time sheets after 30 minutes. JOTA Sport is keen to continue its good form here, as is Thiriet by TDS Racing who set the fourth quickest time of the session.

In LMGTE Ferrari showed the way with the No.72 of SMP Racing lapping in a time of 1 :30.050 ahead of the No.58 of Team Sofrev-ASP (1:30.694), while the only Aston Martin Vantage V8 on the grid, the No.85, set the third fastest time of the LMGTE category.

Today, in GTC, it was the McLaren MP4 12C GT3 of Art Grand Prix which put itself at the top of the category by setting a time of 1:31.272, ahead of the two Ferrari 458 Italia GT3s of No. 57 SMP Racing (1: 31.430) and No.95 AF Corse (1: 31.492).

With gaps between the cars are already being tight, the 4 Hours of Red Bull Ring weekend is promising some great track battles. The second free practice session will begin at 15h00 for a further 90 minutes of running time for all classes.