2015 WEC/ELMS&TUSC news.

[Rob]

CORVETTE RACING RETURNS AS DEFENDING GTLM WINNERS AT CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK.

CORVETTE, BMW DRIVERS SHARE LEAD IN STANDINGS.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park may be just what the doctor ordered for Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen, defending winners of Sunday’s Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance.


After opening the current TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season with back-to-back victories in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class, the co-drivers of the Corvette Racing No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R have now gone two consecutive events without finishing on the podium. As a result, their once-healthy points lead has evaporated into a tie with BMW drivers Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner, with 157 points each.

“Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is one of the best tracks we go to,” said Garcia, who joined Magnussen in winning both the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida. “It provides a big challenge with the high speeds and fast corners – definitely a classic track in every sense. It’s unfortunate that Jan and I are going through a stretch of bad luck lately. The good news is that we still lead in GTLM points and we are going back to a place where won last year.”

The race takes the green flag on Sunday at 12:05 a.m. ET, and will be televised live in the U.S. on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 12 p.m. ET. Live television coverage in Canada is available on FOX Sports Racing, with live worldwide coverage available through streaming on the IMSA mobile app and IMSA.com.

Auberlen and Werner have clawed their way into a share of the lead by scoring three consecutive podium finishes in the No. 25 BMW Team RLL IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM – including a victory in Long Beach, California.

“What amazes me is we have been on the podium in four out of five races and we are only tied for first,” Auberlen said. “That gives you an idea of how unbelievably competitive the GTLM class is. It's the best of the best competing at the highest levels of sports car racing. I think at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Dirk and I should just keep doing what we've been doing and hope the competition buckles first. We have all the tools to win it this year."

Tied for third in the GTLM standings with 145 points are John Edwards and Lucas Luhr, drivers of the No. 24 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM, and Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer, drivers of the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia. Edwards and Luhr have three podium finishes this season – including a victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – while Fisichella and Kaffer have a pair of runner-up finishes.

Three other teams will be coming to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with an extra bounce in their step:

• Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers are coming off a GTLM class victory at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen at Watkins Glen International in the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR.

• Porsche North America drivers Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber scored the overall victory in last month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, but will be in separate cars this weekend. Tandy co-drives the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR with Patrick Pilet, while Bamber is with Joerg Bergmeister in the No. 912.

• Oliver Gavin and Tommy Milner will co-drive the No. 4 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, the same car they drove to victory with Jordan Taylor in the lead GTE-Pro class at Le Mans.

Practice for the Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix presented by Hawk Performance begins at 11:20 a.m. ET on Friday. Qualifying begins on Saturday at 4:40 p.m. ET, and will be streamed live on IMSA.com.
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/corvett....fJZpnvIv.dpuf

[Rob]

Ferrari and Gianmaria Bruni stay together

Maranello, July 9 - Ferrari has announced the renewal of its contract with driver Gianmaria Bruni. The winner of World Endurance Championship in GT class has signed a multi-year agreement with Maranello and so will remain one of the spearheads of the GT Competition department as well as a powerful international brand ambassador.

"We are delighted to continue working with Gimmi with whom we have had a relationship of great mutual trust for many years," said Head of Ferrari's GT Competition Activities, Antonello Coletta. "It will be important having him with us next season as we have both a new car and an intense and ambitious programme whose primary aim is to return to winning form in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But right now we are focusing on this year’s main goal: retaining the GT world title.” "It is a great joy to continue racing with Ferrari. It’s a second family to me as well as being the world’s most prestigious manufacturer,” said Bruni. "We have some major challenges coming up. In late August, we go back to the track in the WEC to try to repeat our successes of 2014. Plus we’ll also be developing the GT project for the new 488 GTB for next season which is big news because of the turbo engine.”

[Rob]

RISI COMPETIZIONE - CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORT PARK
POST-RACE REPORT

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT No. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA), Pierre Kaffer (DEU)

Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada (July 12, 2015)...The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia team finished sixth in today's Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix Presented by Hawk Performance race at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (CTMP), Round 4 of the 2015 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season. The extremely-competitive GTLM class put on a good show for the fans but in the end the Porsche, BMW and Corvette factory teams bested the Risi Competizione Ferrari privateer team.

After starting from the fourth class position on the grid and 19th overall, the same as the previous race at Watkins Glen International, starting driver Pierre Kaffer and teammate Giancarlo Fisichella ran as high as second during pit stop rotations, but in the end finished sixth of eight GTLM cars.

It was a clean race with just one caution was waved for three laps during the 128-lap sprint race of two hours and 40 minutes under sunny skies. Only four of the 23 cars that started the race were not running at the end.

Provisional points in GTLM place the Risi Competizione team in fifth place in both the IMSA TUDOR Team and Driver Championship.


PIERRE KAFFER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione qualifying driver:
"After the race now, I would have to say it was a very difficult for us. It seems we had done everything perfect in the pits, but unfortunately that we finished sixth and not the result we were looking for. We need to investigate what happened to do better for Road America. I'm pretty sure at Road America it will be better. I have good memories from there last year and am sure we will fight again. GTLM is very tight at the moment with high competition."

GIANCARLO FISICHELLA, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione Driver:
"We were just struggling with the grip level overall, but the balance was not bad, just low grip. We had some straight line speed deficit as well, but other than that, the car was good. The main problem for us at the moment could be the BoP, it doesn't favor us currently. We look forward to the next race with a new Michelin tire offering and we will see."



RICK MAYER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
"The car was good as it improved every session. Pierre and Giancarlo both did good jobs in the race. We finished sixth and honestly this is where I thought we'd finish this weekend. Qualifying was certainly better than I thought we do. Our current BoP with IMSA puts us at a slight disadvantage, at this track in particular. Hopefully, there will be an adjustment before Road America to allow us to fight for a better result, we'll see how we do there. We had a good race there last year (at Road America) and hope for the same result there this year."

DAVE SIMS, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Team Manager:
"It was not a very good day for us, though both drivers did a good job. It was a little slippery on the first stint, but after that both drivers settled in and were doing good times. Unfortunately, we were, one might say, 'done in' by the BoP (balance of performance) situation with IMSA."

The next race for the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari team is the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on August 7-9.

[Rob]

Team Porsche North America 911 RSR races from GTLM Pole to Victory at Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix at Mosport's Canadian Tire Motorsports Park


Tudor United SportsCar Championship, GTLM Round 7 of 11, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park

BOWMANVILLE, Ontario, July 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's GT Le Mans (GTLM) class victory by Porsche Factory Drivers Nick Tandy and Patrick Pilet, in the No. 911 Team Porsche North America 911 RSR, made it two wins in a row for Porsche in the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship (TUSC) series. The current 911 RSR, based on the latest generation of the iconic 911 streetcar, finished 15-seconds ahead of the second place V8 powered Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE of Lucas Luhr and John Edwards.
Factory Drivers Jörg Bergmeister and Earl Bamber co-drove the No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR to a seventh place finish in the tightly contested TUSC GTLM class. The most recent GTLM class winner, the No. 17 Team Falken Tire 911 RSR, co-driven by Porsche Factory Driver Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers that won two weeks ago at Watkins Glen, suffered damage due to on-track contact and finished in eighth place in class.
The race was run under ideal conditions, partly cloudy skies and 77 degrees F and featured the GTLM Class of GT racing cars only. GT Daytona (GTD) will be the lone GT class at the TUDOR Northeast Grand Prix, Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Connecticut, July 24-25.
Quotes:
Jens Walther, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America
Today's result is fantastic for everyone at Porsche; from our drivers, to our crew and everyone on the team. Following up Porsche's One-Two GTLM finish, led by customer Team Falken Tire at Watkins Glen two weeks ago, Team Porsche North America's victory from the pole position here at Mosport rewarded the hard work and effort the team has exerted all year.
Marco Ujhasi, Product Manager 911 RSR
It was an unbelievable race. The strategy that we developed from the test before the weekend worked perfectly throughout each session. This race really shows the importance of pole, as overtaking is very difficult at this circuit. If you achieve pole, half of the race is already won. The other half was won by the incredible performance of the drivers and the whole team. That's how you win races.
Nick Tandy, Porsche Factory Driver
It was clearly a 2-stop race. Our No. 911 was the best all weekend, just consistently good session to session after testing here earlier in the week. As of late, everyone has been enjoying the racing and that makes a big difference. There is a ton of momentum in the team right now and we hope to keep that going for the rest of the season.
Patrick Pilet, Porsche Factory Driver
It was pretty tough actually. Nick did a great job at the beginning; he opened the gap quite a lot. But unfortunately, we got a yellow flag and it was a lot more difficult for me because I had a lot of pressure from the BMW and there was a lot of traffic during my stint. The temperature was also a factor; we struggled a little bit when it got really hot in the middle of the race. However, I managed to stay in front and make no mistakes. We decided to put Nick in again at the end because I did not use the fan or anything. I needed all of the power of the car until the end of my stint. It was a great strategy because I think Nick was a lot fresher than Auberlen at the end. He made no mistakes during the traffic so he opened the gap again. He had an easier life at the end.
No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, Nick Tandy (Great Britain)/Patrick Pilet (France)
No. 24 BMW Z4 GTE, Lucas Luhr (Germany)/John Edwards (USA)
No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Jan Magnusson (Denmark)/Antonio Garcia (Spain)
No. 25 BMW Z4 GTE, Dirk Werner (Germany)/Bill Auberlen (USA)
No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin (Great Britain)/Tommy Milner (USA)
No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia, Pierre Kaffer (Germany)/Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy)
No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR, Jörg Bergmeister (Germany)/Earl Bamber (New Zealand)
No. 17 Porsche 911 RSR, Bryan Sellers (USA)/Wolf Henzler (Germany)

[Rob]

Onroak Automotive press release – 13th July 2015

Weekend results::
- Tudor United Sportscar Championship
- European Le Mans Series
- Campionato Italiano Sport Prototipi


Yet another very rich weekend for Onroak Automotive!

Tudor United Sportscar Championship – Round 7/10 – Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
A 3rd top-3 finish for Michael Shank Racing and their Ligier JS P2-Honda

John Pew qualified the no. 60 Ligier JS P2-Honda in sixth place on the grid for the seventh round of the Tudor Championship at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park circuit. He managed to break into the top 5 before handing over to his team-mate, Ozz Negri, who was very quick on the Canadian track and fought his way up to third place at the chequered flag despite the very difficult conditions. At the end of the 2h40mn race he was less than five seconds behind the winner after leading the event for 18 laps and he set the fastest lap of the race in 1m 10.200sec. On this physically very demanding circuit Ozz Negri did an exceptional job at the wheel of the Ligier JS P2-Honda as he was without power-assisted steering and water for most of his stint.


With this third top-3 finish this weekend in the wake of its second place in Detroit and another third at Laguna Seca, Michael Shank Racing is holding on to its sixth place in the overall classification, and again demonstrated its professionalism and how well it has adapted to running the Onroak Automotive LM P2 chassis bought during the winter. Once again the team confirmed the sheer speed of the Ligier JS P2 by setting the fastest lap of the race as well as those in two of the three free practice sessions.

Since the start of the 2015 Tudor Championship, the Ligier JS P2 has dominated the majority of the free practice sessions – 15 out of 21 – and set the fastest lap in four out of the seven races!

Tudor Championship – round 7 - Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – Top 3 :
1- #10 – Wayne Taylor Racing / Corvette DP (R.Taylor-J.Taylor)
2- #31 – Action Express Racing / Corvette DP (E.Curran-D.Cameron) +0,477
3- #60 – Michael Shank Racing / Ligier JS P2-Honda (J.Pew-O.Negri) +4,792


European Le Mans Series – Round 3/5 – Red Bull Ring 4 Hours
The Krohn Racing Ligier JS P2-Judd in the top five

After a thrilling action-packed race punctuated by the intervention of the safety car on several occasions, the Krohn Racing Ligier JS P2-Judd gave Onroak Automotive a place in the top 5 in the Red Bull Ring 4 Hours.

American team Krohn Racing and its drivers, Tracy Krohn and Nic Jonsson, called in Julien Canal to replace Ozz Nergi, racing this week-end in the Tudor Championship, on the squad’s maiden outing on the Austrian circuit. The French driver, who’s used to the Ligier JS P2, gave Krohn Racing the benefit of his experience in the third round of the European Le Mans Series. The trio qualified in seventh place and they drove a steady race which, combined with the team’s efficient pit stops, brought the no. 40 Ligier JS P2-Judd up into the top 5 for the third time this season.

This consistency means that Krohn Racing is still in fourth place in the overall classification of the European Le Mans Series after the third of the five rounds.

Alsatian team Pegasus Racing was happy with the excellent performance of its no. 29 Morgan LM P2-Nissan in terms of both the setup and the balance of the car. Team manager and driver, Julien Schell was particularly pleased with the sixth-best performance in qualifying, less than eight-tenths-of-a-second off the pole time in the Onroak Automotive chassis that he’s running for the second year, especially given the very high overall level of the field. Race incidents like the efficiency of a pit stop reduced to naught by the deployment of the safety car, and a penalty for improving a sector time under yellow flags, prevented the team from achieving a better result than seventh place. Pegasus Racing left the Red Bull Ring in 10th place in the ELMS overall classification.

The Algarve Pro Racing team was having its first outing in the European Le Mans Series and its aim was to bring its no. 25 Ligier JS P2-Nissan home to the chequered flag. Not only was the car on the pace, but it also came home in the top 10 in the LM P2 category and fifteenth overall enabling the team to score its first point in the championship. This result gives a glimpse of the car’s potential and without an error at the start of the race, which cost it five laps, the Algarve Pro Racing team could have aimed for a place in the top 5. With the experience of its first racing weekend allied to the work done in private testing with the Ligier JS P2-Nissan, the Portuguese outfit is looking forward to the rest of the season with confidence, and is very happy with the overall performance of its Onroak Automotive sports prototype.`


European Le Mans Series – Round 3 – Red Bull Ring 4 Hours – Top-5 :
1- #38 – JOTA Sport / Gibson 015S-Nissan (Dolan-Albuquerque-Tincknell)
2- #46 – Thiriet by TDS Racing / Oreca 05-Nissa (Thiriet-Badey-Gommendy)
3- #37 – SMP Racing / BR 01-Nissan (Aleshin-Ladygin-Ladygin)
4- #41 – Greaves Motorsport / Gibson 015S-Nissan (Hirsch-Wirdheim-Lancaster)
5- #40 – Krohn Racing / Ligier JS P2-Judd (Krohn-Jönsson-Canal)
…
7- #29 – Pegasus Racing / Morgan LMP2-Nissan (Roussel-Cheng-Schell)
…
15- #25 – Algarve Pro Racing Team / Ligier JS P2-Nissan (Munemann-Winslow-Roda) (P10 en LM P2)



Campionati Italiano Sport Prototipi – Round 4/7 – Mugello (2 races)
A perfect weekend for Eurointernational and its Ligier JS 53 EVO 2

The Ligier JS 53 EVO 2 entered by the Eurointernational team and driven by Giorgio Mondini scored a clean sweep in the fourth round of the Italian Sports Prototype Championship on the Mugello circuit. The no. 7 Ligier JS 53 EVO 2 was fastest in free practices, the two qualifying sessions and won the two races as well as setting a new lap record on Sunday!


Eurointernational had already put on an outstanding performance with the Onroak Automotive CN chassis at Magione in mid-June scoring pole position, a victory and second place only a few weeks after the delivery of the car.

Thus, everything is running like clockwork between the Italian team and the French constructor while awaiting the entry of two Ligier JS P3s in the Asian Le Mans Series in the autumn.
Campionati Italiano Sport Prototipi – Round 4 – Mugello race 1 – Top-3 :
1- #7 – Eurointernational / Ligier JS 53 EVO 2 (G.Mondini)
2- #3 – Progetto Corsa / Osella PA21 (M.Jacoboni)
3- #38 – Sport Made In Italy / Norma M20F (S.Iaquinta)

Campionati Italiano Sport Prototipi – Rpund 4 – Mugello race 2 – Top-3 :
1- #7 – Eurointernational / Ligier JS 53 EVO 2 (G.Mondini)
2- #1 – Uboldi Corse / Osella PA21 (D.Uboldi)
3- #5 – Nannini Racing / Norma M20F (W.Margelli)

[Rob]

Strakka Announce LMP1 Project For 2017, Switch To Gibson For Remainder of 2015

The decision of the FIA/ ACO on restricting the number of chassis manufacturers in LMP2 from 2017 has had a first positive effect it seems as Strakka Racing announce this morning that they will develop a new LMP1 car for the team to run in the Privateers’ category of the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship.

The team will also switch with immediate effect to an ex Greaves Motorsport Gibson 015S LMP2 chassis for the remainder of the 2015 FIA WEC to allow their Dome S103 chassis to be converted as the test and development ‘muletta’ for the LMP1 project.

The new LMP1 car, the first to be designed in-house by the British team, will be built at its recently expanded facilities at Silverstone, to compete in the growing LMP1 Privateers’ category of the championship.

The new car will draw upon advances in 3D printing and additive manufacturing that Strakka Racing has pioneered to shorten manufacturing lead times and reduce project costs, both of which are part of Strakka’s long-term business goals.

“The 2017 LMP2 regulation changes that restrict the number of chassis manufacturers meant we had to evaluate our current business strategy and seriously look at projects that would enable us to draw on the experiences we have from our LMP2 car,” says team principal Dan Walmsley. “After evaluating all the options, the LMP1 Privateers’ category now offers the best arena to create our own car, which we will use to showcase our growing knowledge of new design and manufacturing processes to build a cost effective car in the shortest timeframe. Strakka Racing is continuing to develop and this will be another step forward to becoming a true sustainable motorsports business.”

Strakka Racing will now start work on defining the architecture including selecting an engine partner with the utilisation of the Dome S103 permitting accelerated development in time for a 2017 launch.

“We learnt our lesson in 2013 not to stop racing whilst we develop the new car,” adds Walmsley. “We were able to source a Gibson to use for the balance of 2015. It’s a competitive car that allows us to continue to race and use the S103 chassis for test and development work in parallel.”

“Strakka Racing, thanks to the unstinting support from the team members, our sponsors, technical partners and also the fans that fuel our enthusiasm to race, continues to grow and launch exciting programmes such as this new LMP1 car,” says team founder Nick Leventis. “Alongside this expansion and now designing our very first Strakka car in-house, we have been able to secure a car to continue to race. This is another significant step forward for Strakka Racing as it continues to grow.”

The team is planning to test the Gibson in late July ahead of the next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Nürburgring. “We plan to have the car at the Nürburgring test at the end of July,” adds Leventis. “It’s going to be tight and it’s another car to learn but we have shown in the past 18 months that Strakka Racing is always ready for a new challenge!”

It’s not the first time that the team has run in LMP1 of course with campaigns in both Zytek and HPD chassis on their roll of honour in 2009 and 2012/13 (below) respectively.

[Rob]

Q&A WITH DAVIDE RIGON AND JAMES CALADO


After scoring a podium finish in the opening race of 2015 at Silverstone AF Corse drivers Davide Rigon and James Calado claimed second place at the 24 Heures du Mans and, along with Olivier Beretta, were also the top WEC LMGTE Pro class finishers. They are now just 4 points behind their Ferrari teammates Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander in the GTE World Endurance Cup standings after three rounds of the World Endurance Championship.

We caught up with the Anglo Italian duo to reflect on their success at Le Mans and their thoughts on the rest of the season.

Q: Le Mans was a good result for you, AF Corse and Ferrari with maximum points as the top WEC competitor in the LMGTE Pro class. However, was it a disappointment not to finish on the top step of the podium or was the Corvette too strong?

James Calado (JC): Firstly 2nd and 3rd for us was a great result, we scored maximum points for the team and I don't think we can be disappointed for that. Obviously winning Le Mans is something special and we showed we had the speed, consistency and team work to do it. Unfortunately both cars had reliability issues, something that's out of our control. You can never say 'what if' especially at Le Mans but I will always work to improve and hopefully we can get the result we really want in the future.

Davide Rigon (DR): Yes, for us really a good result but we’ve got to consider that without the car issue we would have been very close if not in front of the Corvette. Our pace on the last part of the race was better than them and I think we showed what the potential was.



Q. Ferrari is looking for a fourth GTE Manufacturers world title in 2015. With Le Mans providing double points, with you scoring 50 points instead of the normal 25 for a race win, how important is it to finish well at Le Mans as part of the overall WEC?

JC: I think the question says it all. Le Mans is double points and extremely important for the championship. We learnt from 2014 that it's important to finish. Scoring the maximum points was the target. We achieved it and now we need to work harder to extend our gap. We can't forget that we still have five races to go. That's 130 points available. I trust in my team mate Davide and everyone working for us that we have what it takes to challenge for the world championship.

DR: Sure that was fantastic, myself, James, Oliver and all the AF Corse team and Ferrari worked very hard to prepare this race. There are still a lot of races to go and our competitors are very strong, so we’ve got to push very hard in all the next races and try to win also one of next events, that would be our first in this category.



Q: Ford is returning in 2016 as a works entry and it is 50 years since the epic battles between the American manufacturer and Ferrari. Did you go and have a look at the Ford GT while you were at Le Mans and what are your thoughts on Ford's return to endurance racing?

JC: It's great to see new manufacturers joining the championship. Ford has great history just like all of our competitors and it's great to see them back. The car looks very unique and I think they will be a strong team for 2016. Of course though, I am Ferrari's biggest fan and we are currently developing our new 488 GTB. This is a whole new project for Ferrari, back to turbo power. I'm sure the car from the box will be quicker than our current 458 and this is extremely exciting.

DR: To be honest I just see the same picture, for me is very good that a big manufacturer like them is coming to race us. We are happy to face new challenges, anyway the target does not change: we only want to win. There’s also a new internal challenge for us that is the new car, the 488 GTB, that will be debuting in GTE (and GT3) version next year. There’s a lot of work to do but it’s great to embrace a completely new project that involves the return to turbo engines.

Q: The next race is at the Nürburgring at the end of August which is a new race on the WEC calendar. When was the last time you raced at the Nürburgring and what are your thoughts on this race track? Will the Ferrari be able to fend off the challenge from Aston Martin and Porsche?

JC: Next race is the 6 Hours of Nurburgring and it's a track both me and Davide know well. The last time I was competing here was in GP2 in 2013 where I had two second place finishes. It tends to be a low grip track but has some very challenging corners, especially in the second sector.

DR: My last time at the ring was two years ago, on a GT Ferrari, and I really like this circuit! As always we will be very close to Aston and Porsche, but we really want to win this time.

Q: Looking ahead to the long-haul races, which is your favourite track of the four the WEC will be visiting?

JC: One race I'm looking forward to most is Fuji. The track is fantastic, not only the corners but the place itself. The fans are great, extremely passionate. I saw lots of Ferrari fans last year! The aim is to be one step higher than 2014 and go for the win.

DR: I prefer Bahrain and in second place I put Austin. Very nice tracks to drive but also the weather is often very good.

[Nova]

Good Ferrari article..and they are developing the 488..wow.

[Rob]

European Le Mans Series, the successes continue.

July 13th, 2015 - Victories and podium finishes for the Ferrari 458 Italia in the “4 Hours of Red Bull Ring”, third round of the European Le Mans Series 2015.

In LMGTE category, the three steps of the podium have three 458’s in less than one second. The first under the chequered flag is the Formula Racing 458 #60 (managed by AF Corse) with Johnny Laursen, Mikkel Mac and Andrea Rizzoli. Just behind, the AF Corse 458 Italia number 55 driven by Duncan Cameron, Matt Griffin and Aaron Scott. In third place, Peter Mann, Matteo Cressoni and Raffaele Giammaria in their AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italy number 51. In eighth spot, the AT Racing Ferrari 458 Italia #56 (managed by AF Corse) with Alexander Talkanitsa, Alexander Talkanitsa Junior and Alessandro Pier Guidi. In addition, the great victory in the GTC category thanks to Thomas Flohr, Francesco Castellacci and Stuart Hall in the AF Corse Ferrari 458 Italia #62. In fourth position, the Ferrari 458 #63 driven by Giorgio Roda, Ilya Melnikov and Marco Cioci. Withdrawal of the 458 Italia #64 with Mads Rasmussen, Filipe Barreiros and Francisco Guedes.

Even in the championship standing, the Ferrari 458’s shine. Rizzoli, Laursen and Mac are first in LMGTE Drivers classification with 48 points followed by Cameron, Griffin and Scott (43). In fourth position, Talkanitsa, Talkanitsa Junior and Pier Guidi (36). In the LMGTE Team Classification, Formula Racing has the top with 48 points, AF Corse is second with 43. AT Racing is third (36 points). Castellacci and Hall are second in the Drivers GTC with 51 points; third the teammates Barreiros, Guedes and Rasmussen (33). AF Corse is second among the GTC Team.

The next round of the European Le Mans Series will be at Paul Ricard, September 5th and 6th.

[Nova]

^^^ This is good. I will love the 488 when it shows up on the track, but nothing will replace my 458's...
Not for now anyway.

[Rob]

From Gimmi today..

HI GUYS!!!!
I have a new helmet to draw. This helmet is a special one, I will give it for charity purpose so it must be fantastic.
I ask all of you to send me some of your ideas and draft of design, The best one will be realized from CF design. I will wear it just for one race and then sell it for charity in favour to the battle against Rett syndrome.
You need to show me your creative and artistic side. The winner will receive a present!
All you need to do is to post your creations on my Instagram or Facebook page.

http://www.gianmariabruni.it/design-and-help/

[Rob]

Elbows Up for Scuderia Corsa at Sports Car Racing's Bullring

Small confines of Lime Rock Park will provide big battle in TUDOR Championship's Northeast Grand Prix

Scuderia Corsa currently third in TUDOR Championship standings.

July 21, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - This weekend's Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park will not have much in common with the Sahlen's Six Hours of the Glen, where Scuderia Corsa drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell finished in fourth position in the team's Ferrari 458 Italia.

This Lime Rock Park circuit, at only 1.47 miles in length, is less than half the length of the fast and flowing Watkins Glen International. And while the Six Hours at the Glen was a six-hour test of endurance, the NorthEast Grand Prix will be a two hour and forty-minute contest - the shortest race of the season for the GT-Daytona class. And it comes at a pivotal point in the season championship as Scuderia Corsa is third in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's GT-Daytona team championship standings with four races remaining in the season.

This race will mark the debut of the TUDOR Championship at Lime Rock Park, but the circuit has been a mainstay of sports car racing since holding its first race in 1957. Lime Rock Park is also the home circuit for Sweedler, who calls nearby Westport, Connecticut home.

"Lime Rock is my home track, and of course, my favorite place to race with all of the friends and family that will attend," said Sweedler. "The only time I ever smiled as I got passed happened at Lime Rock. During an open testing day on Tuesday, I was passed by the late, great Paul Newman in the downhill as he rocketed past me in his 900HP Nissan beast! The crowds are always big, and they really enjoy and appreciate sports car racing.

"Lime Rock is one of the only tracks that you have no time to rest. It's the closest thing to an oval for sports car racing. The Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 should be well suited for the fast, flowing nature of the track. I can't wait to get out on track this week!"

Unlike most of the TUDOR Championship events, the Northeast Grand Prix will only feature two classes of cars - the Prototype Challenge and GT-Daytona classes. However, with the high speeds of the circuit and the difficulty in passing, staying out of trouble remains the first priority for the drivers.

"Certainly, it is a challenge to stay out of trouble in a race at Lime Rock," said Bell. "There is very limited passing opportunities which is a big factor when you are battling for position, but also when the prototypes are coming up to lap us. With only the PC and GT-D classes this weekend, that isn't as big of an issue as normal, but it is still a small course with a high average speed so there will always be traffic to deal with."

The Northeast Grand Prix will be streamed live on Saturday, July 25 on IMSA.com and will be broadcast on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 PM ET. Qualifying will also be streamed live on Friday, July 24 at 5:15 PM ET.

Lime Rock Park Technical Analysis - Joe La Joie, engineer of the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia

The Lime Rock Park event is challenging on a couple of fronts. First, there is only one left hand turn. The left turn is the slowest turn with the other being high speed turns - third gear or faster. Therefore, it can be beneficial to setup the car for right hand turns. This could mean just standing the rights side camber up and adjusting the corner weight or running asymmetric springs and toe.

The second challenge is the track itself. It is short at 1.47 miles in length, busy, and it is difficult to pass. If you are off pace or get too far back from the leader you will most likely go a lap down at some point. So, it is important to qualify well, and stay in contact with the leader or even better lead the race. Pit stops will be important either to take the lead or stay close to the leaders. The drivers need to keep up their momentum especially if they don't have an engine with an adequate power band.

[Rob]

Five AF Corse Ferrari 458’s in the “24 Hours of Spa”.

Kaspersky Lab to transmit live the race and win track experience

Five AF Corse Ferrari 458’s Italia in the “Total 24 Hours of Spa”, round 4 of the Blancpain Endurance Series, scheduled on 25 and 26 July.

Each of the 458’s lined up for AF Corse have squads able to make the difference and aim at the category victory.

PRO-AM CATEGORY – Following the entry list, the AF Corse Ferrari #47 will be share by Gianmaria Bruni – several times champions of the FIA World Endurance Championship with Ferrari and AF Corse - Pasin Lathouras, Stephane Lemeret and Alessandro Pier Guidi.

In the Ferrari #51, Duncan Cameron, Matt Griffin, Francisco Guedes and Davide Rigon; this last driver took the second place in the GTE Pro category in the 2015 edition of the “24 Hours of Le Mans”. The fast duo composed of Adrien De Leener and Cedric Sbirrazzuoli will be supported by Raffaele Gianmaria and Toni Vilander (another FIA World Endurance champion with Ferrari and AF Corse). Piergiuseppe Perazzini, Enzo Potolicchio, Marco Cioci and Michele Rugolo will race in the Ferrari 458 Italia #53. On the eve of the Belgian race, Duncan Cameron and Matt Griffin have the top position in the PRO-AM Drivers standing (49 points); AF Corse is leading among the PRO-AM Team (49 points).

AM CUP CATEGORY AND THE ENGAGEMENT OF KASPERSKY LAB - Alexander Moiseev, Garry Kondakov, Riccardo Ragazzi and Rui Aguas will race for the first position in the AF Corse Ferrari #50. A car that will give the direct view of the race thanks to Kaspersky Lab. Motorsports fans around the world will be able to experience the exciting 24 Hours of SPA endurance race as if they were in one of the vehicles, thanks to special cameras installed on board the Kaspersky Lab-sponsored Ferrari 458 Italia of the AF Corse Racing Team. The live video stream will be transmitted on Kaspersky Lab’s Motorsport website ( www.kasperskymotorsport.com ) , accompanied by unique behind-the-scenes news, racing tips and more.

A TRACK EXPERIEnce FOR THE BEST COMMENTATOR - Kaspersky Lab’s social media channels will carry a special race commentary and people are invited to contibrute their own views on the race as it unfolds, at #kaSPAssion24. A special jury comprising the F1 driver Giancarlo Fisichella, the talented young Ferrari Driver Academy Antonio Fuoco and the motorsport agent and specialist Enrico Zanarini, will select the best amateur commentator who will win a Kaspersky International Driver Academy track experience in Valencia in Spain.

The race will start at 16.30 (local time) on Saturday, July 25th.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Paris - 28 July 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

THE WEC GETS READY FOR FIRST RACE IN GERMANY

Today the World Endurance Championship held a star-studded press conference at the Nürburgring, one month before its inaugural race at the German track on 28-30 August. The press conference, held in front of a large gathering of German and international media, took place on the second of a two-day test. Of the 33 cars due to take part in the 6 Hours of Nürburgring, 20 were present at the test to gather as much data as possible ahead of the race next month.
Gérard Neveu, CEO of the WEC, and Carsten Schumacher, CEO capricorn NÜRBURGRING GmbH, were joined by Team Principals and drivers competing in the World Endurance Championship plus the legendary Hans-Joachim Stuck who was announced as Grand Marshal for the fourth round of the 2015 season.

Guests included Audi Sport’s Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Andreas Seidl of the Porsche Team, Porsche Team Manthey’s Olaf Manthey, plus André Lotterer (Audi Sport), Timo Bernhard (Porsche Team), Sébastien Buemi (Toyota), Richard Bradley (KCMG) and Patrick Dempsey (Dempsey Proton Racing).



WEC CEO Gérard Neveu explained to the media the importance to the World Endurance Championship of the new race in Germany. “The 6 Hours of Nürburgring is a new event on the WEC calendar and we are extremely pleased to be bringing the Spirit of Le Mans to Germany. With Audi and Porsche being major German manufacturers and partners, plus Toyota Racing being based in Cologne, the decision to have a race here was not a difficult one to make when the opportunity arose. Audi has won the world title twice and Porsche will race in Germany after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June; both have a huge following both here and around the world. We are sure that the home race for these very important manufacturers will be well supported by the German fans.

“However the 6 Hours of Nürburgring is about much more than the LMP1 entries. We have a full grid of 33 cars and there is great racing in LMP2 and in the LMGTE classes, where Porsche is racing against Ferrari and Aston Martin and where Ford will join us in 2016. The event is a combination of a full race programme and great entertainment around the circuit for the whole family to enjoy. Everyone has a part to play in the event and that includes the spectators.

“We would also like to thank Carsten Schumacher and his team at the Nürburgring for their hard work which has brought the WEC to Germany. We would also like to thank the manufacturers for their full support and Hermann Tomczyk, Christian Schacht and the DMSB for the sporting organisation support.

“So we encourage everyone to come and be part of the WEC on the 30 August. We look forward to seeing you there.”

Carsten Schumacher, CEO capricorn NÜRBURGRING GmbH, said: "We are really thrilled to present the spectacular prototypes of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC for the first time in Germany and of course at the Nürburgring which is full of sports car history. It will be the home match for Audi, Porsche and Toyota. In any case the Le Mans revenge will be a special treat for all spectators.

"We want to thank the WEC organization and all parties involved for the prolific co-operation. Now we are looking forward to a great race weekend at the Nürburgring.”

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Paris - 28 July 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,
HANS-JOACHIM STUCK IS NAMED AS GRAND MARSHAL FOR 6 HOURS OF NÜRBURGRING

28/07/2015 - 17h00


Legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and 1985 Sportscar World Champion Hans-Joachim Stuck will be the guest of honour of the World Endurance Championship at its first race in Germany. Stuck, who began his racing career at the Nürburgring in 1969, will be on the grid to provide the ceremonial start for the fourth round of the 2015 WEC.

Hans-Joachim Stuck was born in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. He was taught to drive on the Nürburgring by his father Hans Stuck, completing his first lap at the age of 9. He took the start of his first ever race in 1969 on the Nordschleife and the following year, at just 19 years of age, he won his first 24-hour race at the wheel of a BMW 2002TI, a feat he repeated in 1998 and 2004 also in a BMW touring car.

Following success in touring cars and Formula 2, Stuck entered F1 in 1974 with the March team. He participated in 81 Grands Prix, achieving 2 podiums. Stuck continued racing sports cars all over the world with huge success, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice with a Porsche 962 (1986 and 1987) and also won the Sportscar World Championship with Derek Bell in 1985.

In April 2012 Hans-Joachim Stuck was appointed President of the German Motorsport Association (Deutscher Motor Sport Bund).

Hans-Joachim Stuck said: “The WEC’s 6 Hours of Nürburgring brings to Germany the spirit of another famous endurance classic, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and allows us to once more enjoy the sights and sounds of world-class sports prototypes and GT cars including many which are German-built. Thousand kilometre races have a long tradition at the Nürburgring, and I’m extremely happy that the WEC is “coming back” to Germany.”

Pierre Fillon, President of the ACO, said: “It is an immense pleasure to announce Hans-Joachim Stuck as the Grand Marshal for the first visit to Germany by the World Endurance Championship. He is one of the all-time greats of motorsport, a former Sportscar World Champion and a two-time overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche. We can’t think of a better person to wave the flag to start the first World Endurance Championship race in Germany.”

The 6 Hours of Nürburgring will take place on Sunday 30 August, with Free Practice on Friday 28and Qualifying on Saturday 29 August. The weekend will be a celebration of endurance racing at the world famous Nürburgring and there will be entertainment for the whole family to enjoy on and off the track including support races by the Nürburgring Legends and the Porsche Super Sports Cup.

[Rob]

FIA WEC: Nurburgring Test, Day 2 Notes From The Paddock (to 2pm)
on 28/07/2015 12:30 in FIA WEC

Around 3000 people braved very challenging weather yesterday to watch the WEC runners pound around on the first day of a two day test.

Paddock access was opened up to the accredited media for day 2 today with lots of laps for seemingly everyone on a dry but overcast day, a cold breeze seeing the teams, in the main, take to the shelter of the pit garages.

All three factory LMP1s managed times sub 1:40 with Audi, now confirmed as running the Le Mans sec R18 e-tron quattro for the remainder of the year, topping the times by 2pm with a 1:37.456 posted by Loic Duval the Frenchman sharing the #9 car with Lucas di Grassi today after Andre Lotterer drove for the first hour or so again this morning.

The #919 Porsche was into the 1:38s (1:38.863 by 2pm) with Timo Bernhard and Marc Lieb on duty today.


Toyota meanwhile were again a little way back, Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi driving today 1:39.814

Next up in the order was a highly encouraging run from Strakka Racing in their ‘new’ Gibson 015S Nissan, 1:45.123 putting them ahead of the ByKolles CLM (1:46.479) with Simon Trummer and Pierre Kaffer joined for the test only by 2015 GP2 racer Rene Binder.


Both ESM Ligier HPDs were running well this morning and the #30 car stayed at the sharp end (no pun intended) into the afternoon with a 1:46.634, the sister #31 car 10th fastest overall at 2pm with a 1:48.178.

“It’s great to finally get an extended opportunity to iron some of the smaller bugs out of the package.” said Ed Brown.

KCMG’s all-Le mans winning trio, Matt Howson and Richard Bradley from LMP2, Nick Tandy fresh from his overall win, were in the mix too, 1:46.725, Matt Howson too was hoping for an opportunity to work on speed and reliability, even after a near perfect Le Mans run.

“We had reliability issues in both 6 hour races with the new car so far. Certainly we were surprised to get as clean a run as we did at Le Mans. Surprised and delighted would certainly be a fair description!”

The #43 SARD Morand team were another to have a reliability agenda, and a new face.

The #43 retired from Le Mans after a minor oil leak caused a fire in the engine bay stranding the car out on the circuit:

“Another case of a tiny component causing a dramatic problem,” said Oliver Webb, the Englishman putting in most of the running with Pierre Ragues.

Zoel Amberg though is not here, the Swiss driver is unwell so 2014 British F3 runner up Matt Rao is here as a super sub, again not expected to race later this month.


The #26 G-Drive Ligier was 9th fastest, ahead of the second (#31) ESM Ligier, Roman Rusinov on solo duty today after Sam Bird drove yesterday.

In the GT Order the Porsche Pro ran 1,2 into the afternoon in Olaf Manthey’s ‘Living Room’ #91 (Lietz) leading #92 (Christensen), the #91 posting a 1:54.518 with #92 2 tenths back.


Both AF Corse Pro Ferraris were also in the 1:54s, #71 (Rigon and Calado) ahead of #51 (Bruni and Vilander).

Next up was the #95 Aston Martin, all three of the ‘Dane Train’ trio here and sharing the car with Richie Stanaway.

The first of the Proton Porsches (#88) headed a train of Am class cars to round out the top 20. The #72 SMP Ferrari, #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche, #98 Aston Martin. Jonny Adam, who is set to race the #97 Pro car here joining Paul Dalla Lana and Mathias Lauda. Pedro Lamy is here but will not run after fracturing his leg recently. He is set though to be fit in time for the race.

Last up was the #83 AF Corse Ferrari with its full crew here too.

The ‘21st’ car meanwhile is not showing on the timing screens, Dunlop taking the opportunity of this test to further develop their spec GT rubber for the ELMS.

Regular Dunlop tyre tester Daniel Serra and Alessandro Pier Guidi (below) are pounding around together with Rob Bell for this test in a Michelotto run car, more details on a separate story later this week of Dunlops developing plans.

[Rob]

[fratelliferrari]

Can't wait for the WEC Championship to continue!!! Thanks Rob for posting these photos

[Nova]

Killer pix..the Ligier is killer..

[Rob]

Can't wait for the WEC Championship to continue!!! Thanks Rob for posting these photos

i know just 31 days now

Wish was going, you will have a cracking time. And the race should be a thriller.

[Rob]

Killer pix..the Ligier is killer..

it is one of my fav P2 cars. Just a shame about the new LMP2 rules coming in 2017.

[Rob]

^^^ This is good. I will love the 488 when it shows up on the track, but nothing will replace my 458's...
Not for now anyway.

be hard to say goodbye to the old faithful girl, but we have the 488 coming, twin turbo beauty. As far as i know, the GTE version, is near enough done. Should turn its wheel for first time September. Had some trouble on the bench with the twin turbos. But, what i been told, it is all sorted now. Then after that, the GT3 versions be ready by end of year.

[Nova]

Yea, judging though by the 458's overall pace, she gonna need more development or the 488 will be needed.
I wonder how long b4 the 488 GTO shows up? You know they havta do one of those...

[Rob]

Yea, judging though by the 458's overall pace, she gonna need more development or the 488 will be needed.
I wonder how long b4 the 488 GTO shows up? You know they havta do one of those...

Not sure about the GTO.

488 will be ready for new season. In September, she will be there at the BoP test, which all the new cars have to attend. Even though the GT40, is having waivers to let it race. As they have not sold any road versions of it yet. And the rules say, must of sold 100 road cars before a race version can race.

[Rob]

Something i heard. We getting the 2 GT40s next year in WEC. But, apparently we will be loosing the Porsche factory team. They making a whole new model in response to the GT40s.

[Nova]

I think they have to do a 488 GTO simply because of the name..288 GTO, 488 tadaa..GTO..
Road & Track latest issue has a great story about the 288 GTO and the 488. The pix
are great too.

[Rob]

Ende and Fuentes Show Scuderia Corsa's Speed at Mid-Ohio

Duncan Ende scores season-best finish of seventh overall.

Fourth place finish keeps Fuentes in GT-A championship contention.

August 3, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - Scuderia Corsa drivers Duncan Ende and Martin Fuentes recorded a strong pair of results at this weekend's Pirelli World Challenge doubleheader at the Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in Lexington, Ohio in their Ferrari 458 Italias.

Ende, who has won previously at Mid-Ohio in the American Le Mans Series, qualified in a strong ninth position overall for Saturday's race in his no. 64 Scuderia Corsa / Lino'spresso USA Ferrari 458 Italia. Launching well from the lights, Ende battled throughout the race and made up two positions with strong passes to take the checkered flag in seventh position. Looking for a second strong race, Ende would stall during the standing start of Sunday's race dropping him to the back of the field. He spent the rest of the race making up lost time to finish in twelfth position in the GT class.

"Despite the issue that we had at the start of Sunday's race, it was a really strong weekend," said Ende. "I am very happy with qualifying and with Saturday's race. I really enjoy racing at Mid-Ohio - the track has a great atmosphere with great fans who really enjoy sports car racing. I hope they enjoyed the racing this weekend and hopefully they were entertained by the Scuderia Corsa Ferraris!"

Fuentes, who retired from Saturday's race, rebounded strongly on Sunday. Passing multiple cars during the race, he steered his no. 07 Scuderia Corsa / Hublot Ferrari 458 Italia to fourth position in the GT-A class. Fuentes result showcased the strength of the GT-A field as the GT-A winner finished in third position overall and the top three in GT-A were inside of the top-10 overall. The result brought him closer to the GT-A championship leader and keeps him in championship contention with six rounds of racing remaining in the 2015 season.

"I'm very happy with the result of fourth place in Sunday's race," said Fuentes. "Mid-Ohio is a very technical track and a very difficult track to pass other cars, but we managed to reduce the difference between us and the GT-A leader so we are looking forward to the next race at Miller Motorsports Park. Thanks to the Scuderia Corsa team for giving me a great Ferrari for the weekend, and thanks for the support from all our sponsors."

The performances by Ende and Fuentes left Scuderia Corsa Technical Director Roberto Amorosi upbeat about their prospects in the final few races of the season.

"It was a positive weekend for Scuderia Corsa," said Amorosi. "I am very happy for Duncan who drove a solid race on Saturday, achieving his best result of the season. Martin drove a solid race on Sunday, and finishing in fourth position in GT-A allows him to close the distance to the GT-A championship leader, keeping him in contention for the championship. We are looking ahead to the next race at Miller Motorsports Park!"

The Pirelli World Challenge races at Miller Motorsports Park in Toole, Utah will be held on August 21-23. Scuderia Corsa will compete this week at IMSA's Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

[Rob]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2015 CONTINENTAL TIRE ROAD RACE SHOWCASE
A RACE ENGINEER'S PERSPECTIVE

Houston, Texas - (August 3, 2015)...Rick Mayer, race engineer of the Risi Competizione No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia team, gives his run down and preview of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Series,Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America, August 7-9, 2015 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Risi Competizione race engineer,
Rick Mayer

Piloting the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia in the GTLM class are drivers, Pierre Kaffer (Germany) and Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy).

Car count will not play as big a role at the longer 4.05-mile Road America circuit; the cars will be spread out and there's room to get by slower class cars on the long straights. This will be another fierce GTLM battle with the Porsches, BMWs, and Corvettes all having good top speed, which is key here with the numerous fast sections. The latest IMSA BoP (Balance of Performance) adjustment puts the Ferrari at a slight deficient to the Corvettes, BMWs and Porsches for the balance of the season. But a lot can happen in a two hour, 40 minute race, as we are hoping for the best.

The Track: Road America is a long, natural terrain circuit with a more traditional, European-style layout. The track is mostly smooth, with some small bumps through the centers of some of the corners; this can change depending on the severity of the previous winter. This circuit is primarily a series of single corners without tricky or technical combinations, with useable but aggressive curbs, which all GT cars will use. This is one of the higher top speed tracks we'll go to and we'll see 160mph (260kph) three times per lap.

Setup: Long straights mean relatively low downforce to maximize top speed; you don't want to lose position on the straights. This track is typically an understeer track, especially the long 'Carousel' corner. We'll adjust the spring and aero balance to help this. The track prefers a stiffer platform but the curbing requires a softer car so we'll need to find the balance. Dampers will come into play - you need to get through the mid-corner bumps without compromising the platform, and remove enough high speed damping to suit running the curbing. Road America isn't hard on brakes, but the long straights cool the front tires so you have to be careful of brake lock-ups and flat-spotting tires in the braking zones. With the lap time being long here (typically around 2:06) you don't get many laps in a one-hour practice session - especially if there are any interruptions - so you need to hone in on the setup quickly. Keeping the drivers focused on setup and not lap time will be the challenge. Our drivers never want to be second, even to their co-driver!


(L-R): Pierre Kaffer and Giancarlo Fisichella

The Race: There usually are many full course yellows, even with a long track and reasonable runoff area. The pit stops came into play last year and we expect the same this year. The Ferrari won't be the quickest here, but the competition is tight and things can happen in the race that could be to our advantage. This will be another thriller of a GT race for the fans. We won here last year from quick pit work. Let's hope we can have another good result this year.

Tune-In Information: FOX Sports 1 will air a live broadcast of the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase on Sunday, August 9 from 2:00-5:00 p.m. CDT. Live timing and scoring is available for all on-track sessions at IMSA.com and on the IMSA Smartphone app.

[Rob]

sorry it late, been bit busy.

PORSCHE TEAM MANTHEY TESTS FOR WEC PREMIERE ON HOME TURF

In preparation for the first outing of the World Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring, several teams conducted tests on the storied race track in Germany’s Eifel region. One of these squads was Porsche Team Manthey which is based in Meuspath just a stone’s throw from the Nürburgring. With the Porsche works drivers Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Richard Lietz (Austria), the outfit made the most of the opportunity on Monday and Tuesday to setup the Porsche 911 RSR for their home race on 30 August. The German team tested the cars with the starting numbers 91 and 92 that are campaigned in the GTE-Pro class of the WEC.

For the 470 hp 911 RSR, which is based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports car and characterised by lightweight design and sophisticated aerodynamics, the testing began on Monday in typical Eifel weather conditions with rain and sunshine. Although Tuesday stayed overcast, the challenging Grand Prix circuit remained dry. The team was able to complete its comprehensive testing as scheduled.

Also taking part in the Nürburgring tests were the Porsche customer squads Dempsey Proton Racing with drivers Patrick Dempsey (USA) and Marco Seefried (Austria) as well as Abu Dhabi Proton Racing with the former Porsche Junior Klaus Bachler (Austria), Christian Ried (Germany) and Khaled Al Qubaisi (Abu Dhabi). Both teams field the Porsche 911 RSR in the GTE-Am class of the WEC.

Olaf Manthey, team principal Porsche Team Manthey: “We already conducted some tests one day last week at the Nürburgring and we were able to work on all the points on our list. So the fact that the weather didn’t quite cooperate for us yesterday was not so dramatic. We made the most of the changeable weather conditions, for instance, by checking to see how long we could stay out on the track on slicks in the rain and how long our wet tyres could hold out on a dry track. Moreover, we tested different setups and components. The conditions on Tuesday were better. We tried to pack in as much as possible and this too went very well. It was important that we could test with both cars. All in all it was a very good and productive test session on our home track. Now we’re looking forward to the premiere of the WEC in the Eifel.”

Michael Christensen (911 RSR #92): “It wasn’t easy on Monday due to the changeable weather. But we’re here on the Nürburgring and you have to expect everything when it comes to the weather. But I think we made the most out of it. On Tuesday we trialled a lot of things that we hope will improve our performance. I like the circuit. I won my first Supercup race here in 2013 as a Porsche Junior. We’re definitely well prepared for the race.”

Richard Lietz (911 RSR #91): “These tests were important. It’s not so often that you can go testing so extensively on the very track that you’ll be racing on afterwards. We were a bit unlucky with the weather on Monday, but we made a lot of progress on Tuesday. The team did a great job. We were able to sort out various things and now we’re looking forward to our home race. We want to do well there, of course.”

From Porsche Team Manthey/Porsche AG

[Rob]

ASTON MARTIN RACING RE-SIGNS TURNER FOR ‘FORESEEABLE FUTURE’

- Aston Martin Racing stalwart extends contract for further three-years
- Sportscar development role confirmed with Aston Martin Lagonda

Gaydon, 6 August 2015 - World-class sportscar driver Darren Turner (GB) has signed a three-year contract extension with Aston Martin Racing, further cementing the brand’s loyalty to the racing ace who has been with the team since its formation in 2004.

Turner, who lives just a stone’s throw from Aston Martin Racing’s headquarters in Banbury, has celebrated many successes behind the wheel of an Aston Martin racing car, including two class wins in the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. He has also raced in every class that the team has developed cars for; GT4, GT3, GTE, GT1 and LMP1.

“Within my time at Aston Martin Racing we have had so many highs,” he explained. “Like with any team, we have had our low points too but we always come out fighting - right now we are in a very strong place.

“We have an exciting few years ahead of us in GT racing. The discipline is going from strength-to-strength and I’m looking forward to working with the team to develop its new cars.”

Team Principal John Gaw was also pleased to confirm that Turner will continue with the team for the foreseeable future.

“We’ve signed a three-year deal but we certainly see Darren’s future with Aston Martin Racing as ongoing,” Gaw commented. “He has been with us since the company was founded and is therefore not only a very strong and reliable driver but also has an understanding of the team and insight into the cars better than anyone else ever could. His professional, mature and positive attitude is invaluable within our team as we look to bring in and develop young talent.”

In addition to his contract with Aston Martin Racing, Turner has also signed a deal with Aston Martin to become a development driver and brand ambassador to the road car business, a step that further allows the racer’s development knowledge and expertise to benefit the marque’s future sportscar development.

“Although I’ve always had a strong relationship with the road car arm of the business and have been involved in many projects, this is the first time that we have come to a formal agreement and signed a contract,” Turner explained. “This will see me get more involved with road car projects and will draw an even closer link between these and our race car programmes.”

Turner was most recently involved in the design and development of Aston Martin Vulcan, the manufacturer’s first track-only hypercar and he has used his extensive racing experience to help build a car that has the extreme sports handling and performance of a track car with the luxury and comfort that customers expect from as Aston Martin.

“At Aston Martin, we have always considered Darren to be the face of the motorsport arm,” said Aston Martin’s Head of Motorsport David King. “Recently, he has been more involved in the road car side of the business and this is something that we wish to develop further. We have many exciting years ahead at Aston Martin and we were keen to cement our relationship with Darren ahead of this.”

In 2015, Aston Martin Racing’s works team is contesting the the FIA World Endurance Championship with five Vantage GTEs and, in May, it entered two Vantage GT3s into the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Turner and his team-mates will next race for Aston Martin Racing on 30th August in the FIA WEC Six Hours of Nürburgring.