2015 WEC/ELMS&TUSC news.

[Rob]

TONI VILANDER JOINS RISI COMPETIZIONE FOR PETIT LE MANS
Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT No. 62:
Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA), Pierre Kaffer (DEU), Toni Vilander (FIN)

Houston, Texas - (September 28, 2015)...The three-time Petit Le Mans winning team of Risi Competizione, has invited Finish Ferrari driver, Toni Vilander, back to its stable for the 17th annual Petit Le Mans, the finale for IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, on October 3, 2015. He will join full-season drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer for the 10-hour/1,000-mile Saturday race at the Braselton, Georgia track.

Vilander has competed with the popular Houston, Texas-based Risi Competizione Ferrari team on two previous occasions at Petit Le Mans, in 2010 in the Ferrari 430 GT2 with Gianmaria Bruni to a third-place finish and in 2011 with Jamie Melo and Raphael Matos in the Ferrari 458 Italia with a DNS. In his third and last appearance at Road Atlanta, Vilander won with Johannes van Overbook and Scott Sharp in the Extreme Speed Ferrari 458 Italia in 2012.


"I'm happy to be back with Risi. It's going to be a tough week and tough race as well," said Toni Vilander, a current FIA World Endurance driver. "I haven't raced in TUDOR since Daytona. I cannot wait to get back in the car. That's when the real work starts. We can talk about it before but it's more important for the first impression when I get in the car and drive it. I'm happy to be racing again with Risi and will try to score as many points as we can towards the championship."

"We're very happy to have Toni back with us again for this year's for Petit Le Mans," said Risi Competizione Team Manager David Sims. "He's a long-time friend of the Risi team and a fantastic Ferrari driver for many years. In 2012 he was part of our 24 Hours of Le Mans victory, alongside Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni, and that will always be a special memory. Now we hope he, Giancarlo and Pierre can add a third Petit Le Mans victory for us this year."

Tune-In Information:
Live TV coverage of Petit Le Mans will start on October 3 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. EDT on FOX Sports 2, then broadcast via the internet on IMSA.com from 12:00-2:30 p.m. From 2:30-7:00 p.m. FOX Sports 2 will again broadcast the race. IMSA.com will show the 7:00-8:30 p.m. broadcast and FOX Sports 2 will carry the last hour live through the podium ceremonies from 8:30-9:30 p.m. On Sunday October 4, FOX Sports 1 will broadcast a three-hour highlight of the Petit Le Mans race from 1:30-4:30 p.m EDT.

[Nova]

AAAHH, what a glorious pic of the 458..Glad he's back. he good racer..

[Rob]

NIELSEN LOOKS TO BE FIRST FEMALE DRIVER TO WIN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

At the age of 23, TRG-AMR driver Christina Nielsen looks to become the first female driver to win a major international sports car racing championship. Nielsen is currently leading the GTD standings in the No. 007 Royal Purple/Orion Energy/LaSalle Solutions/PassTime USA Aston Martin Vantage by just a single point, 256-255.


“Winning the championship would be a major accomplishment in my career and I believe it is a step in the right direction towards becoming a pro driver,” Nielsen said. “Also the fact that no other female has won it before makes it even more special.”

With four second-place finishes and one third-place finish to her name this season, Nielsen and co-drivers Kuno Wittmer and Brandon Davis may need that so-far elusive GTD victory in order to make history and hold off the hard-charging Paul Miller Racing duo Dion von Moltke and Christopher Haase in the No. 48 Castrol EDGE Audi R8 LMS.

“I think we deserve a win and have the driver lineup, the car and the team to do it,” said Nielsen. “Honestly I'm going into the last round to have fun, enjoy it and win. I love Road Atlanta, it's my favorite track and it's such a cool event.”

Von Moltke and Haase, who are joined by Bryce Miller at Road Atlanta, led for the majority of the 2015 TUDOR Championship season before falling behind Nielsen after the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America. However, they made up significant ground last time out at Circuit of The Americas, and the No. 48 team won at Petit Le Mans last year with Haase and Miller joined by Matt Bell.

Nipping at the Audi drivers’ heels are Scuderia Corsa’s Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell in the No. 63 Robert Graham/Royal Purple Ferrari 458 Italia. The two currently trail von Moltke and Haase by three in the GTD standings, 255-252, and also are well within striking distance of the top spot in the class.

Speaking of striking distance, Viper drivers Ben Keating and Jeroen Bleekemolen are standing in fourth, just 11 points behind leader Nielsen, 256-245. With two first-place finishes in the last three races, the No. 33 Riley Motorsports TI Automotive/Viper Exchange Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R drivers along with co-driver Sebastiaan Bleekemolen, shouldn’t been counted out of the title race just yet.

Coverage of Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda will begin on FS2 (FOX Sports 2) at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, and will alternate throughout the day with IMSA.com. This includes the finish and post-race coverage on FOX Sports 2 beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.

There will be a three-hour highlight show on Sunday on FS1 (FOX Sports 1), beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Source:
IMSA
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/nielsen....Xr4o4alZ.dpuf

[Rob]

AAAHH, what a glorious pic of the 458..Glad he's back. he good racer..

Great shot of the car.

Adding Toni to the Risi line up just makes it even stronger. He great diver. looking forward to this race. Do like the track alot.

[Rob]

TRG-AMR TARGETS TWO TUSCC TITLES

- TRG-AMR leads two Tudor United Sports Car Championship titles
- It will be the first major USA championship win for the marque
- Nielsen set to become the first female to win a major North American championship

30 September, Gaydon: TRG-AMR, the North American partner team of Aston Martin Racing, is targeting two Tudor United Sports Car Championship (TUSCC) titles this weekend (2/3 October) at the world famous Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta.

Leading the GTD class championship, the team from Northern California will race its #007 V12 Vantage GT3 in the 10-hour long race with drivers Kuno Wittmer (US) and team-mate Christina Nielsen (DN), who is not only set to become the first Aston Martin champion in the USA but also the first female.

Nielsen, from Hørsholm in Denmark, has had a fantastic season in North America’s largest sportscar championship. The 23-year old star has scored podiums at Detroit GP, Lime Rock, Road America and Virginia International Raceway but the competition has been tough.

“We are heading into the final race with only a one point advantage over our competitors so now the pressure is on us to finish ahead of the Ferrari and Audi and close out this championship,” said Nielsen. “As drivers, this is what we dream of - a chance to win a championship in the last race of the season when everything is on the line.

“It’s exciting and a little nerve-wracking all at the same time. When I started with the team back in Daytona, I never believed we would be going into the last race in this position. The entire team has done such an amazing job to get us here and now we have to deliver.”

TRG-AMR has been Aston Martin Racing’s partner team since the start of 2013 and, if successful this weekend, will be responsible for taking Aston Martin’s first major North American championship win.

“The biggest thanks goes out to this most amazing brand, Aston Martin, and the fantastic race cars that they build at Aston Martin Racing,” commented Kevin Buckler, Chief Executive Officer at TRG-AMR. “This has been quite a journey together since starting from scratch three years ago and we are both pleased and proud to be working together. Everyone has done a superb job to get us here and once again we want to show that TRG-AMR is the place to be!”

Petit Le Mans starts at 11.00 EDT on Saturday 3 October. Fans in the USA can watch on Fox Sports 2 from 11.00 EDT and fans in the UK can watch live on Motors TV from 16.00 BST.

- ENDS -

[Rob]

2015 PETIT LE MANS AT ROAD ATLANTA
A RACE ENGINEER'S PERSPECTIVE

Houston, Texas (September 29, 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 Championship, Petit Le Mans, October 1-3, 2015 in Braselton, Georgia.

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

Risi Competizione race engineer, Rick Mayer

The Track: Road Atlanta is one of the favorite tracks for Risi Competizione and most of our drivers. Favorites tend to be the ones you've had success at, and this is no exception. It's a fast track layout with a variety of different types of corners. It's technically challenging for both drivers and engineers, and very satisfying when you get it right.

The requirements to go fast at Road Atlanta are always the same. You need a good platform for the high-speed corners - Turn 1, the Esses and Turn 12. You can gain a significant amount of time using the apex curbs effectively at Turn 3 and the exit curbs of Turn 5. There's some real curb jumping at Turn 3, which makes it a good corner for photos. The curbs at both Turns 7 and 10 also yield lap time. However, as much as you need the curbs for a quick lap time, you have to exercise caution as using them repeatedly here can lead to failed drivetrain components. It's a long 10-hour race and you need to be somewhat kind to the car; you have to finish to win. Top speed is very important, as there are few places to pass.

Setup: Stiffer (springs and anti-roll bars) is better for platform support but curbing is so important here, so it's a compromise. A stiff setup also makes cleaning the pick-up off the tires easier as you can load the tires harder. With such a big field, the number of times that a GT car may have to go off the racing line, and therefore experience pick-up, will be increased. Dampers that give support, but blow-off on the curbs, can make a big difference here, not just in lap time but longevity of the drivetrain components.

Top speed and downforce level will be based on peer group straight speeds. Greater overall downforce is the quicker way around the track and better for tire life, but you can't let the competition drive around you on the straight. Passing will be difficult, especially in GTLM with the eight super-competitive cars from four different manufacturers. The best passing spot will be braking into Turn 10. However, if you can't keep up on the straight you won't be in a position to out-brake someone into Turn 10. The track isn't particularly hard on brakes, but you need the brakes to last the 390+ laps that the GTLM cars will run during the race.

Keeping the car low to the ground (low running ride heights) is a challenge at Road Atlanta. Your options are to run very high ride heights (Sebring track levels) or stiff springs or bump rubbers to hold the car up in the large compression areas. The main issues where the car will contact the track are the bumps in the middle of Turn 1 (left rear) and the curb in Turn 3 (right side), either the curb itself or the landing from launching from it. Your ability to setup around these features will ultimately determine how low you can run the car.


The Race: Traffic will play a large role, as always, at Petit with a 37-car field. Keeping out of trouble will be crucial for success. With a 10-hour race, pit strategy is easier as you're not forecasting the leaders lap count or time to finish.

Pit work needs to be only fuel, tires and driver changes, with the occasional addition of engine oil. Anything extra or slow pit work will put you at the back of the field quickly.

Qualifying is less important at these long races than our usual 2-hour, 40-minute events, but keeping up in the lead pack will always be vital due to the level of competition and how difficult it is to pass at Road Atlanta. The current caution rules should keep the GTLM front-runners on the same lap. The current BoP (balance of performance) has the Porsches and BMWs with an overall advantage and Corvette with a top speed advantage.

But don't count us out. A red Risi Ferrari has fared well at Petit in years past; it's one of the team's more successful venues. Let's just hope our luck continues and we can end the season on a high note.

Tune-In Information:
Live TV coverage of Petit Le Mans will start on October 3 from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. EDT on FOX Sports 2, then broadcast via the internet on IMSA.com from 12:00-2:30 p.m. From 2:30-7:00 p.m. FOX Sports 2 will again broadcast the race. IMSA.com will show the 7:00-8:30 p.m. broadcast and FOX Sports 2 will carry the last hour live through the podium ceremonies from 8:30-9:30 p.m. On Sunday October 4, FOX Sports 1 will broadcast a three-hour highlight of the Petit Le Mans race from 1:30-4:30 p.m EDT.

[Rob]

Scuderia Corsa Chases IMSA and NAEC Championship, Welcomes Sonic Tools for Petit Le Mans.

Team sits third in IMSA and second NAEC championships heading into final race.

Sweedler and Bell joined by Jeff Segal, reuniting Le Mans podium team.

Sonic Tools joins team, adds no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari for Petit Le Mans .

September 29, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - With championships in sight for Scuderia Corsa, the long road of the 2015 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship winds down this Saturday with the final race of the IMSA United SportsCar Championship - the 10-hour/1000-mile Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia.

Scuderia Corsa is chasing not only the season-long GT-Daytona championship but also the Patron North American Endurance Cup. Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell, drivers of the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, are only four points behind the GT-Daytona championship leader, in third position in the championship and second in the NAEC's GT-Daytona championship.

They will be joined by Jeff Segal for Petit Le Mans. Segal joined the team at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, as well as for Scuderia Corsa's podium performance in the GT-Am class at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

"It's amazing that the championship is so close after all of the racing we have done this year," said Sweedler. "The competition is very strong and we will have our work cut out for us to win the championship for Scuderia Corsa and Ferrari, and we are fortunate that Jeff is joining us for Petit Le Mans. We have enjoyed a lot of success together, so he's the perfect guy to join us as we try to win the championship."

Scuderia Corsa will not have just one, but two Ferraris aiming for victory at Petit Le Mans. The race will mark the beginning of an exciting new partnership for Scuderia Corsa and the Mattioli Automotive Group, which has entered a new, multi-year agreement with SONIC Tools. SONIC Tools, the United States-based subsidiary of Sonic Equipment, joins the team as a technical partner beginning at Petit Le Mans. Scuderia Corsa mechanics will now utilize Sonic's hand tools and storage systems in the team's transporter and shop, as well as in the service centers of the Mattioli Automotive Group.

To begin the partnership, SONIC Tools together with Ferrari of Atlanta will partner with Scuderia Corsa to enter the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia at Petit Le Mans which will be driven by sportscar veteran Matteo Cressoni, Brazilian V8 Stockcar star Daniel Serra, and former IMSA race-winner Jeff Westphal.

"I'm happy to have Jeff Segal back joining Bill and Townsend," said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa. "I believe this gives us the best opportunity to not only win the season championship and NAEC for Scuderia Corsa, but also the manufacturer's championship for Ferrari. We are also glad to have the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia back, with a very strong driver lineup, thanks to our new sponsors Sonic Tools and Ferrari of Atlanta. When we won the GRAND-AM championship in 2013, we entered the final race four points behind the championship lead, so this feels familiar!"

Mattioli continued: "We are thrilled to begin our partnership with SONIC Tools. The passion that the team at SONIC has for their products is clear to see, and we are proud to represent them this weekend at Petit Le Mans and for a long time to come. "

"There's no better proving ground for SONIC Tools than the high-pressure environment of a race track where speed, efficiency and reliability count every second," said Colby McConnell, Chief Marketing Officer, SONIC Tools. "That's why we're thrilled to partner with a winning team like Scuderia Corsa and Mattioli Automotive Group to showcase our product line, both at the track and in their dealership operations."

Scuderia Corsa will also welcome two additional partners to the team at Petit Le Mans. Ferrari of Atlanta will join the team's no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, while AERO Advanced Paint Technology also joins the team as a technical partner.

Petit Le Mans will be shown live in its entirety, broadcast on FOX Sports 2 and IMSA.com beginning on Saturday, October 3 at 11:00 AM ET.

[Rob]

World Motorsport Council Limits LMP1 Power & Counts Out Hulkenberg Le Mans Defence

The latest meeting of the FIA World Motorsports Council has approved a number of significant changes to the technical regulation for the FIA WEC.

No Le Mans Defence for Hulkenberg?

The WMSC also approved a new version of the 2016 Formula One calendar that sees the race in Baku listed for 19 June, whilst it comes with a caveat that the “race start is to be scheduled to avoid conflict with the conclusion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans” it still looks impossible for Nico Hulkenberg to race to defend his 2015 title.

LMP Sporting and Technical Regulations

The WMSC approved the Endurance Commission’s proposal to limit the releasable power for energy recovery systems in LMP1 cars on safety grounds, to “avoid the possibility of deployment of an instantaneous total power (engine + hybrid) of over 1000hp.”

That look set to reel in the current advantage of the Porsche 919 package quite considerably for 2016, the car widely believed to be delivering a combined total well in excess of 1000hp

Further technical regulations for LMP1 were amended regarding refuelling, bodywork, wheels, rim material, rear view mirrors and drivers’ safety equipment in the cockpit. Full details are awaited.

For LMP2, there are amendments to regulations for rear view mirror visibility, and costs of both engines and new safety equipment.

The WMSC also approved a series of updates to the sporting regulations of the FIA World Endurance Championship, including confirmation that LMP2 engine number limitations are not considered for the Prologue, and the confirmation of an 80km/h speed limit for all drivers during a red flag period.

[Rob]

Nissan LMP1 Not To Race Again Until 2016

Nissan today announced that the innovative Nissan GT-R LM NISMO will return to race in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2016. The team has been working hard to address the technical issues faced at Le Mans in June and is in the middle of a comprehensive test and development programme to prepare the new car to race against the tough competition it faces in the LM P1 class.



As part of the development programme a recruitment drive has taken place to provide the race team with additional expertise and support, including (as we wrote last week here) the appointment of Michael Carcamo who has transferred from Nissan Mexico to NISMO to share the heavy load on Ben Bowlby’s shoulders. Mike Carcamo takes the role of Team Principal, a position previously filled by Bowlby.

“Ben had his hands full trying to do everything; managing the design and build but also the race and test operation,” explained Carcamo. “That’s a lot to ask anyone to do, especially with a concept that requires this level of development. My knowledge of Nissan engineering processes and project planning experience will help Ben and the team concentrate on making the car deliver on it’s promise. The challenge that we took on was a monumental task. We have to learn all of the dynamics of this new vehicle and all the performance tuning so it takes a long time to find the sweet spot of performance. We recognise that challenge and we’ve added the resources and infrastructure behind the programme to try and bring it to that next level.”

Multiple changes have been made to the car since Le Mans but the original design principles remain. The team completed a two-day test at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas last week with Harry Tincknell and Olivier Pla at the wheel

Although running without KERS and new bespoke tyre specifications that are being developed from the knowledge gained from Le Mans by Michelin, the car went significantly faster than it previously had at COTA and did not experience any significant reliability issues.

“We are committed to competing at the highest level and we are not happy when we are not winning,” said Shoichi Miyatani, NISMO President. “Let’s not forget that while we have been pushing forward with the LM P1 challenge we have won the Blancpain Pro Cup Drivers title in Europe with the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 and are on target for another great year of success in GT500 in Japan. Racing is a vital part of our DNA and we will work to get this right.”

Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing and Sales, NISMO, added: “The welcome addition of Mike to the race team as we develop the car further, means that we are now well placed to address the technical issues we have faced. We keep our sights firmly set on 2016 and we are confident that with Mike’s project management support, Ben and the team can reach the performance levels we expect here at Nissan, by focusing on the on track goals.”

[Rob]

2017 P2 Dubbed Daytona Prototype international
on 01/10/2015 18:41 in 2015
IMSA today confirmed that the new specification of prototype race cars, based around 2017 ACO LMP2 chassis, will be known as Daytona Prototype international (DPi).

IMSA have also released engine and bodywork guidelines for the new cars, the chassis for which will be provided by four approved suppliers: Dallara, Onroak Automotive, ORECA and Riley/Multimatic.

The new cars will be introduced into IMSA competition for the 2017 season when they will compete for overall race wins.

IMSA’s DPi philosophy allows for the cars to be powered by a wide range of engines and to feature manufacturer-specific bodywork and styling cues.

“We believe the DPi philosophy represents an attractive combination of safety, technology and relevance,” said IMSA President Scott Atherton. “It is a modern, international prototype that will provide participating manufacturers, teams, drivers – and especially our fans – with a wide variety of great cars and outstanding competition.”

In contrast to the LM P2 version of the car which will exclusively feature a standard “spec” engine supplied by Gibson Technology, DPi technical regulations allow many different engines, including those used in existing FIA GT3 race car applications.

DPi and LM P2 cars will be homologated for a minimum of four years, from 2017 through 2020 to enable participants to leverage their investments, thus providing increased stability for all involved. To achieve performance parity in the top Prototype class, IMSA will utilize a Balance of Performance (BoP) methodology for both the DPi and LM P2 specifications.

IMSA also announced that closed-cockpit LM P2 cars built between 2014 and 2016 will be eligible (grandfathered) to compete in the WeatherTech Championship during the 2017 season. Open-cockpit LM P2 cars and current Daytona Prototypes will no longer be permitted in IMSA competition after the 2016 season.


http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/1...rnational.html

[Rob]

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Paris - 01 October 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

BAHRAIN GETS READY TO WELCOME WEC FOR SEASON FINALE

Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) is all set to host one of the biggest events on its annual calendar: the FIA WEC Six Hours of Bahrain. The endurance racing spectacle makes a grand return to Sakhir on November 20 and 21 as the eighth and final round of the 2015 World Endurance Championship (WEC).

This year’s 6 Hours of Bahrain will be the fourth edition of the prestigious race in the desert, and the second time that BIC will be staging the hugely exciting season finale.

BIC Chief Executive Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa announced today an exciting programme of top-class events that awaits fans both leading up to and during the event. Shaikh Salman was speaking at a Press conference held at the BIC premises, together with WEC CEO Gerard Neveu and popular Porsche LMP1 team driver Brendon Hartley.

“The FIA WEC Six Hours of Bahrain is one of the major highlights on our BIC calendar each year,” said Shaikh Salman. “We take pride in being the sole destination for the WEC in the entire Middle East.

“I would like to thank Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) President Pierre Fillon and WEC CEO Gerard Neveu for their trust in us to once again host the season-ending event. The relationship between BIC and the WEC continues to grow from strength to strength, and we look forward to hosting a monumental event in just a few weeks’ time that both BIC and the WEC can be proud of.”



WEC CEO Gerard Neveu commented: “We would like to thank Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa and everyone at Bahrain International Circuit for the warm welcome given to the World Endurance Championship and for their continued support of the 6 Hours of Bahrain, now in its fourth year.

“Racing into the night gives the event a special atmosphere, and the entire paddock very much enjoys visiting Bahrain. As this year’s event will be the season finale, we know there will be even more pressure on competitors to succeed, with championship titles in the balance, and there will therefore be more excitement and tension for spectators to enjoy.

“We have more cars on the grid in 2015 than ever before, and the high quality of our teams and drivers has provided world class entertainment from Europe to the Americas, to Asia and now to the Middle East. The partnership between the ACO and the FIA has raised endurance racing to new levels of exposure and popularity, and the inclusion of world class facilities such as those at BIC on our calendar remains vital.

“Bahrain continues to provide the perfect stage for the most prestigious, most competitive and best sport car race to be held in the Middle East region. This year we will also have the GP2 and GP3 series racing alongside us providing a unique and great weekend of entertainment for fans from Bahrain and beyond. We look forward to coming back to Bahrain in November, and to seeing you all at BIC.”

The 6 Hours of Bahrain is scheduled to flag off in the daylight at 3pm and it will end under floodlights at 9pm.

The 6 Hours of Bahrain will not only be featuring the very best of Le Mans-style racing at BIC, but will also include a massive support programme that would be the envy of any motor racing event in the world.

Set to light up the Sakhir track alongside the WEC will be four internationally and regionally renowned championships. These are the GP2 Series and, for the first time ever in Bahrain, the GP3 Series. Then there’s the BIC-bred Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East and the India-based MRF Challenge.

“Never before have we had such a programme packed with racing from five highly competitive series,” said Shaikh Salman. “GP2 and GP3 alone are international championships that can act as stand-alone events. Having them race over the same weekend as the WEC truly makes for an extraordinary combination of first-class motorsport and this can rarely be seen anywhere else in the world."

[Rob]

Falken Tyres Test New Porsche 911 GT3R At Nurburgring

A surprise turn at the Nurburgring today was the unexpected appearance by the brand new Porsche 911 GT3-R for Falken Tyres for a test session.



The unliveried car ran in the morning on the GP Loop and paddock sources suggested it would likely run on the Nordschleife later in the day (though we have no confirmation that it did so).

Another interesting snippet that came our way from a senior industry source is that problems have continued with the new direct injection flat 6 set to feature in the new car, even suggesting that the car may not yet be so equipped!

[TigerKing]

Cheering on la scuderia here in a raining Road Atlanta!

[Rob]

Cheering on la scuderia here in a raining Road Atlanta!

challenging conditions. Some questionable driving getting back onto the track.

[Rob]

Scuderia Corsa Wins GT-Daytona Driver and Team Championship, Secures Manufacturer Championship for Ferrari.

No. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia secures team's second championship in three seasons at shortened Petit Le Mans .

October 4, 2015 (Braselton, GA.) - Following the team's motto of #MaxAttack and #NeverGiveUp, Scuderia Corsa with drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell came from behind at Petit Le Mans to win the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship's GT-Daytona team and driver championships.

With seven hours and fifty one minutes complete, IMSA decided to end the race as the treacherous conditions brought on by three days of non-stop rain had made the Road Atlanta circuit unsafe to drive on. When the checkered flag fell, Scuderia Corsa's two-car attack for Petit Le Mans ended with the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia taking the checkered flag in fourth position while the no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia finished in sixth position.

Jeff Segal joined Bell and Sweedler in the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia. Their fourth-place effort netted the second professional sports car championship for Scuderia Corsa, which won the 2013 GRAND-AM team and driver championship. Bell and Sweedler also finished in second position in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup.

The no. 64 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, which was driven by Matteo Cressoni, Daniel Serra and Jeff Westphal ran as high as second position before finishing in sixth.

"What an incredible feeling to come from behind to win the championship," said Sweedler. "The Scuderia Corsa team executed perfectly. We knew the rain was coming so we prepared a strategy that would let us be near the front in case the race was called, and we capitalized on it. We have enjoyed an amazing season with Scuderia Corsa, including a win at VIR, our podium at Le Mans, and now the championship. It is unreal, and I am very proud of everybody on this team - it was a true team effort."

"I am still kind of in shock that we have won this championship," said Bell. "Last season, Bill and I led the championship throughout the year and then lost it in the final race. This time, we have done the opposite and won it in the final race. It was a real challenge out there in the rain. The Ferrari doesn't have the rear downforce that some of the other GT-D cars have, which made things really difficult as the rain kept falling. But Jeff and Bill did an incredible job, and it was phenomenal to share another big success with the two of them."

Scuderia Corsa also secured the GT-Daytona manufacturer championship for Ferrari, as well as the manufacturer's championship in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup. For team owner Mattioli, who has spent his entire professional career with Ferrari, his team's second championship in three seasons as well as aiding in Ferrari's championship is a source of pride and joy.

"I am incredibly proud of the Scuderia Corsa team, and Bill and Townsend," said Mattioli. "It is such an honor to represent Ferrari and to help them secure the manufacturers championship. To win our second championship since we started racing professionally in 2013 is a feeling I can't describe. I'd like to thank my partner, Art Zafiropoulo, for believing in the vision. I have to say a big thank you to our team, to Bill and Townsend, and to our sponsors.We had a very strong team today with both of our Ferrari's running up front throughout the day, and a great job done by Matteo, Daniel and Jeff in our no. 64 Ferrari."

Sweedler, Bell and Mattioli will receive their championship trophies during the TUDOR Night of Champions on Monday evening at the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
About Scuderia Corsa:

The 2015 24Hours of Le Mans Podium, 2015 Tudor United SportsCar Championship GTD and 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 Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and South Bay and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.

[Rob]

[Rob]

Tudor United SportsCar Championship, Round 12 of 12, Road Atlanta, Braselton, GA


Team Porsche North America Wins Petit Le Mans Overall, Secures Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championships in GT Le Mans Class

Braselton, Georgia, October 3, 2015. Yesterday’s practice and qualifying sessions for the 18th running of the Petit Le Mans were in the wet, but today’s rain was more of a thorough soaking. After yellow flags, off-track excursions and a red flag delay of an hour and five minutes for the persistent rain, the checkered flag flew after only 7 hours, 51 minutes and 4 seconds of the scheduled 10-hour race. With that, Porsche not only won the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class, but overall as well, ahead of the PC and Prototype classes for the second overall win of the TUDOR United Sports Championship season with a 911 RSR.

GT Le Mans

With the GTLM win by the No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, co-driven by this year’s overall Le Mans winner Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet and Richard Lietz, Team Porsche North America won the Team Championship, Factory Driver Patrick Pilet won the Drivers’ Championship and Porsche won the Manufacture Title, a full sweep of the GTLM class.

The No. 17 customer team of Falken Tire, co-driven by Porsche Factory Drivers Wolf Henzler, Patrick Long and Falken Factory Driver Bryan Sellers overcame the treacherous conditions to finish in seventh. Before the race, Porsche Motorsport North America recognized Falken Motorsports for their dedication, determination and many successes racing a Porsche 911 RSR since 2009. This was the final race for the Falken Racing program.

The No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR of Team Porsche North America, co-driven by Jörg Bergmeister, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Earl Bamber and Frédéric Makowiecki came back from an overnight repair of their racecar to finish eighth in class.


GT Daytona

In the GT Daytona (GTD) class, the Park Place Porsche 911 GT America won
with fast but cautious driving by the trio of Patrick Lindsey, Spencer Pumpelly and 2013 Porsche Young Driver Academy attendee Madison Snow. Magnus Racing finished in second with their 911 GT America, driven by John Potter, Andy Lally and Robert Renauer.

An interesting side note, 45 years ago – at the very first race held at Road Atlanta in 1970 – Tony Dean and his Porsche 908/3 came from behind and beat many higher-powered machines for the overall win in the Can-Am series.


Quotes:


Dr. Frank Walliser, Vice President of GT Motorsports

This is unbelievable, and I can’t find the words. Today, we wrote history. This is the first overall Petit Le Mans win for Porsche, and it was great to win the GT Daytona class as well. Winning all these titles is sensational, under extremely difficult conditions. The No. 911 didn’t make any mistakes, not even small ones and Nick’s last stint was extraordinary.

Jens Walther, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America:

What a way to end the year. It’s been a long, highly competitive Tudor United Sports Car Championship season with many up and downs. To finish 2015 with our second overall race win of the season with the Team Porsche North America 911 RSR is fantastic. The victory by our customer based, but outgoing 911 GT America in GTD with Park Place Porsche leaves us looking forward even more to the arrival of the new 911 GT3 R for next season.


Patrick Pilet, Porsche Factory Driver:

When I arrived at Porsche it was 2008, I had my first meeting with the board of Porsche Motorsport at Daytona. They asked me, “Why do you drive?” I said, “Just to win races and championships. That’s it.” I am a real competitor, and with Nick, I think I found another big one. I’ve been searching for this championship for a long time, and now it was possible because everybody in the team worked so hard. I have to thank all of the guys, but especially Nick. After he came back from Le Mans, we really had a lot of fun and we worked really hard. It looks easy from the outside, but believe me, we worked so hard together and with the engineers, team, and the mechanics in every aspect, even the driver change. It is just the best result I could ask for because Porsche is my family and it’s the best moment in my career so far. This one is really special because it was all down to team work, it was with Porsche, and we got the manufacturers’ championship, the teams' championship, and the drivers’ championship all on the same night. The only small bad point is that Nick is not champion with me because he is my teammate.

Nick Tandy, Porsche Factory Driver:

Honestly the last stint I did in the car, when the rain was pouring down, was the hardest stint I’ve ever had in my life and it’s the most concentration I’ve ever had to put into driving a race car. It’s a shame to finish the race early, but in the end it was the right call from IMSA because the conditions were worsening and it was becoming dangerous. What a fantastic job everyone has done all season, and to take all three championships is a testament to everybody. Personally, to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Petit Le Mans overall, both in one year is something a bit special.


Richard Lietz, Porsche Factory Driver:

The results today speak for themselves, congratulations to Team Porsche North America on a great season and well-deserved triple Championships.



Jörg Bergmeister, Porsche Factory Driver:


It was very wet. And as I say “slippery when wet”. At times, it was more than difficult to keep the car on the track. A lot of aquaplaning, especially down in the esses. But in general, I think the pace we had was very good. I managed to get through the entire field and pull away. But unfortunately for our car, it was not meant to be. Big congratulations to the No. 911, to Patrick for winning the championship, and obviously for the overall win.


Earl Bamber, Porsche Factory Driver:


The conditions were really difficult, but the Porsche was really on rails. It was amazing. We have a good car in the wet. Congratulations to the No. 911, it’s awesome to take the overall victory here at Petit Le Mans, and then to take the drivers’, teams’, and manufacturers’ championships here is just amazing. Unfortunately, we got a puncture from some damage earlier in the race. We couldn’t do anything, so we just went straight on at turn one. We are lucky we didn’t have a bigger crash in the esses or something like that. We managed to recover the car, and it was quick all day. It was a great job by the team to get the car back out for today. They worked all night, so it’s a shame we couldn’t get the result that they deserved.


Frédéric Makowiecki, Porsche Factory Driver:


Conditions were very tricky, but we could see that the Porsche was really strong. Unfortunately, it was a bad weekend for No. 912. A really big congratulations to the No. 911, it is not often that at GT car wins overall in a race like Petit Le Mans. They didn’t make any mistakes, from the beginning to the end.



Overall:

1. No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, Nick Tandy (Great Britain)/Patrick Pilet (France)/Richard Lietz (Austria)
2. No. 24 BMW Z4 GTE, Jens Klingmann (Germany)/Lucas Luhr (Germany)/John Edwards (USA)
3. No. 5 Chevrolet Corvette DP, Joao Barbosa (Portugal)/Christian Fittipaldi (Brazil)/Sebastien Bourdais (France)
4. No. 01 Ford EcoBoost Riley DP, Joey Hand (USA)/Scott Pruett (USA)/Scott Dixon (USA)
5. No. 31 Chevrolet Corvette DP, Eric Curran (USA)/Dane Cameron (USA)/Max Papis (Italy)


GTLM:

1. No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, Nick Tandy (Great Britain)/Patrick Pilet (France)/Richard Lietz (Austria)
2. No. 24 BMW Z4 GTE, Jens Klingmann (Germany)/Lucas Luhr (Germany)/John Edwards (USA)
3. No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin (Great Britain)/Tommy Milner (USA)/Ryan Briscoe (Australia)
4. No. 25 BMW Z4 GTE, Dirk Werner (Germany)/Bill Auberlen (USA)/Augusto Farfus (Brazil)
5. No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia, Pierre Kaffer (Germany)/Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy)/Toni Vilander (Finland)

GTD:

1. No. 73 Porsche 911 GT America, Patrick Lindsey (USA)/Spencer Pumpelly (USA)/Madison Snow (USA)
2. No. 44 Porsche 911 GT America, John Potter (USA)/Andy Lally (USA)/Robert Renauer (German)
3. No. 93 Dodge Viper GT3-R, Al Carter (USA)/Marc Goossens (Belgium)/Cameron Lawrence (USA)
4. No. 63 Ferrari 458 Italia, Bill Sweedler (USA)/Townsend Bell (USA)/Jeff Segal (USA)
5. No. 45 Audi R8 LMS, Guy Cosmo (USA)/Colin Thompson (USA)/Robert Thorne (USA)



###

[TigerKing]

I left the race right when the Red Flag was shown. I missed the last hour of the race: so angry!

[Rob]

I left the race right when the Red Flag was shown. I missed the last hour of the race: so angry!

hope you sort of stayed dry. Good race, in challenging conditions. A GTLM car won overall. Shame wasnt Risi but, never mind.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Fuji Speedway - 05 October 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

LMGTE BALANCE OF PERFORMANCE UPDATES FOR 6 HOURS OF FUJI


The FIA Endurance Committee have announced some changes to the Balance of Performance (BoP) that affects two of the manufacturers competing in LMGTE Pro and two in LMGTE Am.

The Porsche 911 RSR in the LMGTE Pro class will receive an extra 5kg added to the weight it ran at the Nürburgring and the Circuit of the Americas, moving the overall weight of the car from 1215kg to 1220kg and still 25kg under the 1245kg base weight assigned to the car at the start of the season.

The LMGTE Pro Aston Martin Vantage V8 will have a larger air restrictor in Japan with the British manufacturer being allowed to run a 28.8mm restrictor compared to the 28.6mm restrictor it ran in the USA. This change also affects the LMGTE Am Vantage V8s, which run the same air restrictor.

The LMGTE AM class Chevrolet Corvette C7-Z06 will also receive a performance break in Japan with the American manufacturer receiving a 20kg weight reduction bringing the base weight of the Corvette down from 1245kg to 1225kg for the 6 Hours of Fuji.

[Rob]

TOYOTA GAZOO RACING HEADING HOME
Monday 5 October 2015

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing travels to Japan this week for the sixth round of the World Endurance Championship defending an unbeaten record in the Six Hours of Fuji.

TOYOTA has won its home race, on the foothills of Mount Fuji, for the past three years, including a one-two victory last year on its way to winning the manufacturers’ World Championship.

Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi won the Fuji race 12 months ago to strengthen their hold on the drivers’ title and this year they are joined in the #1 TS040 HYBRID by Kazuki Nakajima, a winner of this race in 2012 and 2013.

Alex Wurz is also a two-time victor at Fuji and he is joined in the #2 TS040 HYBRID by Stéphane Sarrazin and Mike Conway, who is making his LMP1 debut in Japan.

The Fuji Speedway track, which is now 4.563km long with 16 corners and a 1.475km straight, has a rich history in endurance racing and a special place in TOYOTA’s own motorsport past.

The 1000km of Fuji attained legendary status since its first race in 1967, won by the TOYOTA 2000GT. The iconic TOYOTA 7 forged its reputation as an endurance race car by winning the following two Fuji races.

The race joined the WEC calendar in 1982 and ran for seven years, including three seasons when the series was known as the World Sports Prototype Championship.

Fuji Speedway itself, located around 110km from central Tokyo, has evolved significantly since its opening in 1965, when a banked oval-style section made up half of its length.

In 1976, Fuji hosted the first-ever Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. After an extensive renovation under TOYOTA ownership, it reopened in 2005 and once again welcomed Formula 1, in 2007 and 2008.

This week’s event represents the 15th FIA World Championship race held at Fuji Speedway. It begins with two practice sessions on Friday (11.45 & 15.30), with final practice (09.50) and qualifying (14.10) on Saturday. The race starts on Sunday at 11.00.

Toshio Sato, Team President: “As our home race, Fuji Speedway is always a highlight of the year for our team. We experience fantastic support from the Japanese fans and they make us feel very welcome. In the past three years we have had great success at Fuji so we have some special memories and we will be pushing as hard as possible again. Our Higashi-Fuji Technical Centre, where our hybrid powertrain is developed, is very close to Fuji Speedway so this weekend is a rare chance for these colleagues to see their car in action. We are very pleased to have their support and we are lucky to have a lot of other TOYOTA Motor Corporation colleagues, as well as our TOYOTA group partners, joining us at the track, which always brings added motivation.”

Anthony Davidson (TS040 HYBRID #1): “We are all looking forward to our home race at Fuji. Hopefully we can put on a good show for the fans and all our TOYOTA colleagues who come to support us. We have a great track record there; we are undefeated in WEC at Fuji. I know it is going to be a challenge to keep that winning run going for another year but you never know. The weather can be unpredictable in Fuji at this time of year and wet conditions would sway things in our favour. We’ll be giving everything to take any opportunities that come our way.”

Sébastien Buemi (TS040 HYBRID #1): “Fuji is always a very special race for us because it’s our home race. We have an impressive record there having won the race for three years in a row. Unfortunately we know this year will be much harder but we will be fighting for a good result. The weather can be a factor at Fuji so that might help us. We are racing in front of our fans and all the people from TOYOTA so we are fully motivated. We approach the race in a positive way and we will try to get the most out of the weekend.”

Kazuki Nakajima (TS040 HYBRID #1): “Fuji is a big highlight of the WEC season for me. It’s fantastic to drive an LMP1 car in front of the Japanese fans on a circuit like Fuji, which has so much history in endurance racing. Fuji is one of my favourite circuits and I have so many nice memories there, including my first WEC win back in 2012. It’s a circuit I know very well and I am usually pretty strong there; already this season I finished on the podium in July in the Super Formula race. It’s also nice to show Japan to my team-mates, even if it does mean I have to do all the ordering when we go for dinner!”

Alex Wurz (TS040 HYBRID #2): “Fuji is a great track, and its sportscar history dates back a long time. It’s a difficult circuit and one where it is surprisingly hard to find the right set-up. There is a lot of variety, with the very long straight then the fast R130 corner, and then the ever so tricky last sector. So it’s a challenge for the drivers and engineers to get this right, and this will be our priority in the practice sessions. It’s our home race so I am looking forward to putting on a good show for our fans and TOYOTA colleagues.”

Stéphane Sarrazin (TS040 HYBRID #2): “I like Fuji a lot; it is one of my favourite tracks of the whole season. Last year we had a very strong race there so let’s see how it will go this time. It’s amazing to race in Japan, especially as a TOYOTA driver, because the fans are so crazy. There are always lots of fans waiting for autographs in the paddock which gives us a nice feeling. We really feel their support and appreciate it. I am sure we will again see a big crowd and I hope we can give them all a good race to enjoy.”

Mike Conway (TS040 HYBRID #2): “This is my first trip to Japan as a TOYOTA driver so I can’t wait to experience it. I was there in 2013 with LMP2 so I know the Japanese fans are so enthusiastic. I’ve been doing my homework for this race with some time on the simulator so I feel ready. It’s the home race for TOYOTA so I am looking forward to experience that, and it’s also nice to visit Higashi-Fuji, where our hybrid powertrain is developed. I hope we can get a positive result; I know the car has been really strong there in the past and we’ll be giving everything.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing at Fuji Speedway:
2012 #7: Qualifying 1st; Race 1st.
2013 #7: Qualifying 3rd; Race 1st. #8: Qualifying 2nd; Race 27th.
2014 #7: Qualifying 4th; Race 2nd. #8: Qualifying 1st; Race 1st.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing 2015 Results:
Silverstone: #1: Qualifying 4th; Race 3rd / #2 Qualifying 6th; Race 4th.
Spa: #1: Qualifying 6th; Race 8th / #2 Qualifying 7th; Race 5th.
Le Mans: #1: Qualifying 8th; Race 8th / #2 Qualifying 7th; Race 6th.
Nürburgring: #1: Qualifying 5th; Race 5th / #2 Qualifying 6th; Race 6th.
Austin: #1: Qualifying 5th; Race 4th / #2 Qualifying 6th; Race DNF.

[Rob]

excuse, i having problems uploading the Toyota header for press release.

[Rob]

Good weekend of motor racing, early start here in UK for Bathurst and then WEC at Fuji, and after that Sochi GP.

[fratelliferrari]

Good weekend of motor racing, early start here in UK for Bathurst and then WEC at Fuji, and after that Sochi GP.

Can't wait either mate! AF Corse to bounce back in Japan hopefully

[Rob]

Fuji, Race Preview Part 1, The LMPs

Fuji often throws up the unexpected, whether in on-track action, paddock rumour, or just the weather! It remains one of the favourite venues of the season for the WEC family, a large and passionate fanbase, racing tradition and a stage of the season where Championships will be defined.

LMP1: 9 Cars
1 Toyota Racing Anthony Davidson Sébastien Buemi Kazuki Nakajima Toyota TS 040 Hybrid
2 Toyota Racing Alexander Wurz Stéphane Sarrazin Mike Conway Toyota TS 040 Hybrid
4 ByKolles Racing Simon Trummer Pierre Kaffer CLM P1/01 AER
7 Audi Sport Team Joest Marcel Fässler André Lotterer Benoît Tréluyer Audi R18 e-tron quattro
8 Audi Sport Team Joest Lucas Di Grassi Loïc Duval Oliver Jarvis Audi R18 e-tron quattro
12 Rebellion Racing Nicolas Prost Nick Heidfeld Mathias Beche Rebellion R-One AER
13 Rebellion Racing Daniel Abt Alexander Imperatori Dominik Kraihamer Rebellion R-One AER
17 Porsche AG Timo Bernhard Mark Webber Brendon Hartley Porsche 919 Hybrid
18 Porsche AG Romain Dumas Neel Jani Marc Lieb Porsche 919 Hybrid

No change to the LMP1 field since CoTA aside from the Formula E cup-tied Nick Heidfeld being absent in Japan and China.

We wait to see in which configuration the Porsche in particular appears.


We wait too to see whether the long, long straight of Fuji International Speedway might play a part in proceedings. The Audis have been closer in such circumstances at Spa and Le Mans but the Porsches have taken a step forward since then.


Either way the result could be a defining moment for the 2016 Championships with the topsy turvy nature of Porsche’s season still seeing the #7 Audi crew holding a points advantage, albeit clawed back now to just ten points from the #17 Porsche crew after their recent run of race winning form with the #18 Porsche crew a way further back 35.5 points back from the Championship leaders.

The Manufacturers title battle by contrast has Porsche 36 points ahead, this courtesy of both cars scoring good points regularly whilst the #8 Audi has, frankly, thus far underperformed.

Toyota are way back, 119 points from Porsche and racing for development time and pride.


Bizarrely we have a battle on in LMP1 Privateer, poor reliability for both Rebellions and a pair of wins for ByKolles see the three cars separated by just 19 points, and the rebellions by just a single point with the #12 crew just ahead of its sister R-One. It genuinely is all to play for here with reliability again likely to be the defining factor.


ByKolles will be hoping for no return to the dramas here with the car, then still under its previous Lotus moniker, suffering a terrible fire from which Christophe Bouchut was lucky to lose only his eyebrows!


LMP2: 8 Cars
26 G-Drive Racing Roman Rusinov Julien Canal Sam Bird Ligier JS P2 Nissan
28 G-Drive Racing Gustavo Yacaman Luis Felipe Derani Ricardo Gonzalez Ligier JS P2 Nissan
30 Extreme Speed Motorsports Scott Sharp Ryan Dalziel David Heinemeier-Hansson Ligier JS P2 Honda
31 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ed Brown Jon Fogarty Johannes van Overbeek Ligier JS P2 Honda
36 Signatech Alpine Nelson Panciatici Paul Loup Chatin Vincent Capillaire Alpine A450B Nissan
42 Strakka Racing Nick Leventis Danny Watts Jonny Kane Gibson 015S Nissan
43 SARD Morand Racing Oliver Webb Pierre Ragues Chris Cumming Morgan Evo Nissan
47 KCMG Matthew Howson Richard Bradley Nick Tandy Oreca 05 Nissan

A couple of changes in the LMP2 driver line-ups – Chris Cumming steps in to replace Archie Hamilton in the SARD Morand Morgan and after winning at Petit Le Mans last week, Nick Tandy will be looking for yet another win this year as he rejoins the Championship leading KCMG Oreca Nissan crew.


The result in Texas saw the Championship battle close up with the #26 G-Drive Ligier finally finding form, a fighting second place for the KCMG boys though see them still ahead, 14 points the gap.

Just 4 points behind the #26 is the sister #28 G-Drive Ligier Nissan and the intra-team fight has been great to watch this season – There will be NO team orders here unless and until this fight goes to the wire.

The mark of the supremacy of this trio atop the order means that there is mathematically already no possibility of a Championship win for almost all of the rest of the class field, a combination of front of the field pace and middle order incident and unreliability have taken their toll.

There are though several cars that are long overdue a good result including the usually quick Signatech Alpine, Strakka’s rapid but unfortunate Gibson Nissan and the #30 Tequila Patron ESM Ligier HPD, always worth a look, particularly when in the hands of Ryan Dalziel.


The #43 SARD Morand Morgan Judd has been in the mix on occasion, but the addition of a new and untried team-mate and a circuit that should suit the coupes means they’ll need some good fortune to get to the podium here.

[Rob]

Chip Ganassi Racing Start Ford GT Testing At Daytona

Chip Ganassi Racing’s testing program with the new Ford GT has moved to the high banks and road course infield at Daytona International Speedway. Team partner, and Ford GT constructor, Multimatic had been responsible for the program’s testing efforts leading up to Daytona, and with the first race chassis in their hands, the CGR Ford effort has launched its own test plan that will continue through January.


CGR has been waiting patiently to begin its own comprehensive test program with the Ford GT, and after completing its first day of running at Daytona International Speedway, CGR managing director Mike Hull was enthused by the outcome.

“We’ve been part of what Multimatic has been doing with their testing, but this was our first time out on our own, the car has a lot of potential, and it was a lot of fun to put some miles on the first production racecar. It’s a nice racecar. As a finished car delivered to us by Multimatic, the Ford GT is one of, if not, the finest cars from a manufacturer we’ve ever received.

“All of the small details are there, built into the car, and from all of the work Multimatic did in their testing, they made sure those items were carried into the first production car and that’s made our lives really easy.”

A few electronics issues limited the CGR/Ford program in the morning, but with those problems rectified, Hull says they were busy logging miles in the afternoon.

“We had a few teething issues, but I don’t know if that’s unexpected,” he added.

“There’s always a few surprises with a brand-new car turning its first laps, so you go into a day like today being prepared to learn from the car and to look for whatever areas you find that need attention.

“We had some small things we wanted to fix early in the test, more software than hardware stuff, then put in a lot of laps this afternoon and got a great direction to go for tomorrow. Altogether, it was positive.”

With drivers Joey Hand and Scott Pruett in attendance, Hull and the team will put in one more day of testing before packing up and heading back to their base in Indianapolis. More tests will follow after Daytona as the team readies a two-car effort for 2016.

“We’ve been waiting to get going—we’ve been a little restless, but we can start striking the hammer now on the program to get things going,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have more good stuff to report tomorrow.”

Marshall Pruett

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/1...t-daytona.html

[Rob]

Fuji, Race Preview Part 2, The GTEs

LM GTE-Pro: 7 Cars

51 AF Corse Gianmaria Bruni Toni Vilander Ferrari 458 Italia
71 AF Corse Davide Rigon James Calado Ferrari 458 Italia
91 Porsche AG Team Manthey Richard Lietz Michael Christensen Porsche 911 RSR
92 Porsche AG Team Manthey Patrick Pilet Frédéric Makowiecki Porsche 911 RSR
95 Aston Martin Racing Christoffer Nygaard Marco Sørensen Aston Martin Vantage V8
97 Aston Martin Racing Darren Turner Jonny Adam Aston Martin Vantage V8
99 Aston Martin Racing V8 Alex MacDowall Fernando Rees Stefan Mucke Aston Martin Vantage V8

It’s the regular seven again with only one change to report from CoTA as Stefan Mucke rejoins the AMR squad but not in the #97 car, instead he replaces Richie Stanaway in the #99, the rapid Kiwi on GP2 duty this weekend at Sochi.

There’s some minor tinkering with BoP for Fuji with the Porsches, almost ludicrously dominant in Texas getting a modest weight increase. The Aston Martins (Pro and Am) meanwhile get some (but not all) of the ponies back taken with a post Le Mans restrictor change.

The utterly dominant 1,2 in Texas sees the #91 Porsche Team Manthey effort now atop the GTE Teams points battle by 6 points from the consistently pacey #71 AF Corse Ferrari with the recently troubled #51 a further 15 seconds back, the best of the Astons, the #99, sits a further 8 points more further back – 29 off the lead total.

In the Drivers standings Richard Lietz stands alone on top of the points standings nine points clear of the #71 Ferrari duo of Davide Rigon and James Calado.

Michael Christensen sits third before we get to the defending champions, Messrs Bruni and Vilander have scored just 7.5 points at the last two rounds to Lietz’s 50! They now sit 29.5 points off the leaders total.

Alec Mcdowall, Fernando Rees and Richie Stanaway are next up, though Stanaway will fall back from his regular team-mates if and when they score in Japan.

Importantly though the Championship that really counts , the Manufacturers, is still led by Ferrari, but only now by 2 points, the men in red scoring exactly the same number of points in the last two races (43) that the men in white managed in just one!

LM GTE-Am: 7 Cars

50 Larbre Competition Gianluca Roda Paolo Ruberti Nicolai Sylvest Chevrolet Corvette C7
72 SMP Racing Victor Shaytar Andrea Bertolini Aleksey Basov Ferrari 458 Italia
77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Patrick Dempsey Patrick Long Marco Seefried Porsche 911 RSR
83 AF Corse Francois Perrodo Emmanuel Collard Rui Aguas Ferrari 458 Italia
88 Abu Dhabi-Proton Competition Christian Reid Khaled Al Qubaisi Earl Bamber Porsche 911 RSR
96 Aston Martin Racing Francesco Castellacci Liam Griffin Stuart Hall Aston Martin Vantage V8
98 Aston Martin Racing Paul Dalla Lana Pedro Lamy Mathias Lauda Aston Martin Vantage V8

There are a pair of WEC debutant drivers listed for Fuji:

Nicolai Sylvest replaces Kristian Poulsen for this one in the Larbre Corvette, his fellow Dane has unavoidable business commitments and the ex single seater racer and 2015 Rowe Racing Blancpain Endurance Series entrant will thus make his WEC and GTE race debuts.

In the #96 Aston Martin Liam Griffin brings British GT race winning form to the task in hand he replaces Roald Goethe here and, we believe, in China too.

Aside from an identical restrictor break for the AM Astons to their Pro class cousins the only BoP change is for the Larbre Corvette, the C7.R gets a significant 20 kilo weight break – will it be enough to turn around the poor form that Luckless Larbre have suffered?

In the Championship standings a three race winning streak from the #72 SMP Racing Ferrari crew has given them a commanding points lead, 35 points clear of the ultra consistent #83 AF Corse 458 with the early season points leading #98 Aston Martin now a full 50 points back! We’re now into the realms of the Vantage boys needing the Ferraris to trip up, likely more than once!

Fourth in the order is the #77 Dempsey Proton Porsche. They’re just two points behind the #98 in fourth place.

Earl Bamber once again guests in the sister #88 911 RSR.

[Rob]

Tequila Patrón ESM’s Global Season Continues in Japan


Riviera Beach, Fla., – Oct. 7, 2015 – Fresh off a season-best finish of its debut season in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC), Tequila Patrón ESM seeks to build on that momentum as it heads to Japan and the 6 Hours of Fuji.

Tequila Patrón ESM’s fourth-place finish in front of the home crowd and venue provide ample boosts to the team as it races the next two rounds in Asia before heading to the season finale in Bahrain.

Scott Sharp, Ryan Dalziel and David Heinemeier Hansson, co-drivers of the No. 30 Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier JS P2 Honda, nearly reached the podium at COTA, which makes the trio even more determined heading into this weekend’s race. Although Fuji International Speedway is new to the Florida-based team, Dalziel and Heinemeier Hansson have combined three previous starts and three top-five finishes at the Japanese circuit. In 2012, Dalziel finished second in the LMP2 class. In 2013, Heinemeier Hansson finished fourth in LMP2 and won the LMGTE AM race in 2014.

The No. 31 Tequila Patrón ESM Ligier JS P2 Honda of Ed Brown, Johannes van Overbeek and Jon Fogarty underwent some repairs following the COTA race. Now back and ready for battle the No. 31 drivers will compete for the first time at Fuji. The trio will leverage the knowledge of their teammates to ensure the No. 31 is right alongside the No. 30 machine on the podium at the end of the six-hour event.

As the sixth venue on the eight-race 2015 WEC schedule, Fuji International Speedway rests in the foothills of Mount Fuji. The Japanese venue is famous for having one of the longest straightaways in motorsports at nearly one mile (0.93 miles/1.5 kilometers). The 16-turn, 2.835-mile (4.563 kilometer) track has hosted Formula 1, Asian Le Mans Series, Super GT, Super Formula and Super Taikyu, the largest endurance race series in Japan.

Tequila Patrón ESM on Track
Friday’s two free practice sessions start at 11:15 a.m. (Thursday at 10:15 p.m. ET) and 3:30 p.m. China Standard Time CST (2:30 a.m. ET).

Saturday’s on-track activity includes the hour-long practice session starting at 9:50 a.m. CST/8:50 p.m. ET(Friday).

LMP2 qualifying begins at 2:10 p.m. CST/1:10 a.m. ET on Saturday.

Green flag for the 6 Hours of Fuji takes place at 11 a.m. CET on Sunday, October 11 / 10 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Where to Watch
The 6 Hours of Fuji will be televised globally and on the FOX Sports Network of channels.

For U.S. viewers, the 6 Hours of Fuji will air live on FOX Sports 2 on Saturday, October 10, at 10 p.m. until Sunday, October 11 at 4 a.m.

The race can be viewed via the FIA WEC second screen app or online at www.fiawec.com.

To listen to the 6 Hours of Fuji, tune into Radio Le Mans at www.radiolemans.com.

SCOTT SHARP

“Fuji is the next stop for Tequila Patrón ESM after our best finish of year with the new Ligier chassis at the COTA race. We are excited to keep building on that result and put in a really stellar performance. Asia is a huge market for Tequila Patrón and we look forward to showcasing the black and Patrón green in front of the many Japanese fans.”

ED BROWN

“I’m looking forward to racing in Japan! It is another new track we have to learn this year but that’s just the way it is this year. Japan is a beautiful country and to be able to race in Fuji is a privilege. The fans will be fantastic in Japan and I really look forward to introducing new consumers to Patrón. We’ve been selling in Japan for a few years but there’s nothing like bringing the black and Patrón green machines to create new awareness.”

RYAN DALZIEL

“Japan is such a gorgeous country and the Fuji track has some awesome scenery. On top of that it is a really fun track with a nice mix of really quick and some technical areas. I had a great race there in 2012 with Starworks, so it's nice that I already know the track pretty well. David and I have both raced there, so we’ll be able to get Scott up to speed fairly quick. COTA was a great event for us, finally starting to understand the Ligier and more importantly enjoying it. I can't wait to get to Japan and get out Tequila Patrón ESM machines on that podium.”

JOHANNES VAN OVERBEEK

“I'm excited to return to Japan. It's been years since I tagged along on a business trip with my father, but I have very fond memories of the country and the food. We are looking at another iconic track to learn. I’m looking forward to the challenge of learning and racing on another iconic track. I’m sure Ed, Jon and I will get the most out of our Patrón ESM Ligier-Honda this weekend.”

JON FOGARTY

“I’m excited to be heading into the Asia rounds of the WEC. It will be another new circuit, so as always, it will be a challenge learning the circuit on a race weekend. This is been our story with a first-year program with the Ligier, but luckily we have quite a bit of information from our partners at Onroak which will help speed the learning process. We had a competitive car at COTA which was reflected in both lap times and finishing place for the No. 30 car. We plan on carrying that momentum into Fuji and I have confidence that we will again have a competitive car. Personally, I am looking forward to Japan; I visited about 15 years ago and have always wanted to return. Now I get the chance as professional racing driver which is pretty awesome!”


DAVID HEINEMEIER HANSSON

“We had great progress at COTA and I hope we can build on and improve on that result at Fuji. I’ve won and been on the podium before, so I know what it takes to succeed at Fuji. We have our sights set on that podium this weekend.”

[Rob]

Porsche continues works commitment in the USA

2016 motorsport season

ATLANTA, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche returns to contest the highest league of US sports car racing in 2016. The Porsche North America works squad will campaign two 911 RSR at the eleven rounds of the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (2014-2015 Tudor United SportsCar Championship), the most important sports car race series in the USA and Canada. The season gets underway with the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona on January 30.

In the 2014 Tudor United SportsCar Championship, Porsche claimed all three GT titles for the first time. Scoring the overall victory at Petit Le Mans, the first in the history of this championship for a GT vehicle against significantly more powerful and lighter sports prototypes, the Porsche succeeded in its GT Le Mans (GTLM) title defense at the final round of the 2015 season last Saturday on the storied Road Atlanta racetrack. "The USA is the most important sports car market for Porsche," says Porsche Head of Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser. "We take on the challenge of defending the titles we won this year in the 2016 season and continue to trust the excellent work done by our race team Porsche North America."