News

Stuttgart. The fastest of the Porsche 911 RSR takes off into the second half of the Sports Car World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Austin on Saturday from the first grid row. Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Richard Lietz (Austria) turned the second quickest time in the GTE-Pro class during qualifying on the Circuit of the Americas outside the Texas capital. Their 470 hp winning racer from Weissach is based on the seventh generation of the iconic 911 sports car. The French duo Patrick Pilet and Frédéric Makowiecki planted the second 911 RSR campaigned by Porsche Team Manthey on fifth in class.

Patrick Dempsey put in a stunning performance: The American actor and race driver scored his first pole position with Porsche in the GTE-Am class of the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC. He joins forces in the cockpit of 911 RSR fielded by the Dempsey Proton Racing customer squad for Saturday’s race with Patrick Long (USA) and Marco Seefried (Austria). Clinching second place at the Le Mans 24-hour race, the trio celebrated its greatest team success this season.

Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “We implemented the same strategy as at the Nürburgring, except we used only one fresh set of tyres instead of the usual two. This leaves us with another set of fresh rubber for the race. In light of this, second place is an excellent result. It was a big surprise that Patrick Dempsey set pole in the GTE-Am class with Patrick Long. That was a brilliant team effort.”
Richard Lietz (911 RSR #91): “That was a good qualifying result for Porsche. We head into the race tomorrow from a good starting position and we still have a fresh set of rubber for the race.”
Michael Christensen (911 RSR #91): “The track conditions were difficult, which made the tips that Richard gave me after his first stint all the more important. After listening to his advice, I went out and drove my fastest lap.”
Patrick Pilet (911 RSR #92): “My second qualifying of the day was more difficult than the previous session in the United SportsCar Championship. Surprisingly, the course was better, but I didn’t find any grip. Perhaps we drove too many laps during Fred’s first stint. Well anyway, we are ahead of Ferrari and that’s the most important thing at this point. We’re feeling confident for the race.”
Frédéric Makowiecki (911 RSR #92): “It was not a perfect qualifying for us. But we shouldn’t think too much about that now. We’re well prepared for tomorrow’s race.”
Patrick Long (911 RSR #77): “We pulled that pole out of the hat in the nick of time. The balance of our 911 RSR was very good, and the tyres held up well despite the high temperatures. Pole position helps for the start of the race, but we have a long way to go tomorrow. Six hours in this heat will be tough.”

The six-hour race starts on Saturday at 17.00 hrs local time (Sunday 00.00 hrs CEST). Eurosport broadcasts the entire race and the award ceremony live.

GTE-Pro class
1. MacDowall/Stanaway/Rees (GB/NZ/BRA), Aston Martin, 2:05.872 minutes
2. Lietz/Christensen (A/DK), Porsche 911 RSR, + 0.262 seconds
3. Turner/Adam (GB/GB), Aston Martin, + 0.400
4. Sörensen/Nygaard (DK/DK), Aston Martin, + 0.442
5. Pilet/Makowiecki (F/F), Porsche 911 RSR, + 0.491
6. Bruni/Vilander (I/SF), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 0.914
7. Rigon/Calado (I/GB), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 1.103

GTE-Am class
1. Dempsey/Long/Seefried (USA/USA/D), Porsche 911 RSR, 2:08.085 minutes
2. Castellacci/Goethe/Hall (I/D/GB), Aston Martin, + 0.179 seconds
3. Perrodo/Collard/Aguas (F/F/P), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 0.247
4. Dalla Lana/Lamy/Lauda (CDN/P/A), Aston Martin, + 0.355
5. Bertolini/Shaytar/Basov (I/RUS/RUS), Ferrari F458 Italia, + 0.357
6. Roda/Ruberti/Poulsen (I/I/DK), Chevrolet Corvette, + 0.717
7. Ried/Bamber/Al Qubaisi (D/NZ/UAE), Porsche 911 RSR