Porsche Motorsport.
Racing with Professionals/Performance is our Passion/Enjoy our Professional Race World!
Friday, 4 November 2011
Porsche 911 GT3 RSR New customer sport top model for 2012 race season
Le Mans Series organises its 2012 grid.
Le Mans Series organises its 2012 grid.
Following a meeting between Le Mans Series organisation and manufacturers involved in the competition, the new GTC category took shape last week.
Like for the Formula Le Mans, the aim of this new class is to offer to new teams and new drivers the opportunity to access the GT Endurance world at a European level for a limited budget.
Eligible cars are taken from one-make series organised by the Brands themselves. It will be mandatory to add a light parts kit to their specifications, in order to adapt them to Endurance format races and balance their performances.
Three models are on the list for 2012:
The drivers'crew will follow the same schema as LM GTE AM: 2 or 3 drivers including one Platinum or Gold driver maximum.
The 2012 Le Mans Series calendar will count five 1000km or 6 hours races in Europe. It will be issued very soon.
lemans-series.com
Photo: DPPI
Audi R18 TDI to compete in record market China
Audi R18 TDI to compete in record market
China
Finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) at Zhuhai
Record result for Audi in the world’s largest single market
Grand appearance also for the Audi R8 LMS
Ingolstadt, November 4, 2011 – On November 13, at the close of a successful
motorsport season, highlighted by the tenth triumph at the Le Mans 24 Hours
and the title win in the DTM, Audi is contesting the 6-hour race at Zhuhai, China,
the country that has meanwhile evolved into AUDI AG’s largest sales market.
As early as in the first week of October the brand with the four rings equaled the
Chinese sales record from the entire year of 2010. In 2011, Audi expects sales to
reach the level of more than 300,000 vehicles there for the first time. For Audi, the
finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) at Zhuhai is thus a fitting occasion
to celebrate the Chinese record.
The brand’s success in China is also rooted in motorsport. In 1985 and 1986, the
legendary Audi quattro won the Hong Kong–Beijing Rally two consecutive times.
Audi competed with the A4 DTM at Shanghai twice. And on the debut of the sports
prototypes at Zhuhai last year the spectators were thrilled by the Audi R15 TDI.
Now the Chinese fans can look forward to the Audi R18 TDI, the vehicle that is
arguably the world’s most fascinating race car in terms of technology. It embodies
the company’s ultra-lightweight design technology and demonstrates downsizing at
the highest level. Although the engine’s cubic capacity was reduced from last year’s
5.5 to 3.7 liters the R18 TDI is hardly slower than its predecessor. And it
impressively proved that it is possible to win the Le Mans 24 Hours even with an
ultra-compact diesel engine. In 2006, Audi was the first automobile manufacturer
to win the Le Mans 24 Hours with a diesel-powered vehicle. Since June 2010 Audi
has been the first brand to have entered its name on the winners’ list of the world’s
most important endurance race with a V6 TDI engine. And the preparations for the
2012 season have long been in full swing at Audi Sport in Ingolstadt and
Neckarsulm.
But before the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup becomes the FIA World Endurance
Championship next year, which upgrades the sports prototypes even further, Audi is
making every effort to close its successful motorsport season at Zhuhai with a
victory. There is no doubt about the Audi R18 TDI having the potential to do so. Most
recently, though, it had been lacking a tiny bit of the necessary racing luck.
Yet the fans at Zhuhai will not only have the opportunity to experience the two LMP1
sports cars that will again be driven by Timo Bernhard (D)/Marcel Fässler (CH) and
Tom Kristensen (DK)/Allan McNish (GB). The Audi R8 LMS, which has meanwhile
become one of the world’s most successful GT3 sports cars with a track record of
over 100 victories, will make a grand appearance at the ILMC finale as well. A total
of three R8 LMS, fielded by Asian Audi customer teams, will be on the grid. Audi
Sport customer racing China is relying on Edoardo Mortara (I)/Darryl O’Young
(HK)/Alexandre Imperatori (CH). Audi race experience China is competing with
Jeffrey Lee (CN)/Florian Gruber (D). Driving duties of the R8 LMS from Hitotsuyama
Racing are shared by Akihiro Tsuzuki (J)/Michael Kim (USA)/Carlo van Dam (NL).
Their rival in the GTC class is the former Formula One World Champion Mika
Häkkinen, among others.
Audi fans around the world will be able to watch the ILMC finale live on the internet
on Audi.tv. The broadcast from Zhuhai will start at 11 a.m. local time (4 a.m. CET)
on November 13 and can be accessed at http://microsites.audi.com/lemans/.
Eurosport will broadcast the final stages of the race live from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m.
(CET).
Topics of the weekend
Will Audi Sport Team Joest manage to repeat their Le Mans victory?
Will Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish be able to end their string of misfortune?
Will the Audi R8 LMS be able to repeat its 2010 victory in the GTC class?
Quotes by the officials
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “The 6-hour race at Zhuhai marks
the close of a long, tough, but very successful season for Audi Sport. We won the
most important race of the year – the Le Mans 24 Hours – with the Audi R18 TDI, the
Spa 24 Hours with the R8 LMS and the DTM with the A4. We still have some
unfinished business in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. That’s why I’m wishing for
a race with a fair sporting competition at the end of the season and a bit more
fortune than we last had at Silverstone and Road Atlanta. It would be nice if we
could close the year with a success in what has meanwhile become the world’s
largest single market for Audi.”
Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “When we arrived at
Zhuhai in 2010 everything was new to us. With the knowledge we gained last year
many things will be easier. We know what to expect. And we’re aiming to win the
season finale after not having had any chance at Road Atlanta due to too much
misfortune, aggravating situations and accidents. We were quick enough there and
are hoping to be able to convert that into victory in China. Twelve months ago the
Audi R15 TDI was fast at Zhuhai as well, even though it had not been designed for
slow corners. The current R18 TDI is even better in tight corners than the R15 TDI.
So good lap times should be possible. I’m expecting similarly close gaps as at all the
races this year. If, on top of that, we’ve got that necessary bit of racing luck and fair
play prevailing in the field, then I think we’ll have good chances.”
Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers
Timo Bernhard (30/D), Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
Most recently, at Road Atlanta, started from the front row together with Marcel
Fässler
“I’ve never driven at Zhuhai before and have never been to China in my career before
either. That’s why I prepared for the track with onboard camera footage. On
location, you walk the track before you drive it the first time. As a professional,
you’re able to quickly implement the things you’ve learned in the cockpit. The many
tight turns after the long straights will be rough on the brakes. But that also makes
nice passes under braking possible. The fact that only 29 cars will be on the grid will
help us after almost twice as many were in the field most recently. The risk of
accidents thus clearly drops. Our lap times were absolutely competitive at the past
two races but we often found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m
hoping for better racing luck in China. It’s nice that we’re arriving as a strong squad.
At Audi, we never give up and always support each other a lot.”
Marcel Fässler (35/CH), Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
Took the lead after eight laps at Road Atlanta
Is aiming for his second victory of the season in the R18 TDI after the Le Mans
24 Hours
“I’m already very much looking forward to competing at Zhuhai again. When the
circuit was inaugurated in the nineteen-nineties we drove in the Formula Campus
there. Rolled sod alongside the track that would get caught in the radiator and
workmen with bamboo poles – that was definitely adventurous back in those days.
Meanwhile the track has established itself on the international calendar. The last
race I drove in China was in 2004, in the DTM, at Shanghai. It would be nice if we
could be as competitive with the Audi R18 TDI at the ILMC finale as we were at
Silverstone and Road Atlanta. At Silverstone we saw that the R18 TDI is very
competitive even in slow corners. Zhuhai has several very slow corners. We are
expecting strong competitors and I’m hoping for a fair and nice sporting decision at
the end of the season.”
Tom Kristensen (44/DK), Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
The eight-time Le Mans winner just barely missed victory last year
“I’m already looking forward to the last ILMC race in history. Next year the series
will become a world championship. Last year I drove at Zhuhai for the first time. The
track is narrow and has quick, longer straights and many very slow corners. The
brakes have to work hard and good traction is important. The crowd was incredibly
enthusiastic. I’m looking forward to seeing the fans again. As their interest in our
sport keeps growing, so do their knowledge and enthusiasm. And China has
meanwhile become the number one market for Audi in terms of deliveries. It’ll
definitely be a very exciting race for us.”
Allan McNish (41/GB), Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
Finished the race at Zhuhai as the runner-up last year
“While our rivals have decided the title among themselves I’ve got one goal left: to
win the last race of the year. After Audi was the winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours I’d
like to end what personally has been a rather frustrating year on a strong, positive
note. The Audi R18 TDI has been updated since Le Mans and at Silverstone and
Atlanta we saw that our pace was really good. We’ve always battled for victories but
they were thwarted by incidents. In China I’m again expecting a thrilling battle
between Peugeot and us, like last year. In 2010, a safety car cost us a lot of time
and our rival also made a few doubtful moves to slow us. Zhuhai has some narrow
corners whereas the R18 TDI tends to be designed more for fast turns like those at
Le Mans. But maybe the weather will also be playing a crucial role.”
The Audi drivers at Zhuhai
Timo Bernhard (D): *Feb 24, 1981 in Homburg (D); residence: Dittweiler (D);
married to Katharina; height 1.73 m; weight: 61 kg; Audi driver since 2009; ILMC
races: 8; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 1; fastest laps: 0; best result at Zhuhai: –;
victories at Zhuhai: –
Marcel Fässler (CH): *May 27,1976 in Einsiedeln (CH); residence: Gross (CH);
married to Isabel, four daughters (Shana, Elin, Yael, Delia); height 1.78 m; weight
78 kg; Audi driver since 2008; ILMC races: 6; ILMC victories: 1; pole positions: 0;
fastest laps: 0; best result at Zhuhai: –; victories at Zhuhai: –
Tom Kristensen (DK): *Jul 07, 1967 in Hobro (DK); residence: Monaco (MC); single
(partner Hanne), two sons (Oliver and Oswald) and one daughter (Carla Marlou);
height: 1.74 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2000; ILMC races: 9; ILMC victories:
0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result at Zhuhai: 2; victories at Zhuhai: –
Allan McNish (GB): *Dec 29, 1969 in Dumfries (GB); residence: Monaco (MC);
married to Kelly, one son (Finlay), one daughter (Charlotte Amelie); height: 1.65 m;
weight: 58 kg; Audi driver since 2000; ILMC races: 9; ILMC victories: 0; pole
positions: 1; fastest laps: 0; best result at Zhuhai: 2; victories at Zhuhai: –
All winners of the ILMC race at Zhuhai (since 2010)
2010 Franck Montagny/Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot)
Track info
Track length: 4.319 km
Race duration: 6 hours
Pole position 2010: Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot), 1m 21.868s = 189.920 km/h
(November 06, 2010)
Fastest lap 2010: Franck Montagny (Peugeot), 1m 22.296s = 188,933 km/h
(November 07, 2010)
Tom Kristensen about Zhuhai: “Zhuhai is a friendly city, and it is much larger than
you think. You travel there by ship via Hong Kong. The temperatures in November
are perfect with a little humidity. The track is very tight and the circuit layout not
exactly fluid. This is due to the slow corners at the end of the long straights. It’s also
very hard on the brakes. You can take the fast corners 2 and 6 flat out. I like corners
10 and 14 the most. The turn 5 chicane is very aggressive and gives good feedback
to the cockpit. The pit lane entry is the quickest one on the whole calendar. At
Zhuhai it’s about having very high-quality and durable brakes combined with good
traction and acceleration. In a nutshell: I’m convinced that the Audi R18 TDI is the
best solution ...”
ILMC LMP1 manufacturers standings after 6 of 7 rounds:
1 Peugeot, 182 points; 2 Audi, 108
ILMC LMP1 team standings after 6 of 7 rounds:
1 Peugeot Sport Total, 97 points; 2 Audi Sport Team Joest, 74; 3 Team Oreca
Matmut, 47; 4 Rebellion Racing, 41; 5 Oak Racing, 25; 6 Aston Martin Racing, 15
Schedule (local times)
Friday, November 11
10:30–12:00 Free practice 1
15:00–16:00 Free practice 2
Saturday, November 12
10:15–11:15 Free practice 3
14:15–14:35 Qualifying (GT vehicles)
14:50–15:10 Qualifying (prototypes)
Sunday, November 13
08:00–08:20 Warm-up
11:00–17:00 Race
Audi Sport.
24 H. Daytona/Enjoy our race world - Seats available.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Roar Before The Rolex 24, the critical three-day test session prior to the historic 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, is scheduled for Jan. 6-8 at Daytona International Speedway.
Sports cars from the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will test the twists and turns of the “World Center of Racing’s” 3.56-mile road course for three days as they prepare for their respective season-opening events.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona, celebrating its golden anniversary in 2012, will kick off the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series season on Jan. 28-29 and showcase the world’s best drivers competing against each other lap after lap for 24 hours. The GRAND-AM 200, the season-opening event to the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, is slated for Friday, Jan. 27.
In addition to the testing sessions, there will be open garage access during the Roar Before The Rolex 24 as well as fan forums, pit stop demonstrations and tech talks.
http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com
Seats available for the 24 H. Daytona, 29-30 January 2012 - Roar Daytona 6-7-8 January 2012.
arrive and drive pakket.
Contact us for complete information.
Amigos Racing/Molitor-Racing-Systems
Thursday, 3 November 2011
ILMC: THE FINAL ACT IN CHINA.
ILMC: THE FINAL ACT IN CHINA.
The 2011 season of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will draw to a close in China, at the Zhuhai racetrack. On the back of a second consecutive ILMC* title, secured after an almighty scrap in early October in the USA, Team Peugeot Total has one remaining goal: claim a sixth race win of the season in the home of the world’s biggest automotive market.
A sixth win to conclude the season
2011 will go down in the annals of Endurance racing as one of the most closely contested years of racing. From Sebring to Road Atlanta, taking in Spa-Francorchamps, Imola, Silverstone and of course the 24 Hours of Le Mans, every race has been decided by a few tenths of a second, sometimes thousandths, between Peugeot and its most tenacious rival. After six incredibly close races, Peugeot secured the manufacturers’ title* thanks to five race wins, including three one-two finishes and four pole positions. At Zhuhai, the first racetrack to be built in China in 1996, the race may be just as difficult to call. Finishing the season with another win appears to be essential, on this technical track where the drivers’ nerves will be sorely tested as overtaking can prove to be complicated.
China, a great stage for the season finale
| “We are the champions, but that doesn’t stop us from wanting to win again in China”, emphasized Olivier Quesnel, Peugeot Sport Director. “We want to head into this 6 Hours of Zhuhai in relaxed mood, so we can grab another win, which will be one of the most sought-after of the season, given the high stakes in China as the world’s biggest automotive market. Our win here last year helped to promote Peugeot’s brand image and raise its profile in China. We are therefore aiming to do just as well this year, in order to demonstrate Peugeot’s know-how and technological prowess. There was next to nothing in it in 2010 and the odds are that it will be much the same this year”. Preparations for Zhuhai and 2012 Since winning at Road Atlanta-Petit Le Mans, Team Peugeot Total has not been resting on its laurels! “We have completed two major test sessions”, stressed Bruno Famin, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director. “The aim was twofold: on the one hand, make progress on developments for 2012 and on the other hand, prepare for the 6 Hours of Zhuhai. For example, we worked on a strategy to protest the transmission, which failed to work on cold tyres at Petit Le Mans, resulting in the retirement of the no.7 car. We also fine-tuned the mechanical set-up. Zhuhai is a specific track which is particularly demanding on the brakes. Last year, we won by just four seconds after we had major problems in this area. This year, with the cars even closer together – every race has been decided on a minor detail – we will have to be absolutely perfect at all levels to prevail. The 908s will feature a few relatively minor technical upgrades to the suspension, the steering and the brakes, and more significant changes to the engine”, continued Bruno Famin. “We will be running both our cars during Wednesday’s free practice day, after which we will decide which upgrades to keep for the race”. Two new chassis will be used - the number 07 chassis for the Peugeot 908 no.7 (blue rear-view mirrors), driven by Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Bourdais, who won together at Imola - the number 08 chassis for the Peugeot 908 no. 8 (white rear-view mirrors), driven by Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin, recent winners of the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta and defending champions at Zhuhai. Nicolas Minassian will also be in China as the team’s reserve driver.. The 6 Hours of Zhuhai on Peugeot China and Peugeot Sport’s Web TV, in three languages In an initiative driven by Peugeot China, the entire Zhuhai race will be broadcast live on Peugeot’s Web TV in three languages: in French, English and, for the first time ever, in Chinese. Coverage will include behind-the-scenes footage, pit stops and onboard camera action: all means available will be used to take you inside the team, to the heart of the racing action. In partnership with Tudou and Dailymotion, coverage starts on Sunday at 10.30am in China at www.peugeot.com.cn and at 3.30am in France for the French and English versions at www.peugeot-sport.com. 908 HYbrid4: the star attraction
|
Six drivers in title fight at the finale of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Abu Dhabi “As long as I have a chance I’ll fight”
“As long as I have a chance I’ll fight”
Stuttgart. The 17-point advantage with which René Rast takes up the final round of the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in Abu Dhabi is no guarantee for the title win – but is reason enough to put the champagne for the championship party on ice. “My position is quite good,” says the title defender from Germany heading to the last two races held as support to the Formula 1 weekend in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi on 12th and 13th November. “I would like pole position for race one and a clean start. That would be a major step towards winning the title.” But the points’ leader should not expect an easy weekend in the desert. Six other drivers still hold chances to claim the title on the 5.554 kilometre Yas Marina Circuit – at least theoretically. At the end of a gripping season, this underlines impressively just how competitive the world’s fastest international one-make series is. Undoubtedly, René Rast holds the best cards. After a somewhat mediocre start to the season, the title defender went on to pocket four straight victories at the wheel of his 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup fielded by VELTINS Lechner Racing, which is based on the lightweight 911 GT3 RS road-going sports car. He won the street race in Monaco, the Porsche Carrera World Cup on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife as well as the rounds in Silverstone and on the Grand Prix course of the Nürburgring. But despite his advantage, the title battle for the front-runner has not yet been won, particularly with 44 championship points still up for grabs in Abu Dhabi. “Anything can happen there,” he says. “One retirement could change the whole situation.” As the toughest challenger to the leader, Kuba Giermaziak is determined to make the most of his title chance in Abu Dhabi. Driving for VERVA Racing, the Polish pilot contests his second season in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and as the rising star of the year impressed not only with his wins in Budapest and Spa-Francorchamps. “René’s lead is huge. It’ll be extremely difficult to catch him,” says Giermaziak. “But as long as I still have a chance I’ll fight.” When asked about his tactics for the finale, he simply smiles. “I don’t have to think much about tactics, there is only one way to go – max attack and hope that he makes a mistake.” Trailing Kuba Giermaziak by just two points, Norbert Siedler also holds a promising position. “I believe my chance is good,” says René Rast’s Austrian teammate. “We contest two races in Abu Dhabi. Anything is possible.” He, too, must risk a great deal if he wants to have a crack at the title. “My gap is too large for me to play tactical games,” he says, and makes no secret of the fact that he is not totally happy with his season despite his decent results leading up to the final. “I still need a win, but I’ve still got two chances left.” Rounding off the top four title contenders is Sean Edwards. The hopes of the Briton for his first championship title in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup were dashed by his retirement at the previous race in Monza. Still, he has not given up. “We have nothing to lose,” says the Barcelona winner as he prepares to tackle the home race of his Abu Dhabi by tolimit squad. “We’ll do everything to take both poles and win both races. Then we can only hope.” Whilst his compatriot Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport) and Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen (Abu Dhabi by tolimit) as fifth and sixth in the overall standings also pin their hopes on the title, Kévin Estre has already achieved what he came for: Driving for Hermes Attempto Racing, the Frenchman celebrated his maiden victory in Monza in this popular brand trophy series - which has run as support to Formula 1 since 1993 – and secured the BBS Rookie of the Year title even before the season was over. The final races live on TV The two final races in Abu Dhabi will be televised live on TV stations Eurosport and Sky: Race one on 12 November is broadcast at 12.15 hrs on Sky and at 12.25 hrs on Eurosport, with race two shown on 13 November at 11.30 hrs on Sky and at 11.45 hrs on Eurosport. A wrap-up of the races is broadcast on Eurosport on 13 November at 23.00 hours in its “Motorsport Weekend Magazine”. Points’ standings after 9 of 11 races Drivers’ classification 1. René Rast (D), 141 points 2. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), 124 3. Norbert Siedler (A), 122 4. Sean Edwards (GB), 116 5. Nick Tandy (GB), 109 6. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), 108 BBS Rookie classification 1. Kévin Estre (F), 91 points Team classification 1. VELTINS Lechner Racing, 257 points 2. Team Abu Dhabi by tolimit, 221 3. VERVA Racing Team, 190Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Young Driver AMR prepares for the ultimate goal Final race of the GT1 World Championship in Argentina
Final race of the GT1 World Championship in Argentina
Paderborn, 02.11.2011 [GT1 World Championship]
It’s all or nothing at this weekends final round of the GT1 World Championship in San Luis in Argentina for Young Driver AMR. The German team has a hand on the team- and also the driver’s world championship crown. With it’s two Aston Martin DBR9, Young Driver AMR is leading the teams world championship after a glorious double victory in the penultimate round in China. Stefan Mücke (GER) and Darren Turner (GBR) are second in the driver’s championship and the closest pursuers of the championship leading Nissan-team. Also Alex Müller (GER) and Tomas Enge (CZE), who are currently 5th in the drivers championship, have a theoretical chance to claim the drivers world championship.
It’s been nine weeks now since Young Driver experienced their most successful weekend in team history with a double victory in the Qualifying and as well in the Championship Race in China. But success in the GT1 World Championship comes always along with success ballast. After claiming their first common victory in China, the Mücke/Turner-Aston Martin DBR9 is loaded with a 55kg weight penalty. But also the championship leading Nissan, which is nine points ahead of the Young Driver AMR-Aston Martin in the driver’s Championship, has to carry 30kg around the scenic circuit in Argentina, which is located around a volcanic lake. Alex Müller and Tomas Enge will start for the third time this season in a Aston Martin DBR9, which sports the iconic powder blue and orange colours of Gulf. The new livery brought Müller/Enge luck in China, at Beijing they won the for the second time this season a Qualifying Race. But also this success comes with 30kg success ballast at a track, which has showed last year, that it’s perfectly suited for the Aston Martin DBR9.
“Our main goal in Argentina is to have two trouble free races and get a good result”, Young Driver AMR team principal Hardy Fischer says. “We have a good amount of success ballast in both cars, therefore I will not yet think about winning any world championship title. Last year we claimed the Pole Position at San Luis and saw that the track is a perfect fit for us. But with this high amount of success ballast, this year everything is a bit different and very hard to judge. I wouldn’t be keen to make any predictions before the free practise at San Luis has finished. In the last weeks, we prepared ourselves in the best possible way and are now ready for the final battle of the season.”
Driver quotes before the race in Argentina:
Alex Müller (#7 Young Driver-Aston Martin DBR9): “We travel without any expectations and without any pressure to Argentina. From the last year, we know that we are very competitive in San Luis, but we also have 30kg ballast on board. In any way, we will try to get the most out of the two races and I’m quite optimistic that we can archive a good result. I expect the Nissan to be very strong in Argentina and I would be very happy if we can maintain the lead of Young Driver AMR in the team championship in the two races. My personal target to finish third in the driver’s championship. It would be the maximum if we could archive this.”
Tomáš Enge (#7 Young Driver-Aston Martin DBR9): “As always, the victory is my target. We know very well what we have and what we are capable of and with a bit of luck, we can archive this goal. We have to be very consequent and don’t think about our success ballast so much. I hope that we can reach the ultimate goal, which is winning the team’s world championship for Young Driver AMR. The team worked very hard since the last race and especially practised pit stops. The team is determined to reach this goal, so the drivers are. What brings a bit of uncertainty to the story might be the weather, there is a chance that it might be raining, which would change everything. The championship is this year a lot closer, when we travel to Argentina and nothing is decided yet. So I expect the races to be very tough. But you have to use your head in the final two races and you can never score points, if you make contact with somebody else.”
Stefan Mücke (#8 Young Driver-Aston Martin DBR9): “San Luis is one the most interesting and one of the most difficult tracks of the calendar and I’m really looking forward to that race. The tracks suits our car very well as we saw last year and we will make the most out of it. Any prediction for the weekend is very hard. I hope that even with our high ballast, we will be reasonable competitive, even if I think that we can’t run at the front. But we travel quite relaxed to Argentina, because being second in the championship, we are not the team which is under pressure, that are the others.”
Darren Turner (#8 Young Driver-Aston Martin DBR9): “San Luis is a fantastic track in a great location. It's a very good road course where there is no room for error due to the dust off line and the lack of run offs. I really enjoyed racing there in 2010 even though we didn't get the results we wanted. When it comes to the championship fight we are in a difficult position. The results in China put us back in the hunt but if you look at it realistically 50 kilos of ballast is going to make it very hard to get the results we need in Argentina. We have to go there fighting and that is exactly what we will do.”
Follow GT1 World:
Both races and the qualifying are streamed live in the internet with English commentary at www.gt1world.com/gt1tv
Timetable San Luis
All times local, CET = local time - 4 hours
Friday, 4th November
10:00 - 11:20 FIA GT1 World Championship Free Practice
15:30 - 16:50 FIA GT1 World Championship Pre-Qualifying
Saturday, 5th November
09:00 - 10:00 FIA GT1 World Championship Qualifying
13:45 - 14:45 FIA GT1 World Championship Qualifying Race
Sunday, 6th November
08:00 - 08:30 FIA GT1 World Championship Warm Up
13:45 - 14:45 FIA GT1 World Championship Championship Race
Young Driver is on Twitter
Follow all the action @YoungDriverAMR
About Young Driver AMR
Young Driver AMR was founded by Hardy Fischer and his friend and long-time associate Jan Struve in late 2009 and is representing Aston Martin as one of only two teams in the FIA GT1 World Championship with two Aston Martin DBR9. The abbreviation AMR in the team name stands for Aston Martin Racing, Young Driver AMR is the only official German partner team of Aston Martin Racing. Young Driver AMR is a sister-team of Fischer Racing and based in Paderborn. In it’s first racing season 2010, Young Driver AMR took three victories in the FIA GT1 World Championship and finished on the class podium in it’s first ever outing in the legendary 24 hours of Le Mans in France.
Further information’s:
Young Driver AMR www.youngdriver-amr.com
Fischer Racing www.fischer-racingteam.de
GT1 World www.gt1world.com
Aston Martin Racing www.astonmartinracing.com
Stefan Mücke www.stefan-muecke.de
Alex Müller www.alex-mueller.net
Tomas Enge www.tomas-enge.cz
Darren Turner www.darrenturner.net
Young Driver Press.
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