Thursday 31 May 2012

Audi Sport: VTG technology for Le Mans success




VTG technology for Le Mans success

  • Mono turbo offers greatest opportunity in sports car engine design
  • Audi uses innovative turbocharger solution
  • Two more weeks to go before the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours
 
Ingolstadt, May 31, 2012 - Audi relies on a highly efficient engine concept in the R18. The interaction between the merely 3.7-liter V6 TDI unit with an unusually designed single turbocharger and VTG technology is both complex and intriguing. It gives the Audi factory drivers optimum opportunities to set their sights on the next success at the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 16/17, 2012).

"Actually, it’s a shame that the general public never has the opportunity to directly follow the technological progress of our engineers," muses Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. If the work done by his staff is too effective the officials who are responsible for the regulations will regularly curb the momentum of the inventors in order to keep the lap times from becoming too fast year by year. A comparison serves to illustrate the point. When Audi won the Le Mans 24 Hours with a TDI engine for the first time in 2006 the Audi R10 TDI managed to set its fastest race lap in 3m 31.211s. Despite significant restrictions imposed by the regulations the nominally less powerful Audi R18 TDI on clinching the brand’s tenth Le Mans victory last year did its best lap around the circuit in 3m 25.289s. How much faster might it have been if the regulations had not been changed?

"Obviously, a large number of factors affect these measurable advances," emphasizes Dr. Ullrich. "Vehicle technology as a whole, including the chassis, drive and aerodynamics, plays a role just like the weather, the driver or the racing situation. Yet the TDI race engines provide a particularly striking example of the progress that has been achieved." In 2006, Audi won with a V12 engine which had 5.5 liters of displacement. Now, only six cylinders are operating in the most recent Audi R18. According to the regulations displacement was reduced to 3.7 liters. This means that in total the engine used in the current vehicle generation makes do with half of the cylinders, has 32 percent less cubic capacity and in the 2011 season made it possible for the R18 to improve its lap time by 2.8 percent nonetheless.

"To achieve such enormous increases the combustion chamber of the engine operates with much higher pressures and temperatures today than in the past," explains Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Development at Audi Sport. "This has resulted in considerably higher performance of the piston areas and the cylinders." Now, each cylinder has to deliver around 60 percent more performance than it did in the Audi R10 TDI in 2006.

The engine developers at Audi Sport had to venture into new terrain for this purpose. The charging concept of the Audi R18 has been a particularly well-kept secret up to now. The engineers designed a central mono turbo system in the inside V of the engine ("hot side inside") which in combination with the inboard exhaust manifolds makes particularly efficient use of the laws of physics. A single, large turbine increases overall efficiency, as gap losses are significantly reduced. Consolidating the entire exhaust flow in a single turbine leads to higher turbine performance and more uniform loading by exhaust gas surges. In the extremely short pipes of the exhaust system in front of the turbo clearly less thermal energy is lost. This increases performance plus the turbine’s exhaust gas temperature due to the higher energy content of the exhaust gas and makes the required capacity available on the compressor side where around 2,000 cubic meters of air per hour must be compressed for efficient combustion. The mono turbocharger thus has to put through a similar amount of charge air for over 375 kW (510 hp) as the two previous turbochargers in the V10 TDI for 404 kW (550 hp).

The unique design of this charger was kept under wraps up to now. The exhaust manifolds located on the inside of the compact V6 engine let the exhaust gas flow radially into the charger from both sides. The housing of the turbine wheel has two inlets for the exhaust gas flow and one axial outlet. The compressor side is of a very similar design. The charger aspirates air in axial direction from a central influx. After compression, the air exits again on two sides to optimally supply both cylinder banks. It is cooled down in two intercoolers before being routed to the combustion chambers of the V6 engine.

The variable turbine geometry (VTG) of the turbocharger has provided another key to this technological breakthrough. It makes it possible to guide the exhaust gas flow in a way that the turbine can continuously be adjusted to varying operating conditions such as load changes. "Without it, the entire concept of a compact downsized engine with an inboard single turbocharger would have been inconceivable," says Ulrich Baretzky. "The response of a single, large charger without VTG would be far too low. Thanks to the variable geometry we have resolved this issue." While guide vane ring adjustment has long become standard in Audi production vehicles the modification required to handle the high thermal loads occurring in motorsport posed a special challenge.

"The temperatures there are extreme," says Ulrich Baretzky. "Temperatures of up to 1,050 degrees Celsius in the turbine and in the VTG can only be handled by high-temperature-resistant steel alloys." In addition, chemical corrosion, also known as scaling, must be avoided. Bearing play and clearances are important too. "A technology that is heat-resistant and withstands large expansion must, conversely, not exhibit any increase in clearances when temperatures are low and has to remain mobile at all times," explains the engineer. These are exactly the technologies which Audi has developed together with its long-standing turbo partner Honeywell Garrett.

Audi has successfully resolved these challenges, and the drivers continually benefit from these achievements. When during a shifting event, which lasts around 30 milliseconds without operating the clutch, injection is reduced there is a risk of charge pressure loss. However, thanks to sophisticated electronic shifting strategies and a sensitive actuator, Audi’s VTG system provides the required quick response. Even the Le Mans organizer ACO was amazed. When the ACO’s technical stewards read the engine data they did not find any indications of charge pressure having dropped during shifting events.

In the Audi R18, Audi explored numerous areas at the limit. "I’d describe the solution of a V6 with a single turbocharger as one of the greatest technical risks we’ve ever taken in engine design for the sports car project," says Ulrich Baretzky. "It was about carefully approaching the absolute limits of what is feasible." The production side of the house will endeavor to gain more output from downsized engines with less cubic capacity in the future as well. This means that, as in the case of the V6 TDI 3.7, ignition pressures and temperatures will increase there too. This also applies to injection pressures which in current production engines rise to around 2,000 bar, while in the Le Mans TDI engines 2,600 bar are already being surpassed by far. This has a positive influence on fuel consumption, performance and exhaust gas quality, yet increases the thermal and mechanical loads particularly in the combustion chamber. Audi Sport has developed special calculation methods for its cylinder heads operating under maximum loads that will be made available to AUDI AG’s Technical Development for future production vehicle developments. With respect to downsizing the future will see a lot more parallels where sport and volume production benefit from each other.

The fact that the V6 3.7l TDI was voted "Race Engine of the Year 2011" by a high-caliber judging panel at the beginning of the year is a nice reward for the forward-thinking work of the entire team of engineers.

Audi Sport. 

Wednesday 30 May 2012

GT Masters: Daniel Keilwitz: "Surprised to be topping the table"

Daniel Keilwitz: "Surprised to be topping the table"


  • Keilwitz/Alessi head ADAC GT Masters leader board
  • Targeting Top Five finish in Sachsenring race


Maiden victory and championship lead: Following the ADAC GT Masters weekend at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands, Daniel Keilwitz (22, Villingen) and team-mate Diego Alessi (40, Italy) have double cause for celebration. The 2010 FIA GT3 European champion and his Callaway Competition team-mate take their Corvette Z06 to the next race of the season at the Sachsenring (8th - 10th June) as current leaders in the Super Sports Car League. In an interview with www.ADAC.de/motorsport, Keilwitz talks about the strengths of the Corvette and his expectations for the challenging rollercoaster circuit near Chemnitz (Saxony).

After securing your maiden victory in the ADAC GT Masters and going straight to the top of the championship table, you must be very satisfied with the way your season has started?

"It feels good to be at the top. At the same time, though, it's also quite amazing for us to be up there with the front-runners. We didn't expect to be quite that fast at Zandvoort, and we were surprised by the result. Zandvoort is actually a track that favours cars with good aerodynamics, whereas the strengths of the Corvette are in its powerful engine and excellent braking. All the same, things went really well for us at Zandvoort, and much better than expected."

Callaway Competition have overhauled the Corvette for the 2012 season. Where are the modifications especially noticeable?

"The changes to the chassis have given the car a better balance, which allows the driver a little more leeway at the limit. In addition, the engine is very good. I was highly sceptical at first, because it has less capacity and therefore a lower torque. However, I've been pleasantly surprised, because we now have a wider rpm range, and at Zandvoort, the new engine proved just how good it is."

This is now your third year with Callaway - to what extent are you personally involved in developing the car?

"As a matter of principle, the team always asks for input from its drivers, including of course my team-mates Diego Alessi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. There are some aspects that don't matter a great deal to me but are important for other drivers. We see ourselves as a team and work these things out together. In the ADAC Zurich 24hr race at the Nürburgring, I shared the Corvette with three works drivers from Corvette Racing; their observations were also incorporated into the ongoing development of the car. But I'm usually the one who first tries out any changes on the track."

Your team-mate Diego Alessi was in top form at Zandvoort, claiming his first ever pole position there. What has made him so strong this season?

"Diego is a very fast driver, and the new car suits him perfectly. The new Corvette requires a slightly different driving style which is very much in keeping with his own."

What are your expectations for the next race at the Sachsenring?

"Mid-engine sports cars have always performed well on the Sachsenring, so as I see it, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini and even the Ford GT have to be the favourites again this year. After our good showing at Zandvoort, I think that we should also do well on the Sachsenring, and I'm hopeful that we can finish in the Top Five. We've also learnt a lot from our mistakes last year: instead of trying to barge our way through, we now prefer to hang back and wait for the right moment. This tactic has so far stood us in good stead. In the first race of the season at Oschersleben, our strategy was good enough for a podium; then in the second race at Zandvoort, we came a way with a sizeable points haul and a lead in the championship table to boot. At the Sachsenring, we'll be avoiding any unnecessary risks and playing it safe."



           
Keilwitz had to wait long for his first win   The Callaway-Corvette   Alessi/Keilwitz lead the standings   Maiden ADAC GT Masters victory in Zandvoort  


All 16 races in the ADAC GT Masters are broadcast live on kabel eins free-to-air TV channel. Viewers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can tune in at 12.15pm on Saturday and Sunday. The specialist channel SPORT1 will be broadcasting highlights of the ADAC GT Masters at the Sachsenring in the ADAC Masters Weekend Magazine on 16th June at 11.45am. For continuous updates on completed laps and times during free practice and races, check out the Live Timing page at www.adac.de/motorsport.

ADAC GT Masters website press section: You can access the new (temporary) press section by clicking on 'Presse' in the top menu bar of the ADAC GT Masters website. Then log on using your previous details.

Further information available at www.adac.de/motorsport and www.adac-gt-masters.de


ADAC GT Masters
Oliver Runschke

Sunday 27 May 2012

FIA GT1/Navarra: What the teams say…










What the teams say…


At the third round of the championship at Navarra, northern Spain, it was the Hexis McLarens which dominated just as the Lamborghinis had done in 2011.

After Reiter Lamborghini No.25 claimed pole position, the remainder of the weekend belonged to the Hexis Racing McLarens with Fred Makowiecki and Stef Dusseldorp (pictured above) recording wins in both the Qualifying and Championship Races.

Here’s what the GT1 drivers and team managers had to say about the weekend …

Fred Makowiecki (FRA), Hexis Racing, McLaren MP4-12C No.1 (1st)

“It is very positive for us to come back like this, and now we can use this to be positive for the rest of the Championship battle.

“The team, Hexis McLaren did a really good job. We just need to keep near the front, and then we can be in the hunt for the Championship.”

Stef Dusseldorp (NLD), Hexis Racing, McLaren MP4-12C No.1 (1st)

“Today was a maybe a little easier than yesterday. Fred (Makowiecki) did a perfect start, a perfect pitstop  considering the problems that we have had. After the stop we were able to bring it home despite some cooling issues on the car.

“I am really happy for myself, for Fred and for the team.  It brings us to the top of the Championship, Slovakia is a new track for us, and we do not know how it will suit us yet.”

Markus Winkelhock (DEU), ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Mercedes SLS AMG No.38 (2nd)

“We have to congratulate the Hexis team.  It was not easy out there, the tyres were quite hot and so was the track and the tarmac, so I started to struggle at the end with oversteer but I think most of the drivers had that problem. It was not easy because I was pushing quite hard all the time because of the cars behind me, so I could not really back off or slow my pace at all.

“It was quite easy to make a mistake, but fortuantely I didn’t. I was a really good weekend, after struggling in Free Practice to now be standing on the podium, in P2 and P3, as a team,
I am really happy.“


Thomas Jager (DEU), ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, Mercedes SLS AMG No.37 (3rd)

“It was very difficult to keep the McLaren behind me because we didn’t have the straight-line speed and the car was very difficult under braking especially into turn one. We managed it and we are happy to finish one-two for the team. We didn’t really expect this result as the Mercedes is not really strong at this circuit.”

Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof (AUT), Vita4One Racing, BMW E89 Z4 No.17 (6th)

“The performance was good today. Yesterday we had a disastrous pit stop but today we were the quickest. Mathias (Lauda) did a terrific start which put us in a great position.

“When I went out for my stint I tried to hang on to the Mercedes and save the tyres and attack at the end because this track is about good tyre management. We scored some good points here for the team which is important. It was a good weekend for us.”

Darryl O’Young (CHN), Reiter Engineering Lamborghini Gallardo No.25 (7th)

“The key was definitely the loss of positions on the start. We have had a lot of problems on the start, all of us over the weekend, the whole team.  We are just not getting off the line very well, and it is something we need to look into.

“Our car was quick after that, but got stuck behind Toni Vilander in the Ferrari (AF Corse) during Peter ’s (Kox) stint.  In the second stint we had a good pace, but not enough to be able to make up the time we had already lost.

“It is not the best result, considering the pole position we had at the start of the weekend. We had the pace, and it shows the improvements we are making as we go. We just need to work on our race pace now.”

Frank Stippler (DEU), Belgian Audi Club Team WRT, Audi R8 LMS ultra No.33 (8th)

“It was a very difficult weekend for Audi. We lost out to the other competitors on the straights who are quicker than us. It’s not too much fun to finish where we did in both races. I have won races easier than fighting for this eighth place. Our Qualifying was not very good and that ruined our weekend.”

Filip Salaquarda (CZE) AF Corse, Ferrari 458 Italia No.3 (9th)

“Similar to yesterday, our pace was not that brilliant especially for the last part of the race for me as I had a lot of oversteer. P9 is not what we expect. I have will go to the simulator and prepare for Slovakia and hopefully we can have a better race weekend there. We are working hard to improve our race pace, that is what we must focus on.”

Maxime Martin (BEL), Valmon Racing Team Russia, Aston Martin DBRS9 No.7 (DNF)

“We had a great start from 14th to 8th and I was able to run at the pace at the front. But soon after I had a lot of handling problems with the tyres and the brakes. The Aston is not really suited to this track at all.

“At the end of my stint I had a problem with the throttle so we decided to stop. That’s racing but it’s difficult as well. We hope to have the new car for the fifth round Portimao so we hope it will be better.”

Bernhard Mühlner (DEU), Exim Bank Team China Porsche 911 R, Team manager

“We start here with a blank sheet of paper having never been to the Circuito de Navarra before. We improved the car a lot in the Free Practice sessions, so during qualifying we were able to get P5 for the Qualifying Race grid.

“Contact at the beginning of the Qualifying Race pushed us out of the front, so we finished only 11th, and to start from 11th for the Championship Race makes it difficult.

“Both drivers have been very competitive.  Mike (Parisy) has been pushed, and that has meant we are totally out of the points, but we know we have the speed and the performance - these are the positives we have to take.  On the track we have the pace, the car is good, the car is fast. The drivers are good, the car is fast.”


Full Results

FIA GT1 World Championship – Championship Race, Navarra – Spain

PosNoDriversTeamLapsTimePts
11Frederic Makowiecki / Stef DusseldorpHexis Racing361:01:26.74225
238Marc Basseng / Marcus WinkelhockAll-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport361:01:38.85018
337Nicky Pastorelli / Thomas JägerAll-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport361:01:40.16815
42Gregoire Demoustier / Alvaro ParenteHexis Racing361:01:41.14812
518Michael Bartels / Yelmer BuurmanVita4One Racing Team361:01:43.11410
617Mathias Lauda / Nikolaus Mayr-MelnhofVita4One Racing Team361:01:49.3768
725Peter Kox / Darryl O YoungReiter Engineering361:02:03.0126
833Oliver Jarvis / Frank StipplerBelgian Audi Club Team WRT361:02:09.9394
93Toni Vilander / Filip SalaquardaAF Corse361:02:11.4282
1032Stephane Ortelli / Laurens VanthoorBelgian Audi Club Team WRT361:02:11.7411
114Francesco Castellacci / Enzo IdeAF Corse361:02:13.216
129Matt Halliday / Mike ParisyExim Bank Team China361:02:17.322
136Andreas Zuber / Sergey AfanasyevValmon Racing Team Russia351:01:28.235
1424Tomas Enge / Albert von Thurn und TaxisReiter Engineering351:01:49.765
158Benjamin Lariche / Dino LunardiExim Bank Team China341:02:13.659
167Maxime Martin / Leonid MachitskiValmon Racing Team Russia1934:31.403
1710Matteo Cressoni / Milos PavlovicSunred35:22.200


Standings

Teams

PosTeamPts
1All-Inkl.com Münnich Motorsport85
2Hexis Racing73
3Belgian Audi Club Team WRT71
4Vita4One Racing Team51
5AF Corse37
6Exim Bank Team China31
7Reiter Engineering27
8Valmon Racing Team Russia0
9Sunred0


Drivers

PosDriverPts
1Nicky Pastorelli46
2Thomas Jäger46
3Frederic Makowiecki46
4Stef Dusseldorp46
5Laurens Vanthoor42
6Stephane Ortelli42
7Yelmer Buurman41
8Michael Bartels41
9Marcus Winkelhock39
10Marc Basseng39
11Matt Halliday31
12Mike Parisy31
13Oliver Jarvis29
14Frank Stippler29
15Alvaro Parente27
16Filip Salaquarda27
17Toni Vilander27
18Gregoire Demoustier27
19Darryl O Young15
20Peter Kox15
21Albert von Thurn und Taxis12
22Tomas Enge12
23Enzo Ide10
24Francesco Castellacci10
25Mathias Lauda10
26Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof10
27Andreas Zuber0
28Sergey Afanasyev0
29Benjamin Lariche0
30Dino Lunardi0
31Maxime Martin0
32Leonid Machitski0
33Matteo Cressoni0
34Milos Pavlovic0
35Alexej Vasiliev0
36Ren Wei0
37Francesco Castellaci0
38Yelmer Buurmann0

How to follow the FIA GT1 World Championship:

Online:

Visit the new FIA GT1 World Championship website (www.gt1world.com) to watch both timing and streaming from live race events and keep up to date with news, interviews, features and results during the week.

Youtube: Live streaming and our feature series GT1-LIFE will be available on the GT world Youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/gt1world. For viewers in Germany, please visit our German live streaming service.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Television:

There will be live television coverage of every round of the FIA GT1 World Championship. For a full rundown of the TV channels visit www.gt1world.com.

Video footage for editorial use available at WorldLink: www.eurovision.net/worldlink.


Cameron Kelleher

Head of Communications
SRO Motorsports Group


International GT Open, race 4 on the Nürburgring Podium spot for Deboeuf team with the 911 GT3 R














International GT Open, race 4 on the Nürburgring

Podium spot for Deboeuf team with the 911 GT3 R

Stuttgart. At Sunday’s race of the International GT Open on the Nürburgring, the Austrian Porsche customer team Deboeuf claimed second in the GTS category and seventh in the overall classification. At the wheel of the 911 GT3 R sat Germany’s Marco Seefried and the Austrian Thomas Gruber. Porsche works driver Patrick Pilet and his French teammate Raymond Narac scored fifth place overall after starting from eleventh in the 911 GT3 RSR. The 911 GT3 RSR races in the Super GT class which is based on the FIA GT2 regulations.

The points’ leaders of the gripping sports car series, works driver Marco Holzer (Germany) and Manthey-Racing pilot Nick Tandy (Great Britain), lay in a promising position after the driver change in the 911 GT3 RSR only to have a rival shunt the 911. The car was so badly damaged that the two winners of both season-opening rounds on the Algarve were forced to retire. “The action of the Ferrari driver was totally unnecessary,” said Marco Holzer. “Nick drove a super half time and was on track to clinch a podium spot when he had to come in to the pits. There we had to sit out our 15-second time handicap. That is simply part of the GT Open when you’ve been successful. I drove out and was clearly in front of the Ferrari. He tried to overtake two cars at once in the Mercedes Arena, braked too late and hit my car at full tilt. Through no fault of our own, we had to relinquish our aim of yielding regular points. The fact that we’re still at the top of the points table is a small consolation for missing out on a podium chance.

“With fifth place we’ve achieved our aim,” said a somewhat satisfied Patrick Pilet from the IMSA Performance Matmut squad. “The position gives us valuable points, but we lose some of our handicap time because we didn’t finish in the top three. At the next race in Spa-Francorchamps we still have ten handicap seconds up our sleeve and better chances to get further ahead. But we’re looking forward to Spa in any case. For Raymond and me it’s one of the best race tracks ever.”

In order to provide suspense amongst the front-runners, there is a handicap regulation in this series handing the top three in a race a time penalty. For this reason, during the driver change from Raymond Narac to Patrick Pilet, the IMSA crew had to serve a 20-second penalty because the Frenchmen came third on Saturday at race three in the Eifel and had already earned penalty seconds on the Algarve.

The Austrian Deboeuf team narrowly missed out on GTS class victory. Making a lightning start, the former Carrera Cup pilot Marco Seefried catapulted his 911 to the front of the entire field and remained there until the driver change. Because the team had also been handed handicap seconds, he lost the overall lead as a result of the longer pit stop, but initially managed to hold on to the GTS lead. Only shortly before the race finished, Thomas Gruber had to let his pursuer pass.

Ranking fifth in the GTS class came the British-Italian duo Archie Hamilton and Marco Mapelli in the 911 GT3 R fielded by Autorlando Sport. This yielded tenth in the overall classification for the experienced GT Open Italian outfit. Thirteenth went to the Spanish Equipe Drivex School with hobby drivers Miguel Angel De Castro (Spain) and Miguel Amaral (Portugal) at the wheel of their brand new 911 GT3 RSR. “We have to get familiar with our new 911 GT3 RSR bit by bit. But we have a huge amount of fun with this great car,” stated team owner De Castro.

Result race 4
1. Montermini/Lopez (I/ARG), Ferrari 458 GT Italia, 50:06.949 minutes
2. Broniszewski/Peter (PL/A), Ferrari 458 GT Italia, + 14.140 seconds
3. Ramos/Giammaria (P/I), Ferrari 458 GT Italia, + 24.673
4. Barba/Malucelli (E/I), Aston Martin Vantage, + 26.578
5. Narac/Pilet (F/F), Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, + 28.402
6. Heyer/Seyffarth (D/D), Mercedes SLS AMG, + 37.167
7. Seefried/Gruber (D/A), Porsche 911 GT3 R, + 44.215
10. Hamilton/Mapelli (GB/I), Porsche 911 GT3 R, + 51.908

Points‘ standings
Drivers

1. Holzer/Tandy, Porsche, 54 points
2. Narac/Pilet, Porsche, 52
3. Barba/Malucelli, Aston Martin, 46
4. Bizzari, 32, Ferrari, 40
5. Broniszewski/Peter, Ferrari, 36
6. Mapelli/Hamilton, Porsche, 32

Teams Super GT
1. Manthey-Racing, Porsche, 24 points
2. IMSA Performance Matmut, Porsche, 23
3. Villois Racing, Aston Martin, 21

Manufacturers Super GT
1. Ferrari, 44 points
2. Porsche, 44
3. Aston Martin, 21

Races 5 and 6 of the International GT Open will be run from 22 to 24 June in Spa-Francorchamps/Belgium.

This is the International GT Open

Inaugurated in 2006, the International GT Open features two races per weekend with identical points’ allocation – the first race on Saturday runs over 70 minutes, the second on Sunday over 50. Two drivers share the cockpit. A handicap system ensures more suspense at the head of the field. The top three drivers of each race are handed a 15, ten or five second penalty respectively for the following race. The calendar of the race series includes eight races on selective circuits like Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps and the Nürburgring.

One of the keys to success in the International GT Open is the stable technical regulations and the capping of costs, for instance through control tyres. The grid is divided into two classes, the stronger Super GT category and the GTS class.

Super GT: This class is based on the FIA GT2 regulations - the 911 GT3 RSR competes here. The particularly efficient six-cylinder boxer engine in the International GT Open version delivers significantly more than 500 hp.
.
GTS: Based on the FIA GT3 regulations. The Porsche 911 GT3 R is fielded here, now delivering 500 hp after the new model year underwent improvements.

In 2007, Autorlando Sport won the overall classification for drivers and teams with Porsche works driver Richard Lietz (Austria) and Joel Camathias from Switzerland.

Communication Porsche AG
Motorsportpress
Oliver Hilger

FIA GT1: Hexis Racing McLaren make it a double at Navarra




Hexis Racing McLaren make it a double at Navarra



Fred Makowiecki (FRA) and Stef Dusseldorp (NLD) in the Hexis Racing McLaren MP4-12C completed a double success at Navarra with a comprehensive win in the Championship Race. 
  
The Hexis No.1 car’s success in the main event was every bit as convincing as the previous day in the Qualifying Race crossing the finish line 12 seconds ahead of their nearest challengers.

The double race win also enabled Makowiecki and Dusseldorp to take over the lead of the drivers’ championship.

Hexis team boss Philippe Dumas was delighted with the result after a difficult start to the season. “It is great for the team to win both races this weekend,” he said.

“We have had problems but we have fought hard to get to this point and everybody involved with the team deserves this result. My young daughter asked me to bring home the trophy and I am very happy to do it.”
The ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport Mercedes SLS AMGs were second and third – Marc Basseng (DEU)/Markus Winkelhock (DEU) leading home their team-mates Thomas Jager (DEU) and Nicky Pastorelli (NLD).

For Basseng, the key was the quick turnaround at the pit stop. “It is a great result for me as a driver and as a team manager,” he said.

“The team did an awesome job at the pit stop - that was what got us ahead of the McLaren (No.2). Then I don’t know how Thomas (Jager) held off the McLaren towards the end but he managed it and ensured we achieved the maximum result we could today as a team.”
The one-two elevates ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport to the top of the teams’ standings.

How to follow the FIA GT1 World Championship:

Online:

Visit the new FIA GT1 World Championship website (www.gt1world.com) to watch both timing and streaming from live race events and keep up to date with news, interviews, features and results during the week.

Youtube: Live streaming and our feature series GT1-LIFE will be available on the GT world Youtube channel. http://www.youtube.com/gt1world. For viewers in Germany, please visit our German live streaming service.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Television:

There will be live television coverage of every round of the FIA GT1 World Championship. For a full rundown of the TV channels visit www.gt1world.com.


Cameron Kelleher

Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, round 4 at the Formula 1 race in Monte Carlo/Monaco Sean Edwards fulfils his dream of maiden victory in the Principality








Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, round 4 at the Formula 1 race in Monte Carlo/Monaco

Sean Edwards fulfils his dream of maiden victory in the Principality

Stuttgart. He had dreamed of winning in the glamour world of the rich and famous since he first contested the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup: Sean Edwards, the Konrad Motorsport pilot who lives in Monaco, celebrated his first victory on Sunday in the Principality on the Cote d’Azur. At the wheel of his 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, based on the street-legal lightweight 911 GT3 RS sports car, he won round four of the world’s fastest international one-make race series with a 1.257-second advantage over Frenchman Kévin Estre (Hermes Attempto Racing). Third place went to his teammate Christian Engelhart (Germany). Fourth position was enough for Austria’s Norbert Siedler (VELTINS Lechner Racing) to defend his points’ lead.

At the most prestigious race of the year, Sean Edwards, whose last Supercup victory was over a year ago in Barcelona, was on course to win right from the start. Taking up the 16-lap race from pole, he found the fastest line around the twisty labyrinth between high-rise apartments and high-end boutiques. Through the early retirement of Dutchman Sebastiaan Bleekemolen (Team Bleekemolen), who had shared the front row of the grid with Edwards but buried his hopes in the barrier at the exit of the swimming pool chicane in the second lap, the Briton was able to pull clear of the field. But it was not to be a solo run to the flag: Kèvin Estre and René Rast (Lechner Racing Team) lay in wait in his slipstream and put the front-runner under pressure at about the halfway distance.

Setting one fastest lap after the other, title defender René Rast was determined not to let his goal of becoming the first Supercup driver to notch up three wins in Monaco go without a fight. But with five laps left to the flag, his dream died when he had to park his Porsche trackside after crashing in St. Devote. When the fan belt went, the water temperature rose and the power steering failed as a consequence. Through this, he missed the apex of the corner. As a result the safety car was deployed, which leader Sean Edwards in particular then used to his advantage. Determined not to let go of his dream he brought his first Monaco victory safely home. At the 20th Supercup race in the Principality, he was the 17th driver to win from pole position.

Supercup returnee Jeroen Bleekemolen from the Netherlands secured fifth place. Like Rast, Bleekemolen already has two Monaco victories under his belt. Behind the double Supercup champion came Supercup newcomer Michael Ammermüller driving for VELTINS Lechner Racing in sixth place after a strong drive. With this, the German moved to the top of the rookie classification, replacing the previous points’ leader, Nicki Thiim (Hermes Attempto Racing) when the Dane failed to make it to the flag.

Sean Edwards (winner): “That was a fantastic race. I had a clean start and was able to pull clear of my pursuers. After that I controlled the race, even with Kévin and René close behind me. The last laps were not easy because there was a lot of oil on the track and parts were scattered everywhere. But I made it through well. I want to thank my team for this perfect weekend.”

Kévin Estre (second): “Second place is a great result. Right to the end I tried to put Sean under pressure at the front and looked for my chance. I was a little faster than he, but I saw no possibility of overtaking. In the final lap I kissed the barriers but luckily nothing happened. It’s a great experience to stand on the podium in Monaco.”

Christian Engelhart (third): “I took off into the race from sixth place. After the qualifying I would never have guessed that it would still be enough for a podium finish. But so much happened during the race, and that makes me even happier to have secured third, especially here in Monaco.”

Michael Ammermüller (sixth, best rookie): “After the qualifying I aimed to keep out of trouble, get through safely and earn points. This worked – and I’m very pleased about that.”

Race result
1. Sean Edwards (GB), Konrad Motorsport, 28:01.234 minutes
2. Kévin Estre (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 1.254 seconds
3. Christian Engelhart (D), Konrad Motorsport, + 2.511
4. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 3.474
5. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Lechner Racing Team, + 5.312
6. Michael Ammermüller (D), VELTINS Lechner Racing, + 6.276

Points’ standings after 4 of 10 races *
Drivers

1. Norbert Siedler (A), VELTINS Lechner Racing, 54 points
2. Christian Engelhart (D), Konrad Motorsport, 48
3. Sean Edwards (GB), Konrad Motorsport, 43
4. Kévin Estre (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, 39
5. René Rast (D), Lechner Racing Team, 36
6. Kuba Giermaziak (PL), VERVA Racing Team, 30

Teams
1. Konrad Motorsport, 88 points
2. VELTINS Lechner Racing, 79
3. Hermes Attempto Racing, 58

Rookie classification
1. Michael Ammermüller (D), VELTINS Lechner Racing, 28 points
2. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, 19
3. Patryk Szczerbinski (PL), 14

* Although the race in Barcelona was cancelled, the extra points for pole position were still awarded.

Valencia: Preview to the 5th of 10 races on 24 June
After a year’s break, the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup returns to Valencia. The 5.419 kilometre Valencia Street Circuit around the America’s Cup harbour of the Spanish metropolis is not a typical street course. “Valencia is almost like a real race track with fast corners and wide run-off areas. This allows you to make small mistakes without ending up in the wall,” says René Rast, who won the 2010 race here. Austrian Norbert Siedler, who clinched second then, travels to Spain at the top of the points’ table. TV stations Eurosport and Sky broadcast the race live.

Communication Porsche AG
Motorsportpress
Oliver Hilger



Race results Porsche Supercup 2012 Monaco 
Pos.Car No.DriverLapsTimeGapkm/hFastest lap
112GBR Edwards, Sean
Konrad Motorsport
1628:01.234+ 0:00.000114.4301:36.996
233FRA Estre, Kévin
Hermes ATTEMPTO Racing
1628:02.488+ 0:01.254114.3451:36.814
311GER Engelhart, Christian
Konrad Motorsport
1628:03.745+ 0:02.511114.2601:37.531
41AUT Siedler, Norbert
VELTINS Lechner Racing
1628:04.708+ 0:03.474114.1941:37.873
546NED Bleekemolen, Jeroen
Lechner Racing
1628:06.546+ 0:05.312114.0701:37.648
62GER Ammermüller, Michael
VELTINS Lechner Racing
1628:07.510+ 0:06.276114.0051:37.567
710POL Giermaziak, Kuba
VERVA Racing
1628:08.153+ 0:06.919113.9611:37.765
841ITA Belicchi, Andrea
Antonelli Motorsport
1628:08.723+ 0:07.489113.9231:37.924
94POL Lukas, Robert
FÖRCH Racing
1628:09.498+ 0:08.264113.8711:37.427
1019ITA Zampedri, Alessandro
Team Bleekemolen
1628:10.467+ 0:09.233113.8051:37.532
1118NED Mul, Jeroen
Team Bleekemolen
1628:10.863+ 0:09.629113.7791:37.899
1240ITA Proietti, Angelo
Antonelli Motorsport
1628:14.022+ 0:12.788113.5661:39.263
137USA Langhorne, William
MRS GT-Racing
1628:14.588+ 0:13.354113.5281:38.719
149POL Szczerbinski, Patryk
VERVA Racing
1628:15.087+ 0:13.853113.4951:38.296
1515AUT Mayerl, Andreas
Lechner Racing
1628:16.292+ 0:15.058113.4141:39.500
1645AUT Schmid, Clemens
SWITCH IT Lechner Racing
1628:17.747+ 0:16.513113.3171:38.321
175POL Bilinski, Stefan
FÖRCH Racing
1628:27.468+ 0:26.234112.6721:40.973
188MON Hein, Richard
MRS GT-Racing
1628:28.221+ 0:26.987112.6221:40.528
196GER Scholze, Florian
FÖRCH Racing by Lukas MS
1628:28.742+ 0:27.508112.5881:39.760
2014DEK Christensen, Michael
Konrad Motorsport
1628:40.112+ 0:38.878111.8441:37.512
213ESP Tutumlu, Isaac
FÖRCH Racing by Lukas MS
1629:00.437+ 0:59.203110.5381:39.414
2243GBR Geddie, Glynn
Porsche Carrera Cup GB
1629:02.843+ 1:01.609110.3851:37.332
2342GBR Meadows, Michael
Porsche Carrera Cup GB
1424:53.165+ 2 Laps112.7381:37.769
2416GER Rast, René
Lechner Racing
1118:00.234+ 5 Laps122.4401:36.750
2522DEK Thiim, Nicki
Hermes ATTEMPTO Racing
305:05.343+ 13 Laps118.1361:38.671
2617NED Bleekemolen, Sebastiaan
Team Bleekemolen
101:45.386+ 15 Laps114.0950:
21FRA Hassid, Henry
Hermes ATTEMPTO Racing
0n/a.+ n/an/an/a