Newsletter 49/ WTCC

Newsletter 49/ WTCC

FOCUS WTCC ROAD CAR IS SET TO BE A HIT Team Arena’s Ford Focus WTCC Limited Edition road car that was launched at Macau during the final meeting of the 2012 FIA WTCC, is already arousing a huge interest among fans and dealers.The car, that was used as the leading car during the rolling start lap for Macau’s Race 1 has been developed by Arena and built to celebrate Ford’s return to the WTCC; it also benefits of a Ford warranty that includes the specially upgraded engine.The striking looking car is finished in Ford’s Artic White and comes complete with the very same decals that appear on the WTCC racers, including the traditional navy blue racing stripes.Under the bonnet, the car features a 1.6 turbocharged ecoboost engine that has been upgraded by Arena’s race engine partner Mountune Performance to deliver 202 bhp and sits on Team Dynamics alloy wheels identical to those of the racing car, with Yokohama low profile tyres. A Mountune Performance developed short-shift gear change and a Powerflow exhaust also feature on this exciting car.The Focus WTCC Limited Edition will be offered for sale globally with a run of just 2,000 worldwide planned.

MENU GUEST STAR AT MICHEL VAILLANT’S LAUNCH Alain Menu was the guest star at the launch of ‘Au nom du fils’, first comic book of the series Michel Vaillant New Season, that took place last Friday in Paris at the FNAC Montparnasse shop.Menu, who earlier this year had played Michel Vaillant’s role on the racing track during the WTCC Race of Portugal in Portimão at the wheel of a Chevrolet Cruze car disguised as a Vaillante, joined the Studio Graton team on the stage during a crowded press conference.Afterwards, the Swiss racers signed copies of the new comic books together with Michel Vaillant’s scenarists Philip Graton and Denis Lapière, and illustrators Marc Bourgne and Benjiamin Benéteau. Earlier on Friday, the five of them had visited Eurosport headquarters at Issy-les-Moulineaux, for another signing session.The comic book ‘Au nom du fils’, that is set in the FIA World Touring Car Championship and features Michel Vaillant racing against the likes of Yvan Muller, Gabriele Tarquini, Tom Coronel, etc, is now for sale in all the bookshops.

DUTCH TEAM DREAM OF THE WTCC Nederland-based Vuik Racing are setting up a programme to take part next year in the German ADAC Procar championship. But at the same time, team-principal and driver Henk Vuik doesn’t conceal his dream to race in the WTCC.In 2013 the team will run two Mercedes C200 cars. “One is the former Thate Motosport car driven by Jens Weimann, while the sister car has been raced in the Scandinavian Touring Car Cup by G-Rex Motorsport,” Vuik explained.Vuik and his team have built themselves a reputation in the Formula Ford Euro Cup (4th classified in 2000) and Dutch and Benelux championships, before they switched to touring cars this year.“I was looking for a new challenge and took part in the Burando Production Open (the Dutch Touring Car Championship) winning three races! Now we are ready to step up to the ADAC Procar. Both cars have been fitted with new suspension developed in the STCC, and I think they have the potential to win races,” said Vuik.The plans for 2013 have been set, but Vuik has already a secret dream.“My dream is to take part with my team in the WTCC, and to race a Mercedes A-Class powered by a 1.6-litre turbo engine…” Image and information, courtesy of www.adac-procar.de

Fabio Ravaioli - FIA WTCC Media Delegate

Le Mans 24 Hours / World Endurance Championship Porsche works team fields two 911 RSR in 2013

Le Mans 24 Hours / World Endurance Championship

Porsche works team fields two 911 RSR in 2013

Stuttgart. For the 2013 racing season, Porsche AG will field two new GT racecars based on the newest generation of the Porsche 911 at the Le Mans 24 hour race and in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). For the first time since the overall victory in 1998, a factory team from Porsche will tackle the famed long distance classic in France.

The two new Porsche 911 RSR, which race in the GTE category, will be run by the Porsche AG Team Manthey. The role of team manager goes to the experienced endurance specialist Olaf Manthey, who has celebrated five overall wins with Porsche at the Nürburgring 24 hour race and recently fielded a 911 GT3 RSR in the International GT Open.

“The new 911 RSR is currently being developed by our engineers and tested by our works drivers,” says Porsche Head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen. “What better time could there be to introduce the new car than the Porsche 911’s 50th anniversary.”

Communication Porsche AG
Motorsport Press
Oliver Hilger

2013 ADAC GT Masters promises to be even more exciting

2013 ADAC GT Masters promises to be even more exciting
 

• Sophisticated computational model for 'Balance of Performance'
• Adjustments to driver classifications and handicap weights
• All 16 races in 2013 to be shown live on TV again

The ADAC has paved the way for an even more exciting ADAC GT Masters season in 2013. Improvements in the rules for the forthcoming season promise to make the Super Sports Car League even more competitive. There are changes to the 'Balance of Performance' (BoP) to ensure equal opportunities for different vehicle designs, and to the driver classification, with the former Amateur class being re-designated 'Gentlemen'.

The 'Balance of Performance' in 2013 will once again be in line with the standard laid down by the FIA for sports cars competing under GT3 regulations. The basic classification will be determined by the FIA before the season starts by measuring engine performance and downforce. 'Balance of Performance' for the ADAC GT Masters will then be worked out by putting this data through a specially adapted computational model that also takes into account those parameters that are specific to the ADAC GT Masters such as tyres. Responsibility for 'Balance of Performance' in the 2013 season will once again lie solely with the German Motorsport Association (DMSB).

Also undergoing some changes next season are the driver classifications and the handicap weights. Drivers will continue to be classified by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) on a scale reflecting track record: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. The driver classification in the ADAC GT Masters will be essentially similar but will have only three categories: Professionals (equivalent to FIA Platinum and Gold), Semi-Professionals (equivalent to FIA Silver) and Gentlemen (equivalent to FIA Bronze). "With the Platinum and Gold categories, we are talking about fully professional drivers in both cases," says ADAC Head of Motorsport Division Lars Soutschka. "It has been our experience over the past few years that, when you put them all in GT3 sports cars, there are rarely any significant differences in performance. Platinum drivers such as ex-Formula 1 contestants Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Karl Wendlinger were carrying far too big a handicap under the previous regulations and were consequently discriminated against in sporting terms. The new rule is much fairer without compromising the spirit of the ADAC GT Masters."

To uphold the principle of sporting fairness, weight handicaps will once again be applied to driver pairings in accordance with their driver classifications. Two Professionals sharing a car will carry a 40kg handicap (previously 60 kilos). In the case of Semi-Professionals and Gentlemen, the sliding scale of handicaps means that they can enjoy a weight advantage of up to 40 kilos.

The former Amateur class of the ADAC GT Masters now goes into the 2013 season under a new name. All drivers in the Bronze category will be competing against each other in the Gentleman class which is worth EUR75,000 in prize money. If two Bronze drivers share one car, their points will be multiplied by a factor of 1.5. Competitors appearing on the podium in next year's Gentleman class will be joined by their higher-ranked co-driver.

"The improvements in the 2013 regulations will ensure fairer competition and even more exciting racing," says Lars Soutschka confidently. "Fans watching the action at the track or at home can look forward to a great season ahead. All races will be shown on TV again in 2013. The live broadcasts of the ADAC GT Masters since 2010 have been an important contributory factor in the rise to prominence of the series. We would like to maintain this momentum in 2013." Details about TV coverage in the forthcoming season will be announced shortly.

Registration for the 2013 ADAC GT Masters 2013 has already begun. Teams signing up before 15th December benefit from attractive discounted rates. Registrations can only be accepted online. Visit www.adac.de/motorsport.

As usual, the 2013 ADAC GT Masters will be contested over 16 rounds on eight race weekends. The Super Sports Car League will be making debut appearances in 2013 at the Formula 1 circuit in Spa-Francorchamps and at the Slovakiaring in Slovakia. The curtain-raiser for the seventh ADAC GT Masters season takes place on the weekend of 26th - 28th April at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.




 

The ADAC GT Masters will once again be shown live on TV in 2013			The Amateur class has been re-designated as 'Gentlemen'			The 2013 ADAC GT Masters promises to be even more exciting			Adjustments to the vehicle classification should ensure greater equality of opportunity

ADAC GT Masters website press section: ADAC GT Masters Web

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


Media Contact:

ADAC GT Masters
Oliver Runschke

Porsche Race Manager turns 80 Porsche congratulates Peter Falk on 80th birthday

Porsche Race Manager turns 80

Porsche congratulates Peter Falk on 80th birthday

Stuttgart. Former Porsche engineer and race manager Peter Falk will be marking his 80th birthday on 27 November 2012. Peter Falk was a Porsche AG employee for more than three decades. Not only did he play a vital role in the development of many legendary sports and racing cars such as the Porsche 917, as racing director he was also primarily responsible for the greatest successes of the Porsche 956/962 in the Group C Sports Car category.

In 1959 Peter Falk began his career with Porsche as a young road testing engineer in the vehicle testing department. There he not only played a crucial role in the development of the original 911, he was also behind the wheel for the first race of the brand-new Porsche 911, taking a very respectable fifth overall at the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally with co-driver Herbert Linge. In the following years, many race car types from the 906 all the way to the 917 were designed under his responsibility as the head of pre-series and race car development with which Porsche established itself among the leaders in international motor racing.

From 1973 to 1981 Peter Falk was the head of road testing for series development of the 911, 924 and 928 models. His special areas of expertise were bodywork and transmissions as well as track testing and endurance tests. As the head of racing development and racing director, starting in 1982 Peter Falk was responsible for the highly successful era of Group C 956 and 962 sports-prototype racing cars. With seven overall Le Mans wins and eleven world championship titles, this racing car project proved to be the most successful in company history. Two overall victories at the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1984 and 1986 were additional high points in his career.

As the head of chassis development, from 1989 until his retirement in 1993 Peter Falk was responsible for many successful vehicle projects. He thus had a key role in the development of the 911 derivative 993 as well as advance development of the 911 derivative 996 and Porsche Boxster. Peter Falk also remained very active in the motoring world after his retirement. In addition to his work as a participant in and organiser of classic car rallies, Peter Falk is high in demand as an interview partner on automotive topics.

Communication Porsche AG
Porsche Museum
Astrid Böttinger

Junior Programme Porsche supports four juniors in the 2013 season

Junior Programme

Porsche supports four juniors in the 2013 season

Stuttgart. Alex Riberas Bou (18) from Spain and America’s Connor de Phillippi (19) are the new Porsche juniors for the 2013 racing season. The two young hot shots, who have already achieved successes in karting and various Formula race series, will contest the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2013. After their excellent performance this past season, the Austrian Klaus Bachler (21) and Michael Christensen (22) from Denmark will receive support from Porsche again in 2013 as Porsche Juniors competing in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Porsche supplies the four rookie drivers with the bulk of their budgets and provides coaching for the talented youngsters on and off the track.

In an extensive selection process, Alex Riberas Bou and Connor de Phillippi came out on top against young pilots from all over the world. Factors taken into account were fitness, mental strength and technical understanding. At the finale on the race track in Vallelunga (Italy), the best six candidates had to prove they could work alongside engineers, drive consistent times over a race distance as well as underline their speed in qualifying laps on fresh tyres.

“The decision was a very exciting one,” says Porsche Head of Racing, Hartmut Kristen. “The finalists were all on an impressive level. In order to select the two candidates with the greatest potential, our engineers carefully examined every single lap. Both Alex Riberas Bou and Connor de Phillippi have the talent necessary to be successful in the sports car scene and to follow in the footsteps of Klaus Bachler and Michael Christensen. Our current Porsche works drivers have shown that the Carrera Cup is an excellent platform for a professional international career.”

The Porsche Juniors themselves will choose the teams with whom they want to contest the Carrera Cup Deutschland. On and off the track, the pilots receive assistance similar to the internationally successful Porsche factory drivers. Fitness tests with constantly adapted training plans as well as media coaching and sponsor obligations are also part of the programme.

Alex Riberas Bou comes from Barcelona in Spain. As a child he initially played soccer for FC Barcelona, and then went on to secure his first successes in kart racing at the age of 13. In 2010, he switched to the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and immediately pocketed second in the rookie classification. For the 2011 and 2012 seasons, he established himself as one of the top drivers in the highly competitive Formula series. Aside from soccer, motocross, trial, skiing and squash, the Spaniard is an avid fan of historic Porsche vehicles.

“My biggest dream has come true. I’ve always been a huge Porsche fan,” says the 18-year-old junior pilot. “Although I’ve only raced karts and Formula cars until now, I immediately felt at home at the wheel of the Porsche 911. I can’t wait for the 2013 season and the things I will learn over the winter months from Porsche and my future team.”

Connor de Phillippi lives in the Californian town of San Clemente south of Los Angeles. He began racing karts at the age of five and over the course of the next nine years he notched up 21 national championships. In 2008 he made the jump to Formula racing. Straightaway, he secured the title in the Skip Barber West Coast Series and became champion of the Skip Barber National Championship in 2009. In 2010 the American with Italian roots took the next step on the career ladder and concluded the Formula Star Mazda series ranking third overall. 2011 yielded him vice-championship honours followed by third overall in 2012. Not surprisingly, the dark-haired Californian coast resident loves wake boarding and body surfing in his spare time. On land, Connor de Phillippi keeps himself in top shape on the bike and snowboard.

“It’s unbelievable to now be a part of this programme,” says de Phillippi. “It’s a huge step for me to now race in Europe. But as everyone knows, there is no better school in GT racing than to pit yourself against the top specialists in the Carrera Cup Deutschland. Porsche works driver Patrick Long also took this route. He is one of my biggest role model. I hope to be his teammate one day.”

Klaus Bachler and Michael Christensen now move into the second stage of the Porsche junior support programme concept. For next season, the pair is promoted to the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as support to Formula 1. Bachler concluded his maiden season in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland ranking eighth in the championship and secured a podium result at his home race in Austria. Christensen claimed third place on the Lausitzring and crowned his season with a victory at the finale in Hockenheim. This earned the Dane seventh place in the championship.

“I’m very pleased that Klaus Bachler and Michael Christensen quickly earned their stripes in the Carrera Cup Deutschland,” says Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche racing. “Both show huge potential and are following the path that we had hoped for in our Junior Programme. Their learning curve is steep. I’m certain they will also enjoy success in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup.”


Communication Porsche AG
Motorsport Press
Oliver Hilger

McLaren GT strengthens engineering team

British manufacturer welcomes high-calibre recruits
McLaren GT strengthens engineering team

The GT3 department at McLaren has laid down a marker for the 2013 season with the recruitment of three top engineers.

McLaren GT, the sports car di

vision of the successful Formula 1 outfit, is showing serious intent in the GT3 category. The company has strengthened its engineering team prior to the second full season for the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 by signing three top names in the sport: Andrew Bailey is transferring from McLaren Formula 1 to become race manager in the sports car department; Ian Morgan has been poached from Red Bull Racing as Head of Engineering; and Tim White is coming across from Lotus to develop the 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine of the 12C. The three new arrivals have set up shop at the McLaren GT headquarters, the former F1 factory building which is not far from the McLaren Technology Centre where the Formula 1 cars are currently built.

"I am delighted to welcome three such high-profile additions to the team," says McLaren GT Director Andrew Kirkaldy. "Their track record in various competitions at the highest level of motor racing speaks for itself. It is a great coup for us to get them on board at the end of a very challenging but also highly successful debut season. I am confident that all three will be a great addition to our team as we make our preparations for another successful season in 2013."

McLaren GT has delivered a total of 25 MP4-12C GT3s to customers throughout Europe. Competing in various racing series, the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 has so far notched up 19 wins.

The 2012 ADAC GT Masters season saw two teams line up in the British supercar: Gemballa Racing and MRS GT-Racing. Philipp Eng demonstrated the speed credentials of the McLaren by securing a pole position at the Red Bull Ring. The best result of the season for the MP4-12C came with a fifth-place finish for Sascha Bert and Christopher Brück in the second race at the circuit in Austria. 

(ADAC GT Masters)

Porsche 911 Carrera and Panamera win "Auto Trophy" Top ranks for Porsche in important reader survey

Porsche 911 Carrera and Panamera win "Auto Trophy"

Top ranks for Porsche in important reader survey

Stuttgart. The success story of the Porsche 911 Carrera goes on. Now, the readers of Auto Zeitung were also convinced. The innovative sports car was recognised as the best car in its class on the occasion of the 25th "Auto Trophy" award. This is the 19th time, making the Porsche 911 the most successful car in the history of the "Auto Trophy". Also high on the podium at this year's readers' choice of Auto Zeitung is the four-door Gran Turismo by Porsche AG. The Panamera came first in the luxury-car category. Three further second places in their respective classes for the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, the 911 Turbo, and the Cayenne round off this success story. Matthias Müller, President and CEO of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, accepted the prize for the Porsche 911 Carrera in Düsseldorf, presented by Volker Koerdt, Chief Editor of Auto Zeitung. Wolfgang Hatz, Member of the Executive Board Research and Development, accepted the award for the Panamera.

Around 111,000 readers of Auto Zeitung in Germany took part in the vote. There was a total of 400 vehicles in 29 classes to choose from. The Porsche 911 Carrera won the sports car category by a wide margin to the closest competitors.

Product and Technology Communication
Product Communication
Holger Eckhardt