User Rating: / 0
PoorBest 

Porsche with clear lead in title race

Stuttgart. After five victories so far this season with the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR in the American Le Mans Series, Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) are on a steady title course. The Porsche works drivers are eager to make another step towards winning the championship in the GT class, when the race series with the world’s fastest sports cars takes off on the Mosport International Raceway in Bowmanville on the outskirts of the Canadian city of Toronto.

Title defender Joerg Bergmeister travels to Canada’s oldest race track with its many fast corners with mixed feelings. On the 4.102 kilometre circuit, he celebrated three victories with Porsche between 2003 and 2005, but still says: “There are tracks that suit us better.” The main priority at the third to last race of the season is to defend the comfortable points’ lead. “Our strongest rivals for the title are Jaime Melo and Pierre Kaffer with the Ferrari. We want to cross the finish line ahead of them. If we can do this, like in Elkhart Lake recently, then we won’t even mind if we don’t win. A podium result should be possible though.”

This confidence approaching the end of the season comes after a great deal of hard work on the part of the clear points’ leaders starting for the Flying Lizard Motorsports team. With five straight wins against strong competition from Ferrari, BMW and the Chevrolet Corvettes they not only equalled the GT record in the American Le Mans Series, but also secured an excellent starting position for the closing stages of the series. Patrick Long: “Thanks to the reliability of the 911 GT3 RSR and our team’s perfect work we are in an excellent position. We will do everything to make sure we have something to celebrate after the season finale.

The title favourites receive support from their teammates Darren Law (USA) and Seth Neiman (USA), who share driving duties in the second Porsche 911 GT3 RSR run by Flying Lizard Motorsports. For Farnbacher Loles Racing, Porsche works driver Wolf Henzler (Germany) and Dirk Werner (Germany) will race another 911 GT3 RSR.

The Porsche RS Spyder of the US team Cytosport, which crowned its excitedly anticipated comeback in the LMP2 class with two podium places from two races, will rejoin the action at the ten hour Petit Le Mans classic on the time-honoured Road Atlanta circuit.

The race in Mosport starts on Sunday, 20 August, at 15.00 hours local time (21.00 hour CEST) and runs over 2.45 hours.



Facts and Figures

This is the American Le Mans Series

The American Le Mans Series was created in 1999 for sports prototypes and GT vehicles. The regulations correspond to those of the Le Mans 24 hour race. Ten races in the USA and Canada make up this year’s calendar. Traditional highlights are the Sebring 12 hour race and the 1,000 mile “Petit Le Mans” at Road Atlanta. Most races run over 2:45 hours.

The starter field is made up of two different race car categories: Sports prototypes and standard sports cars. These are divided into four classes:
LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 750 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms. Power to weight ratio: ca. 1.2 kg/hp.
LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with around 440 hp (normally aspirated engine) and an 825 kilogram minimum weight. Power to weight ratio: ca. 1.8 kg/hp.
GT1 class: Heavily modified standard sports cars with up to 650 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 to 1,325 kilograms.
GT2 class: Slightly modified standard sports cars with approx. 450 hp and a minimum weight of 1,125 – 1,325 kilograms (e.g. Porsche 911 GT3 RSR).

All race cars start together but are classified separately. Points are awarded only for placings in each class. After 2006 and 2007, Porsche again won the championship titles in the LMP2 class last year for Drivers (Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas) as well as for Chassis and Engine Manufacturer and for Teams (Penske Racing) with the RS Spyder. In the GT2 class, Porsche secured the championship titles for Drivers (Joerg Bergmeister/Wolf Henzler) as well as for Manufacturers and Teams (Flying Lizard Motorsports) in 2008 with the 911 GT3 RSR.