2015 WEC/ELMS&TUSC news.

[Rob]

RISI COMPETIZIONE - CONTINENTAL TIRE ROAD RACE SHOWCASE
ROAD AMERICA PRE-RACE REPORT

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT No. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA), Pierre Kaffer (DEU)

Houston, Texas (August 5, 2015)...The popular Risi Competizione Ferrari team is no stranger to the 14-turn, 4.048-mile/6.515 kilometer Road America circuit. The Houston, Texas-based team will be making their 12th appearance at the scenic Wisconsin road course this week for the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase, August 7-9, a two-hour and 40-minute race, that is Round 9 of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

Risi Competizione, with drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer, were the 2014 GTLM class winners at Road America. The duo started ninth on the grid and gradually made their way up to the fifth position before the final pit stop, where the accomplished Risi Team bested their competitors to be first out of the pits and maintained that position all the way to the checkered flag. The duo returns to defend their win this year in the Ferrari 458 Italia, in its fourth consecutive appearance at the classic Midwestern road race circuit.

In addition to competing at the beautiful circuit a dozen times, Risi Competizione actually brought a two-car team on six occasions, having totalled 17 entries since 2000. In addition to last year's victory, Risi Competizione drivers have stood on the top step of the Road America podium two other times, in 2011 with Jaime Melo and Toni Vilander in a Ferrari 458 Italia, and in 2007 with Melo and Mika Salo in the Ferrari 430. An additional four podium finishes (2000 with Eric van de Poele and Mimmo Schiatarella in a Ferrari 333SP (2nd) and Schiatarella and Ralf Kelleners in a second Ferrari 333SP for 3rd the same year; 2003 with Kelleners and Anthony Lazzaro in the Ferrari 360 (2nd); and 2005 with Andrea Bertolini and Raffaele De Simone in a Maserati MC 12 (3rd), add to Risi Competizione's illustrious history at the historic circuit that celebrates 60 years of racing this season.

Fisichella will be making only his second appearance at Road America this year, while Kaffer will be competing for the fourth time, all in racing efforts with Risi Competizione. In addition to his victory last year, Kaffer's record includes a 5th place finish in 2009 with Melo and a 7th place finish in 2010 with Salo, both efforts in the Ferrari 430.

The Risi Team is currently fifth in the GTLM team championship and has two podiums this season, second place at both Sebring and Long Beach, and four Top Five finishes, in six races so far this season. Risi Ferrari drivers Giancarlo Fischella and Pierre Kaffer are tied for fifth in the GTLM driver's championship.

In the past eleven races the Risi Competizione team, with the Fisichella/Kaffer pairing, has collected five podiums (including victories at Road America and VIR in 2014) and three second-place finishes (Indy in 2014 and Sebring and Long Beach in 2015). They also have two poles (Indianapolis 2014 with Fisichella and VIR 2014 with Kaffer). The team is hoping to turn their long Road America track history into a victory this weekend.


(L-R): Pierre Kaffer, Dave 'Beaky' Sims, Giancarlo Fisichella
PIERRE KAFFER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione Driver:
You and Giancarlo celebrated your first victory together for Risi Competizione at Road America last year. Tell us about that experience and now returning to the same track.
"Last year we had such an unbelievable race. All our pit stop practice and driver change practice paid off and the crew
did an unbelievable job. We were so happy to reward Giuseppe Risi with a victory finally because he has been so patient and brave to compete against the factory teams in the GTLM category. To beat them in the pits last year made us all very proud for him. We have continued to practice our pit stops and driver change all this year so we are hopeful it will pay off for us again at Road America."

GIANCARLO FISICHELLA, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione Driver:
You and Pierre celebrated your first victory together for Risi Competizione at Road America last year. Tell us about that experience and now returning to the same track.
"I have such a good memory of this race last year. We had a good car we thought we could fight for a podium but we did not expect to win. We pitted in fifth place and came out in first and Pierre was able to keep that position right until the end of the race. It was special for everyone to get that victory. We would all like to have a repeat and be back on the podium this year."

DAVE SIMS, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Team Manager:
The Risi Competizione Team has been racing at Road America since 2000 and in 11 race events the team has entered five different car types (Ferrari 458, 430, 360, 333 SP and Maserati MC12) and has claimed 3 class victories (2007, 2011, and 2014), 7 podiums, and 1 pole position. What is it about Road America that makes it a good track for the Risi team?

"Road America is a beautiful American track with a lot of history. I think this is their 60th year so that's many decades of racing. The Risi Competizione team has performed relatively well over the years and I think it narrows down to getting the setup right fairly early in the race weekend, which is particularly important at the sprint races. Getting the downforce configuration right for the long straights, as well as for the 'Kink' and 'Carousel' is key. Somehow we seem to get that sorted well at Road America. Of course, we've always had good pit stop because we have the same guys year after year and that's an advantage."

Last year Road America was the site of the Risi Competizione team's first victory of the 2014 season. The team has been on the podium twice this year, do you think you can get to the top step this weekend?
"We would sure like to. I'm afraid we need a better BoP (Balance of Performance) for the Ferrari if we are going to win this season. We will try to do a good job on pit stops and qualify in a good starting position. Last year we were able to win at Road America after a few mechanical issues with other cars and beating teams out of the pits with great pit stops. We need to do that again this weekend to be a contender."

Practice for the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase race begins at 12:00 p.m. CDT on Friday, August 7. GTLM class qualifying is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday and will stream live on IMSA.com. Sunday's two-hour and 40-minute race goes green at 2:05 p.m. CDT.

Tune-In Information:
Live coverage of the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase is on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, August 9 from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. EDT. Live timing and scoring is available for all on-track sessions at IMSA.com and on the IMSA Smartphone app.

[Rob]

Scuderia Corsa Looking Forward to Road America.

After challenging Lime Rock, team is ready for challenge of Road America.

Scuderia Corsa and drivers sit ten points behind championship lead.

August 5, 2015 (Los Angeles, Calif.) - The Road America circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin is a favorite for most drivers in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and it is no different for the drivers of the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia, Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell.

Despite their underwhelming finish at the previous race at Lime Rock, where the Ferrari was damaged in an incident, Scuderia Corsa is only ten points out of the lead in the team championship while Sweedler and Bell are the same distance behind the driver's championship. Showcasing how competitive the GT-Daytona field is, there are four teams within ten points of the championship lead.

"Road America is an unbelievable race track, and it's one that I really look forward to each year," said Sweedler. "Townsend and I had a pretty good, trouble-free run together at Road America last season. At the time, the rules were really holding the Ferrari back on pace but the car was very good as the race went on. We have a little bit of a similar situation this time at Road America but if we can stay out of trouble and get the most out of our Scuderia Corsa Ferrari, we'll have a really strong finish and a good day in the points."

Bell is also excited to compete this weekend at Road America, a circuit where he has competed in multiple racing series and particularly enjoys in a Ferrari.

"No matter what the situation, every driver looks forward to racing at Road America," said Bell. "It's one of the best circuits in North America with fast, challenging corners - exactly where you'd like to race a well-balanced car like the Ferrari. This could be a track that really suits us right now, and we'll have to take advantage of that. We've had a couple of races where we had really bad luck but we are still right in the championship mix."

Taking advantage of the strengths of the Ferrari will be important for the team as it aims to move closer to the GT-Daytona championship lead.

Road America Technical Analysis - Joe LaJoie, Engineer of the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia

Road America is another track with lots of history going back to the 1940's. It used to be six miles, and it remains just over four miles long. Overall, the track has several performance challenges with at least three long and start straights, at least three big braking zones, elevation changes, and turns that are low, medium, and high speed. It takes a good compromise of overall balance, gears, downforce and drag to get a good lap time. Strategically, one must pay careful attention to the fuel. The last turn is at the bottom of a hill, and if you run low on fuel there you may not make it back to the pits!

Turn One - This is a significant brake zone and is relatively fast at 80mph. The best guys can pass here.

Turn Three - Slightly slower than turn one. The car should exit well here for the second longest straightaway.

Turn Five - The second longest straightaway can be as fast as the main straightaway and leads into one of the slowest corners on the track making it an important brake zone. It can be a good place to pass if the car can handle the initial bumpy brake zone and then trail brake in deep. If the car is good on the curbs, the apex and exit curbs can be used. Good slow-speed traction will help you up the hill to turn six.

Turn Seven - Hurry Downs is close to 100mph. A well-balanced car will help the driver minimize his throttle lift and get down to turn eight quickly.

Turn Eight - The slowest corner on the track leads into the important Carousel.

Turn Nine to 10 - the Carousel is a fast, long right-handed sweeper that leads to the back straight. The turn requires good support, good balance, and the proper differential settings to allow the driver to squeeze the throttle and accelerate.

Turn 11 - The Kink is a little bit like turn seven but considerably faster and more important. The car is going well over 110mph, and any mistake can put you in the guardrail and probably out of the race. Go too slow and you will get passed at turn 12.

Turn 12 - This is Canada Corner, another great place to pass. After the third fastest straight, the bumpy brake zone has a dog leg to the left Trail braking is a great advantage here. Good power down is required to keep cars behind you and get up the hill and over the paddock tunnel.

Turn 14 - This is the last turn, which comes onto the main straight. The entry is a little tricky because of how the track leads into the turn. If the car is good on curbs, the apex and exit curbs can be used to go quicker.

Front straightaway - It is long and uphill, and the car needs to be aerodynamically efficient to get good top speed. The gearing and power must be good to get up the hill quickly.

The Continental Tire Road Race Showcase will be broadcast live on Sunday, August 9 at 3:00 PM ET on FOX Sports 1 with qualifying streamed live on Saturday, August 8 at 4:35 PM ET at IMSA.com.

[Rob]

NISSAN WITHDRAWS FROM 6 HOURS OF NURBURGRING

Nissan today announced that it will delay its return to the LMP1 class of the World Endurance Championship and instead focus on technical issues that challenged its race team during the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Issues with the energy recovery system (ERS) meant that Nissan had to run at the Le Mans 24 Hours on engine power alone. The bespoke Nissan V6 3-litre twin turbo petrol engine and the unique aerodynamics of the GT-R LM NISMO proved to be the main strengths of the car at Le Mans but without a fully working ERS, many of the car’s other systems were compromised.

“We know people will be disappointed but be assured that nobody is more disappointed than us,” said Shoichi Miyatani, President of NISMO. “We are racers and we want to compete but we also want to be competitive. That is why we have chosen to continue our test programme and prepare the GT-R LM NISMO for the strong competition we face in the World Endurance Championship. When you innovate you don’t give up at the first hurdle. We are committed to overcoming this challenge.”

[Rob]

RISI COMPETIZIONE TAKES THIRD PODIUM FINISH OF THE SEASON IN GTLM: ROAD AMERICA POST-RACE REPORT.

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT No. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA), Pierre Kaffer (DEU)

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (August 9, 2015)...The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia team had a battle to the finish in today's IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Continental Tire Road Race Showcase race at Road America and were awarded with a third place finish.

The story of the GTLM class race was a conventional Porsche vs. Ferrari fight. The popular Houston, Texas-based Risi Competizione Ferrari Team was the classic privateer entry against the mighty two-car Porsche factory team, in a 'David versus Goliath' battle. Help from the experienced Risi Competizione 'army' (pit crew), who were cheered for their incredibly quick under 15-second pit stops for four tires and fuel, aided in today's successful podium finish.



Risi Competizione qualifying/starting driver Italian Giancarlo Fisichella started from the third position on the grid and rotated between the top three positions throughout his 90-minute stint of the two hour and 40 minute race. Although the No. 912 Porsche, then No. 911 Porsche lead the majority of the race, Fisichella and teammate Pierre Kaffer, worked hard to keep the third-place Porsche in their mirrors.

Former Formula One driver Fisichella pitted on Lap 40 of the 76-lap race in the lead and turned the Ferrari 458 Italia over to his German co-driver, Kaffer, who took it back into the lead when the Porsche pitted and drove in that position until the Risi team did a final quick splash of fuel on Lap 56.

While the No. 911 Porsche of Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy took the lead to the finish, Kaffer and No. 912 Porsche driver Jorg Bergmeister went nose-to-tail for the final 14 laps. Kaffer held off the hard charge until his nearly double stinted Michelin tires could no longer maintain against the newer Michelin's of Bergmeister, who passed him on the final lap for second place.

The No. 62 Risi Competizione third place finish was also 15th overall in the 33-car field. Provisional GTLM Team Championship points show the Risi Ferrari team still in fifth place, just two points shy of the No. 24 BMW Team RLL team. The No. 3 Corvette leads, followed by No. 25 BMW RLL and the No. 911 Porsche. Fisichella and Kaffer maintain fifth place in the GTLM Driver's Championship as well.



GIANCARLO FISICHELLA, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione starting driver:
"It was a very tough race, but our pace was very good and car balance was good as well. Porsche was actually a bit quicker than us and very consistent all the way through. The team did fantastic pits tops and strategy. We could have finished second until the end. Just in the last corner, the Porsche, with the fresher tires, overtook Pierre, who was on the limit. It's a great result. All the team did the best they could do. There wasn't any more we could do. We're looking forward to the next race."

PIERRE KAFFER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione driver:
"Today it was team result. I think it was everything we had and everything we could achieve. The pit stops and the crew were awesome. Giancarlo did a great first and second stint and my stint was perfect. For the last pit stop we gambled and we kept our tires and maintained track position and I did everything I could to keep the Porsche behind me. In the end there was no rubber left on my tires and he just accelerated better than we could and there was just nothing we could do. We finished third and we are really pleased and I think the last half hour was our show and that's how motorsports should be -- hard but fair. This time we finished third, but next time we fight again for the victory. Thanks again to my team and to Giuseppe (Risi)."

RICK MAYER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
"It was an interesting race today. We finished third, better than we anticipated. I was thinking we wouldn't be as competitive as we were, but it was a really good race for us. The new Michelin tire suited the Ferrari well. Pierre was on some really, really old tires at the end and we had to try that strategy to keep the Porsche behind us. We had nothing more left at the end. The Porsches were quick all weekend and pretty much dominated, so third for us is a huge win and winning the DEKRA award for the fourth time this year is another feather in our cap. The Risi crew had great stops and spent less time in the pits than any other car in the field. Hats off to them for putting the car in a position to finish well"



DAVE SIMS, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Team Manager:
"It was a brilliant race. The pit stops were fantastic again, and both drivers were on it, doing equal times and they pushed all afternoon. The car behaved itself and tires were good from Michelin. Finishing P3, and being P2 up until the last lap, was great. He just couldn't hold on to it much longer without something going off. Pierre did a wonderful job at the end. Fisichella, in the first stint, was absolutely magic. The first pit stop was 14.8 second, which was fantastic!"

The No. 62 Risi Competizione team will compete next at VIRginia International Raceway in the Oak Tree Grand Prix on Sunday, August 23. This event marks the eighth round of competition on the IMSA TUDOR Championship's GTLM class schedule. Live coverage of the Oak Tree Grand Prix begins at 1:00 p.m. EDT on FOX Sports 1.

[Rob]

Tudor United SportsCar Championship, GTLM and GTD Round 9 of 12, Continental Tire Road Race Showcase

Team Porsche North America 911 RSRs finish One-Two in GTLM at the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase at Road America

Plymouth, Wisconsin August 9, 2015. Today’s One-Two GT Le Mans (GTLM) class victory at the Continental Tire Road Race Showcase makes it three in a row for Porsche and the venerable 911 RSR, after customer Falken Tire’s win at Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen in June and the factory-prepared 911 RSR effort at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park three weeks ago. Team Porsche North America’s first and second place GTLM class finish moves Porsche into the lead in the TUDOR Untied Sports Car GTLM Manufacture championship battle.

The No. 911 Team Porsche North America 911 RSR, driven by Factory drivers Nick Tandy (co-winner with Bamber at Le Mans) and Patrick Pilet started the race from the rear of the field, after fitting a fresh engine into the rear of their iconic 911 sports car after qualifying. The pair drove through the GT Daytona (GTD) field as well as the GTLM field to take the checkered flag, 2 hours and 40 minutes later.

Porsche factory driver Earl Bamber put the No. 912 Team Porsche North America 911 RSR on the class pole yesterday in qualifying, breaking the track record in the process. Recent 24 Hours of Le Mans overall winner Bamber, shares the team No. 912 with Factory Driver Jörg Bergmeister, whose last-lap pass of the lone Ferrari in the GTLM field secured the one-two Porsche finish.


Falken Tire’s 911 RSR, the sole customer 911 RSR team in North America had a strong run for most of the contest. Porsche Factory Driver Wolf Henzler and Bryan Sellers were running as high as third, before falling back at the end and finishing in eighth position.

In the GTD class, the No. 73 Park Place Porsche 911 GT America finished on the podium in third position after starting from the pole for the second time this year. The Dallas, Texas based team with drivers Patrick Lindsay and Spencer Pumpelly was the highest finishing Porsche.

Quotes:

Jens Walther, President and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America:

Today's one-two finish in the GTLM class by the Porsche North America team was truly a group effort, and is, of course, great to see. The GTLM class competition is among the best and closest motorsport racing in the world, and the battle for second place with the Risi Ferrari team shows it. Our customer teams battled all day, with Park Place Porsche scoring a strong podium finish, with Magnus Racing narrowly missing it with their fifth place finish. I couldn't be more proud of all the efforts shown.

Marco Ujhasi, Product Manager 911 RSR:

How would I describe today’s race? A single word: awesome. Not just today, but the whole weekend was definitely awesome from everyone involved. We had good sessions all the time. We had a very good qualifying with the No. 912. And we had an awesome start of the race for No. 911, starting from behind and passing all the GTD cars in one lap. It’s fantastic. And to end up 1-2 with a great move from Jörg on the last lap, that’s how racing should be, especially for Porsche.


Patrick Pilet, Porsche Factory Driver:
Actually it was a crazy weekend. We started really well, always in front in practice. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the car during qualifying, so I couldn’t do a fast lap. We changed the engine just to be safe for the race. It was a good choice, I had a pretty interesting first stint because I had to push really hard in the first lap because I knew I had to overtake the GTD cars as fast as possible just to be close to the GTLM class. They were fighting a lot in front of me and I could catch up pretty easily. I had a really good car on the brakes, so in a straight line I couldn’t overtake, so I could overtake in many strange spots where normally you can’t overtake. I had a really good feeling with the car, so I just managed the tires. Everything went perfectly, we had a yellow at the right time and the strategy was good.

Nick Tandy, Porsche Factory Driver:
At Mosport, we had a completely perfect weekend. We were fast in practice, we got the pole, we led from the front of the race, and we won. And if I’m being honest, I can say we had almost another perfect weekend. We had a small problem in qualifying, but apart from this, we’ve executed perfectly as a team. And this shows in our performance. Everyone is confident heading into the weekends now. It started with Watkins Glen, continued at Mosport, and now again at Road America. It just snowballs into more and more confidence for the team and everyone associated with us. It’s just a really, really nice place to be at the moment.

Jörg Bergmeister:

Our race started a bit behind, as we had to pit early because the front hood was loose. Then, we lost a lot of time on the out lap because the tires were taking a while to come up to temperature. On the last lap, I just tried it (the pass on No. 62 Ferrari). Pierre made a small mistake at Canada Corner and I had a slightly better exit so I could put my nose ahead. I did not leave him too much space, so we touched a little bit. But at the end I was so far ahead that he spun. On the return lap, he showed me the thumbs up, so he thought it was fair, and I thought it was fair too.


GTLM Results:

1. No. 911 Porsche 911 RSR, Nick Tandy (Great Britain)/Patrick Pilet (France)

2. No. 912 Porsche 911 RSR, Jörg Bergmeister (Germany)/Earl Bamber (New Zealand)

3. No. 62 Ferrari F458 Italia, Pierre Kaffer (Germany)/Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy)

4. No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Jan Magnusson (Denmark)/Antonio Garcia (Spain)

5. No. 25 BMW Z4 GTE, Dirk Werner (Germany)/Bill Auberlen (USA)

6. No. 24 BMW Z4 GTE, Lucas Luhr (Germany)/John Edwards (USA)

7. No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R, Oliver Gavin (Great Britain)/Tommy Milner (USA)

8. No. 17 Porsche 911 RSR, Bryan Sellers (USA)/Wolf Henzler (Germany)

GTD Results:


1. No. 33 Dodge Viper SRT, Ben Keating (USA)/Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands)

2. No. 007 Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Christina Nielsen (Denmark)/Kuno Wittmer (Canada)

3. No. 73 Porsche 911 GT America, Patrick Lindsey (USA)/Spencer Pumpelly (USA)

4. No. 63 Ferrari 458 Italia, Bill Sweedler (USA)/Townsend Bell (USA)

5. No. 44 Porsche 911 GT America, John Potter (USA)/Andy Lally (USA)

6. No. 48 Audi R8 LMS, Christopher Haase (Germany)/Dion von Moltke (USA)

7. No. 22 Porsche 911 GT America, Cooper MacNeil (USA)/Leh Keen (USA)

8. No. 23 Porsche 911 GT America, Ian James (USA)/Mario Farnbacher (Germany)

###

[Rob]

Hard-Fought Fourth in Road America for Scuderia Corsa.

Team advances to third position in championship after fourth-place finish at Road America

August 10, 2015 (Elkhart Lake, Wis.) - Utilizing pit strategy to perfection, Scuderia Corsa maximized its day at Road America when drivers Bill Sweedler and Townsend Bell drove the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia to a fourth place finish in Sunday afternoon's TUDOR United SportsCar Championship race.

Fourth place allows the team to jump one position in the GT-Daytona team and driver's championship. Now in third place, the deficit to the championship leader has also been reduced by one point, to nine. It is a small reduction but represents the team's motto of
"Never Give Up" as they chase the GT-Daytona championship.

With some of the team's championship competitors having an advantage on the long straightaways of Road America, Scuderia Corsa employed a strategy that made the most of the fuel mileage and handling of the Ferrari 458 Italia and would allow Bell to race to the checkered flag without the need to conserve fuel. As different strategies began to play out after the race's only full-course caution, Sweedler took the Ferrari as high as second position in class.

"We knew that with the long straightaways here at Road America, we would have a difficult time keeping pace with some of the other GT-Daytona cars that have a significant horsepower advantage over us," said Sweedler. "So the team put us on a strategy that was perhaps a little bit on the safe side, but would allow us to be at full speed at the finish of the race and not have to save fuel. It put us in a good spot and allowed us to have a good points day. This is such a close championship, every point counts and the Scuderia Corsa boys helped us get the most out of today."

Bell's afternoon behind the Ferrari was spent mostly without many competitors around, until the final stages of the race. At the checkered flag, Bell missed the team's second podium of the season by 5.6 seconds.

"For most of my stint, I was kind of on my own just clicking off laps and minimizing the time losses when we were getting lapped by the prototypes," said Bell. "And then at the end, all of a sudden, I found myself battling for position with two other cars and I was able to make a pass and move up one spot. I was hit by one prototype car and, unfortunately, brought back some battle scars on the Ferrari that the crew guys will have to fix again. But on the whole we are happy with the finish, happy with the points, and looking forward to getting closer to the championship lead next time out."

Three races remain in the championship, with the first four cars in the GT-Daytona class separated by ten points. Equally important for the team is the manufacturer's championship, in which Ferrari currently is in second position.

"It was a very positive weekend in which Scuderia Corsa gained a position, and made up points, in the championship," said Giacomo Mattioli, team owner of Scuderia Corsa. "Bill and Townsend each did a great job behind the wheel, and our guys did impeccable work in the pits all day. We are in the hunt for the championship and each person on our team is going to be giving their all in the final three races. We are looking forward to having a very strong weekend in Virginia."

The next round of the TUDOR Championship will be the Oak Tree Grand Prix at Virginia International Raceway on August 21-23. On the same weekend, the team will compete in the Pirelli World Challenge event at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah.

[Rob]

[Rob]

New Ferrari 488 GTE Tests

Ferrari’s brand-new twin-turbo V8-powered 488 chassis underwent its initial shakedown on Friday.

The replacement for the current naturally-aspirated F458 will continue testing this month as the car is prepared for the ACO/FIA’s World Endurance Championship, and IMSA’s Tudor United SportsCar Championship next season in their respective GTE and GT Le Mans classes.

Ferrari-488-GTE

“It ran yesterday for the first time; I’m going to jump in the car on the 27th of August, and I’m looking forward to it,” Risi Competizione driver Giancarlo Fisichella told IMSA Radio’s John Hindhaugh. “It looks like a fantastic car, it’s a beautiful car.”

Risi team manager Dave Sims added: “We won’t be involved in the test on the 27th, but we will be looking for the reports and [team owner] Giuseppe Risi should have an idea next week on where we’ll slot in after that with the car.”

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...gte-tests.html

[fratelliferrari]

New Ferrari 488 GTE Tests

Ferrari’s brand-new twin-turbo V8-powered 488 chassis underwent its initial shakedown on Friday.

The replacement for the current naturally-aspirated F458 will continue testing this month as the car is prepared for the ACO/FIA’s World Endurance Championship, and IMSA’s Tudor United SportsCar Championship next season in their respective GTE and GT Le Mans classes.

Ferrari-488-GTE

“It ran yesterday for the first time; I’m going to jump in the car on the 27th of August, and I’m looking forward to it,” Risi Competizione driver Giancarlo Fisichella told IMSA Radio’s John Hindhaugh. “It looks like a fantastic car, it’s a beautiful car.”

Risi team manager Dave Sims added: “We won’t be involved in the test on the 27th, but we will be looking for the reports and [team owner] Giuseppe Risi should have an idea next week on where we’ll slot in after that with the car.”

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...gte-tests.html

That's great Rob thanks for posting this! Can't wait to see this beauty flying around the tracks next year!

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
PARIS - 13 August 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,
GERMAN TEAMS AND DRIVERS HEAD TO NÜRBURGRING FOR FIRST WEC RACE AT HOME


On the 30 August eight cars and ten drivers will be flying the German flag at home as the World Endurance Championship will race in Germany for the first time at the historic Nürburgring.

In total 31 cars, representing 10 different nations, and 87 drivers, from 19 countries across the globe, will be competing at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring on the 28-30 August.

LMP1 will feature nine cars and 26 drivers, with German manufacturers Porsche and Audi looking for top honours at home with a pair of entries each. Six German drivers are listed in the LMP1 entry, with former World Champion and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner André Lotterer joining Marcel Fässler (CHE) and Benoît Tréluyer (FRA) in the no7 Audi Sport Team Joest R18 e-tron quattro.

Timo Bernhard and Marc Lieb will be racing for Porsche, Bernhard in the no17 919 Hybrid, which finished second at Le Mans in June with Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley, and Lieb in the no18 Porsche.

Reigning World Champions Toyota Racing have their headquarters in Cologne and the Japanese manufacturer will be hoping for a change in fortunes at the Nürburgring with their pair of TS040 HYBRIDS with reigning driver Champions Anthony Davidson (GBR) and Sébastien Buemi (CHE) being joined by Kazuki Nakajima (JPN) in the no1 Toyota.

Nick Heidfeld and Daniel Abt will be lining up for Swiss LMP1 Privateer team Rebellion Racing, which got its 2015 campaign underway at Le Mans having missed the races in Silverstone and Spa due to fitting the new AER engine to the R-One chassis. The team had a 1-2 in the LMP1 privateer class at Le Mans with Heidfeld standing on the top step with Nicolas Prost (FRA) and Mathias Beche (CHE). Abt will race in the no13 R-One with Austrian Dominik Kraihamer and Alexandre Imperatori (CHE).

Pierre Kaffer is the final German driver on the LMP1 grid and he will join Simon Trummer (CHE) once again in the no4 Team Bykolles CLM-AER from Austria.

The eight car LMP2 grid has no German teams or drivers but local interest will undoubtedly focus on British driver Nick Tandy after the British driver won the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans with Porsche. He returns to driving duties with LMP2 Le Mans winners KCMG, the Hong Kong-based team running the ORECA 05 – Nissan with Matt Howson (GBR) and Richard Bradley (GBR).

After finishing second at Silverstone with the no91 Porsche 911 and at Spa with the no92 car, Porsche Team Manthey will be hoping to score that elusive first win of the 2015 season in the LMGTE Pro class at home in Germany against the Aston Martins and Ferraris.

Stefan Mücke is the only home driver on the LMGTE Pro grid and the German will be racing the no97 Aston Martin Vantage with long term racing partner Darren Turner (GBR), with Jonathan Adam (GBR) providing support as the third driver.

In the LMGTE Am class there are two cars and three drivers racing under German colours. The no77 Dempsey-Proton Racing Porsche will be driven by Marco Seefried, who is sharing the driving duties with American duo Patrick Long and Hollywood star Patrick Dempsey. The trio had a successful outing at Le Mans, finishing 2nd in France and celebrating in style on the podium in front of thousands of racing fans.

Christian Ried will be joined by Khaled Al Qubaisi (ARE) and Klaus Bachler (AUT) in the no88 Abu Dhabi Proton Racing Porsche.

The tenth and final German driver on the grid for the 6 Hours of Nürburgring will be Roald Goethe, who is returning to racing after an accident at Le Mans in June which left him with two cracked vertebrae. However Goethe is determined to be back at the wheel of the no96 Aston Martin Racing Vantage alongside former FIA GT3 European Champion Francesco Castellacci (ITA) and 2013 FIA WEC LMGTE Am Driver Champion Stuart Hall (GBR).

full entry list...
http://www.fiawec.com/wpphpFichiers/...ring130815.pdf

[Rob]

THROWBACK THURSDAY: VIR HOSTED THE FIRST IMSA GT RACE.

Next weekend, VIRginia International Raceway hosts an all-GT event, showcasing the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes – the only time all season that the GT classes battle for the overall victory.


It’s a fitting setting for the Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIR, with the circuit hosting the very first IMSA GT race back in 1971.

VIR was one of America’s first permanent road circuits, with competition dating back to 1957. While we are looking forward to continuing that tradition with next weekend’s Oak Tree Grand Prix, let’s take a look back at that inaugural IMSA GT weekend, courtesy of Bill King, writer of VIR: A living History, Vol. 1: The 20th Century.

On the weekend of April 17-18, 1971, John Bishop staged the first race in the International Motor Sports Association’s Grand Touring Car Championship. He chose VIR for the honor. The local officialdom and specifically regional executive Laurence Miller mustered the troops in support of the grassroots pro racing series. After all, there were many members of the Region who were fully on-board with the new sanctioning body.

Billed as “American Horsepower vs. European Handling,” the Danville 300 followed the script to a tee. Dave Heinz clipped off a 2:18 flat in his stars-and-bars liveried GTO (Over 2.5 liters) 427 Corvette, a full four seconds up on the Peter Gregg/Hurley Haywood GTU (Under 2.5 liters) Brumos Porsche 914/6. That the Corvette would require two fuel stops to the 914’s one, put the outcome in limbo. On paper, it appeared to be a dead-heat finish in the making. The difference ultimately proved to be Gregg’s choice of having a second driver, as Heinz planned a solo run.

As the green flag waved, the Corvette shot to the front and, as expected, motored away, turning consistent laps around three seconds quicker than Gregg during the opening stint. There were no dramas for 36 laps, then Heinz brought the Vette in for scheduled refueling yielding the lead to Gregg, who turned it back a dozen laps later during the Porsche’s only scheduled fuel stop. The game changer would be the Porsche team’s planned driver change as a fresh Haywood took the reins of the 914.

It was still a warm day when Heinz brought the big car in for its second fuel stop at Lap 59. Not only did it prove a long stop – two and a half minutes – but Heinz was beginning to wish he’d also chosen to employ a co-driver. Back on track, Heinz set about winding the Brumos Porsche back in. With 18 laps to go, the Corvette trailed by 48 seconds and was still trimming some three second’s a lap from the Haywood’s lead – a pace that could win the race for the American car.

That’s when exhaustion began to creep into the picture. Heinz fell off the pavement, dinging the Corvette’s clutch arm and an oil line. It took several pit stops to patch up the damage, and Heinz soldiered on to a distant second to the winning Gregg/Haywood Porsche.

Porsches filled out the top five with Ralph Meany’s 914/6, third; Pete Harrison’s 911S, fourth; and Jack Rabold’s like mount, fifth. A very satisfying sixth overall and first in Baby Grand or IMSA B was the BMW 2002 of Byron Morris and Clint Abernathy. The Baby Grands were to have their own race, but there were not enough ready in April. George Alderman was next in a Datsun 510, first in Baby Grand A.

Twelfth overall and first in Touring Under 2.5 was the Opel of Amos Johnson, Roger Mandeville and Bunny Diggett. Bob Hennig and Staples won Touring Over 2.5 in a Javelin.

The following year, Baby Grand would absorb the Touring category to become the B.F. Goodrich Radial Challenge Series, a hotbed of manufacturer involvement for the next decade.
- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/throwba....EAe6n6c6.dpuf

[Tobes]

NISSAN WITHDRAWS FROM 6 HOURS OF NURBURGRING

That's disappointing, think NISMO may have been a tad hasty in releasing the car, these teething problems should've been ironed out in development testing, hopefully next year will be better...

[fratelliferrari]

Rob, any idea where I can find the schedule for the WEC race at Nurburgring? I can't find a timesheet at the moment

[Rob]

Rob, any idea where I can find the schedule for the WEC race at Nurburgring? I can't find a timesheet at the moment

Free Practice 1 Fri 28th Aug - 12h00
Free Practice 2 Fri 28th Aug - 16h30
Free Practice 3 Sat 29th Aug - 09h30
Qualifying - LMGTE Sat 29th Aug - 14h00
Qualifying - LMP Sat 29th Aug - 14h30
Race Sun 30th Aug - 13h00

[Rob]

That's disappointing, think NISMO may have been a tad hasty in releasing the car, these teething problems should've been ironed out in development testing, hopefully next year will be better...

It was a big ask for the whole team. But, they done well to get to Le-Mans. Just shame the teething problems couldnt be ironed out. But totally agree they been very hasty to push to get it done for join the last half of the WEC season.

[fratelliferrari]

Free Practice 1 Fri 28th Aug - 12h00
Free Practice 2 Fri 28th Aug - 16h30
Free Practice 3 Sat 29th Aug - 09h30
Qualifying - LMGTE Sat 29th Aug - 14h00
Qualifying - LMP Sat 29th Aug - 14h30
Race Sun 30th Aug - 13h00

Thanks mate! Do you got a link were you have found that?

[Rob]

Thanks mate! Do you got a link were you have found that?

Oh sorry mate..

http://www.fiawec.com/

[fratelliferrari]

Oh sorry mate..

http://www.fiawec.com/

Thanks mate much appreciated

[Rob]

sorry few days late...


NEWS ALERT
PARIS - 17 August 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

Q&A WITH WEC CEO GÉRARD NEVEU


Q1) With the 2015 season nearing the half way point, how would you sum up the fourth year of the World Endurance Championship so far?
“We are very happy with the strong position of the WEC after just four years but we are never complacent. The championship is attractive to manufacturers, teams and drivers thanks to the stability of the sporting and technical regulations in place which allows strong competition and technical innovation.
“We also have a strong calendar with events that are getting bigger and better each year, attracting large crowds with a combination of on track action, off track entertainment and great value ticket pricing. However there is still a lot of work left to be done and we are constantly looking for ways to improve the WEC.”

Q2) The WEC seems to be getting bigger and stronger. What is the championship’s greatest strength?
“The greatest strength of the WEC is the people. That includes the teams, the manufacturers, the partners, the media and the fans and the organisation. Each contribute to the success of the WEC; it is like different parts of a big family each contributing to growing and improving the WEC – individually we can do a little but together we can do a lot.”

Q3) The 6 Hours of Nürburgring is a new event on the calendar. How important is the race in Germany to the WEC?
“The 6 Hours of Nürburgring is a new event on the WEC calendar, replacing the 6 Hours of São Paulo this year because of the work that is being done there to improve the facilities at Interlagos. With Audi and Porsche being major German manufacturers and partners, plus Toyota Racing being based in Cologne, the decision to have a race in Germany made a great deal of sense. We are sure that the home race for these very important manufacturers will be well supported by the German fans.

Q4) The next race is in Texas, followed by Japan, China and Bahrain. With the exception of Brazil, the schedule is the same as last season. Why is it important to keep the same circuits at the same time of the year?
“To build the brand awareness of the events we need consistency and the best way to engage with local fans and local media is to hold the events at the same time of year. This will be the fourth time we have visited Fuji, Shanghai and Bahrain and it will be the third event in Austin and in each case we have seen bigger crowds and more media interest every year.

“There are also the logistics involved in running the WEC to consider. Moving 30+ cars and equipment from country to country is expensive and involves a lot of hard work so we try to move the WEC around the world in a logical sequence, using our resources effectively and at the same time keeping control of the costs involved.”

Q5) What have we that is new to look forward to in the future?
“We still have plenty to look forward to in 2015 but looking further forward we will welcome Ford as a full manufacturer entry in 2016 to take on Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche. We are always looking at new opportunities. We are in contact with promoters around the world who are keen to bring the WEC to new venues. But we will only add events to the calendar if the conditions are right to do so and in full agreement with our stakeholders and partners. We will continue to build on the solid foundations we have created since 2012.”

Q6) When will the 2016 WEC calendar be announced?
“We will be announcing the 2016 World Endurance Championship Calendar in Texas at the Circuit of The Americas.”

[Rob]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

2015 OAK TREE GRAND PRIX
A RACE ENGINEER'S PERSPECTIVE

Houston, Texas (August 17, 2015)...Rick Mayer, race engineer of the Risi Competizione No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia team, gives his run down and preview of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Series, Oak Tree Grand Prix, August 21 -23, 2015 in Danville, Virginia.

Risi Competizione race engineer,
Rick Mayer

Piloting the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia in the GTLM class are drivers, Pierre Kaffer (Germany) and Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy).

This will be a different race event than we have seen this year. The race will consist of GTLM and GTD only, no Prototypes. The smaller 19-car total field should make the GTLM race one of the best this year. A smaller field of GTDs will reduce the traffic issues for all GTLMs and nearly make it an 8 car GTLM only race, from our perspective. There is a clear speed difference between the two classes making passing easier and reducing accident risk.

The Track: The 17-turn 3.27-mile track was widened and repaved before last year's race. We would expect the surface to still be smooth; the four seasons in this part of Virginia will eventually degrade the surface in time. The runoff areas are still not ideal with a lot of them being grass, but it is difficult to do major damage when going off track. The fast esses are predominately a single line sector for GT, as they need the entire track, but it's mostly full throttle for all the GTLM cars. The curbs in the corners leading to the esses are usable and aid in reducing lap time. You need a good launch off 'Oak Tree' to get a good run down the long back straight and good traction for the many slow corner exits. The asphalt is very dark and the track temperature (and grip) changes a lot depending on cloud cover.

Setup: The track has one long straight but we will be at the top of sixth gear three times per lap. Change of direction will be important, but so is low speed traction; a bit of a compromise as usual. There are not many long corners so tire degradation will be moderate; a really hot track could change this. We will work with the dampers to get good transition support, good curbing and good braking, as the braking zones are important and require platform support. Michelin has not decided what tires we'll have for this event. The new single stint tire, introduced at Road America, agreed with our Ferrari. The jury's still out on whether it will work at VIR. The weather (hot or mild, sun or clouds) will play a major part in the tire choice.



The Race: Historically there have been three full course cautions in each of the last two VIR events. But with only GTLM and GTDs, and a small car count of 19 cars, it may be surprisingly caution free. Rain could change this, of course. We need to get good tire life, as a single lap has 17 corners. The forecast has a chance of rain and temperatures in the lower 90s Fahrenheit. If we get long, dry runs, tire fall-off could come into play. We expect some green flag pit stops to take part in the outcome of this race; that's to Risi's advantage as pit stops by this crew have been top of the class this season. The Ferrari should be quick here (if it is dry). We have had good cars the last two years and won both the previous races. But the competition is fierce and the current BoP (balance of performance) has the GTLM Ferrari in a less favourable condition to last year, compared to our GTLM competitors. This will be another thriller of a GT race for the fans. We are coming off a hard fought podium at Road America. We have won the last two races here and hope we can make this race another check in the win column for VIR.

Tune-In Information:Live coverage of the Oak Tree Grand Prix race airs live on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, August 23 from, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT. Live timing and scoring is available for all on-track sessions at IMSA.com and on the IMSA Smartphone app.

[Rob]

LOOKING FORWARD: 2016 AUDI R8 LMS
BY STEVEN COLE SMITH

NOTE: This is the fourth in a series of stories on the FIA GT3-specification race cars that will be eligible to compete in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GT Daytona class in 2016 and beyond.

One of the exciting things about the world of sports cars is that typically when we see a brand-new production car, it’s followed closely by a brand-new race car based on that road car’s platform.


Which is exactly what happened this spring, when Audi introduced the 2016 Audi R8 at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, and immediately rolled out the brand’s newest race car: The 2016 Audi R8 LMS, built to compete in the global GT3 class.

Beginning with the Rolex 24 At Daytona next January, the IMSA WeatherTech Championship’s GT Daytona class will shift to GT3 specifications. The FIA’s GT3 class of cars allows manufacturers to build a single model that can be raced worldwide, in dozens of series. And it allows race teams direct access to factory support, and to a healthy store of spare parts.

So for the rest of this year, GT Daytona teams have been comparison shopping, looking at the models available from manufacturers like Porsche and BMW. We can expect some teams, like Alex Job Racing, for instance, to stick with the manufacturer they have raced with in the past – Job has a 23-year relationship with Porsche, so it was no surprise that he will head a two-car Porsche GT3 team in 2016. But he even he says he looked at the competition before he signed the check.

Certainly one of those GT3 cars he cross-shopped was the Audi, given Audi’s lengthy and impressive history of pursuing domination on the race track. Audi is currently represented in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GT Daytona ranks by the No. 48 Paul Miller Racing Audi R8, and quite successfully: The team won Petit Le Mans in 2014, and finished second in points.

With drivers Dion von Moltke and Christopher Haase, with help from Bryce Miller on the longer races, the team has scored three podium finishes so far this year with the Castrol EDGE Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS. At present Haase and von Moltke are second in the driver’s championship, just two points behind the leader. They haven’t committed to Audi in 2016, but few would be surprised to hear that announcement soon.

As for the new car: The 2016 Audi R8 LMS is lighter and safer, with better aerodynamics. A modified structure in the front and rear means the car meets the crash teat requirements that apply to the much lighter Le Mans prototypes such as the Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Despite the addition of more crash structure, the overall car is actually lighter.

The mix of aluminum in the Audi Space Frame (ASF), a structural CFRP component and the steel roll cage alone make the chassis lighter, while torsional stiffness of the stressed frame has increased by 39 percent.

Audi uses production parts in the new R8 LMS whenever possible, such as the 5.2-liter V10 engine with a power output of 585 horsepower is built on the same line as the production unit. It remains nearly unchanged and, with a scheduled rebuild interval of 20,000 kilometers, sets a new standard in racing.

The suspension uses wishbones strictly designed for racing for the first time and the six-speed transmission with paddle shifters is completely new, and significantly lighter than its predecessor while its efficiency has increased because the previous drop gear system has been eliminated.

The new aerodynamic concept Audi R8 LMS debuts a fully lined underfloor and a conceptually integrated rear diffusor. The wheel wells, which are open rearwards via a larger cross-section, contribute to improved airflow. The airflow rate and cooling area of the radiator at the front have increased by 10 percent.

To keep costs in line, roughly 50 percent of the race car’s parts come from the production car. How many will we see on the grid of the Rolex 24? We should know pretty soon.

- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/looking....ZIQogbAr.dpuf

[Rob]

PORSCHE’S TANDY LOOKS TO CONTINUE GTLM WIN STREAK IN OAK TREE GRAND PRIX AT VIR


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 17, 2015) – Porsche factory driver Nick Tandy scored the overall victory in June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans before returning to battle in the GT Le Mans (GTLM) class of the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.


After taking back-to-back GTLM victories in each of the last two rounds, Tandy will be looking to score another overall victory this weekend, with the GTLM and GT Daytona (GTD) classes featured in Sunday’s Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway. The two hour, 40 minute race will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Tandy is riding a streak of victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Road America in the No. 911 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR, propelling co-driver Patrick Pilet into a tight points battle with only three races remaining. Corvette Racing’s Antonio Garcia and Jan Magnussen hold a slim four-point lead in GTLM over BMW drivers Bill Auberlen and Dirk Werner, with Pilet another point behind. Garcia and Magnussen currently have 217 points, followed by Auberlen and Werner with 213, and Pilet with 212.

“We’ve executed perfectly as a team, and this shows in our performance,” Tandy said. “Everyone is confident heading into the weekends now. It just snowballs into more and more confidence for the team and everyone associated with us. It’s just a really, really nice place to be at the moment.”

Tandy co-drove with Earl Bamber in winning the French classic in a Porsche prototype. Bamber shares the No. 912 Porsche North America entry with Joerg Bergmeister in the TUDOR Championship, and the duo earned second-place finishes at Watkins Glen International and Road America.

“I think the team's had really great momentum since the (Le Mans) break,” Bamber said. “Since Watkins Glen, Porsche North America has been on the podium at every race. It's building a great atmosphere amongst the team. Our double victory at Road America was really special.

“Now we head to Virginia, a track I haven't been to, but I think we can be strong there. We just have to make sure we hit all of our marks again and deliver the best possible result. Going into the final three races of the season the manufacturers' championship is incredibly tight, so there's a lot to play for. The battle is really heating up and I think there's some fantastic racing to come.”

Garcia and Magnussen opened up the season with back-to-back victories in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R in the classic American endurance tests, the Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled By Fresh From Florida. Corvette Racing also fields the No. 4 Corvette C7.R for Tommy Milner of Ashburn, Virginia, and Oliver Gavin, who won in the GTE Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans co-driving the same car they will race at VIR.

After Corvette won the opening two races, BMW scored consecutive triumphs for the team co-owned by Bobby Rahal, David Letterman and Mike Lanigan, BMW Team RLL. Auberlen and Werner won at Long Beach in the No. 25 IHG Rewards Club BMW Z4 GTLM, while John Edwards and Lucas Luhr prevailed at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the team’s No. 24 entry.

Bryan Sellers and Wolf Henzler won the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in Watkins Glen, New York, in the No. 17 Team Falken Tire Porsche 911 RSR, the same combination that finished second in the 2014 Oak Tree Grand Prix.

While winless through seven rounds in 2015, the No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia of Giancarlo Fisichella and Pierre Kaffer has a pair of runner-up finishes this season. They finished third two weeks ago in a thrilling battle with the No. 912 Porsche at Road America. The team earned two victories in 2014, including a last-lap thriller at VIR.

TUDOR Championship practice opens at 11:45 a.m. ET on Friday. On Saturday, qualifying will be streamed live on IMSA.com and the IMSA mobile app beginning at 4:40 p.m. ET.

- See more at: http://www.imsa.com/articles/porsche....Gcko9vVJ.dpuf

[Rob]

Thanks mate much appreciated

not problem

This weekend aswell as Formula Mercedes from Spa, we got TUDOR from ViR. Great little track. Hope Risi can get on podium again.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Paris - 19 August 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

24 HOURS OF LE MANS WINNER JOINS WEC GRID IN GERMANY

New Zealand racer Earl Bamber has been named as the replacement for Austrian Klaus Bachler, who is on duty racing in the ADAC GT Masters, in the no88 Abu-Dhabi Racing Proton Porsche 911 at the 6 Hours of Nürburgring on the 28-30 August.

This will be Bamber’s third race in the WEC and the first race since he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June with Porsche alongside Britain’s Nick Tandy, who will also be competing at the Nürburgring in the no47 KCMG Oreca, and Germany’s Nico Hulkenburg in the third 919 at La Sarthe.
Earl Bamber will be joining Khaled Al Qubaisi and Christian Ried in the LMGTE Am entered Porsche 911, which is currently 5th in the class title race. The New Zealander will also be racing for the team at the Lone Star Le Mans event in Austin on the 17-19 September, with Bachler due to return to the cockpit for the final three races of the 2015 season.

[Rob]

2015 OAK TREE GRAND PRIX AT VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY - PRE-RACE REPORT

Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia GT No. 62: Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA), Pierre Kaffer (DEU)

Houston, Texas (August 19, 2015)...The Oak Tree Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR), August 21 -23in Danville, Virginia, is Round 8 of 10 for the GTLM class in the 2015 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Series.

The No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 458 Italia with drivers, Pierre Kaffer (Germany) and Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy), are the defending champions in the GTLM class. They won last year's exciting race with a last lap, last corner pass over a rival Porsche. Additionally, Kaffer collected the pole position on his way to setting a new qualifying lap record and Fisichella was awarded the fastest lap of the race. Risi Competizione previously won at VIR in 2013 as well, with Olivier Beretta and Matteo Malucelli, in the Ferrari 458 Italia.

The talented Fisichella/Kaffer duo are just coming off another exciting race finish at Road America, where the opposite occurred when the Porsche passed Kaffer on the final lap for a one-two class finish and the Risi Ferrari had to settle for third place. The Risi Competizione quick pit stops, for which the team has been known, were instrumental in the outcome in both races. Risi Competizione has two other podium finishes this season, at Long Beach in April and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in May.

The Risi Competizione Ferrari team is undoubtedly looking for the same final outcome in this year's Oak Tree Grand Prix, to stand on the top step of the podium, as they have for the past two years. However, this year's race will be a little different. For one thing, there will be no Prototype class cars, only GTLM and GTD cars. The current field of 19 cars will change the dynamic of the race, especially with only eight GTLM cars. Not only does the team anticipate more passing on the 17-turn 3.27-mile road course, but they feel there is less risk of accidents, thus perhaps a caution-free race. This would play another big part in pit stop strategy for the popular Rosso Corsa (racing red) Houston, Texas-based Ferrari 458 Italia team.

This weekend's VIR race will only be the second time either Fisichella or Kaffer have driven at the historic raceway, as both made their debut with their victory in 2014. Risi Competizione also competed at VIR in 2002, where they finished one-two in matching Lola B2K/40s with Anthony Lazzaro and Terry Borcheller winning and Nic Jonsson and Marino Franchitti finishing second.



GIANCARLO FISICHELLA, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione Driver:
What do you think about returning to VIR and what are your memories of last year's race?
"It's probably my favorite track here in America. Last year it was a fantastic race and one of the best races of my life. I have good memories, especially in the last corner when I overtook the Porsche and I won the race.It was still difficult, but it was a great race. Our car was good there. We were very comfortable so we hope to find the same balance as last year. We know it's going to be difficult, but we will try our best"

PIERRE KAFFER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia, Risi Competizione Driver:
Tell us about returning to the VIR track, site of your second victory last year.
"VIR is one of my favorite tracks. I'm really looking forward to driving there again. Last year we had a really nice car there so we will see what happens this year."

What is your favorite part of the track?
"It's difficult to say because there are many things I like about the track. There are different elevation changes, fast corners, slow corners and it's suiting to our car. That's one of the reasons I'm looking forward to driving there again."

RICK MAYER, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Race Engineer:
You are headed back to the track at which the Risi team had a very exciting race and finish last year. Tell us about returning to VIR.
"VIR has been a very good track for our GTLM F458 and we've won the last two races here. The balance of performance has changed since last year in GTLM, but we hope it still favors us and we can have another great result."

The Risi Competizione team is knows to be the best and the quickest in the paddock on their pit stops. What makes this team so good?
"The teams pit work has been fantastic. They constantly practice and look for ways to improve the wheel changes, drivers changes and fueling attachment. All are very important. And with the competition so tight in GTLM quick pit work is pivotal for track position."

Both of the Risi drivers really like the VIR circuit. It's a classic American road course. What do you think makes this track so enjoyable to the drivers?
"VIR has a very flowing nature to it, with high speed and low speed corners. It's long been a driver favorite, and after the repaving and widening last year it's even better."


DAVE SIMS, No. 62 Ferrari 458 Italia Risi Competizione Team Manager:
What is the key to the team's successful pit stops during the race?
"Mainly it's because of consistency with practice. We practice a lot back at the shop and watch our own video of it and figure where we can gain. Every time we come back from a race we practice, try new things and different systems to make it the quickest and try to keep improving every time. We get input from everyone. It's a real team effort."

Carroll Shelby won the first race at VIR in 1957 in a Maserati 450s. How different are these GT cars here today from those cars 58 years ago?
"Those were front engine, front radiator cars. With the front engine cars and no real ventilation or air conditioning, the brake pedals would get really hot. They could burn your feet. Also, they had no data acquisition. The driver used to be the driver and more. He didn't rely on all the gadgets we have today so he had to report to the mechanics about conditions, camber and other things and they would make adjusts and then you would go back out. It was a whole different era. You've got to admire those guys. Technically it was another world. They were fast and powerful on the straight line speed but it was a little different going around corners without race tires, or slicks. And for refueling they just unscrewed a fuel can, had no protection, and just hope for the best. You've got to give it to them in those days. I'd never been to VIR until I went there with Risi. The track is relatively unheard of in Europe but it's a very nice circuit. It's a real driver's circuit."

Tune-In Information: Live coverage of the Oak Tree Grand Prix race airs live on FOX Sports 1 on Sunday, August 23 from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. EDT. Live timing and scoring is available for all on-track sessions at IMSA.com and on the IMSA Smartphone app.

[Rob]

NEWS ALERT
Paris - 21 August 2015
Hello Mr Robert Allum,

WEC’S GERMAN DEBUT ON A TV SCREEN NEAR TO YOU


The first ever WEC event in Germany is nearly upon us and the 6 Hours of the Nürburgring will provide the thousands of fans that will travel to the Eifel region with a party atmosphere. However if you are unable to join the festivities in Germany on the 30 August, then you will have the opportunity to watch the 6 Hours of Nürburgring on TV or online around the world.
In Europe Motors TV will show the 6 Hours of Nürburgring in its entirety live across the continent. Eurosport 2 will show the start of the 6 hour race live and then show the final 75 minutes on Eurosport 1.

In Germany RTL will show the highlights a week after the race. Deutsche-Welle, n-tv and Sky Deutschland will be showing news edits and features from the race and n-tv will also show the 52 minute highlights programme. DMAX is also due to broadcast the highlights programme to the 27.2 million homes in Austria, Germany and Switzerland than can receive the channel

In Austria ORF Sport Plus will provide full live coverage of the 6 Hours of Nürburgring.

In Japan J-Sports and Fox Sports in Australia with show the race live and Eurosport Pan-Asia will follow the European broadcast by showing the start and the final 75 minutes of the race live.

In China internet broadcaster Le-TV will show the full race live while CCTV5 will be showing news edits and special features on the race during the Autotimes magazine programme. Further coverage is available across the Asia-Pacific region on Fox Sports and in the Indian Subcontinent on Sony6 and in New Zealand on TV3.

In North America Fox Sports will show full race coverage split between FS1 and FS2 channels.

In Central and South America Fox Latin America will show the first three hours and the final hour of the race live on Fox Sports 3.

In the Middle East OSN (Gulf) is due to show the race live and the 52 minute highlights programme.

In addition the highlights programme will be available on RTBF in Belgium, Kreator TV in Croatia, RTL7 and Sport1 in The Netherlands, BT Sport and Quest in the UK. News edits will also be available via Reuters, SNTV, Perform Omnisport and Eurovision worldwide.

Sunset and Vines Mobil1 – The Grid magazine show will also feature the 6 Hours of Nürburgring and if you are flying soon after the race you may be able to catch the German race on an inflight entertainment system on select airlines..

[Rob]

STRAKKA RACING READY FOR GIBSON DEBUT AT THE 6 HOURS OF NÜRBURGRING


After lapping fastest of the LMP2 runners at the Nürburgring WEC Test, Strakka Racing looks forward to debuting Gibson 015S chassis Strakka Racing travels to the Nürburgring for the final round of the World Endurance Championship’s European leg next week, intent on scoring valuable points in the LMP2 Teams’ and Drivers’ Championships before the four fly-away races.

“Missing out on the double points available at Le Mans has left us with more work to do this season than we’d hoped, no question,” says Strakka Racing team principal Dan Walmsley. “Now with the successful test, with straight out of the box pace, the team and drivers are in a more positive frame of mind for the balance of the season and there’s no reason why we can’t be back at the front.”

Fastest at the WEC test in July was Jonny Kane who has always enjoyed the challenge the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit has to offer. “I’ve always gone well here since my debut in 2005 in the TVR,” says Kane. “It’s a good track, a little narrower than some of the places we now race so it’s a little trickier to overtake. The short straights mean even if a driver makes a mistake in one of the technical sections, it’s sometimes hard to take advantage, but I like the track.”

Despite having raced at the Nürburgring a number of times in the TVR, Panoz and the most recent being 2009 in the Rebellion Lola Judd, Jonny has never completed a lap of the Nordschleife. “My brother and dad go nearly every year, usually after the Spa WEC round. They dragged a 1,600 Astra round last time. I’ve got to do it one day!”

The 5.1km GP layout of the Nürburgring plays host to the current form of the FIA World Endurance Championship for the first time this year, after re-developments to the Interlagos circuit in São Paulo Brazil prompted the FIA to make changes to the calendar. A regular on the F1 schedule, the latest configuration of the world-famous Eifel circuit has played host to international sportscar racing since its opening in 1984.

[Rob]

Press release from

the Automobile Club de l’Ouest

Guy Ligier (1930 - 2015)


It was with great sadness that the Automobile Club de l’Ouest learned this morning of the death of Guy Ligier on Sunday 23rd August 2015 at the age 85. He was an iconic figure in motor sport and was himself a racing driver before founding his own team.

Ligier began his career as a racing driver at the end of the 1950s. He started the Le Mans 24 Hours on eight occasions between 1964 and 1974 in a Porsche (1964), Fords (1965/66/67) and then Ligiers (1970/71/72/73). He scored his best result in the Sarthe in 1964 on his maiden outing finishing seventh overall and winning his category in a Porsche 904 GTS. He also took part in 12 grand prix between 1966 and 1967.

When Ligier hung up his helmet in 1974 he devoted himself to his role as a constructor, which he had already begun in endurance in 1970. Despite scoring a second place in the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours he left long-distance racing to launch his own team in Formula 1. Between 1976 and 1996 Ligier was among the leading French constructors in Formula 1 and the team took part in 326 grand prix.

Success wasn’t long in coming and Ligier scored his first F1 victory in Sweden in 1977 with Jacques Laffite. Eight more wins followed, but a certain decline set in and Alain Prost took over the ailing team. The name Ligier then disappeared from motor sport for several years before being reborn in V de V, followed by Le Mans thanks to Jacques Nicolet and his company, Onroak Automotive.

In June Guy was in the Sarthe for the presentation of the Ligier JS P3. Seven Ligier JS P2s were entered for the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours. The Ligier name continues to shine in endurance in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship as the latter part of the season dawns.

To his family and his closest friends the Automobile Club de l’Ouest would like to express its sincerest condolences.

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest: “The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is deeply saddened to learn of Guy Ligier’s death. A great figure in the world of the motor car has left us. After a career as a driver Ligier did a lot of work to spread French know-how in Formula 1 and in endurance with his team. In the name of the ACO and all its collaborators I would like to present my sincerest condolences to his family and closest friends.”

[Rob]

Auto Hebdo Report Planned Changes To 2016 Toyota & Audi LMP1s

A couple of very interesting snippets from the French media last week in the DSC Ed’s absence.

Auto-Hebdo reported that Toyota’s LMP1 programme could take quite a leap forward next season after being somewhat off the leading pace this far in 2015.

Some upgrades initially planned for 2017 have reportedly been brought forward to 2016 thanks to an increase in budget.

The aurally much loved V8 will be replaced by a new engine, thought to be a twin turbo V6 of just over 3 litres in capacity.

As expected the super capacitor storage medium will be replaced by batteries and Toyota are expected to move to the 8 MJ energy class, thanks to the lighter and more compact engine.

Auto-Hebdo also reports that Audi too will change to batteries to store the electrical energy and will move to the 6 MJ class, the French weekly thinks it would be too “presumptuous” to move to 8 MJ because of the weight of a diesel engine.

http://www.dailysportscar.com/2015/0...udi-lmp1s.html

[The Architect]

Twin turbo V6... ugh. Will be sad to lose the only naturally aspirated engine in the formula. Hopefully it won't sound as bad as an Audi. A third car at Le Mans would be useful too. Will be hoping for a much better showing next season.