International
International

3/24/2020

Our strategy for our weeks of endurance? Our global team of endurance.

For a six-hour race, you need an experienced, passionate team. For 12 hours, one that also has great stamina. And for a 24-hour race? For this, you need a team that is prepared to put everything else on hold for their dream and to surpass themselves together. But what if you have to endure two of the world’s biggest 24h races within two weeks of each other? Then you need a team like ours.

Every individual counts in our team. But our mechanics, engineers and works drivers have the biggest impact on the result. The mechanics must always be on call for pit stops and possible repairs. They often work on the cars days in advance and under intense pressure. Our engineers monitor the vehicle systems throughout the entire period – from free practice to the final second of the 24-hour races – and make decisions about tyres, driver changes, pit stop intervals and strategy changes under altered conditions. Factors that determine victory or defeat over 24 hours. Our works drivers must perform perfect, fast and above all constant lap times, day and night – at their absolute limit and always with an eye on the time remaining. Because even though they can take turns, our 911 RSR cannot. The race cars have to keep going for the entire 24 hours. For our drivers, this means: sharing information about the vehicle’s condition, handling and track conditions, staying alert, working closely with the rest of the team and always making sure that their teammates are okay. Because one of the greatest achievements is simply getting the car safely over the finish line. Which is one of the main reasons that long-distance motorsport is a team effort.

Our drivers for our weeks of endurance? We are competing in the 24h of Le Mans with a total of four works vehicles. The 911 RSR with start number 91 will be driven by our Porsche works drivers, Richard Lietz, Frédéric Makowiecki and Gianmaria Bruni. Laurens Vanthoor, Kévin Estre and Michael Christensen will take to the grid in number 92. Earl Bamber, Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy will share number 93. And Dennis Olsen, Sven Müller and Mathieu Jaminet will drive the 911 RSR bearing number 94.

We are taking to the grid at the 24h of Nürburgring with two 911 GT3 R cars. As a Manthey-Racing works-supported customer team. Number 91 will be driven by Earl Bamber, Laurens Vanthoor, Kévin Estre and Michael Christensen. Frédéric Makowiecki, Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet and Richard Lietz will take turns behind the wheel of number 92.

But a race team like ours not only consists of mechanics, engineers and drivers, of course. Because we must also provide medical and physiological care, as well as the right catering. Not to mention all the development engineers in Flacht, who have turned a vehicle concept into a victorious long-distance race car.

We could win the upcoming races. We could withdraw. Or achieve our objective en masse. Anything can happen in 24 hours. And especially in two lots of 24 hours. But one thing is certain: we will perform at our limits in order to keep going. With a team that has our full support. One that consists of many more people than those we take to the race track. Because our team includes fans, friends and everyone around the world who shares Fascination Sports Car with us.So no matter what challenges we have to face this June during our weeks of endurance: we will not face them alone. We will face them together with you.

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