Christian Ried on the IMSA Engagement of Proton Competition.

The first race of IMSA – and in Daytona at that. How do you feel? And what’s it like, standing at a track like Daytona?

“It’s a special kind of challenge to start our first season in a classic location such as Daytona and in a highly competitive championship on top of that. We’ve worked long and hard for this moment, and I’m excited to be here now. Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the entire history of this race, and not only the US Motorsport fans are happy to see a Porsche 911 RSR enter the grid in Daytona after the factory team announced their withdrawal. The expectations are high, but we will do our best to fulfill them despite the strong competition.”

Let’s take a step back: How did the “Proton Family” feel about the decision to participate in the IMSA?

“It’s quite a step for our team, there’s no doubt about that. A real adventure. But we’re athletes and therefore always looking for a new challenge. To race with Porsche in the US is quite an appealing task. Naturally, the decision was met with positive reactions from the team. Some of us were there when I was racing in Daytona with my father Gerold and the Felbermayrs in 2000 and 2001. We happened to land twice on 38th position of the overall ranking with our 911 GT2 – not that bad for the handful of hobbyists we were back then.”

Last but not least: What are your goals for your first year in the IMSA?

“We’re excited to face the challenging tasks before us in this season in the US. Everyone in the team is bursting with motivation and ready to prove to the Americans that somewhere in Swabia, there’s a small but mighty team that knows how to win a race. A successful start into the season in Daytona would be a great kick-off for our commitment in the US.