Porsche Motorsport Weekly News – 919 Hybrid In China

Porsche Motorsports Weekly Event Notes: Monday, October 31, 2016

Next Porsche Motorsport Event:

FIA/ World Endurance Championship.

Event:	6 Hours of Shanghai, Shanghai International Speedway
Dateline:	Shanghai, China
Date:	Sunday, November 6 (China) Saturday, November 5 (North America)
Track Length:	3.339-miles, 16-turn
Race Duration:	Six-Hours
Class:	LMP1 (Porsche 919 Hybrid) LMGTE Pro (Porsche 911 RSR) LMGTE Am (Porsche 911 RSR)
Round:	8 of 9
Next Round:	Six Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain, November 19, 2016

Porsche Profile

Event Story Lines.

Match Point for Porsche in China. WEC Manufacturers’ Championship Has Two Races Remaining.
On November 6, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is having its eighth and penultimate round of the 2016 season in Shanghai, China. One year ago, Porsche celebrated clinching the manufacturers’ world championship here at the Six Hours of Shanghai on the Chinese Formula One circuit. So far this season the Porsche Team has achieved five race wins with its two 919 Hybrids and leads the manufacturers’ world championship with 263 points ahead of Audi (204) and Toyota (174). With the current advantage being 59 points, the team could clinch the title if the gap at the end of six-hours of racing is at least 44 points.
Concerning the news of Audi withdrawing from the WEC at the end of the 2016 season; Porsche very much regrets the loss of Audi as a great competitor from the 2017 WEC season. Porsche will compete in the entire 2017 WEC season as planned. So far Porsche has derived a huge benefit in terms of knowledge and innovations for production cars from the LMP1 program – this applies in particular to the 24-hour race at Le Mans.
In the drivers’ world championship, the trio of Romain Dumas (FR), Neel Jani (CH) and Marc Lieb (DE) top the standings with 140 points ahead of the best-placed Toyota (117) and Audi drivers (111.5). To secure an early title win, Dumas/Jani/Lieb would have to extend their current 23-point advantage in Shanghai to 26 points. The crew of the sister Porsche, Timo Bernhard (DE), Brendon Hartley (NZ) and Mark Webber (AU), has 93.5 points to its tally and ranks fourth.
The Weissach developed Porsche 919 Hybrid produces a system power of over 900 HP (662 kW). Its combustion engine is a ground breaking downsizing motor. The very compact two-liter, V4 turbocharged gasoline engine drives the rear axle with almost 500 PS (368 kW). Two different energy recovery systems – brake energy from the front and exhaust energy – feed a lithium ion battery that, on command, passes on the energy to an E machine to power the front axle with an extra boost of over 400 PS (294 kW).
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1.
“At the final race in Bahrain in 2015, it was the drivers’ title that seemed fairly easy to get. We had a dominant car and needed no more than P4 (fourth-position) for the trophy. But this title win was a nerve-wracking thriller, and we finished P5 because we had technical issues. Back then it only worked out because the sister car successfully fought for the race win. The lesson is: in a six-hour race everything can happen – be it in the first corner after the start or in the final minutes, like this year in Le Mans. The key challenge is always to complete the distance with no problems.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal.
“The circuit layout in Shanghai tends to suit the 919’s characteristics better than that of the Fuji Speedway where we were most recently. But a huge amount of factors matter and in the two recent races we have seen that the competition is at least on the same level as us. In Austin, as well as in Fuji, we had problems with our number 2 car, because the front picked up a lot of tire rubber from the track, and that disturbed the car’s balance until we changed the front bodywork. In Shanghai we want to fight for top positions again with our proven, very reliable 919 Hybrid and another error free team effort.”
Timo Bernhard, Driver, No. 1 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“The Shanghai circuit isn’t an easy one to drive, but I quite like racing there. Just the first corner doesn’t really float my boat. It is a snail-like right-hander and seems endless. It is getting tighter all the time and it is slow. After that, the lap features very different cornering speeds. There are some mid-speed corners and a few corner combinations especially for which you have to position the car precisely.”
Brendon Hartley, Driver, No. 1 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“After coming close but not taking victory at the most recent race in Fuji, it’s now extremely unlikely our number 1 car crew will get a chance to defend the drivers’ championship title. However, we can do our bit to secure the manufacturers’ championship title for Porsche and, therefore, we will fight for more victories. The Shanghai circuit should suit our 919 Hybrid.”

Mark Webber, Driver, No. 1 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“After the epic battle in Fuji with our rivals, I’m really looking forward to getting to Shanghai where I’m expecting more of the same. I believe that the Porsche 919 will suit Shanghai’s layout very well, and it’s a track that Timo, Brendon and I really enjoy driving at. Clearly the goal for the weekend is to stand on the middle step of the podium, but, as we’ve seen in the last four or five events, you have to have everything lined up perfectly for that six hour window. This is something we’re more than capable of doing.”
Romain Dumas, Driver, No. 2 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“In Shanghai we have to do everything we can to return to the good shape we used to have. Since the Le Mans 24 Hours we have been struggling, but for a reason we have yet to identify. For sure, finishing fourth or fifth does not represent our capabilities. We have to get back to our original strengths.”
Neel Jani, Driver, No. 2 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“So far we have always done well with the 919 in Shanghai, and I expect us to be up front there again. But it is going to be tough. The target is clear. For the drivers’ championship we have to finish the race ahead of our direct competition, namely the number 6 Toyota and the number 8 Audi. But both will be strong. The classic philosophy of endurance racing has long gone. The level in the WEC is extremely high, and it is sprint racing from the first until the last lap. After six hours of racing, only seconds decide on winning or losing. Our situation in the points is good, but we have to exploit our full potential in every single stint.”

Marc Lieb, Driver, No. 2 Porsche Team Porsche 919 Hybrid.
“The last four races were not good. For the crucial period of the championship we want to pull ourselves out of this low and recall in Shanghai the performance that is expected from us, and that meets our own standards. Excitement is guaranteed.”
All points standings: http://www.fiawec.com/courses/classification.html
All results: http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com

Shanghai Facts and figures.
– The six-hour race on the Shanghai International Circuit is the eighth and penultimate round of the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and starts on November 5 at 11:00 p.m. EDT, (11:00 a.m. local Chinese time).
– The official WEC App can be downloaded free of charge in its basic version and can be extended (not free of charge) by a live stream. Several live features, such as on-board cameras, timing and GPS tracking, are implemented in the Porsche Motorsport App (free of charge) and at porsche.com/fiawec.
– In 2015, Hartley/Webber (1:42.719 minutes) and Dumas/Lieb (1:43.488 minutes) locked out the front row of the grid. (In the WEC the average of the respective best laps of two drivers counts for the grid position.)
– Last year about two-thirds of the race was held on a wet track. Bernhard/Hartley/Webber won ahead of Dumas/Jani/Lieb. Porsche secured the title win in the manufacturers’ world championship.
– The WEC efficiency regulations limit the amount of energy that can be used per lap. In Shanghai the Porsche 919 Hybrid can use 4.95 megajoule of electrical power from energy recovery systems and 1.395 kg/1.910 liters of gasoline.
– At normal race speed (no safety car) the Porsche 919 Hybrid is due for refueling after every 31 laps at the latest.
– Refueling and changing Michelin tires may only be done sequentially, not at the same time. Only four mechanics may work simultaneously when changing tires and also may use only one wheel gun at a time. That takes a lot longer than in NASCAR or F1, for example.
– The drivers are normally only changed when new Michelin tires are needed.
– A set of Michelin racing slick tires should ideally last two fuel tank fills. However, in order to set the best lap times, it may be sensible to change tires more often.
– These different types of tires can be used: three different compounds of slick tires for dry conditions, a hybrid tire (no profile either but softer cover) for mixed conditions and wet weather tires. 6.5 sets of dry weather tires are available per car for qualifying and the race.
– A lap of the Shanghai International Circuit, used for Formula One Grands Prix since 2004, is 3.39-miles (5.451 kilometers). It has 16 corners – nine right-handers and seven left-handers – of which the well-known “snail corner” at the beginning of each lap counts as a double right-hander. From a bird’s eye view the track’s layout is reminiscent of the Chinese characters of “shàng” that translates into “upward” or “up” and also is part of the city name of Shanghai.
– The circuit is located about 25-miles outside the Shanghai city center.

Growing Foundation. PCA Club Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East Eight Races in Second Year.
The PCA Club Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East series will grow from six events in its inaugural season to eight events for the 2017 season. Again, the Porsche Club of America has organized events at some of North America’s most challenging courses, including a new addition in Canada.
The series announced the tentative 2017 schedule at its championship celebration banquet on October 23 at the Daytona 500 Club at Daytona International Speedway following the last race of the 2016 season. Barber Motorsports Park, Monticello Motor Club and Canadian Tire Motorsport Park will be three new additions, increasing the series’ growing profile with competitors and fans following an extremely successful first season. Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East is also welcoming several new drivers to the competitive, semi-professional series.
The 2017 season will kick off March 31-April 2 at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. The second event will be May 19-21 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, which marks the series’ first visit to the iconic road circuit.
Two races will be held in June – the first June 2-4 at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York and the second June 23-25 at VIRginia International Raceway in Danville, Virginia. The series competed at both of these venues in 2016.
New this year, the series will visit Monticello Motor Club in Monticello, New York July 14-16. Monticello Motor Club is one of the most exclusive private country club racetracks in the world and has more than 400 car enthusiasts as members, including Cayman GT4 Clubsport drivers John Frank, Adam Merzon and Joe Courtney. Around 50 members of this club also have PCA Club Racing licenses.
Drivers and teams will then travel north to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Ontario, Canada Aug. 4-6. This event marks the series’ first trip over the border of the United States.
Rounding out the season will be a race September 15-17 at NOLA Motorsports Park in Avondale, Louisiana. This track is home to NOLAsport race team – the Championship class (Keith Jensen) and Pro class (Jason Hart) winners of the 2016 season. The Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East series finished its 2016 season on a high note at Daytona International Speedway and will once again have the 2017 season finale at the iconic track in Daytona Beach, Florida Oct. 27-30.
Drivers compete in a separate group within the traditional PCA Club Racing races in the 385-horsepower, mid-engine racer, which features a sealed engine and transmission and a spec Pirelli tire. The car was developed by Porsche Motorsport and based on the successful street-legal Cayman GT4 sports car.
The events feature three races in an exciting, varied format relative to PCA Club Racing standards. The first and second races are 30-minute sprint races. The third race is an endurance race lasting 80 minutes.
Competitors in the PCA Club Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East series are divided into two classes – Championship and Masters. Each class is awarded with its own podium at the end of every race and an individual champion at the end of every season.
Vicki Earnshaw, PCA Club Racing chair.
“The PCA Club Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East series is continuing to expand following our strong inaugural season. We’re looking forward to our 2017 season with the addition of both new drivers and new tracks.”
Allen Shirley, PCA Club Racing Porsche GT4 Clubsport Trophy East Series coordinator.
“We can’t wait for our series to head to some of the most iconic facilities in North America. These new venues are important for the growth of the series and we know our teams and drivers will love the additions.”

2017 PCA Club Racing Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East Series Schedule.
Date	Venue
March 31- April 2	Road Atlanta, Braselton, Georgia
May 19-21	Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama
June 2-4	Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, New York
June 23-25	VIRginia International Raceway, Danville, Virginia
July 14-16	Monticello Motor Club, Monticello, New York
Aug. 4-6	Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Ontario, Canada
Sept. 15-17	NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale, Louisiana
Oct. 27-30	Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Florida

*Tentative
Back in the Nest. Flying Lizard Motorsports Announces GTS Program and Porsche Motorsport Partnership.

As part of a continued expansion of its customer racing program, Flying Lizard Motorsports announced it will be adding a two car entry to its Pirelli World Challenge efforts for 2017, entering two Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR racecars in the GTS class. Flying Lizard’s continued relationship with Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA) will strengthen the effort, becoming a part of the North American Young Driver Development program.
Flying Lizard proudly joined the Porsche family upon its professional racing inception in 2004, entering into full season competition in the American Le Mans Series. From 2007 to 2012, Flying Lizard Motorsports ran as a factory supported effort, with 2013 being the final season the team would run full season with Porsche Factory Drivers. In the nine-year relationship, the Lizards and Porsche acquired three driver championships, three team championships and two manufacturer championships. Much to the delight of the devoted fan base, in 2016, the team unveiled a Lizard liveried Porsche 911 GT3 R for competition in select amateur and professional racing events.
The 2017 season with the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR will mark the first time the team has run a full season Porsche entry since 2013. The Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR has been homologated by the SRO, making it eligible for national and international competition in the GT4 class. The two Flying Lizard Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MRs will race the entirety of the estimated nine-race GTS season, and in the traditional Lizard livery that has been the popular hallmark of the team since its founding.
The combined effort of Flying Lizard Motorsports and PMNA will provide up and coming young racers the opportunity to develop their race craft and compete on a challenging level within the Pirelli World Challenge while being watched by the Porsche Young Driver coaches.
The 2017 Pirelli World Challenge begins March 10-12 in Florida for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Drivers for the two Flying Lizard Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MRs will be announced at a later date.
Jens Walther, Porsche Motorsport North America, president and CEO.
“We are pleased to welcome Flying Lizard Motorsports back into the Porsche Motorsport fold, fulltime. Our fans still fondly remember the 911 RSRs they campaigned in their unique livery. For the ‘Lizards’ to come back with the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport in the Pirelli World Challenge Series, is welcoming news for all. Their interest and involvement with young drivers is a great reminder of their unwavering dedication to motorsport.”

Darren Law, Flying Lizard, Program Manager.
“This just feels right to see Flying Lizard Motorsports back again with a Porsche program. We have had so many successful and memorable races with Porsche. Much of my driving career has been with Flying Lizard Motorsports, so I am happy that we will have the opportunity to join forces with Porsche for the upcoming season.
“For Flying Lizard, this is a great opportunity to work with Porsche both on and off the race circuit to develop young drivers. We are giving them the opportunity to be viewed and evaluated by one of the most successful and iconic manufacturers in the industry.
“The GT4 cars are ultra-competitive and I am confident the Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR will be able to race for a championship. The goal is to not only win races and championships but to develop drivers to give them the opportunity to have a career as a professional.”

FIA/ World Endurance Championship.
Total Car Count: Six (6) Porsche entries will be competing in the FIA/WEC Six Hours of COTA.

LMP1 Class (2) Porsche 919 Hybrid.
No. 1 Porsche Team			Timo Bernhard (Germany)/Brendon Hartley (New Zealand)/Mark Webber (Australia)
No. 2 Porsche Team			Romain Dumas (France)/Neel Jani (Switzerland)/Marc Lieb (Germany)
	LMGTE Pro Class (1) Porsche 911 RSR:
	No. 77 Dempsey-Proton Racing		Richard Lietz (Austria)/Michael Christensen (Denmark)
LMGTE Am Class (3) Porsche 911 RSR (2015 Model Year):
No. 78 KCMG		Christian Ried (Germany)/Wolf Henzler (Germany)/Jöel Camathias (Switzerland)
No. 86 Gulf Racing		Michael Wainwright (Great Britain)/Adam Carroll (Great Britain)/Benjamin Barker (Great Britain)
No. 88 Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing		Patrick Long (Manhattan Beach, California) Khaled Al Qubaisi (United Arab Emirates)/ David Heinemeier Hansson (Denmark)

Where to Watch.

FIA/WEC Six Hours of Shanghai.
Race Broadcast. Saturday, November 5 11:00 p.m. ET (Live)	FS2
Live Race Video Streaming	http://www.fiawec.com/ http://porsche.com/fiawec
Live Qualifying Streaming	http://www.fiawec.com/
Audio Streaming	www.RadioLeMans.com
Live Timing and Scoring	http://www.fiawec.com/
Social Media.
Porsche Cars North America	@Porsche
Porsche North America.	@PorscheNARacing
Porsche Motorsport – GT Cars.	@PorscheRaces
Porsche Racing – 919 Hybrid.	@Porsche_Team

Model Hashtags.
Porsche 911 RSR.		#911RSR
Porsche 911 GT3 R.		#911GT3R
Porsche 919 Hybrid.		#919hybrid
Event Hashtag. #6hShanghai
Series Hashtags.
GT3 Cup Challenge USA.	#GT3USA
GT3 Cup Challenge Canada.	#GT3CAN

Upcoming Porsche Events:
FIA/ World Endurance Championship

Event:	6 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain International Circuit
Dateline:	Sakhir, Bahrain
Date:	Sunday, November 19
Track Length:	3.363-miles, 15-turn
Race Duration:	Six-Hours
Class:	LMP1 (Porsche 919 Hybrid) LMGTE Pro (Porsche 911 RSR) LMGTE Am (Porsche 911 RSR)
Round:	9 of 9
Next Round:	2017

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