With the long-lasting venue owned by the Penske Leisure Group, the six-hour occasion in Indiana represents a house race of the North American squad. Within the closing two races of the season, buyer workforce JDC-Miller MotorSports places its belief within the Swiss manufacturing unit driver Nico Müller. Within the GTD Professional class, AO Racing has the rostrum firmly in its sights with its 911 GT3 R, affectionately often known as “Rexy”.
Preview
The outlook for Porsche’s manufacturing unit contingent forward of the six-hour race in Indianapolis seems to be promising: the sports activities automobile model at the moment leads the producers’ standings, whereas Porsche Penske Motorsport and the motive force crews of the No. 6 and No. 7 Porsche 963 entries rank first within the workforce and drivers’ championships. The squad returns to the “Brickyard” with fond recollections: in 2023 the workforce celebrated a one-two victory on the previous Components 1 circuit. Alongside the long-distance races at Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen in addition to Petit Le Mans at Highway Atlanta, the penultimate spherical of the North American IMSA collection counts in the direction of the Michelin Endurance Cup. If outcomes go their approach in Indianapolis, Porsche might clinch this particular title and retain its championship crown.
“Constructing on our WEC season win in Austin, we’re decided to return to our profitable methods within the IMSA championship,” emphasises Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport. “Our workforce and drivers have constantly made the a lot of the situations from every race, however sadly a win has eluded us. At our Penske dwelling race in Indianapolis, we hope to see the Porsche 963 again on the entrance. We all know our hybrid prototype and this legendary circuit complement one another completely, which is why we purpose to take one other step in the direction of defending the title this weekend.”
“Our victories in Daytona and Sebring, in addition to the robust restoration at Watkins Glen, clearly present that the main endurance races swimsuit us notably nicely,” explains Urs Kuratle, Director Manufacturing facility Motorsport LMDh. “We’re hoping for a stage enjoying discipline in Indianapolis. If we are able to compete with our rivals on equal efficiency phrases, then technique, pit work and driver talent will likely be decisive. In all these disciplines, we’re nicely positioned. I’m actually trying ahead to the house race of our manufacturing unit workforce and to seeing our driver Nico Müller again on the wheel of the Porsche 963 for JDC-Miller MotorSports.”
“We now have confirmed that each of our crews are worthy of profitable the championship. The duty now’s to make sure that they’re given the instruments to take the crown,” states Jonathan Diuguid, Managing Director Porsche Penske Motorsport. “The workforce has been excellent all 12 months, making clever technique calls, executing good pitstops and by no means giving up by way of robust on-track battles. We now have to as soon as once more maximise the efficiency potential of our Porsche 963 and take full factors at Indianapolis earlier than heading to the finale at Petit Le Mans.”
Within the No. 6 Porsche 963, former Porsche Juniors Matt Campbell (Australia) and Mathieu Jaminet (France) share driving duties. The duo at the moment leads the drivers’ championship, holding a 75-point benefit over teammates Felipe Nasr (Brazil) and Nick Tandy (UK) within the No. 7 sister automobile.
Nico Müller builds additional expertise within the Porsche 963
On the upcoming “Battle on the Bricks” in Indianapolis, manufacturing unit driver Nico Müller returns to the cockpit of the Porsche 963. The Swiss racer shares the hybrid prototype of buyer workforce JDC-Miller MotorSports with Dutchman Tijmen van der Helm. Müller, who raced in Components E for Porsche’s accomplice workforce Andretti final season, has already gathered expertise within the 963 this 12 months: he contested the WEC spherical at Spa-Francorchamps with Porsche Penske Motorsport, and made his IMSA GTP debut on the 12 Hours of Sebring with JDC-Miller MotorSports. He additionally served as reserve driver for the manufacturing unit workforce on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
“Rexy” returns to the scene of a serious victory
Within the GTD Professional class, AO Racing continues its championship marketing campaign with the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Former Porsche Juniors Laurin Heinrich (Germany) and Klaus Bachler (Austria) share the wheel of the dinosaur-liveried 911, affectionately dubbed “Rexy”. The pair at the moment lies third within the drivers’ standings. AO Racing triumphed at Indianapolis final 12 months. Within the GTD class, buyer outfit Wright Motorsports additionally fields a Porsche 911 GT3. Within the No. 120 cockpit, Individuals Adam Adelson and Elliott Skeer be part of forces with Australian Tom Sargent.
The race
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway within the US state of Indiana is among the world’s oldest everlasting racetracks. The power – nicknamed the “Brickyard” because of the brick-paved start-finish line – was in-built 1909 as a four-kilometre (2.5-mile) oval monitor. The well-known Indy 500 is contested yearly within the area, which might seat virtually 260,000 spectators and is the spotlight of each IndyCar season.
For the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s six-hour “Battle on the Bricks”, the collection makes use of the three.925 km Grand Prix Highway Course. This mix of lengthy straights, high-speed oval sections and tight infield options 14 turns. From 2000 to 2007, Components 1 additionally raced on an identical structure. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been owned by the Penske Leisure Group since 2020 and is subsequently a part of Roger Penske’s company empire.
Stay stream of the race
Outdoors the USA and Canada, the race will likely be broadcast stay over the total distance in a free stream on imsa.tv. The web site scoring.imsa.com provides stay timing. The lights for the penultimate race of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season will go inexperienced on Sunday, 21 September, at 11:40 hours native time (17:40 hours CEST).
Drivers’ feedback forward of the race
Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 GT3 R #6): “The IMSA season wraps up with two main endurance races. We now have constantly carried out nicely in Indianapolis since 2023, and the monitor fits us completely. I hope we are able to end the race with out points. Our focus is on defending the championship lead and ideally extending our benefit earlier than we head to the season finale at Highway Atlanta. We’re trying on the greater image and can keep away from taking any pointless dangers.”
Felipe Nasr (Porsche 963 #7): “I’m trying ahead to being again within the Porsche 963 for the ‘Battle on the Bricks’. Indianapolis is such a novel monitor and at all times ensures loads of motion all through the sphere. A very powerful factor is to have a strong week with the #7 crew and preserve our championship combat alive. We’ve had two robust outcomes, which we’re placing behind us, and we’re desirous to get again on prime.”
Nico Müller (Porsche 963 #85): “Throughout my stint with JDC-Miller MotorSports at Sebring, we delivered robust performances all through elements of the race. I now purpose to construct on that momentum. Hopefully, collectively we are able to make additional progress and obtain robust outcomes at Indianapolis this weekend and in October at Highway Atlanta. I’m actually trying ahead to each upcoming endurance races.”
Klaus Bachler (Porsche 911 GT3 R #77): “In 2023, I took pole place in our class at Indianapolis, and final 12 months AO Racing claimed victory there. I’m feeling assured concerning the upcoming race. In latest rounds with our ‘Rexy’, we’ve accomplished a strong job, however we haven’t been capable of problem for sophistication wins. Our objective is to get again to the highest. The monitor is incredible – rather a lot can occur over six hours.”
Elliott Skeer (Porsche 911 GT3 R #120): “Each time Adam and I’ve raced at Indy; it’s been an emotional curler coaster. Going into this one has that feeling of ‘let’s see which approach it swings this time!’. It’s been a tough summer time with our workforce extracting the utmost of our automobile, however we couldn’t match the opposite groups. Hopefully that may change right here on the ‘Battle of the Bricks‘, and we are able to rewind the tape to 2024.”
Porsche’s racing automobiles in Indianapolis
GTP class: (Porsche 963):
Porsche Penske Motorsport #6: Matt Campbell (AUS), Mathieu Jaminet (FRA)
Porsche Penske Motorsport #7: Felipe Nasr (BRA), Nick Tandy (GBR)
JDC-Miller MotorSports #85: Nico Müller (CHE), Tijmen van der Helm (NLD)
GTD Professional class:
AO Racing #77: Klaus Bachler (AUT), Laurin Heinrich (DEU)
GTD class:
Wright Motorsports #120: Adam Adelson (USA), Elliott Skeer (USA), Tom Sargent (AUS)
Schedule (native time = CEST -6 hours)
Friday, 19 September
11:15 – 12:45 hrs: Free follow 1
Saturday, 20 September
08:55 – 10:25 hrs: Free follow 2
15:15 – 15:30 hrs: Qualifying GTD
15:40 – 15:55 hrs: Qualifying GTD-Professional
16:30 – 16:45 hrs: Qualifying GTP
Sunday, 21 September
11:40 – 17:40 hrs: Race
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