Porsche Racing Shifts up a Gear

December 17, 2014 by Porsche

Atlanta. Porsche has made a clear commitment to factory and customer racing for 2015 at the annual Night of Champions motorsport gala at the world headquarters in Weissach, Germany over the weekend.

'We will be keeping the throttle down, and even shift up a gear! Motorsport is deeply rooted in the Porsche marque and for us it is more than an end in itself. On race tracks around the world, we test and develop technologies that are relevant for our sports car customers on the street,' emphasized Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development, in his speech to Porsche motorsports racers worldwide who attended the event.

'Motorsport is the soul and principle of this company. The best and most innovative technologies in our road-going sports cars come directly from motorsport,' added Porsche CEO Matthias Müller.

2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid as evolution model

Again in 2015, Porsche will contest the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC with two 919 Hybrids. A third 919 Hybrid racer will tackle the Le Mans 24 Hours, with Formula 1 star Nico Hülkenberg named as one of the pilots. The 2015-spec 919 Hybrid will be a distinct evolution of the 2014 model. The winning vehicle of the season finale in Sao Paulo was optimized in almost every detail and, for 2015, should be even more adaptable to the different characteristics of the race circuits.

Two works 911 RSR in the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC

In addition to the company's commitment to LMP1, Porsche will also campaign two 911 RSRs in the world championship. According to current plans, the Porsche works drivers Michael Christensen (from Denmark) and Richard Lietz (from Austria) as well as Patrick Pilet (from France) and Frédéric Makowiecki (also from France) will share the two cockpits.

'However, the definitive driver combinations depend on who will rise from the ranks of the current GT pilots to take a seat in our third LMP1 racer,' said Hatz.

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Supercup champion Earl Bamber signed as Porsche works driver

New Zealander Earl Bamber will bolster Porsche Motorsport's GT squad this coming season and pilot a 911 RSR in the Tudor United Sportscar Championship. Winning the Porsche Motorsport International Cup Scholarship as the greatest talent from the international brand trophy series, Bamber was supported during the 2014 season with funding of 200,000 Euro. In the 2014 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Earl Bamber commandingly defended his title from the previous year. At the season finale of the Tudor United Sportscar Championship he stood in for the injured works driver Richard Lietz and gained his first racing experience at the wheel of the 911 RSR.

Porsche aims to defend Tudor United Sportscar Championship title

Heading into its second season, Porsche again takes up the challenge in the USA's most important sports car endurance championship with a factory entry. Team Porsche North America will field a pair of 911 RSRs. At the season-opening 24 Hours of Daytona, Earl Bamber will join forces with the seasoned specialists Frédéric Makowiecki and Jörg Bergmeister (from Germany). Nick Tandy (from Great Britain), Patrick Pilet, and LMP1 regular Marc Lieb (from Germany) share driving duties in the sister car.

In an announcement made last month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Patrick Long, the only America Porsche factory driver (from Playa del Rey, California) was named by Dempsey Proton Racing to co-drive with Patrick Dempsey (from Malibu, California) for a full season in the FIA World Endurance Championship in a Porsche 911 RSR, as well as selected longer races in the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship.

Sven Müller and Connor de Phillippi are the 2015 Porsche Juniors

Porsche continues its successful youth development program in 2015, with Germany's Sven Müller and the American Connor de Phillippi (from San Clemente, California). Each man is receiving funding of 200,000 Euro towards their Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup campaign. As the most talented representative from the international Porsche one-make series, Italian Matteo Cairoli steps into the shoes of Earl Bamber and will also contest the Supercup. As in previous years, the former factory pilot Sascha Maassen (from Germany) will mentor the young drivers on and off the race track.

Jaap van Lagen wins the Porsche Cup

For the second time in the history of the Porsche Cup, a driver from the Netherlands has been awarded the prize as the most successful Porsche private driver. In 1970, Gijs van Lennep received the very first Porsche Cup. Today, Jaap van Lagen accepted the venerable Cup from Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG. After earning 5,010 points this past season, van Lagen also takes home a new Porsche 911 Carrera S worth more than 120,000 Euro. Second-placed Matteo Beretta (from Italy) is the recipient of 30,000 Euro, with Christian Ried (from Germany) winning 25,000 Euro for third place.

Jaap van Lagen earned his points at the wheel of Porsche race cars in three series: In the ADAC GT Masters, the Blancpain Sprint Series and the VLN Long Distance Championship Nürburgring. Over the past years, van Lagen has attracted attention in Porsche one-make race series. In the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup he finished the 2010 season ranking fourth overall.