W&S Motorsport celebrated its first overall victory of 2024, two class victories and another class podium finish at its debut in the GT4 Winter Series in Jerez. Josef Knopp and Alexander Danzer completed their first kilometres in a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport and impressed with their performance right from the start.

Both drivers showed a positive development over the course of the race weekend and were able to consistently improve in dry and wet conditions. In the first sprint race on Saturday, 37-year-old Danzer started from tenth position and finished sixth overall and second in the Pro-Am class. It was the German's first ever race in a GT car, and the entire team was impressed by his performance.

The next day, 19-year-old Knopp caused further jubilation in the second sprint race. In extremely difficult conditions on a wet track, he started fourth and took the lead halfway through the race. The Czech driver had a strong pace in the rain and was immediately able to pull away from the competition. He did not relinquish the lead until the chequered flag fell, giving Patrick Wagner and Daniel Schellhaas' team their first overall victory of the year. He also secured first place in the Pro-Am class.

In the one-hour race on Sunday afternoon, Knopp continued his race to catch up and, together with his team-mate Alexander Danzer, took fourth place overall and another victory in the Pro-Am class.

Quotes after the race

Daniel Schellhaas, Team Principal W&S Motorsport: "We couldn't have got the year off to a better start. It was Josef and Alexander's first weekend in a Porsche GT4 and we wanted to use their participation in the GT4 Winter Series to help them get used to the car. The rain made for difficult conditions, but the two of them mastered the challenge very well. Josef's pace in the third race was incredible and he was significantly faster than the leader on every lap. Another overall victory would have been possible with an earlier safety car. We more than achieved our goals for the weekend and were able to gain insights for the new drivers in the team in all track conditions. We are travelling home with three trophies from our first race weekend in the GT4 Winter Series and hope that things will continue like this at the next events."

Josef Knopp, Driver #31: "I am very happy to be part of W&S Motorsport. The team has celebrated great successes in the past and gained a lot of experience in the GT4 category. It was my first time in a Porsche GT4 and I felt comfortable straight away. The races in the rain on slicks were tricky, but I had a lot of fun on the track. I am looking forward to more of this!"

Alexander Danzer, Driver #31: "I would like to thank W&S Motorsport for the great work and fantastic support in getting me back into motorsport after a 21-year break! It is a great team and I was perfectly prepared to feel at home again after such a long time in a race car. It has been a lot of fun!"