The European Le Mans Series starts the new season on April 17 at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Proton Competition is at the start of the four-hour race in Le Castellet in southern France with two Porsche 911 RSR in the GTE class and wants to create an Easter surprise on the demanding Formula 1 circuit. The successful team from the Swabian town of Ummendorf also looks after the 911 RSR from Absolute Racing.

The drivers: Christian Ried (Germany) shares the 911 RSR with starting number 77 with the Italians Gianmaria Bruni and Lorenzo Ferrari. The drivers of starting number 93 are the German-Irish Hollywood star Michael Fassbender, Richard Lietz (Austria) and Zach Robichon (Canada). Andrew Hariyanto (Indonesia), Martin Rump (Estonia) and Alessio Picariello (Belgium) will compete with the number 18 car.

In fridays first practice session the two Proton Competition Porsches, with the no77 911 driven by Gianmaria Bruni finishing second in the LMGTE Class with a 1m54.002 lap and Richard Leitz third fastest with a 1m54.105 only a split second behind the The no57 Kessel Racing Ferrari. The second 90-minute Free Practice session will take place at 09h00 tomorrow morning ahead of qualifying at 13h50.

Michael Ried , team owner and technical director: “Two years ago we started the season with a win in Le Castellet. We will try everything to be just as successful this time. We use the test on the demanding track for the final touches. We are confident and well prepared.”

Christian Ried (Porsche 911 RSR #77): “The Circuit Paul Ricard is a track that suits our 911 RSR quite well. We saw that when we won two years ago. The course is much more difficult than it appears at first glance. I hope that we will start the new season well.”

Gianmaria Bruni (Porsche 911 RSR #77): “I am delighted that we are starting the new season at Le Castellet. The track is fast and demanding, which is exactly what I like. And the 911 RSR was already successful there. Why not this time too?”

Richard Lietz (Porsche 911 RSR #93): “After we finally clinched our first podium in Portimao in the 2021 season finale, we can hardly wait until things get going again. Of course we hope that we can build on this performance and be among the front runners.”

Michael Fassbender(Porsche 911 RSR #93): “For me, the race at Le Castellet is more than just the start of the new season. This year I will be at the start with Porsche at Le Mans for the first time. Every race kilometer that I drive until then helps me to prepare as well as possible for this great challenge.”

Zach Robichon (Porsche 911 RSR #93): “In the past few years I have only driven IMSA races in the USA. Now I'm looking forward to my first season in the ELMS and the challenges that await me in Europe.”

The race track

The race track
The 5.810 kilometer long Circuit Paul Ricard is located in Le Castellet in southern France on a plateau between Toulon and Marseille. It is around 20 kilometers to the beaches of the Cote d'Azur. A special feature of the racetrack, which opened in 1970, with its 13 curves is the 1.6-kilometre-long Mistral straight.

The car
In the European Le Mans Series, Proton Competition starts with the Porsche 911 RSR. Depending on the size of the restrictor, its engine installed in front of the rear axle has an output of around 378 kW (515 hp). The large rear diffuser in combination with the suspended rear wing ensures aerodynamic efficiency and a high level of downforce.

Live on TV
The four-hour race on the Circuit Paul Ricard starts on Sunday, April 17, at 11:00 am. It will be broadcast as a free live stream on www.europeanlemansseries.com.

The series
In the European Le Mans Series, the classes LMP2, LMP3 and LMGTE are at the start. They each drive together in a four-hour race, but are scored separately. Proton Competition competes with the Porsche 911 RSR in the LMGTE class against strong rivals from Ferrari and Aston Martin.

European Le Mans Series ELMS, 1st round in Le Castellet/France