In a true test of endurance, Pfaff Motorsports opened the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season with a noteworthy fifth-place finish at the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

As defending winners of the twice-around-the-clock race and recent GTD Pro champions, Pfaff Motorsports entered as a popular favorite in the No. 9 Porsche 911 GT3 R. However, the new-for-2023, 992-generation race car faced an unfavorable Balance of Performance and lacked pace compared to its competitors.

However, with an experienced trio of drivers – Patrick Pilet, Klaus Bachler and Laurens Vanthoor – a diligent crew, and a creative race strategy, Pfaff Motorsports’ result was a significant accomplishment. Not only did the No. 9 Driveway Porsche avoid damage and mechanical issues throughout the entire race, but Pfaff Motorsports also claimed the top finishing position by a Porsche GT entry in the field.

The team returns to Florida for the second round of the IMSA season – the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring – on Saturday, March 18. Pfaff Motorsports finished fifth at the historic circuit in 2022, but was victorious in the GTD class the year prior with Vanthoor. Pilet also has won at Sebring, while Bachler will be a newcomer to the iconic event.

Team Quotes:

Klaus Bachler: “Before the race, if someone told us that we would finish P5 with this speed and what we had, it’s really cool. Also, the team was just amazing. They did a great job and we were still on the lead lap. They somehow managed this despite our speed and we were always able to come back to the lead lap. Everybody on the team did really a great job and honestly, I’m happy to be here. For sure, I have to learn a lot. It was my first race with the team, and also to understand the rules here. There’s a lot to learn from my side, but it’s a positive start to the season. It’s good points and I’m confident that next time in Sebring it will be different, and we can also fight for the victory.”

Patrick Pilet: “It was great, we had a really good time all together. I learned a bit of the philosophy of the team, and it matched directly with what I like about racing and the way I want to race. It was a great two weeks with the guys and to be honest, we can be really proud about the result. We didn’t have pace, but we finished on the lead lap and it’s unreal. All the crew and the pit stops and the strategy, everything went smooth and easy. We had some small issues, but nothing major. The car was reliable, so that was the main thing. The strategy also to choose to not run the car much in practice paid off and at the end, we had the best Porsche and managed the best result possible. P5 is big points for the championship and now, we just hope for a better time in Sebring and for the rest of the championship.”

Laurens Vanthoor: “I think if you look at everything that happened, this is by far the best result we could have imagined. The team and drivers executed perfectly. I can’t recall any of us making a big mistake, so that’s absolutely hats off to everyone. Of course, it’s still kind of depressing and it was a very hard race when you’re driving two to three seconds off the pace. It was very tough out there, but in the end, it was the only thing we could do. As the third driver, I was obviously aiming for the Rolex, but for the rest of the team and for Patrick and Klaus, it’s important to get the championship points and I think they did absolutely the maximum they could.”

About Pfaff Motorsports

Pfaff Motorsports has established itself as one of the most successful sportscar racing programs in North America over the past decade. A professional team in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA), it has established long-term partnerships with premium brands such as Lithia & Driveway, Motul, and Hagerty, and is one of the top-performing Porsche customer racing teams in the sport.