Porsche and its customer teams celebrated the perfect end to the 2021 season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. In the GTD class and in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup, Porsche won the manufacturers' title at the final on Road Atlanta. The Pfaff Motorsports team with regular drivers Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Zacharie Robichon (Canada) secured the team and driver championship with the Porsche 911 GT3 R. Team Wright Motorsports won all three titles in the Endurance Cup, which includes the endurance races in Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and the "Petit Le Mans" in the US state of Georgia. In the GTLM class, WeatherTech Racing achieved a one-two result in the last race with the 911 RSR.

“What a fantastic end to the season,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Head of Motorsport, happily. “All three titles in the GTD class and in the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup for the strong Porsche customer teams. Another class win for the 911 RSR in its last outing in the North American racing series. On Friday, Wright Motorsports won the manufacturers, drivers and teams in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. It couldn't be better! Congratulations to the WeatherTech, Wright, Pfaff and Hardpoint teams and colleagues from Porsche Motorsport North America. A big thank you to everyone who has made these great successes possible through their work in the development center in Weissach. "

The number 9 car from Pfaff Motorsports completed a flawless race on Road Atlanta in cool temperatures below ten degrees Celsius. Works driver Vanthoor and his colleague Robichon stayed out of trouble for over ten hours and crossed the finish line in the end to second place - enough to win all GTD titles. At the “Petit Le Mans” the duo was supported by the German Porsche development driver Lars Kern.

Wright Motorsports showed an impressive tactical and combative performance. The over 500 hp 911 GT3 R with the number 16 fell back two laps in the early phase due to a tire damage after a collision with a competing vehicle. Thanks to an optimal strategy, this deficit was made up again after less than three hours. Factory driver Patrick Long from the USA, his compatriot Trent Hindman and Jan Heylen from Belgium took the lead after four and eight hours of racing, collecting enough points to win the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup. In the final phase, the car could no longer keep up with the top speed due to damage to the rear and crossed the finish line in fifth place.

"We couldn't wish for a better end to the season", summarizes Sebastian Golz, Project Manager Porsche 911 GT3 R. "The asphalt burned from the first lap. We saw that in many overtaking manoeuvres, touches and the ten caution phases. This weekend we within the Porsche family supported each other optimally during preparation and during the race and kept a cool head. The reward was the maximum: all titles for drivers, teams and manufacturers in the GTD class went to Wright, Pfaff and Porsche this weekend! "

The American customer team Hardpoint had bad luck in the last race of the 2021 season. In the eventful early phase of "Petit Le Mans", the Porsche 911 GT3 R with the number 88 suffered considerable damage to the radiator through contact with a competitor. By replacing the defective component, the vehicle of the two Americans Rob Ferriol and Andrew Davis and the British Katherine Legge lost 15 laps. The team was unable to make up for this deficit and was ranked eighth in the end.

The successful Porsche 911 RSR completed its last race in the IMSA series in the GTLM class. This vehicle category will no longer be represented in the North American racing series from 2022. The customer team WeatherTech Racing, which fielded two of the approximately 515 hp vehicles from Weissach for the season finale, achieved an optimal result: double success on Road Atlanta. In a spectacular and intense battle against the Corvette and BMW manufacturers' teams, starting number 79 for Cooper MacNeil (USA), Matt Campbell (Australia) and Mathieu Jaminet (France) saw the checkered flag in first place. Teammates Kévin Estre, Frédéric Makowiecki (both France) and Michael Christensen from Denmark reached second class in the number 97.

“A top fuss for the 911 RSR in a hard-fought race,” sums up Steffen Höllwarth, Head of Operations at GTLM. “We were the only team left with two irons in the end and decided on different strategies. In general, we made the fewest mistakes in the final. It turned out to be a perfect weekend for Porsche. All titles in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Cup, all titles in the GTD class and a double success in the GTLM category. Thanks to all involved."

For Porsche, the 911 RSR races in the North American sports car racing series were a great success. Seven titles in the IMSA championship, five triumphs in the North American Endurance Cup, 24 race wins and 62 podiums are recorded in a total of eight seasons. In the coming year, the experienced customer teams in the GTD Pro and GTD classes will start with the 911 GT3 R, before Porsche will return to the battle for overall victories in the world's greatest endurance races with an LMDh prototype from 2023.

Driver comments on the Laurens Vanthoor race
(Porsche 911 GT3 R # 9):“That was awesome! So much has happened in this long race. We always tried to stay out of all problems. Our car was really good. Unfortunately we couldn't overtake the Aston Martin and celebrate a class win. I tried it in the end, but of course I didn't risk everything. It was all about the championship. We achieved that. I am very proud of the team and my colleagues! ”

Zacharie Robichon (Porsche 911 GT3 R # 9):"I'm lost for words. We achieved this triumph as a team - it was really the perfect collaboration between everyone. I couldn't be more proud of all my colleagues at Pfaff Motorsports. I'm just really happy and have had to shed a few tears since the end of the race. All of my dreams came true today. I still can't believe it. "

Patrick Long (Porsche 911 GT3 R # 16):“Today there are countless reasons for Porsche and the customer teams to have a big party. It was an extremely turbulent day for me and my colleagues in the cockpit and in the pits. That we had to make more pit stops than any other car says it all. I am very proud of the entire team. We had the perfect strategy to collect the necessary points to win the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup: Goal achieved! It was my last race as a full-time professional for Porsche. But that didn't play a role in the race today. I won't think about that again until tomorrow. ”

Cooper MacNeil (Porsche 911 RSR # 79):“A great day for Porsche, our WeatherTech Racing team and our Proton Competition team. To finish the very last race in the GTLM class with a one-two result for the Porsche 911 RSR is just spectacular for me. Thanks to all mechanics, engineers and my driver colleagues. The season finale couldn't have ended better. ”

Mathieu Jaminet (Porsche 911 RSR # 79):“It was a completely crazy race. Until shortly before the end we had a tough fight against the Corvette, which then fell behind due to a collision with a prototype. Our teammates were in the lead at the time. When we were second, the sister car let us pass and made it possible for us to win. That’s part of motorsport. I would have preferred to do it sportily on the track. So I feel a little sorry for my colleagues. But overall we had a dream day for Porsche today. ”

Matt Campbell (Porsche 911 RSR # 79):“The double success for the WeatherTech Racing team is sensational. Before the start of the weekend, we had secretly dreamed of such a scenario - now it is a reality. Thanks to our colleagues in car number 97. Without their support, we would of course not have won. All in all, it was perfect teamwork. To have maximum success again with the 911 RSR in the last race of the GTLM class is perfect. ”

Kevin Estre (Porsche 911 RSR # 97):“It was a really cool race that we were able to crown with a double victory. We had an optimal strategy that brought me to the very front at the wheel of the number 97. We were in first place with three laps to go. Then I let the sister car pass - not a big issue. I am proud of the team and that I was able to be part of this perfect farewell for the 911 RSR from the IMSA championship. ”

Result GTLM class
1. MacNeil / Campbell / Jaminet (USA / AUS / F), Porsche 911 RSR # 79, 390 laps
2nd Estre / Christensen / Makowiecki (F / DK / F), Porsche 911 RSR # 97, 390 laps
3rd Edwards / Krohn / Farfus (USA / FIN / BR), BMW M8 GTE # 24, 389 laps
4. Tandy / Milner / Sims (GB / USA / GB), Chevrolet Corvette # 4, 381 laps
5. De Phillippi / Eng / Spengler (USA / A / CDN), BMW M8 GTE # 25, 281 laps
6. Garcia / Taylor / Catsburg (E / USA / B), Chevrolet Corvette # 3, 150 laps

Result GTD class
1. De Angelis / Gunn / James (CDN / GB / USA), Aston Martin # 23, 378 laps
2. Robichon / Vanthoor / Kern (CDN / B / D), Porsche 911 GT3 R # 9, 378 laps
3. Montecalvo / Veach / Megennis (USA / USA / USA), Lexus # 12, 377 laps
5th Long / Hindman / Heylen (USA / USA / B), Porsche 911 GT3 R # 16, 376 laps
8th Ferriol / Legge / Davis ( USA / GB / USA), Porsche 911 GT3 R # 88, 359 laps

All results and championship standings at imsa.alkamelsystems.com.