[WEC] Porsche Prototype Discussion

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Bobby_status

WEC had over 30 mins to clean and restart the race but they decided to pull the checkered flag with 3 mins left. Porsche, Toyota, and Audi were running 1,2,3! It would've been an epic fight to the finish!

Cleaning up after a crash like that, with proper safety barriers installed was an almost impossible task in 30minutes.
The marshals did an incredible job of just trying to make it to give some green flag racing, and only stopped when there was no more time to race in.
Big hats off to all the guys at the track for giving an incredible fight to try and give this race the ending it deserved!

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by CTD

Cleaning up after a crash like that, with proper safety barriers installed was an almost impossible task in 30minutes.
The marshals did an incredible job of just trying to make it to give some green flag racing, and only stopped when there was no more time to race in.
Big hats off to all the guys at the track for giving an incredible fight to try and give this race the ending it deserved!

Once time got short it would have been horrible to see the proverbial "green white checker" that has no place in endurance racing.

[Spyderman]

Press Release30/11/2014 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), round 8, Sao Paulo (Brazil), LMP1, Race

First win for the Porsche 919 Hybrid under dramatic circumstances

Stuttgart. The Porsche Team has achieved its maiden win with the Porsche 919 Hybrid in the final race of the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship in São Paulo with the driving trio of Romain Dumas (France), Neel Jani (Switzerland) and Marc Lieb (Germany). At the same time as the team achieved the biggest success of its debut season, it had its deepest shock when Mark Webber had a very heavy accident in the sister car with less than half an hour to go before the end of the six-hour race. The Australian, who shares the Le Mans Prototype with Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Brendon Hartley (New Zealand), crashed heavily into the barriers at the fast last turn of the lap. He was in sixth position. The initial information the team received from the medical centre at the track was that he was not badly injured. However, he has been transferred to a hospital in São Paul for further checks. The race finished behind the safety car with Neel Jani at the wheel of the winning car.

How the race went for car number 14:
Lieb started from second, but lost one place to a Toyota on lap one. After breath-taking attempts to get the position back, after 37 laps he handed over the car, which was still lying in third, to Jani. The Swiss continued to attack the Toyota, they swopped places, but when Jani handed over to Dumas after 76 laps the car was still third. Dumas only got by when the Toyota had contact with another car on lap 88. On lap 105 Dumas had to pit early because of a right rear puncture. Lieb got behind the wheel again and took the lead after 119 laps when the sister car suffered problems. Lieb pitted after 144 laps to hand the car back to Dumas. After 183 laps Jani took over with the car lying second. At his final pit stop after 222 laps he stayed in the car and took the risk not to change tyres to save time. The risk paid off.

How the race went for car number 20:
Bernhard started from pole position and was leading by 12 seconds when he handed over to Webber after 38 laps. Webber stayed in the lead of the race, despite some trouble in traffic, and handed over to Hartley at the end of lap 79. For the Kiwi and car number 20 the dream to win the race was over soon as an unidentified problem cost some engine power. After 119 laps Hartley handed over to Bernhard, who continued in third. During a full course yellow after 153 laps Hartley got behind the wheel again. After 193 laps Webber took over again, with the car having meanwhile dropped back to sixth place. He had his last pit stop after 227 laps and a heavy crash in the fast last corner of the track when the race was on its 239th lap with less than half an hour to go.

Quotes after the race:

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “The most important news of today is that, given the circumstances, Mark Webber is in good condition, according to the first information from the doctors. I find it hard to believe that we really managed to win our first race in our first WEC season, especially as our joy is overshadowed by Mark’s accident. This weekend we have been fastest in every session and had both cars on the front row. The race was a thriller until the very last lap. After three tough years we have achieved this win with a great team in our debut season. Congratulations to the team – I’m very proud of them.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “According to our information Mark seems to be okay after this heavy accident. This weekend all drivers, mechanics and engineers have completed the last step we had on the agenda for this year: winning a race on our own merit. We were able to show what we have learnt in our debut season. Be it in terms of tyre management, pit stops or other operational aspects – our team was top in every regard. Many thanks to everyone who contributed – here on track or back home in Weissach. Our 2014 mission is over, and now we are looking forward to the next season.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid number 14
Romain Dumas (36, France): “It is great we have won that race for Porsche, but, of course, it was a lot more important to know that Mark was okay. My first stint today ended early due to a right rear puncture. I don’t know what caused it, but maybe some debris. When I was back in the car later in the race I had a much better time. The grip level of the track had improved and we had changed the tyre pressure in the rear. The car was really good.

Neel Jani (30, Switzerland): “This was a tough race – every lap in qualifying mode and good battles with the number 8 Toyota. That it worked out in the end is almost unbelievable. Together with Romain and Marc we achieved the first pole position for the 919 Hybrid and now the first win. To me this was a dream season. The next dream would be to win the World Championship and to take Le Mans. We hope this is what the future brings. We are now even third in the drivers’ championship – who would have believed that?

Marc Lieb (34, Germany): ”What a day for our team! On lap one I lost one position to a Toyota, he surprised me with boosting in a corner, as I wasn’t expecting it. Afterwards it was impossible for me to get past him, although I had the faster car. I tried everything but he was all over the place. The second time in the car my biggest problem was tyre pick-up in traffic as soon as I had to leave the racing line. It was like driving on ice.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid number 20
Timo Bernhard (33, Germany): “I had a very straight forward first stint with leading the race from the start until our first pit stop. I handed over the car to Mark Webber with a 12 second lead. Managing the traffic was really challenging, especially towards the end of my stint when I had some bad luck with slower cars. The heat was also really tough. My second stint later in the race wasn’t as satisfying, because by then our car didn’t have its full power anymore. However, this isn’t important anymore. All what counts is that Mark is okay.”

Brendon Hartley (25, New Zealand): “This was an emotional rollercoaster with the most important news being that Mark is alright. The beginning of my first stint was great when I was leading the race. Timo and Mark had done a great job to bring our car to where it was and it felt fantastic. Then, about ten laps into my stint unfortunately we lost some engine power. We could not defend our position and dropped back. But at least we could have finished the race and it was great to drive on this track. However, this is overshadowed after Mark’s accident.”

Race result 6 hours of São Paulo (Brazil):
1. Dumas/Jani/Lieb (F/CH/D), Porsche 919 Hybrid, 249 Laps
2. Davidson/Buemi (GB/CH), Toyota TS040 Hybrid, – 0,170 s
3. Di Grassi/Duval/Kristensen (BRA/F/DK), Audi R18 e-tron quattro, – 1 Lap
4. Wurz/Sarrazin/Conway (A/F/GB), Toyota TS040 Hybrid, – 1 Lap
5. Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer (CH/D/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro, – 1 Lap

FIA World Endurance Champonship (WEC) after last out of 8 rounds,
Drivers’ standings:
1. Davidson/Buemi (GB/CH), Toyota, 166 (World Champion)
2. Lotterer/Tréluyer/Fässler (D/F/CH), Audi, 127
3. Dumas/Jani/Lieb (F/CH/D), Porsche, 117
4. Di Grassi/Kristensen (BRA/DK), Audi, 117
5. Wurz/Sarrazin (A/F), Toyota, 116
6. Lapierre (F), Toyota, 96
7. Duval (F), Audi, 81
8. Nakajima (J), Toyota, 71
9. Bernhard/Hartley/Webber (D/NZ/AUS), Porsche, 64,5

Manufacturers’ standings:
1. Toyota, 289 (World Champion)
2. Audi, 244
3. Porsche, 193

[jondownunder]

Possibly just wild rumour, but Alonso linked to joining Hulkenberg in the third LMP1 Porsche for Spa & Le Mans -

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns29563.html

[Spyderman]

I remain skeptical.

also: Webber does not "lead" the #20. That honor belongs to Timo Bernhard.

[Gingers4Justice]

"Hulkenberg approached Porsche for Le Mans deal".

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117018

Just a thought - with in-season testing banned, couldn't F1 teams view this as a good way of keeping their drivers fresh and adding to their experience? It's not like he won't learn anything useful from the experience, is it?

[Spyderman]

I think the feeder series may be petrified their drivers see what it is like to drive a real car.

[500]

Hulk has a lot of Porsche background, so it makes sense that he would have good contacts there to discuss doing some WEC. What is really great about this story (to me) is that here is an active F1 driver who is excited and passionate about Le Mans / WEC as well, to the extent that he himself pushed to make it happen.

It may also prove to be ultimately a more fruitful future career path for him, if F1 continues in the current state where designers have had real challenges hitting the minimum weight target under the new regulations. This has put the tall Hulkenberg at a distinct disadvantage – not only in on-track performance, but also attractiveness to other teams.

The point about WEC being an alternative to the lack of in-season F1 testing is also thoughtful and I think very valid.

[Spyderman]

A few things I'm looking forward to in the next couple of months :

- Seeing the first pictures of the 2015 spec car.
- Following the testing program (as much as we are entitled to know)
- Reading the first interview with Mark Webber asking about his adaptation to, and progress along the season of endurance racing and where F1 is not mentioned (or only slightly).
- Learning what the line-up for the 3rd car will be.

[CTD]

Michael Christensen talks about his "office" in this article: (Danish)
http://vildmedbiler.dk/her-er-michaels-arbejdsplads/
It is not the 911 Cockpit he's talking about, but the 919 however!

Could this mean that he is sealed as one of the drivers for the 3rd Porsche?

It must be said that reading the article careful, it's the journalist who writes that it is Michael Christensen's office, and that he only shows the cockpit of an LMP. Michael Christensen is never quoted saying or directly implying that he is driving a Porsche LMP next year.

[Simmi]

So Hulkenberg announces intention to race at Spa and Le Mans. Alonso also rumoured.

A Korean GP now magically appears at the start of May...

[Spyderman]

Alonso not going to Porsche

[500]

I can't really see Alonso in the third car... That level of superstar would create a lot of distraction and I think there are enough very good drivers to choose from.

In my mind Hulk fits because he has sports car experience, is a "Porsche" guy in many ways and does not have the white-hot celebrity of Alonso.

Plus, if Alonso does sign with McLaren, that may disqualify him from simultaneously driving for Porsche.

Finally, Porsche historically has sought long-term driver relationships and I'm not sure if that is as likely with Alonso? That is just pure speculation on my part though...

[Rodger Davies]

Motorsport have an article right now saying the same thing about Alonso being told he can't drive for Porsche and McLaren. Unfortunate, but I hope we see him there one day soon.

[Deleted]

The Spanish outlets are saying the opposite.

Anyway, that stupid move of re organizing the Korean GP om the same weekend as Spa 6 Hours surely now means that Hulkenberg won't start official ACO sessions until Test Day. So Porsche will run the third car with sparse lineup at Spa. Unless the GP gets moved or canned as some are saying

[J Jay]

I assume Honda & McLaren want his sole focus to be on F1. Can't blame them for protecting their interests, but that rumour got me excited. Getting a top* driver at Le Mans while they are still in F1 would be the stuff of dreams.

*No disrespect to Hulkenberg, Webber, Button, etc.

Originally Posted by Chiana

Anyway, that stupid move of reorganizing the Korean GP on the same weekend as Spa 6 Hours surely now means that Hulkenberg won't start official ACO sessions until Test Day. So Porsche will run the third car with sparse lineup at Spa

Not exactly helpful or subtle, is it? Then it will inevitably be called off before the season opener and leave Hulkenberg/Porsche down some rather important seat time. I know it's futile, but words should be exchanged - this could be a significant setback to Porsche's LM/WEC campaigns.

[Simmi]

It will be interesting to see what Porsche do. The more you look at the logistics of Korea it's just impossible to make that race happen back to back with Spain.

It's an empty threat IMO it's just whether Porsche, Nico or Force India blink before it gets scrubbed from the calendar.

[Bandicoot17]

Hulkenburg will drive the car this month apparently so although he'll lack race experience he'll won't be going in blind

[Simmi]

At least his seat will fit:

[TF110]

Another picture

[Simmi]

Not sure how informed this is or just speculation around Alonso and Porsche:

http://www.foxsports.com/motor/story...fb:fscom:speed

[Simmi]

Just noticed the Vodafone sponsorship on Hulkenberg's overalls. I'm assuming they are 2015 ones.

[Paxah]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Just noticed the Vodafone sponsorship on Hulkenberg's overalls. I'm assuming they are 2015 ones.

The Vodafone sponsorship was on this year's overalls as well.

[chernaudi]

I think that Vodafone has been a Porsche sponsor since last season. I remember seeing that logo on the walls that the erect in their garage area where sponsor logos are placed for promotional purposes.

Even Audi and Toyota have sponsors that appear on those boards or their team websites that don't appear on the actual cars.

[Spyderman]

Porsche currently testing at Aragon. Hulkenberg is with Mako, Christensen and Tandy. Hartley is there too.