Just three weeks after the two Porsche 919 Hybrids and 911 RSR (GTE-Pro class) scored double victories at the Nürburgring, the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) is heading to Austin, Texas this Saturday.
The 5.513-kilometre circuit features a spectacular layout with many corners linking, rapidly changing gradients, and fast passages. Porsche will be well represented with twelve factory drivers competing across the WEC and the Tudor United Sports Car Championship, which starts in the midday sun.
Le Mans winner Earl Bamber will be on double duty at Austin, racing in both the WEC in a Porsche 919 Hybrid as well as sharing the cockpit of the number 912 Porsche 911 RSR with Jörg Bergmeister in the earlier TUSC race. Patrick Pilet will also tackles both races, behind the wheel of a 911 RSR.
After clinching one-two at both the Le Mans 24 Hours and at the six-hour race at the Nürburgring, the Porsche are entering the second half of the WEC season as the leader of the manufacturers’ classification.
Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1 comments: “The upcoming races at Austin, Fuji, Shanghai and Bahrain are decisive for the title. Porsche has set its sights on the manufacturers’ crown, but the decision in the drivers’ championship will be just as exciting. With only 17 and 19 points separating us from the currently-leading Audi trio, both of our driver crews are within striking distance.
“Last year’s race on the COTA proved extremely tough for us. We hope that we’re now in a position to fight for victory there, but we’re not expecting the dominance we saw at the Nürburgring.”
The six-hour WEC race on the Circuit of the Americas starts at 5pm local time on Saturday 19th September and will continue into the night.