The WEC manufacturers championship has been decided following the eight-hour endurance race in Bahrain. The Porsche GT Team finished the final race of the season in second and fourth position, which left them out of contention. The Porsche 911 RSR driven by Kevin Estre, Neel Jani, and Michael Christensen was on course to take the final chequered flag in first position and on course to take the world title until a Ferrari shunted the Porsche into a spin.
Race control immediately announced that the leading car had to give the place back which would have put the Porsche back in the lead. However, not long afterwards, during No.92 pitstop, they announced that they were withdrawing their decision. The No.92 eventually finished in second place with the sister car driven by Gianmaria Bruni, Richard Lietz and Frederic Makowiecki finishing in sixth place in the GTE-Pro class. Overall, in the manufacturer’s classification, Porsche finished the 2021 endurance season in second place overall. Another successful weekend for the customer teams saw Dempsey-Proton Racing and Project 1 secure another podium in the GTE-AM category.
“It’s a sad day for Porsche Motorsport,” comments Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Motorsport. “Our rival nudged our leading car into a spin and drove on to victory. We can’t understand why the race director first issued a penalty and then withdrew it. Our drivers and teams deserve the utmost respect. Everyone drove a fair and clean race for eight hours and gave spectators a great show. I’d like to thank them all for this. Right up until the end, the race was a really great promotion for motor racing.”
“It was a sad end to an extremely exciting race for us. Unfortunately, we were spun off the track by a competitor,” remarks Alexander Stehlig, Head of Operations FIA WEC, giving an account of his impressions. “We can’t understand the race stewards’ decision. First, the two leading cars were supposed to switch positions after the contact which would’ve put our Porsche back in the lead. A little later, they withdrew this announcement during the No. 92’s pit stop. So, despite our fair and clean race, we couldn’t achieve our goals. That’s why we’ve lodged a protest.”
The race got underway with polesitter Estre managing to retain his lead going into the first corner. The eight-hour battle commenced with the frontrunners changing positions frequently. Fantastic work by Porsche GT pit crews and flawless performance by the drivers enabled Christensen to head into the final stages of the eight-hour endurance in the lead. Unfortunately, in the last 15 minutes Alessandro Pier Guidi hit the rear of the Porsche 911 RSR with his Ferrari sending the Porsche whirling into a spin.
The No.91 sister car driven by Bruni, Lietz and Makowiecki took the lead multiple times during the first stint of the race but unfortunately lost time due to a pit stop penalty. During the second half of the race, the team had to make an unscheduled pit stop, a result of a loose rear wheel which caused significant vibrations and minor damages. They managed to take the chequered flag in fourth place.
In the GTE-Am class, the customer teams Dempsey – Proton Racing and Project 1 managed to both finish on the podium. Works driver, Matt Campbell, Christian Ried and Jaxon Evans crossed the line in the No.77 Porsche 911 RSR in second place. While the identical car of Egidio Perfetti, Matteo Cairoli and Riccardo Pera achieved third place.
After six races the WEC championship concluded with the Porsche GT Team finishing with 277 points and as a runner-up in the manufacturer’s classifications. In the driver’s world championship, Estre and Jani earned 166 points wrapping up the year in second place. While teammates Bruni and Lietz finished the year in third place with 111 points
Drivers’ comments after the race
Michael Christensen (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “What a huge disappointment! Our team did a perfect job and got us to the front with a great strategy. In the last 30 minutes of the race, our tyres deteriorated rapidly. I had to pull out all stops to stay in the lead. I fended off the Ferrari and was fair at all times – but then it pushed me off the track. And that was the end of our chance to win and title dream.”
Kévin Estre (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “Our fight was tough and fair and we held a well-deserved lead. With a few minutes to go, a Ferrari hit our car. At first, race control ordered that he should hand first place back to us. While we were driving to the scheduled refuelling pit stop, they then retracted this decision and we didn’t get our position back. I don’t think that’s fair.”
Neel Jani (Porsche 911 RSR #92): “We were champions until eight minutes before the flag and then we lost it. If someone overtakes us fair and square we don’t have a problem with this and they’re the deserved winner – but not with a shunt. The team did a terrific job, the strategy and pit stops were super. I can only thank Kévin and Michael for this season.”
Race result
GTE-Pro class
1. Calado/Pier Guidi (GB/I), AF Corse, Ferrari 488 GTE #51, 233 laps
2. Estre/Jani/Christensen (F/CH/DK), Porsche GT Team, Porsche 911 RSR #92, 233 laps
3. Serra/Molina (BR/E), AF Corse, Ferrari 488 GTE #52, 233 laps
4. Lietz/Bruni/Makowiecki (A/I/F), Porsche GT Team, Porsche 911 RSR #91, 231 laps
GTE-Am class
1. Perrodo/Nielsen/Rovera (F/DK/I), AF Corse, Ferrari 488 GTE #83, 230 laps
2. Ried/Campbell/Evans (D/AUS/NZ), Dempsey-Proton Racing, Porsche 911 RSR #77, 229 laps
3. Perfetti/Cairoli/Pera (N/I/I), Team Project 1, Porsche 911 RSR #56, 229 laps
10. Wainwright/Barker/Gamble (GB/GB/GB), GR Racing, Porsche 911 RSR #86, 224 laps
DNF. Andlauer/Jefferies/Al Qubaisi (F/GB/UAE), Dempsey-Proton Racing, Porsche 911 RSR #88, 90 laps
Full results and points’ standings on: fiawec.alkamelsystems.com