The Alley : COTA 2015

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS - 2015

YOUNG LIONS Meet the young stars who are changing the face of sports car racing Earl Bamber

THE YOUNG LIONS Clockwise from top left: Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Jann Mardenborough, Colin Braun, John Edwards, Dane Cameron, Earl Bamber,

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Hall of Fame driver and BMW Team RLL leader Bobby Rahal recalls a time when older, veteran drivers were especially valuable as they provided the only means of communicating to a crew just what a race car was doing on the track.

The development of data recorders, telemetry, simulators and even video games has dramatically changed that model.

So too have training programs, coaches, development series and increased manufacturer scouting for talent. The result is many more opportunities for drivers to earn prime rides much earlier in their careers.

The prowess of the ‘young lions’ was on full global display this past June as Porsche’s Earl Bamber (now 25), Nick Tandy (30) and F1’s Nico Hülkenberg (28) celebrated atop the podium as the overall winners of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Tandy had contested the event once before, but for his co-drivers, the overall race win came in their first entry at Le Mans.

Joining them on the Le Mans podium was their teammate Brendon Hartley of New Zealand, age 25, who finished second overall aboard a Porsche 919 co-driving with former F1 ace Mark Webber.

At Road America in August, Bamber was given his first opportunity to qualify the Porsche North America 911 RSR at a TUDOR United SportsCar Championship event.

Rain washed out most of the Friday practice, giving Bamber just four laps in the dry on Saturday morning before heading out to qualify.

Two laps later he was on the GTLM class pole having broken the track class record by 1.4 seconds on a track he had never previously seen.

Entrusting million dollar cars and entire programs to a young driver was once unthinkable, but rather than thrashing around in old, uncompetitive equipment to gain experience, today’s promising young drivers find top rides.

The TUDOR Championship has an especially impressive group of talented young shoes already winning races, championships and setting records.

Florida based Wayne Taylor Racing’s Jordan Taylor (24) won the 2013 GRAND– AM Rolex Series Prototype Championship.

He and older brother Ricky Taylor (26) were the TUDOR Championship runners-up last year.

At Action Express, Georgia’s Dane Cameron (26) won the 2014 GTD TUDOR Championship. He moved up to the Whelen Engineering car in the Prototype class for 2015 to team with Eric Curran. They already have a pair of race wins.

Cincinnati’s John Edwards (24) has climbed the ladder from the Star Mazda championship in 2008, to the Formula Atlantic title in 2009. He has a BMW Team RLL factory drive and a pair of TUDOR Championship GTLM class wins already in his pocket.

Texan Colin Braun, of CORE autosport, is already a four time IMSA Series champion and co-drives with team owner Jon Bennett in the PC class. Braun, who now lives in Charlotte, turns 27 next week.

How did these young drivers get to be so good, so fast? Drivers start sooner in organized karting or video gaming. They get seat time in progressively faster cars and there are more good cars available.

Where in Rahal’s early years the drivers were the human data recorders, modern cars are so heavily instrumented that it takes teams days after a race to analyze all the data. Bamber and Tandy’s Le Mans winning Porsche transmitted 13.5 gigabytes of data to the pits during the race.

The priority is on pure speed, the ability to trust and help the engineers, and to be mature enough to keep bringing the car back intact for the engineers to sort.

Drivers must be able to deal with traffic, increasingly complex displays and steering wheels that look and, and in some ways are, like video game consoles loaded with the multiple electronic features and programs.

Nissan has filled several seats, including factory prototypes, with drivers whose careers started in video games. In fact, Nissan has established a formal program called the Nissan GT Academy to identify and develop top gamers and put them into various cars. The most promising is Jann “The Mann” Mardenborough, a winner of GT Academy. He marked his 24th birthday last week.

Youth in sports cars is no longer wasted on the young.

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Corvette’s

triple play

If a victory in one of the world’s premier endurance races makes the season a success, the Corvette Racing team is having a triple.

The Michigan based factory team reeled off consecutive 2015 class victories in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans to claim the endurance racing Triple Crown.

Jan Magnussen, Antonio Garcia and Ryan Briscoe took their Corvette C7.R to victory in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship opening round at Daytona in January and followed that up with the win at Sebring in March.

Teammates Oliver Gavin, Tommy Milner and Jordan Taylor then delivered the goods at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Three majors. Three wins.

You may think that those three victories would satisfy the Corvette Racing team and the legendary Corvette Nation. You would be wrong.

The Corvette Racing team and drivers arrive at each race focused on the win.

Their preparation, race set ups, strategies, pit work and consistency lap after lap have built a stunning record of success that includes eight wins at Le Mans, nine at Sebring and eight at Petit Le Mans. They want more.

With just two races, Lone Star Le Mans and Petit Le Mans, remaining in the 2015 TUDOR Championship, the driver, team and manufacturer titles are very much in play. That makes every point critical in the hyper-competitive GTLM class.

Watch us now on FOX

After Corvette claimed victories in the first two events of the 2015 TUDOR Championship, BMW Team RLL leapt to the front with victories at Long Beach and Monterey.

Since then it has been all Porsche with the Falken Porsche team claiming the win at Watkins Glen International and the Porsche North America factory team vaulting to the lead by dominating the last three races.

Will Porsche continue its streak?

Will BMW Team RLL regain the top of the podium? Will the Houston based Risi Competizione Ferrari squad, podium finishers in the last two events, take a home win? Or, will Corvette Racing end the season on high notes to bookend the start?

Don’t miss the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship as they compete at the Circuit of The Americas.

TUDOR Championship Qualifying Friday, September 18 (All times EDT) 4:45 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. IMSA.com (Live), IMSA App Race Saturday, September 19 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. FOX Sports 2 (Live) Sunday, September 20 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. FOX Sports 1 (Re-air) FIA World Endurance Championship Qualifying Friday, September 18 (All times EDT) 6:45 p.m. – 7:35 p.m. WEC App Race Saturday, September 19 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. FOX Sports 2 (Live), FOX Sports Go, WEC App

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FAN FAVORITES Auberlen/Werner BMW Team RLL • BMW Z4 GTE GT Le Mans Michelin

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Fittipaldi/Barbosa Action Express Racing • Corvette DP Prototype Continental

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R. Taylor/J. Taylor Wayne Taylor Racing • Corvette DP Prototype Continental

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Pew/Negri Jr. Michael Shank Racing • Ligier JS P2 Prototype Continental

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Westbrook/Valiante VisitFlorida.com Racing • Corvette DP Prototype Continental

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Pruett/Hand Chip Ganassi Racing • Ford Riley DP Prototype Continental

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Long/Miller Mazda Motorsports • Mazda Prototype Continental

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Gavin/Milner Corvette Racing • Chevrolet Corvette C7.R GT Le Mans Michelin

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Fisichella/Kaffer Risi Competizione • Ferrari F458 Italia GT Le Mans Michelin

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Tandy/Pilet Porsche North America • Porsche 911 RSR GT Le Mans Michelin

Michelin North America, Inc • One Parkway South, • Greenville, SC 29615 • TEL: 1-800-458-5000 • www.michelin.com • Printed in USA, August 5, 2015 • Volume 9, Issue 9 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission of the publisher. • Copyright © 2015 Michelin North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Printed on recycled paper • 10% Total Recovered Fiber • All Post-Consumed Fiber

WINN

Ford ECOBOOST R

Porsche 919 Hybr

WINN

NER: Rolex 24 At Daytona

RILEY DP

rid

Race

Rolex 24 At Daytona

Car

No. 02 Ford EcoBoost Riley DP

Weight

1038.727 kg / 2290 lbs

Powertrain

Twin-turbo 3.5 Liter Ford EcoBoost V6

Top speed in race

195.9 mph

Fastest race lap

128.49 mph

Race average speed

109.693 mph

Pit stops

34 pit stops

Fuel usage

546 gallons

Tires

30 sets / Continental

Total Distance

2,634.4 miles

Qualifying Speed

129.061 mph

Circuit length

3.56 miles

Race

24 Hours of Le Mans

Car

No. 19 Porsche 919 Hybrid

Weight

870 kg / 1918 lbs

Powertrain

PorscheV4 + Hybrid

Top speed in race

211.4 mph

Fastest race lap

154.4 mph

Race average speed

139.3 mph

Pit stops

30 pit stops

Fuel usage

500.87 gallons

Tires

10 sets / Michelin

Total Distance

3,452.3 miles

Qualifying Speed

154.846 mph

Circuit length

8.47 miles

NER: 24 Hours of Le Mans

FAN FAVORITES

Dumas/Jani/Lieb Porsche Team • Porsche 919 Hybrid LM P1 Michelin

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Davidson/Buemi/Nakajima Toyota Racing • Toyota TS040 - Hybrid LM P1 Michelin

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Duval/di Grassi/Jarvis Audi Sport Team Joest • Audi R18 e-tron quattro LM P1 Michelin

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Prost/Beche/Heidfeld Rebellion Racing • Rebellion R-One - AER LM P1 Michelin

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Rusinov/Canal/Bird G-Drive Racing • Ligier JS P2 - Nissan LM P2 Dunlop

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Sharp/Dalziel/Heinemeier Hansson Extreme Speed Motorsports • Ligier JS P2 - HPD LM P2 Dunlop

Howson/Bradley/Lapierre KCMG • Oreca 05 - Nissan LM P2

47 Dunlop

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Bruni/Vilander AF Corse • Ferrari F458 Italia GTE-Pro Michelin

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Lietz/Christensen Porsche Team Manthey • Porsche 911 RSR GTE-Pro Michelin

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Turner/Mucke/Adam Aston Martin Racing • Aston Martin Vantage V8 GTE-Pro Michelin

The His popular television character was written out of the show’s script earlier this year, but Patrick Dempsey starred in a different show this summer. Dempsey realized his racing dream by finishing on the podium at the fabled 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Dempsey’s well-earned second place finish at Le Mans in the popular GTEAM class, which combines Pro and Amateur drivers, was the result of his own long running sports car racing program. Dempsey has spent the past decade building his racing skills and experience here in North America and on the international stage.

He was joined aboard a Porsche 911 RSR by fellow American and Porsche factory ace Patrick Long and Germany’s Marco Seefried, as his Dempsey–Proton

PATRICK Show

Racing team took on Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette rivals in the class.

“It’s hard to put into words what this means,” an emotional Dempsey told Eurosport Television at Le Mans.

After running in contention for podiums at Le Mans in both 2013, when they led midway and finished fourth, and again with a fifth place finish in 2014, Dempsey shifted his racing focus to the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

“This is my third Le Mans attempt with Patrick

Friday, September 18, 2015 8:00 am - 8:50 am

Race #2 - Lamborghini

9:10 am -10:10 am

Practice #3 - TUDOR (All Classes)

10:30 am - 11:30 am Practice #3 - FIA WEC

(Dempsey) and we’ve always dreamed of climbing the podium together. Now this dream has come true,” said Long at Le Mans.

The two Americans and Seefried arrive at the WEC’s sole North American stop, The Lone Star Le Mans, fresh from a fourth place class finish at the Nurburgring.

They are ranked fourth in the GTE-AM class championship as the second half of the 2015 WEC series begins.

A podium in the six-hour WEC race here in Texas would be a nice plot twist.

Circuit of The Americas

Schedule

12:40 pm - 3:10 pm

Race - CTSC

3:45 pm - 4:00 pm

Qualifying - TUDOR (GTD)

Saturday, September 19, 2015

4:10 pm - 4:25 pm

Qualifying - TUDOR (GTLM)

8:00 am - 8:20 am

Warm Up - TUDOR (All Classes)

4:35 pm - 4:50 pm

Qualifying - TUDOR (PC)

9:15 am -10:00 am

TUDOR Autograph Session

5:00 pm - 5:15 pm

Qualifying - TUDOR (P)

11:35 am - 2:15 pm

5:45 pm - 6:05 pm

Qualifying - FIA WEC (LMGTE PRO / AM)

Race - Lone Star Le Mans for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship

6:15 pm - 6:35 pm

Qualifying - FIA WEC (LMP1 / LMP2)

4:20 pm - 4:33 pm

Grid Walk - FIA WEC

7:00 pm - 7:45 pm

Race #2 - GT3 CUP

5:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Race - FIA WEC - 6 Hours

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There comes a time in nearly every race, season or career where a driver’s talent and experience comes together in a magical blend of speed, consistency, discipline and creativity.

Drivers in the zone seem to consistently optimize a car, a situation or their performance. For some that zone is fleeting, while others seem to set up residency.

In a Lone Star Le Mans paddock filled with top factory shoes in both the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), virtually every Pro class seat is filled by a young lion, a proven winner or a prime time player.

Dan Binks, crew chief for the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring GTLM class winning No. 3 Corvette calls that special time in a driver’s career, “the sweet spot.”

It is that point, usually in their late 20s to mid-30s, when a driver’s skills, focus and results are at their absolute peak. Poles, wins, fastest race laps and

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championships are not simply possible, but expected.

Here are some who may be best known to North American fans: Nick Tandy, a factory driver for Porsche Racing, is the hottest new prime time player. In the past two years, Tandy, now 30, has posted victories at Petit Le Mans, the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the biggest prize, the overall win at the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.

He was also aboard the LMP2 class winning car at the most recent WEC race at the Nurburgring in Germany.

He and fellow Porsche factory team prime timer Patrick Pilet (33) (pictured left) arrive with three consecutive TUDOR Championship GTLM class wins, taking victories in Canada, at Road America and most recently at VIRginia International Raceway.

Audi’s formidable trio of Andre Lotterer (33), Benoit Treluyer (38) and

Marcel Fassler (39) (pictured below) have been the winning combination for three overall victories at Le Mans and a WEC championship.

They currently lead the 2015 WEC championship heading into Circuit of The Americas (COTA).

Corvette Racing’s Exhibit A is “rock star” Antonio Garcia (35). The quiet but ruthlessly efficient Spaniard now has three Le Mans wins and an American Le Mans Series (ALMS) championship.

He and co-driver Jan Magnussen have posted six TUDOR Championship GTLM class victories in the last 16 races.

Garcia’s Corvette Racing teammate, Tommy Milner (29) (pictured right), is certainly in that prime zone.

Since joining the team in 2011, Milner has a pair of GTE Pro class wins at Le Mans, including this past June when he teamed with veteran Oliver Gavin and young lion (see page 2) Jordan Taylor.

Milner and Gavin also claimed the 2012 ALMS GT Championship.

With young drivers, teams look for talent, speed, the ability to learn and periodic flashes of brilliance.

As a driver gains seat time and experience, the expectations are raised.

Mistakes are no longer tolerated and the driver is in the car for the most difficult conditions and tactical situations.

Porsche has a deep roster of proven winners. Former ALMS and Le Mans champions Romain Dumas (37) and Timo Bernhard (34) have been key players in the Porsche factory line up.

Mark Webber (39) (pictured right) and Brendon Hartley (25) teamed with Bernhard aboard a Porsche 919 Hybrid prototype for the overall win at the Nurburgring. Dumas, Neel Jani (31) and Marc Lieb (35) finished second.

Their Porsche Manthey Racing counterparts in WEC, Richard Lietz (32) and Michael Christensen (25) led a 1-2 finish in the GTE-Pro class at the Nurburgring over teammates Pilet and Frederic Makowiecki (34).

Ferrari’s Gianmaria (Gimmi) Bruni (34) (pictured right) has three GT class wins at Le Mans and the 2013 FIA WEC championship to his credit.

BMW’s Lucas Luhr (36) has a record 49 career ALMS wins.

Joey Hand (36) is a past winner at Daytona and Sebring and a former ALMS GT champion.

He is currently paired with Scott Pruett in a Chip Ganassi Racing Ford EcoBoost Riley Prototype. The CGR Ford firmament will soon expand as the team gears up to field a total of four Ford GTs with pairs in both the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA WEC.

At some point, drivers reach their peak, but some special drivers can remain there for a long time.

Corvette’s Jan Magnussen (pictured right) and Oliver Gavin, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Pruett, BMW’s Bill Auberlen, Risi Competizione Ferrari’s Giancarlo Fisichella and Porsche’s Jörg Bergmeister are virtually ageless, seemingly retaining all of their speed and prowess while ignoring the calendar.

Almost imperceptibly, others gradually lose a tenth of a second or two and get in trouble by forcing situations.

Prime timers are often the hidden leaders in their respective teams as the mechanics, engineers and co-drivers look to them to be the ultimate difference makers in incredibly close competition.

For them the look in the eyes of their teammates in victory is the ultimate praise and reward.

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CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS - 2015

PRIME TIME The world’s finest sports car drivers in their prime do battle in Texas Nick Tandy