Porsche Withdraw IMSA GTLM Cars From 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours
GTE Pro Entry down to 9 cars
Porsche Motorsport have confirmed that their GTE Pro entry for the 2020 Le Mans 24 Hours will be reduced from the planned four-car squad to two, whether or not the race goes ahead as (re) planned in September.
The economic impact of the COVID19 crisis has been directly cited as the reason behind the move which will see the pair of full-season CORE autosports-run IMSA Porsche 911 RSR-19s now not making the trip for the 24 Hours.
That leaves the pair of full season FIA WEC cars as the factory representatives with the current presumption internaly at Porsche that the planned additional drivers for the #91 and #92 will remain in place, though that is not yet formally confirmed.
The #91 then is plnaned to see Gianmaria Bruni and Richard Lietz joined by Frederic Makowiecki whilst the sister #92 sees reigning World Champion GT drivers Kevin Estre and Michael Christensen joined by Laurens Vanthoor.
At present then there are no confirmed seats in the race for the planned #93 crew of 2015 and 2017 overall race winner Earl Bamber, fellow 2015 winner Nick Tandy and 2018 GTE Am winner Matt Campbell who had been due to make his GTE Pro Le Mans debut.
Neither, at present, are we set to see the #94 crew which had been due to feature Campbell’s fellow 2018 GTE Am winner Julien Andlauer (who would also have been making his GTE Pro Le Mans debut) Mathieu Jaminet or Patrick Pilet.
That leaves the GTE Pro entry currently at 9 cars – two apiece from Porsche Team, Aston Martin Racing, AF Corse (Ferrari) and Corvette Racing plus a solo Ferrari from Risi Competizione.
The Porsches become the second and third confirmed withdrawals from the entry after the decision from Frederic Sausset’s SRT41 ‘Garage 56’ effort to postpone their entry.
That should see the first, second and third reserve entries elevated to full entry status with the #55 Spirit of Race Ferrari (Duncan Cameron and co), the #4 ByKolles (the Gibson-powered LMP1 car) looks set to be added to the entry – Tom Dillmann the first named driver, as does a second IDEC Sport-entered ORECA 07 Gibson in LMP2, their #17 car entered with Patrice Lafargue the first named driver.
DSC sources have confirmed that the Ferrari and ORECA are more or less confirmed, this the first time that IDEC Sport will have raced a pair of ORECA 07s.
That leaves seven remaining reserve entries with the second High Class Racing ORECA, their ELMS car naming Jan Magnussen as a driver now topping the list.
This is unlikely though to be the final iteration of the list in what are set to be difficult times for the racing world.
Ah-ha. July 4th, eh? (Fer you furriners*, 7/4 is our Independence Day) (*in proper English: For you foreigners)
Have to check into whether or not it starts at midnight followed by a fireworks display, as the "Paul Revere 250" * used to back in the IMSA Camel GT days ('73-'83)... (Followed the same morning/afternoon by the NASCAR "Firecracker 400"; your tickets included both, be they infield or grandstand. See my signature. )
Felipe Nasr Tests Positive For COVID-19 Gabby Chaves drafted in by Whelen Engineering for Daytona
Bad news from Whelen Engineering as regular full-season driver Felipe Nasr is confirmed as having tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and is heading back to Miami to quarantine on the eve of IMSA’s return to racing this weekend at Daytona.
The rapid Brazilian is replaced by Gabby Chaves alongside Pipo Derani aboard the #31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi for the IMSA WeatherTech 240 at Daytona.
“I’ve been waiting so long for this weekend to get back to racing,” Nasr said. “I felt I had been doing everything correctly. I have been in Miami for about a month, staying away from anyone in racing. Yesterday as I was driving to Daytona, I wasn’t feeling just right. So, before I went to the track or met with my team or anyone in motorsports, I went and got tested and, unfortunately, I tested positive.
“I want to keep everyone on the Whelen Engineering/Action Express team and those around the series safe. I am going back to Miami to quarantine. Hopefully, I will recover quickly, and my doctors can clear me to return to racing soon. For now, I will follow all instructions, guidelines and recommendations from my medical team, my race team, and the IMSA Officials.”
“All of us at Action Express were stunned when we heard that our friend and teammate, Felipe Nasr, has tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday,” Gary Nelson, Action Express Racing, team manager said. “We are certainly going to miss having him competing in our Whelen Cadillac DPi-V.R on Saturday at Daytona. But, more importantly, he is a great friend to us all and we know he will fight hard to beat this virus the same way he fights for trophies on the racetracks. We wish him a speedy recovery. Felipe has not been to the track and will avoid any contact with the public until he has been cleared by his medical team.
“We made the quick decision to bring in Gabby Chaves who is familiar with our team to partner with Pipo Derani this weekend. We will get Felipe ready to hopefully join us again at Sebring in 15 days.”
Gabby Chaves drove for the team in 2018 at Petit Le Mans, finishing eighth.
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