Just a week after the six-hour classic at Watkins Glen, the IMSA SportsCar Championship makes its traditional detour over the border for Canada’s one and only round of the season contested on 8 July at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The Porsche GT Team fields two 510 hp 911 RSR in the GTLM class on the very fast and demanding course close to Bowmanville. This category, in which four automobile manufacturers compete, is known to be particularly tough and is packed with suspense from start to finish. Porsche’s customer team Wright Motorsports runs two 911 GT3 R racers in the GTD class.
“This is one of the fastest circuits on the calendar,” commented Earl Bamber. “I’m looking forward to the challenge. We’re looking good in the fight for the championship and I hope we can continue to improve our position.”
The storied 3.957 kilometre circuit at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park is Canada’s oldest racetrack. The first sports car race on the former Mosport International Raceway was contested in 1961 with victory claimed by Stirling Moss. From 1967 to 1977, the Canadian Formula 1 Grands Prix were held on this dauntingly fast racetrack, located two hours by car from Toronto. Porsche’s most recent victory here was scored in 2015 by Patrick Pilet and Nick Tandy with the 911 RSR.
Patrick Pilet (France) and Nick Tandy (Great Britain), the winners of the Sebring 12-hour race, share the cockpit of the #911 racer. Laurens Vanthoor (Belgium) and Earl Bamber (New Zealsnd) drive the second 911 RSR (#912) fielded by the Porsche GT Team in the GTLM class. These two won the Mid-Ohio race in the USA recently.
Round 6 takes off on Sunday, 8 July, at 14.05 hrs local time (20.05 hrs CEST) and runs over 2:40 hours. The race can be viewed live outside the USA and Canada on www.imsa.com.
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